Some, disgruntled at the recent excommunications of people who (we’re told) were simply asking honest questions and seeking to make things better and more loving, have been rumbling about the need for different flavors of Mormonism, and halfway predicting, halfway hoping for, the splintering of the Church along the lines of Reform, Orthodox, Conservative, and Humanistic Judaism(s).
Nathaniel Hancock calls my attention to one recent discussion of such speculations:
http://www.wheatandtares.org/16211/the-reform-lds-church-i-doubt-it/
I really don’t see the need for forming new denominations or churches, though. Here’s an alternative plan:
Someone out there needs to remain very active in the Church, to the point that he gets himself appointed at a relatively young age to the Council of the Twelve and ultimately rises to the presidency of the Church. Along the way, while he keeps his real views pretty much to himself, he should identify like-minded fellow travelers and, to the extent that he can, place them in positions where they’re able to have influence. Eventually, as the old guard die off, he needs to appoint several of his comrades to the Twelve. Perhaps one or two reactionaries will hang on, but, if necessary, they can be excommunicated while overseas on mission tours, or something of that sort. Then, securely established and thoroughly in command, he can announce the ordination of women, the abandonment of the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham as historical texts, the dropping of claims to special prophetic authority, and the immediate commencement of same-sex temple sealings.
It’s a workable plan. No need to build up a new organization from scratch. Simply seize the old one, with all of its assets and resources, and redirect it.
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