The Church recently took down its Gospel Topics essay titled “Becoming Like God.” Here’s a WayBack Machine snapshot of what it used to say. For a little while, the page redirected to the “Are Mormons Christian?” essay. Now, at least for the moment, it redirects to itself. I’m including a screenshot because I figure this likely won’t last for long.
The redirect to “Are Mormons Christian?” got me to thinking that there are all kinds of potentially troubling issues that could be listed in the Gospel Topics Essays, but then redirected to other topics. Rather than giving readers the essay they think they want, give them the essay they should have wanted, right? The following are my suggestions.
Are Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormon? . . . redirects to . . . No
Are Mormons Christian? . . . redirects to . . . Are Mormons Mormon?
Are Mormons Mormon? . . . redirects to . . . Are Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormon?
Book of Mormon Anachronisms . . . redirects to . . . What Is History, Really?
Book of Mormon and DNA . . . redirects to . . . DNA: Reality or Illusion?
Church Finances . . . redirects to . . . Temples: More Expensive Than You Might Think!
Church Growth . . . redirects to . . . Church Size Constancy
Church Size Constancy . . . redirects to . . . Strait Is the Gate, Narrow Is the Way, Few There Be That Find It
Divine Roles of Women in Time and Eternity . . . redirects to . . . Women in the Church
Fanny Alger . . . redirects to . . . 19th Century American Barn Design Trends and Difficulties Posed for Identifying Their Occupants
Gay Exclusion Policy . . . redirects to . . . Doctrine and Policy in the Church
Helen Mar Kimball . . . redirects to . . . 19th Century American Marriage Age Trends
Kinderhook Plates . . . redirects to . . . 19th Century American Servingware Trends
LGBT Acceptance . . . redirects to . . . Mormon and Gay
Menace to Society . . . redirects to . . . Singles in the Church
Mormon and Gay . . . redirects to . . . Gay Is Happy! The Divine Plan of Happiness
Mother in Heaven . . . redirects to . . . Divine Roles of Women in Time and Eternity
The New and Everlasting Covenant . . . redirects to . . . Marriage between a Man and a Woman
Peep Stones . . . redirects to . . . Seer Stones
Polygamy . . . redirects to . . . The New and Everlasting Covenant
Priesthood Ban . . . redirects to . . . Priesthood/Temple Ban
Priesthood/Temple Ban . . . redirects to . . . Priesthood/Temple Exclusion Policy
Priesthood/Temple Exclusion Policy . . . redirects to . . . Doctrine and Policy in the Church
Rock in a Hat . . . redirects to . . . 19th Century American Headwear Trends
Seer Stones . . . redirects to . . . Stone Cut out of the Mountain without Hands
Singles in the Church . . . redirects to . . . Marriage between a Man and a Woman
Stone Cut out of the Mountain without Hands . . . redirects to . . . Church Growth
Temple Worship and Masonry . . . redirects to . . . Squirrel!
Women in the Church . . . redirects to . . . The Crucial Importance of Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary Presidencies
Interesting. I wonder if this is a very slow start towards “archiving” the essays.
That’s a great thought, Bro. Jones. As I’ve seen discussed a number of times, it seems like the GAs first conceived of the essays as a way to inoculate people to prepare them for hearing difficult information. But now after they’ve been out there for a few years, perhaps the GAs might have decided that they’re more trouble than they’re worth. They could just be taken down, and the apologetics left to people like the FAIR LDS folks.
Using my mobile device which has the library app installed, the website link for the essay in your post takes me straight to the essay in the library app, bypassing the website altogether. It maybe the errors have arisen in displaying the essay on the website as a result of the work setting up the redirects to the app. I would expect it to be corrected at some point so that the essay will again display properly on the website in the absence of the library app. I’ve noticed a lot of links open in the app rather than the website recently.
Not nearly as interesting as your suggestions though.
Thanks for pointing that out, Hedgehog. I’m so computer-centric that I forget that things often look different in the app. I’m sure you’re right that they’ll eventually make the app and the website consistent, although I wonder which way they’ll go with the change.
Seems to be back up now.
Thanks, Left Field! All my conspiracy theories are ruined now! RUINED!