Mormons Unveil "Secret" Handbook's 2nd Volume

One part of the article that arrested my attention

That blue volume includes information about counseling with members. LDS authorities worried that if it were widely read, some members “might decide they don’t need to go see their bishop,” says Michael Otterson, managing director of LDS Public Affairs. “It made much more sense to reserve that volume for leaders.”

In working with LDS people here in Salt Lake, one of the most liberating truths we can communicate to them is that they don’t need a bishop to tell them what God wants. They can have our entire “Handbook” to read and study on their own. Of course I put handbook in quotes, because we know that the Bible is not a religious handbook. But the analogy still works to show them that Christ is our priest and the “bishop” of our souls and that some truth is not reserved for just the leaders to encourage people to come to their bishops. It is the fundamental difference between a cult and Christianity (that which is hyper-fundamental ought to think about this). If the leadership wants you to go to God’s Word with your questions-great! If the leadership wants you to come to them with your questions-beware. Who the “church” points to as having answers reveals much of whether they are cultist or not, regardless of creed and name.

FWIW, a man who has recently come out of mormonism and come to Christ has asked me to work on a book/pamphlet with him specifically for those who are leaving or who have left mormonism that presents Christianity and the fundamentals of the faith in a concise way that would especially target Mormon beliefs while not arguing against mormonism, but for the truth. That sounds kind of confusing. But the concept is material, that doesn’t talk about mormonism, but in essence, anticipates a former mormon’s confusion and questions with doctrinal, Biblical answers. I think it is a great idea, but wanted to throw that out for my brothers and sisters on SI for any advice or thoughts.

Go for it!