This presentation concerns the LDS Church Public Relations Department’s attempt to shift the blame for the Church’s past racism onto the Lord. The presenter critiques Elder Todd Christofferson’s recent attempt to shift onto Church members the responsibility of distinguishing Church leaders’ opinions from binding doctrine; Toscano claims that he was excommunicated almost 19 years ago for holding then the same views Elder Christofferson expresses now. His voice then shifts from critic to apologist as he explains why he still believes in many Mormon teachings while rejecting certain elements of corporate Mormonism. In doing so, he explores the roles of proof, preference, facts, faith, history, myth, reason, intuition, imagination, and spiritual encounters in human existence, and discloses some surprising close encounters from his own life.

Paul Toscano