October 15th

Oct 15, 1843 - Joseph Smith preaches, "The only fault I find with the Constitution is, it is not broad enough to cover the whole ground. Although it provides that all men shall enjoy religious freedom, yet it does not provide the manner by which that freedom can be preserved, nor for the punishment of Government officers who refuse to protect the people in their religious rights, or punish those mobs, states, or communities who interfere with the rights of the people on acount of their religion."

Oct 15, 1966 - CHURCH NEWS article that current non-U.S., LDS chapels "range in architectural style from modern tile and stucco structures in Managua, Nicaragua, to the native-built 'Choza' made from palm trunks, limbs and coconut fronds." However, as part of Correlation Program's drive for church-wide uniformity, headquarters soon requires that chapels throughout world be modeled on those in Utah. In Latin America this makes LDS chapels visual symbols of often-hated "gringo" power and wealth.

Oct 15, 1970 - DESERET NEWS ceases advertising films rated "X" or "R."

Oct 15, 1977 - CHURCH NEWS feature story that "three LDS men serve their community as members of the five-man committee that controls and regulates the state's [Nevada's] billion-dollar-a-year casino industry."

Oct 15, 1982 - First Presidency instruction to all stake and mission leaders that many letters from church members "indicate clearly that some local leaders have been delving into private, sensitive matters beyond the scope of what is appropriate.... Also, you should never inquire into personal, intimate matters involving marital relations between a man and his wife." Letter continues that even if a church member volunteers such intimate information, "you should not pursue the mater but should merely suggest that if the member has enough anxiety about the propriety of the conduct to ask about it, the best course would be to discontinue it." In response to widespread complaints from married couples being asked if they have oral sex, this returns First Presidency stance to what it was prior to presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, now incapacitated.

Oct 15, 1996 - Boyd K. Packer, Twelve's acting-president, tells BYU devotional assembly that Bishops should exercise strict control over LDS funerals because families are conducting funerals where "several family members speak in a funeral, we hear about the deceased instead of about the Atonement." DESERET NEWS notes that he speaks about "unwritten laws" of church conduct, but does not quote or paraphrase Apostle Packer's statements against content of LDS funerals by grieving families.

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