1. For example, the author states:"I’m encouraged by the church’s recent essay series on complex history issues and grateful for their progress toward transparency.
It is a self serving assumption that the purpose of what she calls the "church's essays" are to move from secrecy to transparency. Real transparency comes only in and though the light of Christ and has existed in the church since the beginning. Those enlightened by the Holy Spirit, (as opposed to walking by the light of their own fire), can recognize the absolute truths with regard to all that has occurred within the restored gospel. The essays mentioned are much more likely an attempt of historians to appeal to the flesh based and to help them past the walls that their own arrogance have built up based upon false histories or other flawed data...the ultimate purpose being to give them a chance to at least consider other points of view, so that in time they may come to embrace the only valid methodology to absolute truth.... revelation. That is a far different thing than "progressing toward transparency" as the author suggests.
2. The author's work with "rehabilitating sex offenders" might be a commendable thing, (though there is still a large body of opinion that such offenders are beyond "rehabilitation") and that service may provide her some insights into those suffering from addiction or other mental or spiritual disorders, and even wrong choices, that lead them into that lifestyle. However, to project the actions and mindsets of such persons upon all humans, is a fallacy of logic, and just another example of the defense mechanism of projection. Truly spirit led and presently enlightened servants of God, will not engage in such vile conduct contrary to that spirit, no matter how many essays they read. Spirit inspired leaders will, if attendant, know who not to call into positions that might jeopardize innocent youth. Spirit directed parents will know what actions to take and what warnings to give to preserve their children. Youth who are led by the spirit of Christ, will not be deceived by the flawed and perverted actions of perpetrators, who act contrary to that light. The real protection for the youth is to teach them to avoid the flesh based methodologies like those employed by the author, and rather to encourage them to embrace revelation and direction by the spirit of Christ. It is the flesh based that can be deceived and harmed by those in authority, because their faith is based in false understandings of authority, church position, human reason, science, self deceit, tradition, etc and not in revealed truth. In fact, it is the author's basis in flesh based data, that if adopted by the youth will destroys their ability to recognize evil at the outset. The physical senses and human reason can be deceived, but never the Holy Spirit. Many are the youth who knew immediately when they were heading for danger, because of the warnings of the spirit, while without that sensitivity, and the faith to follow it, they would have been victimized.
3.The real tragedy in the opinion piece is that one who claims to be familiar with the "grooming patterns" of sexual abusers, by her very article and suggestions actually facilitates one of the most subtle of those grooming patterns, which is the penchant of abusers to cause the victim to distrust every other external source including; Bishop's, Youth Leaders, Teachers. etc. in order for the perpetrator to consolidate their power, and decrease the likelihood of detection.
Now in response to her proposed options:
1) The LDS scriptures do NOT illustrate that inspired prophets make mistakes. What they do illustrate is that when acting as men, the prophets are flawed, weak and yes subject to mistakes. However, when acting as prophets, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, and in accordance with the commandments of God, they are never flawed, and their commands and directives, as affirmed by the Holy Spirit are ALWAYS reliable. Accordingly, if the Prophet Joseph Smith engaged in plural marriage, the spirit will confirm that he only did so as directed by God and under His almighty command, and so his actions were not in error. He was a moral and virtuous man, and since that is an absolute truth, then any flawed human histories or opinions to the contrary may be rejected as such.
2) Any secrecy involved with the church's practice of plural marriage, was based on the sacred nature of the activity (not unlike the temple ordinances today, which are often claimed by the unenlightened to be secret, but known by the spirit lead to actually be sacred) and there was nothing nefarious about it, though it serves the apostate agenda to claim or infer such. Joseph's actions were in harmony with God's instructions, and it is purely human fallacy to attempt to paint him as deceiving Emma. A clear and spirit lead reading of the Doctrine and Covenants makes it clear that such was not the case, no matter the flawed claims of revisionist histories.
3-4) Her claims with regard to what the girls who the prophet allegedly married, thought, is pure conjecture, based on the flawed reliance on revisionist history with a healthy dose of wishful thinking. Such is the result of the author's personal life which is clearly directed by her reason, and devoid of the spirit, and which leads her to project her same mentality upon those young women. The fact is that no matter what Joseph said to them, his teachings must be considered in total, (as opposed to human created snippets of alleged history) and supported by the Holy Spirit. Thus each alleged wife would have been taught the principles of personal revelation, and they would have had the ability to discern if the prophet's requests were actually in accordance with God's will. It is pure flesh reliance, that forces one to believe that external stimulus (i.e. claims from a prophet) are equal to the loss of agency. That simply is not the case. All true prophets and the God and Christ that they serve, teach individual accountability, and the power of personal revelation. Thus it is the author's misplaced reliance upon and promotion of the arm of the flesh, that actually endangers the youth, rather than providing them with the tools to know absolute truth for themselves. The flesh reliant are the only ones who can be deceived by false prophets.
5) What will help the youth tremendously is to teach them to rely upon the Holy Spirit, which will tell them immediately if they are being misled by a priesthood leader. However, given that such an approach is being taken first......the author's suggestion to make clear to youth the obvious truth about God and his servants not being justified in inappropriate relations, would be fine and good. However, the authors penchant to always equate sex with plural marriage indicates a deep and troubling bias, which colors her previous comments.
Finally, male priesthood leaders who conduct interviews, under the keys they hold and the direction of the Holy Spirit do not need warnings or changes in policy. The perversion that lingers in the mind of one who suggest such a thing indicates a total misunderstanding of priesthood and key holding (but helps us see why she is on the board of the apostate Ordain Women movement.) One would wonder if she only prays in private to Heavenly Mother, or requires that her children not pray to God unless a female is present in the room with them. Perhaps she would suggested to her children that Mary should have rejected Gabriel's visit, since he was a man, and was talking to her alone about sensitive sexual topics. It is reverse sexism to suppose that all males, simply because they are males, are perverse or incapable of teaching true doctrines, or hearing confessions, or inspired giving counsel with regard to sexual issues. God has ordained them as key holders, and as such , when functioning righteously in that office, they are entitled to know all God knows on that issue, and to teach what the Lord would have them teach. While it is true that some key holders may be fallen leaders, having women interview the youth does not resolve the issue, in fact it is another indication of sexism on the part of the author to assume that only males are predators, and the issues can be revolved by having females do the interviews...as if there was never a female predator.
Even more dangerous is the author's suggestions and spirit which tend to build distrust in the heart of youth toward their Church leaders. Many is the perpetrating father, facilitated by the acquiescing mother, or the perpetrating mother, facilitated by the acquiescing Father, or even worse, parents who are both perpetrators, who would love to erode their victims' trust in their priesthood leaders, because those leaders might otherwise discover, in spirit led interviews, the tragic abuse taking place in the home. Trusted and spirit led priesthood leaders are sometimes the only ones that a youth may feel comfortable speaking to and seeking help from. Imagine the abused child sitting next to the abusing mother as the inspired Bishop asks how things are in the home. In such instances the pretense of safety from the Bishop, actually leads to the loss of it at the hands of the mother. Eroding trust or casting aspersions upon such leaders only destroys another method of escape for those youth in need. Obviously as with all the preceding, the answer is to teach and fortify our children with the Holy Spirit and as parents to make sure we are also in tune. Therein lies safety, not in reliance upon reverse sexist policies, but in reliance upon the Holy Ghost.
All in all this article was just another indicator that the flesh reliant, will always seek to quench the Holy Spirit. That is simply an essential element to their reliance upon a flawed methodology. The tragedy is that in accordance with their personal bias and inordinate focus on a single issue "ordain women" they actually suggest things that could cause great harm the innocent.