Hi everyone,
My friend Richard and I recently did another interview and this one was about the many versions of Joseph Smith's First Vision. As with the other interviews, we had way too much material for the hour, in spite of trying to squeeze in as much data as possible. It was a real education, even though I had looked at the different versions before. What leaped out at me this time was the fact that the first few versions of Smith's First Vision were essentially what one might call "evangelical" in nature. What do I mean? First of all, Smith claimed initially that it was through long and diligent study of the Bible that he became convinced that all churches were in error, much in the same way that other restoration-type churches came to similar conclusions and then as a result attempted to "restore" authentic Christianity through their teachings. Also, in the early versions of the First Vision, Jesus tells Smith that his sins are forgiven and he is very happy for it, though he soon has a lapse and falls back into his sin-filled life. But none of this is how the currently accepted and canonized version of the First Vision reads. Why? It's very simple - if Smith had indeed relied solely on the Bible to tell him that all churches were in error, then there wouldn't be any need at all for the Book of Mormon, no exclusivity of Mormonism over any other restoration-type church, in short, nothing to make Mormonism special enough for Smith to use it as his ultimate scam.
The latest interview is available at the KFUO AM archives of the show called Studio A, hosted by Roland Lettner.
Thoughts and/or comments?
Art
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Out of Mormonism
Hi everyone,
I've had the privilege of being on the radio twice in the past two weeks with a great ex-Mormon friend named Richard, and we have discussed a number of important facts and some of the big lies of Mormonism.. It takes courage to do what Richard has done and I admire him greatly for it. He has also been extremely helpful to me in educating me about the Mormon mindset and what it is like to be a Mormon. I am constantly amazed at just how different the Mormon world and world view are from reality and expecially from Christianity.
Something else that has been made abundantly clear to me since getting involved with the Ex-Mormon Foundation is how much ex-Mormons have suffered in their leaving "the church", whether at the hands of church leadership, family, friends, and even in many cases, business relationships. So many people hurt because of a misguided egomaniac and his phony "revelations", as well as the many other at times convenient revelations and pronouncements since the religion first came into being.
Oh, I suppose that to the random Mormon who might visit this blog I'm just another angry "anti" on a rant about his or her beloved church, but it has gotten far more personal than just venting my spleen about percieved wrong-doings by an organization that I call a false religion. This religion has wantonly destroyed possibly thousands of people just because those people couldn't find the answers to the questions they had and because of that, made the incredibly difficult decision to leave, or who perhaps were forced to leave because they could no longer abide the lies of the church they had come to trust with their earthly and spiritual lives. Because of this and other reasons, I have put effort over the last thirty-something years to try to expose the lies of Mormonism and I believe that God has blessed that effort with a measure of success. As it says in the Bible, heaven rejoices when even one individual is saved, so if I can help even one person leave Mormonism and find the truth, I am truly blessed.
To those who have left Mormonism and feel that God is just a myth, I am sorry that you feel that way, yet I think I am beginnig to understand why you feel the way you do. You see, the God I worship is not the same God of Mormonism, nor is the Jesus of Mormonism the same Jesus I have worshipped all of my life. Because of that, it has been difficult for me to understand why many who have left Mormonism - people who were devout Mormons, now have little or no room for the God I worship. I haven't had to deal with endless rituals, priesthood ceremonies, temple recommends, secret underwear, or any of the other trappings of Mormonism. I've just known about a God who loved me so much that He sent His Son to earth to lead a perfect life and die a miserable death and then rise again so that I could be made blameless before Him. Not only that, but because of what Jesus did, there was quite literally nothing that I could do to save myself, but that was a good thing because Jesus did everything for me, freeing me to live a life where I could tell others about what He did for me and for the rest of the world.
I am not trying to recruit people into Christianity nor lecture anyone as to how they should live, but am rather trying to tell in my own meager way what Christ has done for me and to say that He can do it for those who have left Mormonism too.
I tried to attach the two interviews to this post but was unsuccessful. If you want to hear the interviews, go to the KFUO AM website, which I believe is kfuo.org, and check the archives of the Studio A radio show with Roland Lettner. Other interviews that I have done with Roland are also available in the archives, and some are also available at our website: http://www.solomonspalding.info/.
As a side note, has anyone been watching the "Big Love" series on HBO? I wonder what the background is of the screenwriters? The show seems to very accurately for the most part, portray both mainstream Mormonism as well as the fundamentalist polygamous groups. In fact, some of the polygamous people in the show seem to be eerily similar to known polygamous leaders from the past and present. So, if any of you have any comments about Big Love, feel free to share them with us, okay?
Art
I've had the privilege of being on the radio twice in the past two weeks with a great ex-Mormon friend named Richard, and we have discussed a number of important facts and some of the big lies of Mormonism.. It takes courage to do what Richard has done and I admire him greatly for it. He has also been extremely helpful to me in educating me about the Mormon mindset and what it is like to be a Mormon. I am constantly amazed at just how different the Mormon world and world view are from reality and expecially from Christianity.
Something else that has been made abundantly clear to me since getting involved with the Ex-Mormon Foundation is how much ex-Mormons have suffered in their leaving "the church", whether at the hands of church leadership, family, friends, and even in many cases, business relationships. So many people hurt because of a misguided egomaniac and his phony "revelations", as well as the many other at times convenient revelations and pronouncements since the religion first came into being.
Oh, I suppose that to the random Mormon who might visit this blog I'm just another angry "anti" on a rant about his or her beloved church, but it has gotten far more personal than just venting my spleen about percieved wrong-doings by an organization that I call a false religion. This religion has wantonly destroyed possibly thousands of people just because those people couldn't find the answers to the questions they had and because of that, made the incredibly difficult decision to leave, or who perhaps were forced to leave because they could no longer abide the lies of the church they had come to trust with their earthly and spiritual lives. Because of this and other reasons, I have put effort over the last thirty-something years to try to expose the lies of Mormonism and I believe that God has blessed that effort with a measure of success. As it says in the Bible, heaven rejoices when even one individual is saved, so if I can help even one person leave Mormonism and find the truth, I am truly blessed.
To those who have left Mormonism and feel that God is just a myth, I am sorry that you feel that way, yet I think I am beginnig to understand why you feel the way you do. You see, the God I worship is not the same God of Mormonism, nor is the Jesus of Mormonism the same Jesus I have worshipped all of my life. Because of that, it has been difficult for me to understand why many who have left Mormonism - people who were devout Mormons, now have little or no room for the God I worship. I haven't had to deal with endless rituals, priesthood ceremonies, temple recommends, secret underwear, or any of the other trappings of Mormonism. I've just known about a God who loved me so much that He sent His Son to earth to lead a perfect life and die a miserable death and then rise again so that I could be made blameless before Him. Not only that, but because of what Jesus did, there was quite literally nothing that I could do to save myself, but that was a good thing because Jesus did everything for me, freeing me to live a life where I could tell others about what He did for me and for the rest of the world.
I am not trying to recruit people into Christianity nor lecture anyone as to how they should live, but am rather trying to tell in my own meager way what Christ has done for me and to say that He can do it for those who have left Mormonism too.
I tried to attach the two interviews to this post but was unsuccessful. If you want to hear the interviews, go to the KFUO AM website, which I believe is kfuo.org, and check the archives of the Studio A radio show with Roland Lettner. Other interviews that I have done with Roland are also available in the archives, and some are also available at our website: http://www.solomonspalding.info/.
As a side note, has anyone been watching the "Big Love" series on HBO? I wonder what the background is of the screenwriters? The show seems to very accurately for the most part, portray both mainstream Mormonism as well as the fundamentalist polygamous groups. In fact, some of the polygamous people in the show seem to be eerily similar to known polygamous leaders from the past and present. So, if any of you have any comments about Big Love, feel free to share them with us, okay?
Art
Thursday, February 11, 2010
"The "Everlasting Gospel" and Sidney Rigdon
Hi folks,
With the new evidence connecting Sidney Rigdon with Solomon Spalding and the production of the Book of Mormon, I thought I would post an article that some may not have heard about before. It's actually a chapter from a book and it talks about something called the "Everlasting Gospel". I think you will find it interesting.
Art
CHAPTER IX
"THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL"
Having presented the evidence which shows that the historical part of the Mormon Bible was supplied by the Spaulding manuscript, we may now pay attention to other evidence, which indicates that the entire conception of a revelation of golden plates by an angel was not even original, and also that its suggester was Rigdon. This is a subject which has been overlooked by investigators of the Mormon Bible.
That the idea of the revelation as described by Smith in his autobiography was not original is shown by the fact that a similar divine message, engraved on plates, was announced to have been received from an angel nearly six hundred years before the alleged visit of an angel to Smith. These original plates were described as of copper, and the recipient was a monk named Cyril, from whom their contents passed into the possession of the Abbot Joachim, whose "Everlasting Gospel," founded thereon, was offered to the church as supplanting the New Testament, just as the New Testament had supplanted the Old, and caused so serious a schism that Pope Alexander IV took the severest measures against it.1
The evidence that the history of the "Everlasting Gospel" of the thirteenth century supplied the idea of the Mormon Bible lies not only in the resemblance between the celestial announcement of both, but in the fact that both were declared to have the same important purport -- as a forerunner of the end of the world.-- and that the name "Everlasting Gospel" was adopted and constantly used in connection with their message by the original leaders in the Mormon church.
_________________________
1 [John W.] Draper's "Intellectual Development of Europe," Vol. II, Chap. III. For an exhaustive essay on the "Everlasting Gospel," by Renan, see Revue des Delcx Mondes, June, 1866. For John of Parma's part in the Gospel, see "Histoire Litteraire de la France" (1842), Vol. XX, p. 24.
-------- THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL 75 --------
If it is asked, How could Rigdon become acquainted with the story of the original "Everlasting Gospel," the answer is that it was just such subjects that would most attract his attention, and that his studies had led him into directions where the story of Cyril's plates would probably have been mentioned. He was a student of every subject out of which he could evolve a, sect, from the time of his Pittsburg pastorate. Hepworth Dixon said, "He knew the writings of Maham, Gates, and Boyle, writings in which love and marriage are considered in relation to Gospel liberty and the future life."1 H. H. Bancroft, noting his appointment as Professor of Church History in Nauvoo University, speaks of him as "versed in history, belles-lettres, and oratory.2 Mrs. James A. Garfield told Mrs. Dickenson that Rigdon taught her father Latin and Greek.3 David Whitmer, who was intimately acquainted with the early history of the church, testified: "Rigdon was a thorough biblical scholar, a man of fine education and a powerful orator."4 A writer, describing Rigdon while the church was at Nauvoo, said, "There is no divine in the West more learned in biblical literature and the history of the world than he."5 All this indicates that a knowledge of the earlier "Everlasting Gospel" was easily within Rigdon's reach. We may even surmise the exact source of this knowledge. Mosheim's "Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern" was at his disposal. Editions of it had appeared in London in 1765, 1768, 1774, 1782, 1790, 1806, 18I4 and 1826, and among the abridgments was one published in Philadelphia in 1812. In this work he could have read as follows: --
"About the commencement of this (the thirteenth) century there were handed about in Italy several pretended prophecies of the famous Joachim, abbot of Sora in Calabria, whom the multitude revered as a person divinely inspired, and equal to the most illustrious prophets of ancient times. The greatest part of these predictions were contained in a certain book entitled, 'The Everlasting Gospel,' which was also commonly called the Book of Joachim. This Joachim, whether a real or fictitious person we shall not pretend to determine, among many other events, foretold the destruction of the Church of Rome, whose corruptions he censured with the greatest severity, and the promulgation of a new and more perfect gospel in the age of the Holy Ghost, by a set of poor and austere ministers, whom God was to raise up and employ for that purpose."
_________________________
1 "Spiritual Wives," p. 62.
2 "Utah," p. 146.
3 Scribner's Magazine, October, 1881.
4 "Address to All Believers in Christ," p. 35.
5 Letter in the New York Herald.
-------- 76 THE STORY OF THE MORMONS --------
Here is a perfect outline of the scheme presented by the original Mormons, with Joseph as the divinely inspired prophet, and an "Everlasting Gospel," the gift of an angel, promulgated by poor men like the travelling Mormon elders. The original suggestion of an "Everlasting Gospel" is found in Revelation xiv, 6 and 7: --
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting in gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
"Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water."1
This was the angel of Cyril; this the announcement of those "latter days" from which the Mormon church, on Rigdon's motion soon took its name.
That Rigdon's attention had been attracted to an "Everlasting Gospel" is proved by the constant references made to it in writings of which he had at least the supervision, from the very beginning of the church. Thus, when he preached his first sermon before a Mormon audience -- on the occasion of his visit to Smith at Palmyra in I830 -- he took as his text a part of the version of Revelation xiv, which he had put into the Mormon Bible (I Nephi xiii. 40), and in his sermon, as reported by Tucker, who heard it, holding the Scriptures in one hand and the Mormon Bible in the other, he said, "that they were inseparably necessary to complete the everlasting gospel of the Saviour Jesus Christ." In the account in Smith's autobiography, of the first description of the buried book given to Smith by the angel, its two features are named separately, first, "an account of the former inhabitants of this continent," and then the fulness of the Everlasting Gospel." That Rigdon never lost sight of the importance, in his view, of an "Everlasting Gospel" may be seen from the following quotation from one of his articles in his Pittsburg organ, the Messenger and Advocate, of June 15, 1845,
_________________________
1 "Bisping (after Gerlach) takes Rev. xiv. 6-11 to foretell that three great events at the end of the last world-week are immediately to precede Christ's second advent: (1) the announcement of the "eternal' Gospel to the whole world (Matt. xxiv. 14); (2) the Fall of Babylon; (3) a warning to all who worship the beast. . . Burger says this vision can denote nothing but a last admonition and summons to conversion shortly before the end." -- Note in "Commentary by Bishops and Other Clergy of the Anglican Church."
-------- THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL 77 --------
after his expulsion from Nauvoo: "It is a strict observance of the principles of the fulness of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ, as contained in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Book of Covenants, which alone will insure a man an inheritance in the kingdom of our God."
The importance attached to the "Everlasting Gospel" by the founders of the church is seen further in the references to it in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants," which it is not necessary to cite,1 and further in a pamphlet by Elder Moses [Martin] of New York (1842), entitled "A Treatise on the Fulness of the Everlasting Gospel, setting forth its First Principles, Promises, and Blessings," in which he argued that the appearance of the angle to Smith was in direct line with the Scriptural teaching, and that the last days were near.
_________________________
1 For examples see Sec. 68, 1; Sec. 101, 22; Sec. 124, 88
With the new evidence connecting Sidney Rigdon with Solomon Spalding and the production of the Book of Mormon, I thought I would post an article that some may not have heard about before. It's actually a chapter from a book and it talks about something called the "Everlasting Gospel". I think you will find it interesting.
Art
CHAPTER IX
"THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL"
Having presented the evidence which shows that the historical part of the Mormon Bible was supplied by the Spaulding manuscript, we may now pay attention to other evidence, which indicates that the entire conception of a revelation of golden plates by an angel was not even original, and also that its suggester was Rigdon. This is a subject which has been overlooked by investigators of the Mormon Bible.
That the idea of the revelation as described by Smith in his autobiography was not original is shown by the fact that a similar divine message, engraved on plates, was announced to have been received from an angel nearly six hundred years before the alleged visit of an angel to Smith. These original plates were described as of copper, and the recipient was a monk named Cyril, from whom their contents passed into the possession of the Abbot Joachim, whose "Everlasting Gospel," founded thereon, was offered to the church as supplanting the New Testament, just as the New Testament had supplanted the Old, and caused so serious a schism that Pope Alexander IV took the severest measures against it.1
The evidence that the history of the "Everlasting Gospel" of the thirteenth century supplied the idea of the Mormon Bible lies not only in the resemblance between the celestial announcement of both, but in the fact that both were declared to have the same important purport -- as a forerunner of the end of the world.-- and that the name "Everlasting Gospel" was adopted and constantly used in connection with their message by the original leaders in the Mormon church.
_________________________
1 [John W.] Draper's "Intellectual Development of Europe," Vol. II, Chap. III. For an exhaustive essay on the "Everlasting Gospel," by Renan, see Revue des Delcx Mondes, June, 1866. For John of Parma's part in the Gospel, see "Histoire Litteraire de la France" (1842), Vol. XX, p. 24.
-------- THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL 75 --------
If it is asked, How could Rigdon become acquainted with the story of the original "Everlasting Gospel," the answer is that it was just such subjects that would most attract his attention, and that his studies had led him into directions where the story of Cyril's plates would probably have been mentioned. He was a student of every subject out of which he could evolve a, sect, from the time of his Pittsburg pastorate. Hepworth Dixon said, "He knew the writings of Maham, Gates, and Boyle, writings in which love and marriage are considered in relation to Gospel liberty and the future life."1 H. H. Bancroft, noting his appointment as Professor of Church History in Nauvoo University, speaks of him as "versed in history, belles-lettres, and oratory.2 Mrs. James A. Garfield told Mrs. Dickenson that Rigdon taught her father Latin and Greek.3 David Whitmer, who was intimately acquainted with the early history of the church, testified: "Rigdon was a thorough biblical scholar, a man of fine education and a powerful orator."4 A writer, describing Rigdon while the church was at Nauvoo, said, "There is no divine in the West more learned in biblical literature and the history of the world than he."5 All this indicates that a knowledge of the earlier "Everlasting Gospel" was easily within Rigdon's reach. We may even surmise the exact source of this knowledge. Mosheim's "Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern" was at his disposal. Editions of it had appeared in London in 1765, 1768, 1774, 1782, 1790, 1806, 18I4 and 1826, and among the abridgments was one published in Philadelphia in 1812. In this work he could have read as follows: --
"About the commencement of this (the thirteenth) century there were handed about in Italy several pretended prophecies of the famous Joachim, abbot of Sora in Calabria, whom the multitude revered as a person divinely inspired, and equal to the most illustrious prophets of ancient times. The greatest part of these predictions were contained in a certain book entitled, 'The Everlasting Gospel,' which was also commonly called the Book of Joachim. This Joachim, whether a real or fictitious person we shall not pretend to determine, among many other events, foretold the destruction of the Church of Rome, whose corruptions he censured with the greatest severity, and the promulgation of a new and more perfect gospel in the age of the Holy Ghost, by a set of poor and austere ministers, whom God was to raise up and employ for that purpose."
_________________________
1 "Spiritual Wives," p. 62.
2 "Utah," p. 146.
3 Scribner's Magazine, October, 1881.
4 "Address to All Believers in Christ," p. 35.
5 Letter in the New York Herald.
-------- 76 THE STORY OF THE MORMONS --------
Here is a perfect outline of the scheme presented by the original Mormons, with Joseph as the divinely inspired prophet, and an "Everlasting Gospel," the gift of an angel, promulgated by poor men like the travelling Mormon elders. The original suggestion of an "Everlasting Gospel" is found in Revelation xiv, 6 and 7: --
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting in gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
"Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water."1
This was the angel of Cyril; this the announcement of those "latter days" from which the Mormon church, on Rigdon's motion soon took its name.
That Rigdon's attention had been attracted to an "Everlasting Gospel" is proved by the constant references made to it in writings of which he had at least the supervision, from the very beginning of the church. Thus, when he preached his first sermon before a Mormon audience -- on the occasion of his visit to Smith at Palmyra in I830 -- he took as his text a part of the version of Revelation xiv, which he had put into the Mormon Bible (I Nephi xiii. 40), and in his sermon, as reported by Tucker, who heard it, holding the Scriptures in one hand and the Mormon Bible in the other, he said, "that they were inseparably necessary to complete the everlasting gospel of the Saviour Jesus Christ." In the account in Smith's autobiography, of the first description of the buried book given to Smith by the angel, its two features are named separately, first, "an account of the former inhabitants of this continent," and then the fulness of the Everlasting Gospel." That Rigdon never lost sight of the importance, in his view, of an "Everlasting Gospel" may be seen from the following quotation from one of his articles in his Pittsburg organ, the Messenger and Advocate, of June 15, 1845,
_________________________
1 "Bisping (after Gerlach) takes Rev. xiv. 6-11 to foretell that three great events at the end of the last world-week are immediately to precede Christ's second advent: (1) the announcement of the "eternal' Gospel to the whole world (Matt. xxiv. 14); (2) the Fall of Babylon; (3) a warning to all who worship the beast. . . Burger says this vision can denote nothing but a last admonition and summons to conversion shortly before the end." -- Note in "Commentary by Bishops and Other Clergy of the Anglican Church."
-------- THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL 77 --------
after his expulsion from Nauvoo: "It is a strict observance of the principles of the fulness of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ, as contained in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Book of Covenants, which alone will insure a man an inheritance in the kingdom of our God."
The importance attached to the "Everlasting Gospel" by the founders of the church is seen further in the references to it in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants," which it is not necessary to cite,1 and further in a pamphlet by Elder Moses [Martin] of New York (1842), entitled "A Treatise on the Fulness of the Everlasting Gospel, setting forth its First Principles, Promises, and Blessings," in which he argued that the appearance of the angle to Smith was in direct line with the Scriptural teaching, and that the last days were near.
_________________________
1 For examples see Sec. 68, 1; Sec. 101, 22; Sec. 124, 88
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Christmas Traditions of Mormons
Hi folks,
It's that time of the year - Christmas, my daughter's favorite time of year, and mine too. I never really gave it much thought about how Mormons celebrate Christmas, or even if they do, until I was recently interviewed and asked the question. The show's host brought up about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and their beautiful renditions of many of the classic songs of Christmas and then asked me about Mormons and how they celebrate Christmas. I found a number of articles on Mormon Christmas traditions and ways that Mormons celebrate Christmas and have taken some excerpts to post in order to get your comments. Feel free to share your thoughts. I have put in bold the statements that I thought were especially interesting.
Art
Mormons know by modern revelation that the Savior of the World was born in the spring, April 6th specifically. However, the only commemoration of the Lord's birth, life, death, and resurrection that is specifically commanded by the scriptures is the sacrament of the Lord's supper. Jesus commanded his disciples to partake of the emblems of his flesh and blood in remembrance of him. In obedience to this commandment, latter-day saints partake of the sacrament at weekly church meetings. Because the scriptures and modern revelation do not designate any other special observances beyond the Lord's supper, we joyously celebrate the wonderful traditions of Christmas with the rest of Christendom in December.
The Christmas holiday is an invitation to give of ourselves and to reach out to others in love and compassion. It reminds us of the reality of the Living Christ. The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi reveled in a vision wherein he observed the nativity and felt the overpowering love of God for his children. As an angel revealed to him the birth of Christ, which would take place 600 years in Nephi's future, the heavenly messenger asked Nephi, "...Knowest thou the condescension of God? Nephi replied, "...I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." Nephi then beheld Mary in vision and described the experience:
"And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh. And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. (1 Nephi 11:16-22)
At Christmas, we reflect upon the wonderful Bible chapters that recount the Lord's birth and the miracles associated therewith. The Christmas story is one of revelation, visions, and angels. We are reminded of the angel Gabriel, who came first to Zacharias, father of John the Baptist to announce the birth of the forerunner to the Messiah, who would prepare the way for him. We reflect upon the message of this same Gabriel who announced to the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of the Son of God. We consider that angels appeared to shepherds in the field and announced glad tidings. The prophetic insights of two elderly Jews in the temple, Simeon and Anna, who were given to know of the advent of their Messiah as his parents brought him to present to the Lord. Their testimony reminds us that God keeps his promises and that he gives knowledge by the Holy Ghost to those who seek him.
Is it not strange that modern sectarians deride latter-day saints for their belief in angelic ministrations, visions, and revelations in modern times when our Bible is filled with testimony that these things occur? Is is so odd to believe that the first coming of Jesus Christ would be announced by angelic messengers and prophets, but not his second coming, which will occur in this dispensation? Mormons celebrate, moreso than any other people, the testimony that God can and does speak to his servants and that angels visit the earth once again.
Here's another take on a Mormon Christmas. See anything missing?
A Mormon Christmas
After I converted to Mormonism, would I have to give up beloved wintertime rituals?
I stood Christmas Eve in the sanctuary, spotlights directed at my tinsel halo and white robe. I was 9, a good little Midwestern Methodist girl, one of two Christmas angels assigned to deliver the Luke 2 lines: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people..."
I opened my mouth - and completely froze. The other angel, undaunted, delivered the line beautifully while I stood there in complete silence, a heavenly Teller to her Penn.
Later while relinquishing my wings, I agonized over my less than celestial debut. The Sunday school president smiled and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Don't worry. You just had a mental block. All actors get them once in a while." I look back on the pageant with fondness, on that church community with warmth, and on that good woman with particular affection.
During my college years in Boston I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a group that has never developed Christmas worship traditions. Would I learn any new Christmas rituals? Would there be any substitute charm in this new environment? I loved my Protestant Christmas seasons. What would I have to give up?
As it turned out, not much.
During many years in Boston, I saw Christmas pageants in Mormon wards where children forgot lines, waved to their mommies and upstaged baby Jesus. I miss an institutionalized Christmas Eve program with little candles with drip shields, choir robes and processionals down a central aisle, but I have discovered there is lots of leeway for local initiative. Mormons in the Boston area do a bang-up job for the Christmas season.
For years, singers in the ward bundled up to carol in Louisburg Square on Beacon Hill. Carolers from many Christian traditions strolled in little clusters making this look like the quintessential Victorian greeting card - wonderful music backlit by the glow of wrought iron gas lamps, a tickling snowfall, appreciative Brahmin faces smiling in the steamy windows of their red brick town homes. One year, so I hear, a TV newscast looking for local color homed in on the Mormon group singing "Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains," our unique and lovely contribution to Christmas hymnody.
Another Christmas tradition that persists in one suburban Boston-area ward begins as early as New England's apple crop. The young men and women of the ward take orders from members for apple pies. On one long, fragrant, gooey night the teenagers make and deliver the pies. The proceeds help buy toys the needy children of the inner city ward.
There have been memorable Christmas events here in the past - a majestic musical program, complete with a processional set to "O Come, O Come Emmanuel;" adults-only Madrigal dinners; and visits by the Sugar "Plump" Fairy tossing bonbons and pirouetting about the cultural hall.
Historically what happens in most LDS wards depends on a variety of factors - how invested the bishop is in music, who is activities chair, who likes kids included in parties, who prefers gala adults-only events, who is willing to tweak instruction and sneak in brass instruments, among others.
This year, our family will go to the Program of Lessons and Carols at Northwestern University. My seminary class will carol in my neighborhood. (Louisburg Square it's not, but it will do.) As a family we always celebrate Advent each of the four Sundays before Christmas - a tradition from my Protestant heritage. We read scripture, sing hymns and light candles sequentially in a wreath. On Christmas Day we may visit another church or just celebrate with family.
The lack of consistent church-wide programs is fine with me. I celebrate with my community both in their sanctuaries and in our chapels. I maintain traditions from my heritage that link me to my non-Mormon family in precious ways. I am connected to the whole Christian community.
And now that I'm an adult, I'm prepared to celebrate the angel's good news: "I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people...."
This next excerpt, from an article written by Blake Ostler called Covenant Traditions in the Book of Mormon, is part of his attempt to show the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Does he do a good job?
Ancient Background of the Book of Mormon
There are many features of the Book of Mormon that I believe were beyond the capabilities of Joseph Smith—or of any person living in the early nineteenth century—to devise. Some people have suggested that the Book of Mormon is the kind of book someone could and would write if the author lived in a culture saturated by the Bible, as New England was in the early 1800s. If that were true, then why was Joseph Smith the only one to produce such a book? The Book of Mormon is the only writing coming out of the nineteenth century that faithfully reflects the ancient Israelite covenant tradition. None of the books, articles, or sermons written in Joseph Smith's day presents the eight elements of the ritual pattern that I have shown are found in the Book of Mormon. Nor do any of his "everyday" writings contain anything like this pattern.
Further, I think it is clear and convincing from the similarity between King Benjamin's and King Limhi's presentations that the actions were ritual in nature and were repeated on special occasions. The similarity between the Israelite covenant renewal festivals and what we have recorded from among the Nephites in the Book of Mormon is undeniable. Those who are willing to ignore this type of ancient material in the Book of Mormon overlook what I consider to be compelling evidence.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Book of Mormon is available to us only in English and has passed through the hands of Joseph Smith, its ancient background can be detected throughout the book. The evidence that the Book of Mormon shows the Nephites faithfully carrying out the Israelite ritual tradition, even down to fine details, is for me among the most persuasive of all. It isn't possible that Joseph Smith just blindly duplicated the old Israelite covenant tradition through luck because he had read the Old Testament a good deal. Rather, the Book of Mormon repeats the same pattern and features it in almost identical language, over and over again.
Moreover, the evidence demonstrates that those responsible for keeping the Nephite records were conscious of the fact that their actions were part of a ritual tradition. The nature of the actions, the similarity of the language, and the understanding of the ancient Israelite covenant are simply too precise to be accounted for in terms of luck or even as a result of the most profound abilities in comparative literature. It seems to me that this is one aspect of the Book of Mormon that even the most skeptical of critics cannot explain away.
It's that time of the year - Christmas, my daughter's favorite time of year, and mine too. I never really gave it much thought about how Mormons celebrate Christmas, or even if they do, until I was recently interviewed and asked the question. The show's host brought up about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and their beautiful renditions of many of the classic songs of Christmas and then asked me about Mormons and how they celebrate Christmas. I found a number of articles on Mormon Christmas traditions and ways that Mormons celebrate Christmas and have taken some excerpts to post in order to get your comments. Feel free to share your thoughts. I have put in bold the statements that I thought were especially interesting.
Art
Mormons know by modern revelation that the Savior of the World was born in the spring, April 6th specifically. However, the only commemoration of the Lord's birth, life, death, and resurrection that is specifically commanded by the scriptures is the sacrament of the Lord's supper. Jesus commanded his disciples to partake of the emblems of his flesh and blood in remembrance of him. In obedience to this commandment, latter-day saints partake of the sacrament at weekly church meetings. Because the scriptures and modern revelation do not designate any other special observances beyond the Lord's supper, we joyously celebrate the wonderful traditions of Christmas with the rest of Christendom in December.
The Christmas holiday is an invitation to give of ourselves and to reach out to others in love and compassion. It reminds us of the reality of the Living Christ. The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi reveled in a vision wherein he observed the nativity and felt the overpowering love of God for his children. As an angel revealed to him the birth of Christ, which would take place 600 years in Nephi's future, the heavenly messenger asked Nephi, "...Knowest thou the condescension of God? Nephi replied, "...I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." Nephi then beheld Mary in vision and described the experience:
"And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh. And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. (1 Nephi 11:16-22)
At Christmas, we reflect upon the wonderful Bible chapters that recount the Lord's birth and the miracles associated therewith. The Christmas story is one of revelation, visions, and angels. We are reminded of the angel Gabriel, who came first to Zacharias, father of John the Baptist to announce the birth of the forerunner to the Messiah, who would prepare the way for him. We reflect upon the message of this same Gabriel who announced to the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of the Son of God. We consider that angels appeared to shepherds in the field and announced glad tidings. The prophetic insights of two elderly Jews in the temple, Simeon and Anna, who were given to know of the advent of their Messiah as his parents brought him to present to the Lord. Their testimony reminds us that God keeps his promises and that he gives knowledge by the Holy Ghost to those who seek him.
Is it not strange that modern sectarians deride latter-day saints for their belief in angelic ministrations, visions, and revelations in modern times when our Bible is filled with testimony that these things occur? Is is so odd to believe that the first coming of Jesus Christ would be announced by angelic messengers and prophets, but not his second coming, which will occur in this dispensation? Mormons celebrate, moreso than any other people, the testimony that God can and does speak to his servants and that angels visit the earth once again.
Here's another take on a Mormon Christmas. See anything missing?
A Mormon Christmas
After I converted to Mormonism, would I have to give up beloved wintertime rituals?
I stood Christmas Eve in the sanctuary, spotlights directed at my tinsel halo and white robe. I was 9, a good little Midwestern Methodist girl, one of two Christmas angels assigned to deliver the Luke 2 lines: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people..."
I opened my mouth - and completely froze. The other angel, undaunted, delivered the line beautifully while I stood there in complete silence, a heavenly Teller to her Penn.
Later while relinquishing my wings, I agonized over my less than celestial debut. The Sunday school president smiled and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Don't worry. You just had a mental block. All actors get them once in a while." I look back on the pageant with fondness, on that church community with warmth, and on that good woman with particular affection.
During my college years in Boston I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a group that has never developed Christmas worship traditions. Would I learn any new Christmas rituals? Would there be any substitute charm in this new environment? I loved my Protestant Christmas seasons. What would I have to give up?
As it turned out, not much.
During many years in Boston, I saw Christmas pageants in Mormon wards where children forgot lines, waved to their mommies and upstaged baby Jesus. I miss an institutionalized Christmas Eve program with little candles with drip shields, choir robes and processionals down a central aisle, but I have discovered there is lots of leeway for local initiative. Mormons in the Boston area do a bang-up job for the Christmas season.
For years, singers in the ward bundled up to carol in Louisburg Square on Beacon Hill. Carolers from many Christian traditions strolled in little clusters making this look like the quintessential Victorian greeting card - wonderful music backlit by the glow of wrought iron gas lamps, a tickling snowfall, appreciative Brahmin faces smiling in the steamy windows of their red brick town homes. One year, so I hear, a TV newscast looking for local color homed in on the Mormon group singing "Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains," our unique and lovely contribution to Christmas hymnody.
Another Christmas tradition that persists in one suburban Boston-area ward begins as early as New England's apple crop. The young men and women of the ward take orders from members for apple pies. On one long, fragrant, gooey night the teenagers make and deliver the pies. The proceeds help buy toys the needy children of the inner city ward.
There have been memorable Christmas events here in the past - a majestic musical program, complete with a processional set to "O Come, O Come Emmanuel;" adults-only Madrigal dinners; and visits by the Sugar "Plump" Fairy tossing bonbons and pirouetting about the cultural hall.
Historically what happens in most LDS wards depends on a variety of factors - how invested the bishop is in music, who is activities chair, who likes kids included in parties, who prefers gala adults-only events, who is willing to tweak instruction and sneak in brass instruments, among others.
This year, our family will go to the Program of Lessons and Carols at Northwestern University. My seminary class will carol in my neighborhood. (Louisburg Square it's not, but it will do.) As a family we always celebrate Advent each of the four Sundays before Christmas - a tradition from my Protestant heritage. We read scripture, sing hymns and light candles sequentially in a wreath. On Christmas Day we may visit another church or just celebrate with family.
The lack of consistent church-wide programs is fine with me. I celebrate with my community both in their sanctuaries and in our chapels. I maintain traditions from my heritage that link me to my non-Mormon family in precious ways. I am connected to the whole Christian community.
And now that I'm an adult, I'm prepared to celebrate the angel's good news: "I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people...."
This next excerpt, from an article written by Blake Ostler called Covenant Traditions in the Book of Mormon, is part of his attempt to show the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Does he do a good job?
Ancient Background of the Book of Mormon
There are many features of the Book of Mormon that I believe were beyond the capabilities of Joseph Smith—or of any person living in the early nineteenth century—to devise. Some people have suggested that the Book of Mormon is the kind of book someone could and would write if the author lived in a culture saturated by the Bible, as New England was in the early 1800s. If that were true, then why was Joseph Smith the only one to produce such a book? The Book of Mormon is the only writing coming out of the nineteenth century that faithfully reflects the ancient Israelite covenant tradition. None of the books, articles, or sermons written in Joseph Smith's day presents the eight elements of the ritual pattern that I have shown are found in the Book of Mormon. Nor do any of his "everyday" writings contain anything like this pattern.
Further, I think it is clear and convincing from the similarity between King Benjamin's and King Limhi's presentations that the actions were ritual in nature and were repeated on special occasions. The similarity between the Israelite covenant renewal festivals and what we have recorded from among the Nephites in the Book of Mormon is undeniable. Those who are willing to ignore this type of ancient material in the Book of Mormon overlook what I consider to be compelling evidence.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Book of Mormon is available to us only in English and has passed through the hands of Joseph Smith, its ancient background can be detected throughout the book. The evidence that the Book of Mormon shows the Nephites faithfully carrying out the Israelite ritual tradition, even down to fine details, is for me among the most persuasive of all. It isn't possible that Joseph Smith just blindly duplicated the old Israelite covenant tradition through luck because he had read the Old Testament a good deal. Rather, the Book of Mormon repeats the same pattern and features it in almost identical language, over and over again.
Moreover, the evidence demonstrates that those responsible for keeping the Nephite records were conscious of the fact that their actions were part of a ritual tradition. The nature of the actions, the similarity of the language, and the understanding of the ancient Israelite covenant are simply too precise to be accounted for in terms of luck or even as a result of the most profound abilities in comparative literature. It seems to me that this is one aspect of the Book of Mormon that even the most skeptical of critics cannot explain away.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Twas the Month Before Christmas
Hi folks,
The following parody on the oh so familiar Christmas poem was included in our most recent church bulletin and I thought it was the perfect response to the assault on Christmas and the Christian aspect of this most important holiday.
I give you - "Twas the Month Before Christmas"
Twas the month before Christmas, when all through our land, not a Christian was praying, nor taking a stand.
See, why the PC Police had taken away the reason for Christmas - no one could say. The children were told by their schools not to sing about Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things. It might hurt people's feelings the teachers would say, and December 25th is just a "holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks, and credit, pushing folks down to the floor just to get it! CD's from Madonna, an X-Box, and I-pod, something was changing, something quite odd! Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa in hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.
As Target Stores hung their trees upside down, at Lowe's the word Christmas was nowhere to be found. At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears, you won't hear the word Christmas - it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty, are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, now Darden, now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer - on Barack, on Reid, on Boxer, on clinton! At the top of the Senate there arose such a clatter, to eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word as they took away our faith, forbidden to speak of salvation and grace. The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded. The Reason for the Season stopped before it had started.
So, as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream tree", choose your words carefully, choose what you say.
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!
Please, all Christians, join together and wish everyone you meet during the holidays a MERRY CHRISTMAS.
CHRIST is the Reason for the Christmas Season!
The following parody on the oh so familiar Christmas poem was included in our most recent church bulletin and I thought it was the perfect response to the assault on Christmas and the Christian aspect of this most important holiday.
I give you - "Twas the Month Before Christmas"
Twas the month before Christmas, when all through our land, not a Christian was praying, nor taking a stand.
See, why the PC Police had taken away the reason for Christmas - no one could say. The children were told by their schools not to sing about Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things. It might hurt people's feelings the teachers would say, and December 25th is just a "holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks, and credit, pushing folks down to the floor just to get it! CD's from Madonna, an X-Box, and I-pod, something was changing, something quite odd! Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa in hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.
As Target Stores hung their trees upside down, at Lowe's the word Christmas was nowhere to be found. At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears, you won't hear the word Christmas - it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty, are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, now Darden, now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer - on Barack, on Reid, on Boxer, on clinton! At the top of the Senate there arose such a clatter, to eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word as they took away our faith, forbidden to speak of salvation and grace. The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded. The Reason for the Season stopped before it had started.
So, as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream tree", choose your words carefully, choose what you say.
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!
Please, all Christians, join together and wish everyone you meet during the holidays a MERRY CHRISTMAS.
CHRIST is the Reason for the Christmas Season!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Attempt to overturn Prop 8 - Tail wagging the dog again?
Hi folks,
I suppose that I'm going to take a lot of heat on this one, but I have to speak my mind. There is a group that is currently trying to gather enough votes to try to overturn Prop 8, the "anti-gay" marriage bill, and they have been told by the California Attorney General, in so many words, that he will do as much as he can to help. This is ridiculous. I know that the gay/lesbian community claims that Prop 8 denies them rights but I just don't see it. Where is the evidence? What are the denied rights, other than the fact that they don't have something called a marriage certificate? I am tired of the attacks on marriage as defined in the Bible as the union between a man and a woman. For that matter, I am tired of the attacks on the Bible and Christianity for its stand on marriage and on alternate lifestyles. The marriage issue has been raised and voted upon multiple times and the result has been the same each time, though it has turned into a closer fight than in the past. Why? Because more people are sympathetic to the gay/lesbian community? I don't think so. Like so many other issues, I believe that those people who have in the past voted in favor of legislation like Prop 8 have tired of the fight to defend traditional marriage, or have perhaps been fooled into thinking that it simply doesn't matter anymore. But it DOES matter, especially when there is the distinct possibility that the gay/lesbian lifestyle will not only be taught in school but also that it will be promoted, as in the case of the children several months ago who were brought to a lesbian wedding.
I can guess that by my writing this blog I will be termed a "homophobe" or some other equally obnoxious term. So be it. I have absolutely nothing against gay or lesbian individuals and have had many as good friends my whole life, but I do have a problem with the relentless attacks against traditional marriage, as well as growing legislation that makes it harder and harder to speak my mind without running the risk of being accused of "hate speech" or bigotry, yet people who oppose my views can seemingly say just about anything they wish either to me or about me and I have no recourse. Not only that, but when the Prop 22 campaign was on, several signs in my front yard were vandalized. Prop 22 was the one before Prop 8. The vandalism was so bad that I finally had to post a sign about 15 feet up in a pine tree and literally cover it with heavy wire so that it couldn't be taken down, and even then someone tried to rip up the sign. So much for "free speech".
If I'm not mistaken, something like 37 states have already voted to endorse traditional marriage, and there is the distinct possibility that that number will increase. What the gay/lesbian community doesn't seem to realize, or maybe care about, are the other, more bizarre groups who are just waiting to get their foot in the door when/if more liberal legislation overturns traditional marriage. Also, it is not right, nor is it legal, for a minority to impose its will upon the majority, and the majority clearly supports traditional marriage and the values that go along with it.
The gay/lesbian marriage advocates have plead their case multiple times and they have been voted down multiple times. It is time to move on and leave the issue alone, but I doubt that it will be left alone and that is a shame. As I said before, I have absolutely nothing against the gay/lesbian community, but I do have a problem with the attacks on traditional marriage and the heterosexual lifestyle. If I have offended anyone with this post, I'm sorry but I have to speak my mind and I believe that I have done so in a respectful manner. If anyone wishes to take issue with what i have said, they are free to do so, and as long as it is done in a respectful manner, they have my word that their post will not be deleted.
Art
I suppose that I'm going to take a lot of heat on this one, but I have to speak my mind. There is a group that is currently trying to gather enough votes to try to overturn Prop 8, the "anti-gay" marriage bill, and they have been told by the California Attorney General, in so many words, that he will do as much as he can to help. This is ridiculous. I know that the gay/lesbian community claims that Prop 8 denies them rights but I just don't see it. Where is the evidence? What are the denied rights, other than the fact that they don't have something called a marriage certificate? I am tired of the attacks on marriage as defined in the Bible as the union between a man and a woman. For that matter, I am tired of the attacks on the Bible and Christianity for its stand on marriage and on alternate lifestyles. The marriage issue has been raised and voted upon multiple times and the result has been the same each time, though it has turned into a closer fight than in the past. Why? Because more people are sympathetic to the gay/lesbian community? I don't think so. Like so many other issues, I believe that those people who have in the past voted in favor of legislation like Prop 8 have tired of the fight to defend traditional marriage, or have perhaps been fooled into thinking that it simply doesn't matter anymore. But it DOES matter, especially when there is the distinct possibility that the gay/lesbian lifestyle will not only be taught in school but also that it will be promoted, as in the case of the children several months ago who were brought to a lesbian wedding.
I can guess that by my writing this blog I will be termed a "homophobe" or some other equally obnoxious term. So be it. I have absolutely nothing against gay or lesbian individuals and have had many as good friends my whole life, but I do have a problem with the relentless attacks against traditional marriage, as well as growing legislation that makes it harder and harder to speak my mind without running the risk of being accused of "hate speech" or bigotry, yet people who oppose my views can seemingly say just about anything they wish either to me or about me and I have no recourse. Not only that, but when the Prop 22 campaign was on, several signs in my front yard were vandalized. Prop 22 was the one before Prop 8. The vandalism was so bad that I finally had to post a sign about 15 feet up in a pine tree and literally cover it with heavy wire so that it couldn't be taken down, and even then someone tried to rip up the sign. So much for "free speech".
If I'm not mistaken, something like 37 states have already voted to endorse traditional marriage, and there is the distinct possibility that that number will increase. What the gay/lesbian community doesn't seem to realize, or maybe care about, are the other, more bizarre groups who are just waiting to get their foot in the door when/if more liberal legislation overturns traditional marriage. Also, it is not right, nor is it legal, for a minority to impose its will upon the majority, and the majority clearly supports traditional marriage and the values that go along with it.
The gay/lesbian marriage advocates have plead their case multiple times and they have been voted down multiple times. It is time to move on and leave the issue alone, but I doubt that it will be left alone and that is a shame. As I said before, I have absolutely nothing against the gay/lesbian community, but I do have a problem with the attacks on traditional marriage and the heterosexual lifestyle. If I have offended anyone with this post, I'm sorry but I have to speak my mind and I believe that I have done so in a respectful manner. If anyone wishes to take issue with what i have said, they are free to do so, and as long as it is done in a respectful manner, they have my word that their post will not be deleted.
Art
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The early church and polygamy
This is a post that is actually from a good exmo friend of mine named Jean. It is her thoughts on the early church and polygamy
Art
Some new thoughts on the early church and polygamy - No I'm not for it;-)Share
Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 11:03am
In the beginning was Sidney (Rigdon) and Sidney had the word and Sidney preached the word. And Satan came into his heart and he was jealous of Alexander Campbell who was the Baptist Minister who was his mentor. He wanted to be successful like him and have his very own church.
Now from early in Sidney's life he had been subject to seizures since being dragged by a horse according to his brother John - a physician. Sidney felt that when he had these seizures he was having a religious experience; rather like those that are entheogen induced or even NDE's. He was known to channel dead prophets. He wanted his own church so badly he could taste it. He knew that he would need more than a few changes to some doctrines to beat out the prominent ministers and great minds of the day; he needed a front man; someone with charisma - a known seer. Unfortunately for poor Sidney the man he chose for the job was a megalomaniac with a huge sexual appetite.
After Sidney and partner in crime Oliver (Cowdery) started to write the new bible (using as a base Solomon Spalding's story, Manuscript Found rather than Gold Plates Found) he realized that it would be necessary to convince people that he was actually an apostle like Paul, called by God himself, while Joseph Smith; the front man began his spellbinding performance as a seer. He used his magic stone to tell people where to dig for buried treasure and they believed him and even paid him. When he was taken to court on trial for being a glass looker or conjuror in Bainbridge, NY in 1826, he and others testified of these facts. This was at a time when he supposedly had already seen God and Jesus and the Gold Plates shown him by the angel Moroni, formerly known as Nephi. Joe's job was to pretend to translate the gold plates while Rigdon and Cowdery were working their own magic writing the manuscript for what was to become The Book of Mormon.
They needed a gullible man with money; enter Martin Harris - a great believer in the power of magic; very erratic and joining at least 8 different religions in his life time. Martin was convinced by Joe to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing of the 'translation of the gold plates'. Joe did his job quite well except he couldn't quite keep his story straight; that is quite difficult when you are lying and telling the story you have been told to tell. Keeping their stories all the same became another problem for them later on. Oh what a tangled web they wove.
And it came to pass (lol) that eventually, the 'translation' went off to the printers and the book was printed. When Joe discovered that they couldn't sell any copies of the book and he needed to pay Martin back his mortgage money as promised by himself, the seer, he tried to sell the copyright to the book in Canada after receiving a revelation from God instructing them to do so. God was obviously confused about how gullible Canadians were because the attempt failed.
Back to Sidney whom you will remember, only wanted his own church; not much to ask is it? Sidney and Oliver helped Joseph with the revelations that he spewed out with regularity, but the voices found by computer experts show that they belonged to Sidney and Oliver - not Joe. They did all the ordaining and such BEFORE the church was organized. Now Joe, the megalomaniac, had position and adoration from the growing group of members of The Church of Christ and Sidney started to pout. The ruse was for Parley (Pratt) to pretend to take the Book of Mormon to the preacher Sidney who had managed to pull away after him over 100 or so members of Alexander Campbell's flock of believers. All of the members of this group followed Sidney into the waters of baptism.
When Joe's great position as a prophet of God started to elevate him instead of Sidney, the power struggle began and continued even after Joe's death. Joe's elevated status created for him a pop star type of reputation and his sexual appetite could not be satisfied with only one woman. So many women and so little time!
Enter Fanny Alger, 16 year old housemaid for Emma, Joe's wife. This is Joe's first known affair and it was very quickly hushed up. Oliver and Sidney had not done all that work of deception only to have Joe ruin it by his sexual encounters, just a year or two after launching the new church. Oliver later called it a dirty, nasty little affair
When Joe pulled the same stunt in 1838 with Lucinda Pendleton (Morgan Harris Smith), Oliver's name was blackened and he was excommunicated from the church; a practice that would continue with anyone who refused to do Joe's bidding. As Joe's ego grew, the power struggle between him and Sidney grew to greater heights. Sidney had done all the work, came up with the revelations and Joe kept screwing around causing members to leave or be excommunicated.
As people began to discover Joe's indiscretions he began to take into his confidence an inner circle of men with whom he shared the 'doctrine' of polygamy. Though at first, as the story goes, they were appalled, they soon began to take new wives and their first wives just had to put up with it. Joe meanwhile went on a rampage of (affairs) 'marriages' coercing young teenaged women and the wives of other men with revelations regarding an angel with a drawn sword threatening to take his life if they did not comply.
It is easy to see what was happening here. Not every man could be asked to live polygamy for three reasons.
1. There were not enough women for that to happen
2. Joe knew that many would leave the church if it became known
3. The elite; those in his inner circle needed to feel special in order for him to maintain their allegiance.
So certain 'righteous' men were 'called' to practice polygamy as a higher law in a little secret group, making them feel superior to the others and giving them all the sex they wanted.
Number 1. problem was solved by Joe in marrying other men's wives. He still got to have free reign with his sexual appetite and his growing narcissism without taking women 'off the market'.
Number 2. Keeping it secret kept members in the church and
Number 3. those who DID know were doing it too so they had to be quiet about it.
Sidney was not into polygamy and when Joe decided to add Sidney's daughter Nancy to his harem and was rebuffed, that was pretty much the end of Sidney's days in the Church.
Joe then decided that 34 wives or so was not enough and asked Jane Law to become his polyandrous wife. Jane was very angry and told her husband who happened to be Joe's counselor; true and faithful and not among those who believed that Joe was practicing polygamy, until his very own wife was propositioned. They were excommunicated over this whole nasty little affair - to use Oliver's words and along with some other disgruntled members he bought a printing press and you know the rest of the story; it led to Joseph and brother Hyrum's deaths, leaving many young women widowed, spoiled and taken on then by Brigham and Heber; becoming part of their harems. So sad for these young women who had been duped into thinking that it was required of them by god.
After the Saints had endured their dangerous trek across the plains their sense of solidarity deepened in their trials. In 1857 Brigham Young the person who had wrested leadership from poor Sidney after the death of Joe, announced the revelation on polygamy to all members. Even going so far as saying that men needed to have more than one wife to inherit the highest degree of glory. This is when polygamy got out of hand and the numbers of men practicing polygamy grew until the government of the United States threatened to take the church's assets and to deny Utah statehood. It was not until long after Brigham's death that the practice actually was called to a real halt by the prophet of the day. It continued until 1906 and some members and general authorities still refused to give it up. Today they are known as Fundamentalist Mormons; a name the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says they have no right to use; they are not Mormons. What is it about the Fundies behavior that makes them any different from the early Mormons? Why don't they have the right to use the name?
What happened to poor old Sidney? Well, he kept trying to have his own church until the day he died.
RIP Sidney, Solomon Spalding, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, Joe and Hyrum and all those who were used and abused by a man who would be king and another who would lead a church. I'm open for debate or questions about my source material. Some of this is my opinion based on a lot of reading.
Art
Some new thoughts on the early church and polygamy - No I'm not for it;-)Share
Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 11:03am
In the beginning was Sidney (Rigdon) and Sidney had the word and Sidney preached the word. And Satan came into his heart and he was jealous of Alexander Campbell who was the Baptist Minister who was his mentor. He wanted to be successful like him and have his very own church.
Now from early in Sidney's life he had been subject to seizures since being dragged by a horse according to his brother John - a physician. Sidney felt that when he had these seizures he was having a religious experience; rather like those that are entheogen induced or even NDE's. He was known to channel dead prophets. He wanted his own church so badly he could taste it. He knew that he would need more than a few changes to some doctrines to beat out the prominent ministers and great minds of the day; he needed a front man; someone with charisma - a known seer. Unfortunately for poor Sidney the man he chose for the job was a megalomaniac with a huge sexual appetite.
After Sidney and partner in crime Oliver (Cowdery) started to write the new bible (using as a base Solomon Spalding's story, Manuscript Found rather than Gold Plates Found) he realized that it would be necessary to convince people that he was actually an apostle like Paul, called by God himself, while Joseph Smith; the front man began his spellbinding performance as a seer. He used his magic stone to tell people where to dig for buried treasure and they believed him and even paid him. When he was taken to court on trial for being a glass looker or conjuror in Bainbridge, NY in 1826, he and others testified of these facts. This was at a time when he supposedly had already seen God and Jesus and the Gold Plates shown him by the angel Moroni, formerly known as Nephi. Joe's job was to pretend to translate the gold plates while Rigdon and Cowdery were working their own magic writing the manuscript for what was to become The Book of Mormon.
They needed a gullible man with money; enter Martin Harris - a great believer in the power of magic; very erratic and joining at least 8 different religions in his life time. Martin was convinced by Joe to mortgage his farm to pay for the printing of the 'translation of the gold plates'. Joe did his job quite well except he couldn't quite keep his story straight; that is quite difficult when you are lying and telling the story you have been told to tell. Keeping their stories all the same became another problem for them later on. Oh what a tangled web they wove.
And it came to pass (lol) that eventually, the 'translation' went off to the printers and the book was printed. When Joe discovered that they couldn't sell any copies of the book and he needed to pay Martin back his mortgage money as promised by himself, the seer, he tried to sell the copyright to the book in Canada after receiving a revelation from God instructing them to do so. God was obviously confused about how gullible Canadians were because the attempt failed.
Back to Sidney whom you will remember, only wanted his own church; not much to ask is it? Sidney and Oliver helped Joseph with the revelations that he spewed out with regularity, but the voices found by computer experts show that they belonged to Sidney and Oliver - not Joe. They did all the ordaining and such BEFORE the church was organized. Now Joe, the megalomaniac, had position and adoration from the growing group of members of The Church of Christ and Sidney started to pout. The ruse was for Parley (Pratt) to pretend to take the Book of Mormon to the preacher Sidney who had managed to pull away after him over 100 or so members of Alexander Campbell's flock of believers. All of the members of this group followed Sidney into the waters of baptism.
When Joe's great position as a prophet of God started to elevate him instead of Sidney, the power struggle began and continued even after Joe's death. Joe's elevated status created for him a pop star type of reputation and his sexual appetite could not be satisfied with only one woman. So many women and so little time!
Enter Fanny Alger, 16 year old housemaid for Emma, Joe's wife. This is Joe's first known affair and it was very quickly hushed up. Oliver and Sidney had not done all that work of deception only to have Joe ruin it by his sexual encounters, just a year or two after launching the new church. Oliver later called it a dirty, nasty little affair
When Joe pulled the same stunt in 1838 with Lucinda Pendleton (Morgan Harris Smith), Oliver's name was blackened and he was excommunicated from the church; a practice that would continue with anyone who refused to do Joe's bidding. As Joe's ego grew, the power struggle between him and Sidney grew to greater heights. Sidney had done all the work, came up with the revelations and Joe kept screwing around causing members to leave or be excommunicated.
As people began to discover Joe's indiscretions he began to take into his confidence an inner circle of men with whom he shared the 'doctrine' of polygamy. Though at first, as the story goes, they were appalled, they soon began to take new wives and their first wives just had to put up with it. Joe meanwhile went on a rampage of (affairs) 'marriages' coercing young teenaged women and the wives of other men with revelations regarding an angel with a drawn sword threatening to take his life if they did not comply.
It is easy to see what was happening here. Not every man could be asked to live polygamy for three reasons.
1. There were not enough women for that to happen
2. Joe knew that many would leave the church if it became known
3. The elite; those in his inner circle needed to feel special in order for him to maintain their allegiance.
So certain 'righteous' men were 'called' to practice polygamy as a higher law in a little secret group, making them feel superior to the others and giving them all the sex they wanted.
Number 1. problem was solved by Joe in marrying other men's wives. He still got to have free reign with his sexual appetite and his growing narcissism without taking women 'off the market'.
Number 2. Keeping it secret kept members in the church and
Number 3. those who DID know were doing it too so they had to be quiet about it.
Sidney was not into polygamy and when Joe decided to add Sidney's daughter Nancy to his harem and was rebuffed, that was pretty much the end of Sidney's days in the Church.
Joe then decided that 34 wives or so was not enough and asked Jane Law to become his polyandrous wife. Jane was very angry and told her husband who happened to be Joe's counselor; true and faithful and not among those who believed that Joe was practicing polygamy, until his very own wife was propositioned. They were excommunicated over this whole nasty little affair - to use Oliver's words and along with some other disgruntled members he bought a printing press and you know the rest of the story; it led to Joseph and brother Hyrum's deaths, leaving many young women widowed, spoiled and taken on then by Brigham and Heber; becoming part of their harems. So sad for these young women who had been duped into thinking that it was required of them by god.
After the Saints had endured their dangerous trek across the plains their sense of solidarity deepened in their trials. In 1857 Brigham Young the person who had wrested leadership from poor Sidney after the death of Joe, announced the revelation on polygamy to all members. Even going so far as saying that men needed to have more than one wife to inherit the highest degree of glory. This is when polygamy got out of hand and the numbers of men practicing polygamy grew until the government of the United States threatened to take the church's assets and to deny Utah statehood. It was not until long after Brigham's death that the practice actually was called to a real halt by the prophet of the day. It continued until 1906 and some members and general authorities still refused to give it up. Today they are known as Fundamentalist Mormons; a name the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says they have no right to use; they are not Mormons. What is it about the Fundies behavior that makes them any different from the early Mormons? Why don't they have the right to use the name?
What happened to poor old Sidney? Well, he kept trying to have his own church until the day he died.
RIP Sidney, Solomon Spalding, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, Joe and Hyrum and all those who were used and abused by a man who would be king and another who would lead a church. I'm open for debate or questions about my source material. Some of this is my opinion based on a lot of reading.
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