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 | Tuesday, Jan 8, 2008, at 07:38 AM New LDS Propaganda "Teaching Of Presidents Of The Church - Joseph Smith" Original Author(s): CdnXMo CHURCH PROPAGANDA - SECTION 1 -Guid- | ↑ |
This morning I noticed a more recent piece of LDS propaganda about Joseph Smith, "Teaching of Presidents of the Church - Joseph Smith", on the kitchen table at my Mormon mother's and stepfather's home. I looked in the Index for "Polygamy"; there were two references listed, as follows:
Introduction (p. xii): "This book deals with the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that have application to our day. For example, this book does not discuss such topics as the Prophet's teachings regarding the law of consecration as applied to the stewardship of property. The Lord withdrew this law from the Church because the Saints were not prepared to live it (see D&C 119, section heading). This book also does not discuss plural marriage. The doctrines and principles relating to plural marriage were revealed to Joseph Smith as early as 1831. The Prophet taught the doctrine of plural marriage, and a number of such marriages were performed during his lifetime. Over the next several decades, under the direction of the Church Presidents who succeeded Joseph Smith, a significant number of Church members entered into plural marriages. In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto, which discontinued plural marriage in the Church (see Official Declaration 1). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer practices plural marriages."My comments: 1. I noted that the word "polygamy" was never used in this church manual. In terms of religious developments in North America during the past 165+ years, polygamy and Mormonism have become synonymous. 2. There is no mention that Smith not only participated in the "doctrine of plural marriage", he was the first Mormon to do so, he had at least 33 plural wives, and he polygamously married 11 female church members who were already married and seven teenage girls (ref. http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org). 3. The summary of D&C 132 states: "Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831." (ref. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/132). The Wives of Joseph Smith website, which is based on the info. in Todd Compton's book, "In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith", states that Smith married his first plural wife, Fanny Alger, in 1833 (she was 16). The LDS Church's online genealogy records for Smith indicate that he married Alger in 1835. What historical record(s) does the LDS Church apparently have that Smith was at least thinking about polygamy a minimum of two years before he married Alger? If the info. in the summary of D&C 132 is correct, someone affiliated with the Mormon Church in its infancy (Smith? Cowdery? Harris? Rigdon?) wrote something down about polygamy that resulted in the church reference to 1831 and Smith's plural marriage knowledge. Anybody know what was written, and by whom? According to the info. in Compton's book/The Wives of Joseph Smith website, "Joseph kept his marriage to Fanny out of the view of the public, and his wife Emma. Chauncey Webb recounts Emma’s later discovery of the relationship: “Emma was furious, and drove the girl, who was unable to conceal the consequences of her celestial relation with the prophet, out of her house”. (ref. http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/02-...). According to the LDS Church, from 1831 on Joseph Smith was aware of the "principles" relative to polygamy, which included the first wife (Emma, in Joseph's case) granting her consent before the Mormon priesthood holder (e.g., Joseph) could polygamously marry a "virgin" that he desired and wanted to "espouse" (ref. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/132/6...). Joseph had violated this "principle". Why did "the Lord' not punish him for doing so? Another important polygamy "principle", as known to Joseph Smith as early as 1831 according to the LDS Church, was that only an unmarried virgin could become the plural wife of a Mormon priesthood holder. D&C 132:61 states (emphasis in bold is mine): "And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else." The online genealogy data for Joseph Smith on the LDS Church's FamilySearch.org website shows that Smith married a no. of women who were already married (i.e., "vowed") to another man. Compton's book and The Wives of Joseph Smith website list 11 such women. Married women are not virgins. Joseph violated another "principle" pertaining to the "revelation" of polygamy. Again, why was he not punished by "the Lord" for his disobedience? After all, "obedience is the first law of heaven". 4. On February 9, 1831, Joseph Smith "received" a "revelation", which became D&C 42 (ref. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/42/...). The summary for the Section is: "Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 9, 1831. HC 1: 148–154. It was received in the presence of twelve elders, and in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise previously made that the “law” would be given in Ohio; see Section 38: 32. The Prophet specifies this revelation as “embracing the law of the Church.”' D&C 42:22 says "Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else." Clearly, by pursuing and secretly marrying young Fanny Alger, Joseph Smith violated a direct commandment from "the Lord". Latter-day Saints should be asking themselves, "Why was Joseph Smith not excommunicated for adultery?" According to The Wives of Joseph Smith website, "To calm rumors regarding Fanny’s relationship with Joseph, the church quickly adopted a “Chapter of Rules for Marriage among the Saints”, which declared, “Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with...polygamy; we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife...” This “Article on Marriage” was canonized and published in the Doctrine & Covenants. In 1852, the doctrine of polygamy was publicly announced, thus ending eighteen years of secret practice. “The Article on Marriage” became obsolete and was later removed." (ref. http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/02-...). 5. The manual mentioned above states: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer practices plural marriages." This is true. What the church do not state (in the manual or elsewhere) is that polygamy is still a part of the body of doctrine of the LDS Church. No church president or First Presidency has ever rescinded the doctrine of plural marriage and it remains a part of official church scripture, as per D&C 132. Here's what I wrote the Editor of The New York Times yesterday, "Furthermore, polygamy is an “eternal” reality for Mormons such as LDS Apostle Russell Nelson and his wives, Dantzel White and Wendy Watson. Nelson was “sealed” (married) to White for “all time and eternity” in an LDS temple in 1945, and likewise to Watson in 2006 after White died. If LDS doctrine is true, Nelson is a polygamist." 6. "As commanded by God, he [Joseph Smith] also taught the doctrine of plural marriage." Nowhere in the D&C does "the Lord" command Smith to teach about polygamy. In fact, D&C 42:12 states "And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel." (ref. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/42/12...). However, the Book of Mormon condemns having more than one wife, and the "wives and concubines" of David and Solomon were "abominable" to "the Lord", according to Jacob 2:24 (ref. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/jacob/2/...). Very strangely, by July 12, 1843 "the Lord" had changed his mind. D&C 132:1 says (emphasis in bold is mine): "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understandwherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines". Just more factual arrows to keep in your quiver (so to speak) for the next time you find yourself in a discussion with 'faithful' Latter-day Saints about Joseph Smith, "the Prophet of the Restoration". |
| | Tuesday, Mar 24, 2009, at 12:52 PM The Real Proclamation On The Family Original Author(s): Baura CHURCH PROPAGANDA - SECTION 1 -Guid- | ↑ |
Brigham Young said:
"You ought to love a woman only so far as she adorns the doctrine you profess; so far as she adorns that doctrine, just so far let your love extend to her. When will she be worthy of the full extent of your affection? When she has lived long enough to secure to herself a glorious resurrection and an eternal exaltation as your companion, and never until then.The Prophet Brigham Young June 15, 1856, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p.360 |
| | Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009, at 09:15 AM Mormons: Good At Recruiting, Bad At Retaining Original Author(s): Uncle Mo CHURCH PROPAGANDA - SECTION 1 -Guid- | ↑ |
| What do you people think of this?It is just like a pope or Anglican archbishop would preach his message.They hide all Mormon beliefs and act like a mainstream church.
http:/www.lds.org.au There is nothing new about the Mormons hiding their doctrines to appear to be mainstream. They did it in 1964 at the World's Fair with "Man's Search for Happiness" and have been doing it ever since. It's all bait and switch. It's a well done propaganda puff piece: a full on cinematographic sales pitch complete with orchestra and chorus and a maudlin appeal by Holland and his trembling voice. If any of those nevermos that dig this video were to have gone to the morg services in the U.S. Midwest on Easter Sunday they would have found Stake Conference piped in from Happy Valley with only a few smug references to Easter claiming they "celebrate it every Sunday". The Mormons' Achilles heel right now is thinking that there is nothing wrong with their church; it's just a matter of proper recruiting and getting people to attend long enough to get properly "converted". They will never see much growth until they begin to realize that their church's lack of conversion is because their content sucks and not because of poor recruiting techniques. JS is not only not an asset but a serious liability. The vast majority of the uninitiated see these stories are plain kooky. They need to steer away from JS and his baggage and focus more generically on our good buddy Jesus like in their video. They can run but never hide from their kooky JS history in the age of the internet. What worked before simply isn't working any more. |
| | Thursday, May 21, 2009, at 11:55 AM "Protect The Family" Wordsearch Original Author(s): substrate CHURCH PROPAGANDA - SECTION 1 -Guid- | ↑ |
| Last night I noticed my ten year old doing a "wordsearch" puzzle. I assumed, incorrectly, that it was something from school, but at one point, he said, "Dad, I got all of them except 'matrimony.'"
Of course, I immediately wondered why my son was doing something with 'matrimony' in it, so I checked it out. The puzzle was labeled "Protect the Family" and had a list of words and phrases, ranging from "ELIMINATEFILTH" to "FAMILYHOMEEVENING" to "DEFENDMARRIAGE." I asked him where he got this puzzle, and he said he found it on the coffee table in the living room. It was then that I turned the page over and saw that it had been printed on the back of the Relief Society newsletter for the month. I don't know if my son even knows what matrimony means, but it seems really odd to put this kind of thing on a newsletter for grown women. Of course, it's not really appropriate for kids, either. What a weird church it is sometimes. |
| | Wednesday, Jan 5, 2011, at 08:03 AM Selling To My Hardened Heart Original Author(s): runtu CHURCH PROPAGANDA - SECTION 1 -Guid- | ↑ |
| I went to church Sunday. This year's Gospel Doctrine subject is the New Testament, so for most of the class period we watched the church film, "Finding Faith in Christ."
http://video.google.com/videoplay?doc... The film combines scenes from the life of Jesus with a fictional conversation between the Apostle Thomas and an unbeliever named Jonah. A couple of things stood out to me: First, many of the scenes depicting Jesus are designed to recreated famous LDS paintings. I thought that was kind of a nice touch, as most of the film is instantly familiar to Mormons. Second, the unbeliever is depicted as being hard-hearted not for any logical or rational reason, but because he's bitter following the death of his wife. He sneers at the believers not because he has any reason not to believe them but because he's angry. What struck me was that he went from smug unbeliever to teary eyed potential convert in no time flat. One minute he's cursing God for taking his wife, and the next he's practically bearing his testimony. It struck me that the film hadn't moved me in the least bit. The approach seemed to be that a combination of touching scenes of Jesus, coupled with earnest testifying, will soften the hardest heart. But it didn't soften mine. I think these types of films give us a good view of what the corporation thinks will sell the religion. This is a great example of the church's "HeartSell" approach, which they describe as "strategic emotional advertising that stimulates response." That's really all this film is, an advertisement designed to stimulate an emotional response. It is intended to trigger positive emotions from the life of the Savior and the testimony of "Thomas" and negative emotions toward the unbelieving Jonah, at least until his miraculous transformation. But I wonder how successful such approaches are. We as Mormons were taught to associate strong emotion with the Spirit, so getting choked up about something is often seen as spiritual confirmation of truth. But people outside the LDS church don't have that automatic response. People I've talked to find Mormon testimonies mystifying, and a few have told me they seem creepy (kind of like my response to those Evangelicals who put their arms up, close their eyes, and mutter during sermons and songs). Witness the response to John Boehner's emotional election night speech. We Mormons would probably see that as being genuine and sincere and praiseworthy, but a lot of people criticized Boehner for it, calling it "bizarre" and "weird," among other things. So, I wonder if the church does its self-promotion assuming that most people are like Mormons. Surely, the emotional-response model works in most church settings. But it may be a hard sell for others. |
| | Friday, Dec 2, 2011, at 09:21 AM Deception At The Desnews Original Author(s): runtu CHURCH PROPAGANDA - SECTION 1 -Guid- | ↑ |
| I know this is kind of minor, but it's indicative of standard practice over there.
This morning I read in the Deseret News that a group of philanthropists toured the LDS Church's Welfare Square in Salt Lake City. They quote the CEO of the Philanthropy Round Table as follows: "'We came to Utah to see Welfare Square because it is one of the nation's greatest models of cultivating self-reliance, not only for members of the Mormon faith but for people everywhere,' said Shannon Toronto, CEO of The Philanthropy Round Table, a national network of individual donors, corporate giving officers and foundation trustees. "Previous stops on The Philanthropy Round Table's economic opportunity tour included Lemonade Day in Houston, which teaches children business skills, and Florida's Positive Coaching Alliance, a nonprofit that teams up with athletic leagues to teach principles of family and community. "The Philanthropy Round Table, which is based in Washington D.C., seeks to improve charitable outcomes by educating donors, Toronto said. Self-reliance is one of the organization's pet initiatives. "'The best programs are those that help people to move along a continuum where they not only no longer need charity, but also have the skills and the means to give to charity themselves,' Toronto said." High praise from an outside source, right? Not exactly. I happen to know Shannon Toronto, as we went to grad school together at BYU. Would it have made a difference if readers had known she is LDS? I think so, but the impression is left that a bunch of impartial outsiders were impressed enough with the church's welfare program to come and tour it and then extol its virtues. Meh. |