Thomas S. Monson - America's Best Leader

US News and World Report published an issue for December 2008 highlighting America's Best Leaders in 2008. I posted the following response to the Editor's request for comments:

I was surprised to see that there were no religous leaders on the list of America's Best Leaders 2008. I don't know if this is because the judges don't think the religous leaders in America are demonstrating true leadership or if they just didn't consider any religous leaders in their pool of 100 people. Here is one American religous leader who should not have been overlooked as he clearly sets direction, achieves results, and cultivates a culture of growth:

Thomas S. Monson

Over 13 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons") voted to sustain Thomas S. Monson as the 16th President of the Church in April 2008.
When the California supreme court reversed a law that prohibited same-sex marriage in the state, President Monson issued a letter in June 2008 to the members of the Church in California asking them to "do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage." In response to Monson's request, Mormons, comprising less than 1 percent of Americans, contributed 40 percent of the $36 million that was donated in support of the constituional amendment, which succeeded in November 2008.

When asked what the ideal birthday gift would be for his 81st birthday in August 2008, his answer was: "Do something for someone else on that day to make his or her life better. Find someone who is having a hard time, or is ill, or lonely, and do something for them. That's all I would ask."

As for cultivating a culture of growh, approximately 300,000 people worldwide will join the Church in 2008, and Monson continues to encourage members to share their beliefs with their family, friends and neighbors. In October 2008 he urged members to "pray for the opening of those areas [of the world where our influence is limited and where we are not allowed to share the gospel freely], that we might share with them the joy of the gospel."

I cannot think of a better example of somebody who sets direction, achieves results, and cultivates a culture of growth.

Pro-Marriage, Not Anti-Gay

Joel P. Engardio is a writer, documentary filmmaker and civil liberties advocate who wrote a thoughtful, honest commentary of his opinion on the issue of same-sex marriage published on the ACLU Blog and on the Washington Post titled, Pro-Liberty, Not Anti-Mormon. He explained that he joined the protest at the Mormon Temple [in Manhattan, New York] to demonstrate against church interference in his civil rights.

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2008/11/pro-liberty_not_anti-mormon.html#_login

I posted the following response to his article:

Most Mormons supported Proposition 8 because of it's implications for the institution of marriage, not in an effort to squelch the rights and liberty of homosexuals. The LDS Church issued an offical statement that clarified, "the Church does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches." I am personally in favor of government granting same-sex couples all the benefits of marriage that can be granted to couples through civil unions, but I am opposed to same-sex marriage.

The following excerpt from a statement issued by the LDS church in August 2008 explains why allowing same-sex marriage is a mistake for society:

How Would Same-Sex Marriage Affect Society?

"Possible restrictions on religious freedom are not the only societal implications of legalizing same-sex marriage. Perhaps the most common argument that proponents of same-sex marriage make is that it is essentially harmless and will not affect the institution of traditional heterosexual marriage in any way. “It won’t affect you, so why should you care?’ is the common refrain. While it may be true that allowing single-sex unions will not immediately and directly affect all existing marriages, the real question is how it will affect society as a whole over time, including the rising generation and future generations. The experience of the few European countries that already have legalized same-sex marriage suggests that any dilution of the traditional definition of marriage will further erode the already weakened stability of marriages and family generally. Adopting same-sex marriage compromises the traditional concept of marriage, with harmful consequences for society.

"Aside from the very serious consequence of undermining and diluting the sacred nature of marriage between a man and a woman, there are many practical implications in the sphere of public policy that will be of deep concern to parents and society as a whole. These are critical to understanding the seriousness of the overall issue of same-sex marriage.
"When a man and a woman marry with the intention of forming a new family, their success in that endeavor depends on their willingness to renounce the single-minded pursuit of self-fulfillment and to sacrifice their time and means to the nurturing and rearing of their children. Marriage is fundamentally an unselfish act: legally protected because only a male and female together can create new life, and because the rearing of children requires a life-long commitment, which marriage is intended to provide. Societal recognition of same-sex marriage cannot be justified simply on the grounds that it provides self-fulfillment to its partners, for it is not the purpose of government to provide legal protection to every possible way in which individuals may pursue fulfillment. By definition, all same-sex unions are infertile, and two individuals of the same gender, whatever their affections, can never form a marriage devoted to raising their own mutual offspring.

"It is true that some same-sex couples will obtain guardianship over children –through prior heterosexual relationships, through adoption in the states where this is permitted, or by artificial insemination. Despite that, the all-important question of public policy must be: what environment is best for the child and for the rising generation? Traditional marriage provides a solid and well-established social identity to children. It increases the likelihood that they will be able to form a clear gender identity, with sexuality closely linked to both love and procreation. By contrast, the legalization of same-sex marriage likely will erode the social identity, gender development, and moral character of children. Is it really wise for society to pursue such a radical experiment without taking into account its long-term consequences for children?
"As just one example of how children will be adversely affected, the establishment of same-sex marriage as a civil right will inevitably require mandatory changes in school curricula. When the state says that same-sex unions are equivalent to heterosexual marriages, the curriculum of public schools will have to support this claim. Beginning with elementary school, children will be taught that marriage can be defined as a relation between any two adults and that consensual sexual relations are morally neutral. Classroom instruction on sex education in secondary schools can be expected to equate homosexual intimacy with heterosexual relations. These developments will create serious clashes between the agenda of the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children traditional standards of morality.

"Finally, throughout history the family has served as an essential bulwark of individual liberty. The walls of a home provide a defense against detrimental social influences and the sometimes overreaching powers of government. In the absence of abuse or neglect, government does not have the right to intervene in the rearing and moral education of children in the home. Strong families are thus vital for political freedom. But when governments presume to redefine the nature of marriage, issuing regulations to ensure public acceptance of non-traditional unions, they have moved a step closer to intervening in the sacred sphere of domestic life. The consequences of crossing this line are many and unpredictable, but likely would include an increase in the power and reach of the state toward whatever ends it seeks to pursue."

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage

Preserving the Family by Protecting Marriage

With the election today, the heated battle over a California ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to define marriage to be between a man and a woman has begun to shatter spending records and draw national attention. According to US News and World Report, the campaigns for and against Proposition 8 have raised more than $60 million in donations, setting a new record nationally for a social policy initiative—and trumping every other race in the country this year in spending except the presidential contest.

As of last week, roughly 40 percent of the campaign's overall donations have come from members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This involvement of Mormons is attributable significantly to the clearly defined beliefs in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and a letter from the First Presidency of the Church encouraging members in California to devote their time and resources to supporting Proposition 8.

Our support for Proposition 8 is not evidence of prejudice and discrimination against homosexuals. It is evidence of a clear understanding of the importance of the marriage contract and the central role that families play in the stability of our nation, our economy, our society, and our world. Children have a right to be born within the bonds of matrimony. Men and women have unique physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual characteristics that compliment each other and when all of these characteristics are brought together in the marriage relationship, they have the potential to bring children into the world and to fortify them with all of the support that they need to be successful in this life.

Gay rights are important. We must take action to protect the rights of people who are homosexual, but we do not have to redefine marriage to accomplish this. Gay rights can and must be established and preserved while also preserving and fortifying marriage by clarifying that marriage is a contract between a man and a woman.

If you are registered to vote in California, please vote YES on proposition 8 today.

Secret Combinations

My brother-in-law shared a story with me about the "enemies within" our government that remined me of the secret society of the Gadianton robbers that developed over 400 years in the Book of Mormon and resulted in the downfall of the Nephites.  

Alma 47

14 And it came to pass that Lehonti came down with his men and surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.

  15 And it came to pass that when they saw that they were surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed. Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.

 The most effective way for our enemies to defeat us is to secretly gain control of our government

 Helaman 3: 23

  23 And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace established in the land, all save it were the secret combinations which Gadianton the robber had established in the more settled parts of the land, which at that time were not known unto those who were at the head of government; therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.

 The more settled parts of the land are the cities.  Do we know who really has control of the cities in the Untied States?

 3 Nephi 3: 15

  15 Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in nowise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.

 The only way to be delivered out of the hands of the secret combinations is to repent of your iniquities because the Gadianton robbers control you through blackmail, vice, and idolatry.  If you want to be delivered from secret combinations you need to openly confess your sins and rely upon the strength of the Lord.  The only people who are immune from the tactics of secret combinations are the righteous. 

 4 Nephi 1: 46

  46 And it came to pass that the robbers of Gadianton did spread over all the face of the land; and there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus. And gold and silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did traffic in all manner of traffic.

 Mormon 1: 18

  18 And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again.

 We need to look back at the example of the Lamanites to know how to defeat the Gadianton robbers and their secret combinations. 

 Helaman 6

37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.

 From this we can see that the best way to preserve the liberties and freedom of the United States of America is to preach the word of God.  

Establishing Zion

When I was in high school I made a trip to Washington D.C. with my US Government class and while I was there I met a girl from Arkansas who belonged to another Christian denomination.

Throughout high school and my mission, she and I exchanged letters and she wrote one letter to me that challenged our belief that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were building Zion. She said that we were misled because Joseph Smith taught that Zion would be established in Jackson County, Missouri, then it would be established in Nauvoo Illinois and finally it would be established in Salt Lake City, Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young. From her perspective, the Mormons were being fooled into thinking that they could establish Zion and they kept changing their story about where Zion would be built. This was a little perplexing to me at the time because to me at the time, more than anything else, Zion was an awesome National Park in Southern Utah.

I can understand why she was confused about the doctrine of establishing Zion. Because many Latter-day Saints are also confused about the doctrine of establishing Zion.

When President Monson announced last weekend that the church would build a temple in Kansas City, there were many comments posted on blogs and news sites that hinted that it was time for members of the Church to pack their bags and move to Jackson County, Missouri. Obviously, some of them were joking and perhaps teasing other people who may have really had those thoughts; but regardless, it demonstrates a fundamental missunderstanding of what it means to establish Zion.

It is helpful to understand the history of the Church to understand why people would talk about "packing up and moving to Missouri" at the first sign of building a temple there.

The Church first attempted to build temples in Missouri in the 1830s when the early Saints dedicated a temple site in Independence, Missouri in 1831 and farther north in Far West, Missouri in 1838. In 1831, Joseph Smith prophesied that the New Jerusalem (the city of Zion) would be established in Independence, Missouri. Independece is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. Those temples were never constructed, however, as the Mormons were driven out of Missouri persuant to an extermination order issued by Governor Lilburn W. Boggs in 1838.

The Church relocated its headquarters to Nauvoo, Illinois, and then to Salt Lake City, Utah. Today, 13 million Church members are now spread throughout the world and there are more than 140 temples operating.

On the same day of General Conference on October 4, 2008 when President Monson announced the new temple in Kansas City, Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave an excellent talk about what is required to establish Zion.

"Zion is Zion because of the character, attributes and faithfulness of her citizens ... If we would establish Zion in our homes, branches, ward and stakes, we must rise to (a Zion standard). It will be necessary to become unified in one heart and one mind, to become ... a holy people and to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen. Zion will come only as they happen."

From the Church Website:

"The word Zion appears repeatedly in all the books of scripture of the Church. In latter-day revelation, Zion is defined as "the pure in heart" (D&C 97:21).

"In the early days of this dispensation, Church leaders counseled members to build up Zion by emigrating to a central location. Today our leaders counsel us to build up Zion wherever we live. Members of the Church are asked to remain in their native lands and help establish the Church there. Many temples are being built so Latter-day Saints throughout the world can receive temple blessings.

"The word Zion can also refer to specific geographic locations, as follows:
The city of Enoch (see Moses 7:18–21).
The ancient city of Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 5:6–7; 1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 9:28).
The New Jerusalem, which will be built in Jackson County, Missouri (see D&C 45:66–67; 57:1–3; Articles of Faith 1:10)."

In summary, Zion is being established in Missouri, but until we have established Zion in the Stakes throughout the world where we now live, we do not need to worry too much about the building up on Zion in Missouri, although we should all rejoice in the progress that the Saints in Missouri are making as is evidenced by the fact that the Church is building a temple in Kansas City, MO. Dieter F. Uchdorff said during the Priesthod Session of General Conference on October 4, 2008, "Stand close together and lift where you stand". This counsel is certainly applicable to our mandate and our covenant to establish Zion. You will know that we have established Zion when the members of the Church are united, pure in heart, and there are no poor among us. In the mean-time, let's all strive for that perfect standard by standing close together and lifting where we stand while doing all that we can to be united, to be purified in Christ, and to ensure that there are no poor among us.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Some people believe that the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding the roles of men and women in the family are sexist. Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines sexism as "behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex".

The Family: A Proclamation to the World was issued by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in September 1995. This document outlines the roles of men and women in family relationships as follows:

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed."

If you only read the first two scentences you might get the impression that the Church's teachings are sexist because, alone, these statements clearly foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex. However, the two scentences that follow definitively refute any claims of sexism: mother and father are equal partners, and special circumstances may require mothers to preside provide and/or protect and may require fathers to be primarily responsible for the nurture of children.

The life of Sarah Palin, Republican Vice Presidential Candidate in 2008, provides a visible example of special circumstances that require individual adaptation of the roles of fathers and mothers. This morning I heard a story on NPR where a woman said that Sarah Palin should not be running for office when she has young children and a brand new baby to care for. A man responded by saying that this was a sexist comment.

I believe that the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints support his opinion that this is a sexist comment. If Sarah Palin is elected Vice President, by virtue of her office, she will be in a superior position to provide for and protect her family (and my family) and these circumstances will require her husband to assume the role of being the primary nurturer for their family. Sarah Palin may be the Ester of the 21st Century, "who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Ester 4:14) , I pray that God will bless and magnify her and her husband so that they will be able to attend to the needs of their children while providing this great service to their country.

Does Sarah Palin have Mormon Ancestors?

I love to do family history research, so this is a fun question to ask. If anybody who reads this blog can find any additional information, please share it in the comments section:

From Wikipedia:

"Palin was born Sarah Louise Heath in Sandpoint, Idaho, the third of four children of Sarah Heath (nee Sheeran), a school secretary, and Charles R. Heath, a science teacher and track coach. Her family moved to Alaska when she was an infant. As a child, she would sometimes go moose hunting with her father before school, and the family regularly ran 5K and 10K races."



I could not find any information about her father to make a definitive connection, but I may have found her grandfather. Charles Renfrow Heath was born 17 October 1923 in Pocatello, Bannock, Idaho. He served in the Army in WWII. According to his obituary in the Idaho State Journal he was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he enjoyed fishing and hunting, he married Mary Johnson on 19 August 1930, and he was survived by family members which included his son Charlie R.

Can anybody confirm or deny that Charlie R. is not the father of Sarah Heath Palin, the Vice President running mate of John McCain, republican presidential nominee?

Oppression of Women

menschtx wrote:

"With so much value being put upon the Mormon man that the women need to submit to the man and his teaching, leadership and as we see explotation of the women, and now even children. Some being pregnate at the age of 13, as reported in the Star-Telegram on 4/19/2008 -A girl as young as 13 may have given birth at a polygamous sect's compound, a child welfare worker testified Thursday night at a marathon custody hearing for 416 children removed from the ranch. The idiology of Mormon teaching which these people are believing is the basis of the Mormon doctrine as aspoused by the prophet Joseph Smith in the order of producing more bodies for the spiritual children exisiting on the planet Kolob. Hey every body has to have some where to go."

Rhino's response:

Nobody else has chimed in so I thought it would be helpful to shed some light on the references that you have made to Mormon doctrine concerning women.

You quoted Doctrine & Covenants 25:14,15 - 14 and implied that our doctrine is oppressive to women. I submit that the Mormon doctrine is anything but oppressive to women. There are polygamists (who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) whose behaviour is very oppressive to women, but these are not members of the LDS church, and cannot be members of the LDS church because they are practicing polygamy.

To say that the scriptures in Doctrine & Covenants is oppressive toward women would imply that the writings of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians is also oppressive toward women:

22 aWives, bsubmit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the ahusband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the bhead of the cchurch: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 aHusbands, blove your cwives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might asanctify and bcleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

The truth is that neither the D&C nor the Bible is oppressive toward women. What is oppressive toward women is the perverted men who take 13 year old girls as spiritual wives by cumpulsory means and against the will of God.

The prophet Jacob in the Book of Mormon wrote (Jacob 2:23-32)

"23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing awhoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

24 Behold, David and aSolomon truly had many bwives and concubines, which thing was cabominable before me, saith the Lord.

25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a arighteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.

26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.

27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any aman among you have save it be bone cwife; and concubines he shall have none;

28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the achastity of women. And bwhoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or acursed be the land for their sakes.

30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up aseed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and aabominations of their bhusbands.

32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.

33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit awhoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts.

34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our afather, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done."

God condemns the actions of the polygamists at YFZ ranch in Texas just as he condemned it during the times of Jacob in the Book of Mormon and King David and King Soloman."

If you would like to learn more details about the LDS doctrine concerning polygamy see my post on Polygamy or go to http://www.lds.org/.

Are Mormon's Christian?

menschtx wrote at http://hubpages.com/hub/Mormon-vs-Christian-Beliefs---A-Comparison_1:

Mormon vs Christian Beliefs - A Comparison, what is the difference?

The question is what is the difference between Mormonism and Christianity. We must first look to the question of who is Jesus?

First we will take a look at the Mormon version. Bruce McConkie, a Mormon Apostle, teaches in his book, Mormon Doctrine, "Christ was begotten by an immortal father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers." And again this view. Joseph Fielding Smith, tenth President and Prophet of the Mormon Church claimed, "Christ not begotten of Holy Ghost...He was not born without the aid of Man and that Man was God!" (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:18). 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 1:18) Oops!"

Rhino's Response:

"The Godhead consists of three distinct personages who are one in unity and purpose. The members of the Godhead are Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. All human beings consist of two fundamental parts, the body and the spirit, and these two parts together comprise the soul. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and spirit. The Holy Ghost does not have a body of flesh, he is only a personage of spirit. The spirits of all human beings were created by God the Father before the earth was created. Before the world was created, God the Father, created the spirit of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father is the father of his spirit and the father of our spirits. Under the direction of God the Father, Jesus Christ created the earth and Adam and Eve. He put their spirits into their bodies of flesh and they became living souls. When we were born, our spirit entered into our body and we became a living soul. When we die, our spirit leaves our body and our body is buried in the earth until the resurrection, when our body and our spirit will be reunited.

The prophet Alma, described the conception of Jesus Christ in Alma 7:10 of the Book of Mormon "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God."

Alma, Joseph Fielding Smith, Bruce R. McConkie, and Matthew actually do not contradict each other concerning the birth of Jesus Christ. No man or woman can be in the presence of God unless he is "quickened by the Spirit" (See various Bible references and the Doctrine & Covenants 67:11-12) This means that in order to endure the presence of God, any man or woman would need to be sanctified and purified by the Holy Ghost, therefore the Holy Ghost is the agent or the "power" by which Mary was able to endure the presence of God the Father who has characteristics of a man because he has a body and a spirit, so that she could conceive the only begotten Son of God. In other words. Since God the Father has a body of flesh and spirit, and Mary has a body of flesh and spirit, they were able to conceive the one and only Son of God, even Jesus Christ.

These are the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

Fishers of Men

Last night I had the opportunity to speak at a mission prep fireside for the Las Vegas South Stake and it was an awesome experience. Twelve years ago , I gave my last sacrament meeting talk in the Rainbow Ward of the Las Vegas Lakes Stake before leaving on my mission to the Dominican Republic. The theme of that talk was based on the scripture Matthew 4:19 and I focused on being"fishers of men".

This time the theme of the fireside was the same scripture, Matthew 4:19, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men", but the focus was very different: "Follow me". What I did not quite realize 12 years ago, was that we can study all the techniques for sharing the Gospel, and we can analyze what it means to be a good missionary, but the invitation is simple. Follow Jesus Christ, and he will make you a fisher of men.

Follow the example of Jesus Christ, seek to develp his attributes, through the mercy of his atoning sacrifice, and you will naturally become a fisher of men. You will see opportunities to share the Gospel with your family, friends, and neighbors and they will want to follow Jesus Christ because they will see the goodness that is in you.

Last night, the Holy Ghost testified to me that the best way to share the Gospel is to develop Christlike attributes. I am grateful for that reminder and that testimony.

Joseph Smith - Treasure Hunter?

Was Joseph Smith a treasure hunter? Let's see what the editors of Wikipedia have to say:

"About 1825, Smith was approached by a man named Josiah Stowell, from South Bainbridge, New York, who had been searching for a lost Spanish mine near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. He had traveled to Manchester because of Smith's reputation as "possessing certain keys, by which he could discern things invisible to the natural eye", and Stowell wanted to employ his services. Stowell was working with a William Hale, also from Harmony, who reportedly had learned from a crystal gazer named Odle of treasures supposedly concealed in a hill near Hale's home.

"Smith agreed to take the job of assisting Stowell and Hale, and he and his father worked with the Stowell-Hale team for approximately one month, attempting, according to their contract, to locate "a valuable mine of either Gold or Silver and also...coined money and bars or ingots of Gold or Silver". Smith boarded with an Isaac Hale (a relative of William Hale), and fell in love with Isaac Hale's daughter Emma, a schoolteacher he would later marry in 1827. Isaac Hale, however, disapproved of their relationship and of Smith in general. According to an unsupported account by Hale, Smith attempted to locate the mine by burying his face in a hat containing the seer stone; however, as the treasure hunters got close to their objective, Smith said that an enchantment became so strong that Smith could no longer see it. The failed project disbanded on November 17, 1825; however, Smith continued to work for Stowell on other matters until 1826.
Court records from Bainbridge, New York, show that Smith, identified as "The Glass Looker," was before the court on March 20, 1826, on a warrant for an unspecified misdemeanor charge, and that the judge issued a mittimus for Smith to be held, either during or after the proceedings. Although Smith's associate Oliver Cowdery (who had not met Smith as of 1826) later stated that Smith was "honorably acquitted", the result of the proceeding is unclear, with some eye-witnesses (including the court reporter) claiming he was found guilty, others claiming he was "condemned" but "designedly allowed to escape," and yet others claiming he was "discharged" for lack of evidence.

"By November 1826, Josiah Stowell could no longer afford to continue searching for buried treasure; Smith traveled to Colesville, New York, for a few months to work for Joseph Knight, Sr., one of Stowell's friends. There are reports that Smith directed further excavations on Knight's property and at other locations around Colesville. Smith later commented on his working as a treasure hunter: "'Was not Joseph Smith a money digger?' Yes, but it was never a very profitable job for him, as he only got fourteen dollars a month for it." Source: Wikipedia

Joseph Smith himself admitted to working as a treasure hunter in his history published in the Pearl of Great Price:

"As my father’s worldly circumstances were very limited, we were under the necessity of laboring with our hands, hiring out by day’s work and otherwise, as we could get opportunity. Sometimes we were at home, and sometimes abroad, and by continuous labor were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance.

"In the year 1823 my father’s family met with a great affliction by the death of my eldest brother, Alvin. In the month of October, 1825, I hired with an old gentleman by the name of Josiah Stoal, who lived in Chenango county, State of New York. He had heard something of a silver mine having been opened by the Spaniards in Harmony, Susquehanna county, State of Pennsylvania; and had, previous to my hiring to him, been digging, in order, if possible, to discover the mine. After I went to live with him, he took me, with the rest of his hands, to dig for the silver mine, at which I continued to work for nearly a month, without success in our undertaking, and finally I prevailed with the old gentleman to cease digging after it. Hence arose the very prevalent story of my having been a money-digger."

It appears the answer to this accusation is yes - Joseph Smith was a treasure hunter. Does that mean that he was not a prophet? No.

Joseph Smith - Forger?

NormaBates wrote: "Joseph Smith Jr, the forger, treasure-hunter, magician, polygamist and self-styled priest-king of the American continent, invented an American version of Europe's ethnically-founded idolatry. Smith concocted a tale in which Americans actually were the Chosen People, and America was the Promised Land of the ancient Hebrews and Jesus Christ. In short, Smith took to the extremes of fantasy and forgery and impulse towards national self-worship that always lurks somewhere in American Christianity."

Rhino's response: Let's take a deeper look at some of these labels put on Joseph Smith in the next few posts:

Joseph Smith - Forger? "The Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets, just as the Bible was written by prophets and apostles of Christ. The writing was done by the spirit of revelation and prophecy. Many authors had contributed directly or were quoted in the final abridgment of ancient records compiled by the prophet, historian, and military leader Mormon near 400 A.D. As a result, there are a variety of distinct literary styles in the Book of Mormon, ranging from classical Hebrew poetical components in the writings of Nephi, Benjamin (quoted by his son in the Book of Mosiah), and Alma (who provides us with one of the most majestic examples ever of the ancient Semitic poetical form, chiasmus, in Alma 36), to the terse, direct prose of reluctant military men such as Mormon and Moroni.

"Joseph Smith, a young farm boy in backwoods New York, translated the Book of Mormon from ancient gold plates in a brief time, about 65 man-days maximum, an average of over 8 single-spaced pages per day. The translation was done through the gift and power of God. Was this monumental task an act of forgery? That's what many assume - but even a brief but honest examination of the text leads to one conclusion: the forgery hypothesis cannot explain the Book of Mormon." Source: http://www.jefflindsay.com

I echo Moroni's challenge, if anybody wants to know whether the Book of Mormon is true, I encourage you to read the book, that you would remember how merciful the Lord has been unto the children of men, and ponder it in your heart. And when you receive these things, I would invite you to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if you ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things.

Polygamy

The Church's website addresses the history and doctrine of polygamy very clearly and openly:

"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. At certain times and for His specific purposes, God, through His prophets, has directed the practice of plural marriage (sometimes called polygamy), which means one man having more than one living wife at the same time. In obedience to direction from God, Latter-day Saints followed this practice for about 50 years during the 1800s but officially ceased the practice of such marriages after the Manifesto was issued by President Woodruff in 1890. Since that time, plural marriage has not been approved by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any member adopting this practice is subject to losing his or her membership in the Church.

"The Bible indicates that Abraham, Jacob, and others of the Lord’s servants had multiple wives (see Genesis 16:1–3; 29:23–30; 30:4, 9; Judges 8:30; 1 Samuel 1:1–2). Joseph Smith asked God why He had permitted this practice and was told that God had commanded it for specific purposes. One reason given by the Lord for plural marriage is mentioned in the Book of Mormon: “If I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall [have only one wife]” (Jacob 2:30; see also v. 27).

"After God revealed the doctrine of plural marriage to Joseph Smith in 1831 and commanded him to live it, the Prophet, over a period of years, cautiously taught the doctrine to some close associates. Eventually, he and a small number of Church leaders entered into plural marriages in the early years of the Church. Those who practiced plural marriage at that time, both male and female, experienced a significant trial of their faith. The practice was so foreign to them that they needed and received personal inspiration from God to help them obey the commandment.
When the Saints moved west under the direction of Brigham Young, more Latter-day Saints entered into plural marriages.

"Influenced by rumors and exaggerated reports, the United States Congress, beginning in 1862, enacted a series of laws against polygamy that became increasingly harsh. By the 1880s many Latter-day Saint men were imprisoned or went into hiding.

"In 1889 in the face of increasing hardships and the threat of government confiscation of Church property, including temples, Wilford Woodruff, President of the Church at the time, prayed for guidance. He was inspired to issue a document that officially ended the sanction of plural marriage by the Church. The document, called the Manifesto, was accepted by Church members in a general conference held in October 1890 and is published in the Doctrine and Covenants as Official Declaration 1 (see also “Excerpts from Three Addresses by President Wilford Woodruff Regarding the Manifesto” following Official Declaration 1).

"Just as the practice of plural marriage among the Latter-day Saints began gradually, the ending of the practice after the Manifesto was also gradual. Some plural marriages were performed after the Manifesto, particularly in Mexico and Canada. In 1904, President Joseph F. Smith called for a vote from the Church membership that all post-Manifesto plural marriages be prohibited worldwide.

"More recently, President Gordon B. Hinckley has reiterated that plural marriage is “against the law of God. Even in countries where civil or religious law allows [the practice of a man having more than one wife], the Church teaches that marriage must be monogamous and does not accept into its membership those practicing plural marriage” (“What Are People Asking about Us?” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 72).

"Groups who teach polygamy today are not part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

Google

Rhino wrote:

"Anybody who questions whether Mormons are Christian should really read the Book of Mormon or at least visit the official website of the Church: http://jesuschrist.lds.org"

NormaBates wrote:

"No, Rhino, honey. Anybody interested in the origins and history of Mormon won't find them in the Book of Mormon or at the Church of Mormon's official site.

"Anybody SERIOUSLY interested in Mormon's origins and the lives (and lies) of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young can simply Google "origin of mormon" or Google "joseph smith" or "brigham young" or "kolub" and read any of hundreds of factual and historic citations about this absurdist religion....Mormon is nuttier than a fruitcake; as bigoted and sexist and hateful and homophobic as Baptists; fully on a par with Scientology in its psychotic theology and cosmology. Kolub, anybody? Golden Tablets in upstate New York, anybody? "Seer stones," anybody? Xenu, anybody? Thetans, honeychile? All ages can testifie enough howe profitable that fable of Christe hath ben to us and our companie." Pope Leo X in the 1500s."

Rhino's response:

"Google is not the one true source of knowledge, God is. I agree that Mormons tend to be nutty and homophobic; but bigoted, sexist, and hateful they are not. If Joseph Smith really did find 1,400 year old golden plates in a hillside in Palmyra, New York and translate them, wouldn't you want to read them to see what they say?"

Mormon Money

eLwood wrote:

"Mormons are now the largest single property holders in America, own more food producing lands and operations than any other group....They own more than Saudis and Japanese and the royal robes of the catholic church.Therefore they have more toys and will get into heaven sooner. Sorry but numbers are numbers and that's the way god works now. MoMoney, Mo heaven. Just come up here and ask Armani Ronnie. 2 mega churches to his credit, bullet proof SUVs, two luxurious homes, helicopterto port him from church to church. Take away the numbers and what do you have? Just another Pimp for Bush.

Rhino's response:

"Yes - the Mormon church has a lot of money and a lot of land. All of the Mormons who are in full-fellowship pay 10% of their income to the church and they have done a lot of good things with that money. Check out this website if you want to learn more: http://www.providentliving.org/ None of the "paid-clergy" of the Mormon church are living in luxurious homes, but I am pretty sure their cars are bullet proof.

South Park

NormaBates wrote:

"American popular culture makes a running joke of Smith's 1827 claim to have discovered golden tablets containing the history of an Israelite migration to North America including a cameo appearance by Jesus Christ. Thanks to the animated satire "South Park", Americans know that Smith "translated" golden tablets that no-one else could see by looking at "seer stones" inside his hat. That is the power of mass media; one half-hour cartoon can undo the work of a million missionaries."

Rhino's response:

"The producers of "South Park" missed at least one important fact. Joseph Smith was not the only person who could see the gold plates. There were 11 other people who saw and held the plates. This was the testimony of three of them:

"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen."
Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris

You can find the testimony of the other 8 in the introduction to the Book of Mormon.

Arkansas Blog

This blog was inspired by a conversation that I had with eLwood and NormaBates on the Arkansas Times Blog on August 14, 2008. I realized there are a lot of prejudices and misconceptions about the doctrine and history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) that I might be able to help resolve.