Smithmas FR articles bumping up among top five hits on Google searches! [Vanity]

Finally, understanding the sub-culural history of "Smithmas" is making more digital headway! Smithmas Free Republic articles are "bumping up" among top five hits on Google searches!

Well, Joseph Smith -- THE founder of Mormonism -- was born on December 23. Through the decades, that recognition has often eclipsed a certain Other figure's birthday, Dec. 25.

(To be fair to Mormons, who are my beloved extended family members, I would think they could extend a similar critique toward some Christians for allowing a jovial North Pole-based figure to edge out Jesus' birthday!)

But if you want a simple summation of "Smithmas," perhaps the best source for that is located within the middle row found in the chart below...
...along with information found in the chart about "Smithmas"' Mormon semi-formal origins (Sunday, December 23, 1894) -- see second to last row in the chart --
-- and other sub-cultural observations of Smithmas also found with links in the chart.

GOOGLE 'SMITHMAS' SEARCH DETAILS

When you enter "Smithmas" into Google search engine AND EITHER:
"LDS"
OR "Mormon"
OR "Mormonism"
...which articles/entries emerge as FIRST PAGE hits? (Note: Results may vary; Google search, is of course, a dynamic search engine)

Here indeed are FIVE "shelf-lived" articles/entries having made it into the top FIVE hits!!!

A REVIEW OF SOME OF THE TOP FIVE 'SMITHMAS' ARTICLES/ENTRIES POPPING UP ON GOOGLE SEARCHES

Mormon apologists are puttin' up a fuss re: the non-Mormon attention being given to "Smithmas": Hence, a few 'Smithmas' reality checks are in order:

(1)

The semi-formal origin whereby Smithmas was encouraged to become an annual celebration amongst the Mormon Church was commenced by Joseph F. Smith, nephew of Joseph Smith, on a Sunday -- December 23, 1894. (Joseph F. Smith became a "prophet" of the Mormon Church)

And, given that Mormons don't offer either special Christmas Eve or Christmas Day worship celebrations EXCEPT and UNLESS they fall on the calendar rhythm of a Sunday -- the Sunday closest to Christmas becomes as close to a Christmas service as Mormons get. And when we look at Sunday Dec. 23, 1894, THE main focus by Lds general authority Joseph F. Smith seemed to be Uncle Joseph Smith.

In other words, "Smithmas" wasn't "invented" by either "anti-Mormonism" individuals or groups or even by the Mormon Church's overkill of Joseph Smith's 200-year celebration of his birth (2005).

Details are found in links in the above chart.

(2)

Not only has Joseph Smith eclipsed Jesus Christ on many Decembers in various Lds wards -- per the direct testimonies of some Mormons -- but Smithmas itself is still celebrated by some select Mormons. Even well-known Mormon apologist Daniel Peterson wrote a column admitting that he personally celebrated Smith's birthday each year.

(3)

As the chart above shows -- see this link: Keyword: smithmas – Free Republic -- an index of Thirty Free Republic articles posted on the subject of Smithmas is included from Dec. 26, 2013, extending back to Dec. 14, 2010. Seven of the first 13 entries indexed there for 2013 have "Colofornian" as the source – IoW – these were "home-baked" "from scratch." EACH of these contains EXTENSIVE charted documentation that

(a) Smithmas DOES HISTORICALLY and SUB-CULTURALLY exist;

(b) Through the years, the Mormon Church has intersected many "over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes" – applying them to Joseph Smith;

(d) You can almost cite Mormon leaders and construct your very own Joseph Smith-worship liturgy;

(e) You can even take a 26-question quiz about Smithmas – and though you'd expect the answers to be about a certain Bethlehem-born babe – the answers might surprise you!;

(f) Just look at how Mormons have indeed worshiped Joseph Smith – and not just at Christmas (review anything about "Praise to the Man");

and finally (g) Documentation was provided that Joseph Smith's 'First Vision visitation' of LdsIsm tends to trump Jesus' incarnational visit via Bethlehem.

(4)

Multiple Official Lds Church curricula sources trumpet how certain lyrics in the Christmas hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel -- written about Jesus Christ based upon Isaiah 11 in the Old Testament -- are re-interpreted by Mormon leaders to be about Joseph Smith!

(Plan to post additional Mormon Church sources highlighting more details next week)

Essentially Smithmas is about Mormon "Smithmasers" who override Christ each December.

The REAL UNDERLYING problem, however, is that this occurs not just in December, but beyond. And not just amidst a few Smith partiers on December 23; but is a major instigation by Lds church leaders.

Since 2003, Sheri Dew has been recognized as “the most prominent single [unmarried] LDS woman right now” (Sheri L. Dew).

Dew has held prominent positions for Deseret Book Company (Mormon Church owned) and Bonneville International Corporation.

In 2007, Dew -- in her Deseret Book published God Wants a Powerful People -- wrote:

"Church leaders and gospel scholars have written VOLUMES about the life, teachings, and prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, and MANY MORE VOLUMES will no doubt follow." (page 120)

And it's not just church leaders, "scholars," authors, and curricula writers. It's the outright oversaturation of Smith worship! Just look at the hymn writers and hymnbook administrators who contributed Praise to the Man (and other Mormon hymns sung as direct worship of Joseph Smith):

* Praise to the Man Images

* Praising the Prophet: Joseph Smith and the Restoration in History and Verse

* JOSEPH SMITH: Praise to the Man

* The Work and the Glory: Praise to the Man (book)

* Praise to the Man: David Glen Hatch

* Praise to the Man: Michael Ballam

* Praise to the Man: W. Jeffrey Marsh

* Praise to the Man: Larry Barkdull

No wonder Smith boasted that he topped Jesus...that Jesus' followers fell away from Him...but that Joseph's followers had not:

Smith boast that he topped Jesus

Really Odd how Mormons don`t know anything about their religion.

#1

Not all Mormons are Lds from birth.

When you look at the 2004 training manual for Lds Missionaries, you see training questions like: "Why is it important to unfold or gradually disclose information?" (p. 183)

The Mormon Church, having derived many of its temple rituals from Masonry, also has at times developed a similar "initiation" approach.

We've all heard the term "33rd degree." (That comes from Free Masonry)

People initiated at the initial levels have no idea what is involved deeper into the ritualism.

That's why this 4-minute video is so revealing: If Mormon missionaries were straightforward about Mormonism…[Best 4-minute video on topic]

If Mormon missionaries -- and Mormonism in general -- didn't assume such a "precept upon precept" anti-early disclosure stance...many potential proselytes would not only run away, but sprint away!

#2

Thus, Mormonism is not only quite guarded about what it PRs to the world at-large, but it's the exact reason the Church has finally only begun to come clean on its sordid history with its series of 2014 "essays" on controversial topics.

The Mormon Church would avoid delving into these topics in its curricula, and then, Mormons would begin finding out more & more of these "tucked away" historical realities...and begin to do their own Internet research.

They felt betrayed when they discovered the truth.

Don't take my opinion alone...look @ what was occurring during the vast 2012 Mormon exodus--an exodus that's continued to this very day!

2012 postings:
* When He Stopped Believing [Mormon exodus underway] [Note: This was in the official Lds church publication, Ensign]
* But I’m a good Mormon wife: Sean and I had the perfect life. Then his faith started to crumble...
* Different takes on Mormon faith from Republican rivals [Mormon exodus underway]
* 'Spiritual Olympics' Series (S.O.S.): A Glimpse of Mormonism Around the Globe [Vanity]

Earlier 2012 postings:
*Notes: Mormonism and the Internet [Duplicity/mixed messages cited; baptism-of-dead issue lingers]
* Survey on Mormon Disbelievers to be Released at UVU Forum [74% point to theological concerns]
* Why Mormons flee their church
* Number of faithful Mormons rapidly declining
* Mormons opening up in an Internet world [& Losing members accordingly]
* Special report -Mormonism besieged by the modern age [Lds church is hemorrhaging in member losses]
* See also 2010 posting: Why Mormons Leave

(Also do a keyword search with "Free Republic" and "John Dehlin" for many eye-opening reasons as to why Mormons have become disaffected)

It would not bother me if people every where made an exit from all organized religion and turned to the teachings of Jesus.

Well, let's look at one or two of those "teachings of Jesus" as it applied to how even one religious group was misusing "religion," shall we?

Matthew 23

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

So, first of all, where does Jesus seemingly "agree" with some of your comment above?

A. Well, v. 10 strongly agrees with your comment: "10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah."

(Too many substitute themselves in place of Jesus the Messiah)

B. Well, Jesus rails against much of the "organized religion" as to how the Pharisees PRACTICED it:

* Hypocritical (v. 3)
* Cumbersomely legalistic -- tying up others' burdens without seeking to remove them (v. 4)
* Self-honor-seeking and sought to be center of attention and have the weightiness of their own status and teachings respected (vv. 5-8)/bad motivations
* And Matthew 23 goes on & on beyond what I cited with Jesus railing vs. legalistic Pharisaicism

Now, since you used the word "all" in touching upon "organized religion," let's look at one caveat which you seemed to ignore re: from "Jesus's teaching":

Verse 3: "So you MUST be careful to do EVERYTHING they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach."

Now here's what's interesting in comparing "Jesus's teachings" to your opinion:

Yes, Jesus went on in Matthew 23 to lambast the Pharisees for their...
...hypocrisy (vv. 13-15, 23-29)
...blind guide & blind fool role (16-19, 24-25)
...neglecting the MORE important matters of the law -- justice, mercy, and faithfulness (v. 23)
...Inward spiritual deadness & wickedness (25-28)
...and just being plain hell-bound "brood of vipers" (33)

...Yet within all of the negativity of Pharisaical "organized religion," we find this nugget in verse three: "You MUST be careful to do EVERYTHING they tell you."

You would think that somebody who tore apart the leadership credentials as much as Jesus did of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 (he also called them children of Satan in the latter part of John 8) wouldn't have uttered the above statement. (But He did)

So: Have you, Ravenwolf, exercised Jesus' teaching to "Be careful to do EVERYTHING" what even many off-base religious teachers have told you to do?

Or do you go around, buffet style, and pick and choose which Jesus' teachings to follow and which to ignore?

Sure, Jesus says: Don't practice what these teachers are DOING.
Sure, Jesus says, don't insert them as your personal teachers in place of the Messiah.
Yet Jesus didn't leave any wiggle room there in verse 3, now did He?

He said you MUST (not if ya wanna)...you MUST...
...be careful...
...to exercise (faith-practice)...
...EVERYTHING they tell you to do...

Otherwise, Ravenwolf, you're not really fully turning to Jesus' teachings now, are you?

You're just pumping up yourself as that "religious teacher" and making yourself the new "religious authority" in your life. And are you any more consistent than the hypocritical Pharisees?

The solo Christ-one life doesn't work very well.

There's over 50 times the word "saint" (a person who is holy) is used in the New Testament.
'Tis only a few times where it's singular (like "greet every saint")...so even there's it's basically plural.

There ain't no such thing as solo sainthood, Ravenwolf. IoW, USUALLY the flip side of those who rail against ALL "organized religion" is that they haven't found a way to connect very well to the rest of the Body of Christ.

And another BASIC problem with tossing out ALL "organized religion" is the vacuum it creates.

People live ordered and organized lives; they eschew disorder and disorganization. Like you said, "it would not be six months before the religious whores would be at it again"...but that's also true on a personal level:

43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” (Jesus, Matthew 12)

IoW, Ravenwolf, as you -- or somebody else -- sweeps out & cleans out all of the nasty "organized religion" stuff from your personal spirit...guess what? Either the nasty spirits behind that stuff comes back & find it so empty he brings his buds back with him to re-occupy...
...or...
...the person himself becomes the new lord...the new organizer...the new religious orderer of new habits.

(And they tend not to be any better about that than the Pharisees! Inconsistent! Just like the hypocritical Pharisees!)

Verse 3: “So you MUST be careful to do EVERYTHING they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

I am not sure if the meaning was literal or if it was just something to give the religious leaders to think about..

Mark 13
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

Mathew 24:11
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Many people believe Jesus is talking about a few individuals, I happen to believe it goes beyond imagination.

Just a few things to consider, if you go to the altar in a Pentecostal Church you may be pounded on the back and told to pray, because they can not hear you praying.

I am sure you already know what Jesus said about praying in secret.

People call the priests or bishops father because they are told to in one way or another.

The Mormons believe in temple marriages’ because they are told.

The J.Ws believe that a blood transfusion is the same as drinking blood, because they are told.

The Christian science in general don`t believe in going to the doctor for any more than broken bones, again because they are told.

Although this may not be against anything Jesus said it is doctrine which could make people lose faith in God if they lose a child or another loved one because of the doctrine.

Many people will blame God instead of doctrine.

Do what they tell you?

But you are right I should not have said all religious organization, I should have said many.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

WHAT POSTED OR PUBLISHED?	WHEN ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED?	INTERESTING EXCERPT ABOUT THIS ENTRY
Within the last week moved up #4 (Smithmas, Lds) to #1 Smithmas, Mormon: Will Smithmas return this year? [Merry Smithmas!? Lds' Joseph Smith b'day usurps Christ's birth?]	Original board discussion @ MormonDiscussions.com jumpstarted Nov. 30, 2012, and reposted on FR Dec. 1, 2012	Comment from MormonDiscussions.com forum: " ...December 23 is on a Sunday. This of course provides a great opportunity for the LDS church to prove its Christian roots by using that day to talk about Joseph Smith, it is his birthday after all. So, will the average LDS ward celebrate Smithmas or Christmas on December 23 this year? I'm guessing my wife's ward will split the difference and dedicate part to Joseph Smith and part to Jesus."
Within the last week moved up from *#5 (Smithmas, Mormon) to #2, same word search: Dealing with “Smithmas” [Mormon worship of Joseph Smith]*	Originally posted at Mormon board CommonConsent.com Dec. 19, 2005; reposted on FR Dec. 8, 2011	This particular forum shows the Mormon angst over the Mormon church overkill of a Smithcentric Smithmas. From the forum: "…But there’s one problem, an elephant that I think may be in the room for some Mormons. If only his birthday were not on December 23! The exmo boards are all a-flutter over “Smithmas”... and the Joseph “nativity” at BYU. No surprise there. But in my own ward yesterday, I sensed a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the Friday broadcast. No “bring your friends” invitation. No top-billing in the announcements...I have even heard a few grumblings, especially over the Joseph-centric Christmas Ensign." (Re: Explanation on "the broadcast" -- the Mormon church broadcasted a special 12/23/05 Joseph Smith worship event to all of its wards across the country. This resulted in the Mormon angst: From the forum: "This is a tough issue. How do you tip one’s hat to the Prophet without being accused of celebrating “Smithmas”? Will TV clips of the Friday event make Mormons look like they “worship” Joseph (as they sing “Praise to the Man” and not “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”)? How are you handling the double celebration? Do you wish Joseph had been born in February?" Twas interesting reading over a number of the responses to this entry from Mormon posters on that board!
Within past week moved up from #5 (Smithmas, Lds) to #4, same word search: Keyword: smithmas – Free Republic	An index of Thirty Free Republic articles posted on the subject from Dec. 26, 2013, extending back to Dec. 14, 2010	NOTE: Seven of the first 13 entries indexed here for 2013 have "Colofornian" as the source – IoW – these were "home-baked" "from scratch" and each of these contains EXTENSIVE charted documentation that (a) Smithmas DOES HISTORICALLY and SUB-CULTURALLY exist; (b) the Mormon Church has intersected many "over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes" – applying them to Joseph Smith; (c) Local manifestations of Mormons celebrating "Smithmas" have abounded thru the years; (d) You can almost cite Mormon leaders and construct your very own Joseph Smith-worship liturgy; (e) You can even take a 26-question quiz about Smithmas – and though you'd expect the answers to be about a certain Bethlehem-born babe – the answers might surprise you!; (f) Just look at how Mormons have indeed worshiped Joseph Smith – and not just at Christmas ("Praise to the Man"); and (g) Documentation was provided that Joseph Smith's 'First Vision visitation' of LdsIsm tends to trump Jesus' incarnational visit via Bethlehem
Within the last week moved from not even in first several pages of a search to #5 (Smithmas, MormonISM): ANSWER to FIRST DAY of Christmas Past [Origins of Mormonism's 'Smithmas': Dec. 23, 1894]	Originally published at MormonHeritage.com, Nov. 30, 2011	Mormons who tend to straight-arm "Smithmas" as an actual Lds sub-cultural celebration don't tend to know even their own roots. When you review Lds chat boards on the subject, you tend to get one of five responses: 1. I didn't know it was celebrated; 2. Well, in our wards at various times -- YES, we have paid more attention to Joseph Smith than Jesus in December! 3. Well, we don't celebrate it in OUR circles; 4. The "Smithmas" hubub was created as a response to the Joseph Smith creche @ BYU in 2005; and 5. It's all a "lie' created by "anti-Mormons." Yet THIS article – perhaps more than any other – actually shows the TRUE origins of Smithmas: Dec. 23, 1894, when Joseph F. Smith, nephew of Joseph Smith, proclaimed: “I should like to see introduced among the Latter-day Saints…the practice of celebrating or commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith..." (And, btw, the 2011 author of the MormonHeritage.com piece finished up the article advocating: *"Do something this Christmas season in memory of the beloved prophet, Joseph Smith!"* What's even MORE startling is that Dec. 23, 1894 was a SUNDAY! Obviously 'twas a Sunday which eclipsed an otherwise Sabbath attempt at focusing upon Jesus Christ.
This one actually went down within the past week from #5 (Smithmas, Lds) to no longer being ranked in the top hits: A Prophet’s Life: The Cradle—Sharon, Vermont [Mormon Merry Smithmas Day!]	Originally published December 2005 by the Mormon Church in its official Ensign publication; reposted on FR Dec. 23, 2011	From this article's headline: ...THE CRADLE Tell me something. If you're a religious organization with claimed ties to a historical person (Jesus Christ) and you publish something in December with "cradle" in the headline...you'd think it'd be a fairly safe bet that the article's focus was Jesus Christ and Christmas...right? Wrong-o! Not if you're the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...otherwise known as the Mormons! The article is about *Joseph Smith, whose birthday was Dec. 23. Now if this article was published in a vacuum...well, then that would be one* thing...but it's not.