Posted on 12/20/2014 6:16:13 AM PST by Colofornian
Rain...
I've not heard of "smithmas" before, but as soon as I saw this title I knew what the term meant because for years I did see/hear far more about Joseph Smith in church than about Christ in December and it really irked me...
Rain #47 In 2005...And then from there it continued throughout 2006. Talk after talk was centered on his life. I could count months when Jesus was only mentioned in the prayers. So much so that when I moved in 7/2006 I very much struggled to be obedient when I was asked to give a talk on Joseph Smith in my new ward...
Tonie #69
Based on his comments, I am beginning to believe that Scott wants to promote a type of Smithmas...
Unfortunatley, for Smithmas or a type of "Smithmas" is that Smithmas falls so close to Christmas. The closeness of Smithmas to Christmas might cause some to think that "Smithmasers" are more interested in Smithmas than Christmas. I am not sure what we can do for Smithmas, other than the co-honor Christmas and Smithmas. If honoring Joseph Smith, around the time of his actual birthday, is Scotts desire and intent, I just wish he felt comfortable being open about it. Perhaps Scotts unnecessary Smithmas thread, are to coopt the 3 internet thread negativity toward Smithmas; so that he and others can celebrate a type of Smithmas without feeling like they are being ridiculed...
Thinking #81
I think the criticism started in 2005 when the Church made a big deal about the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith's birth...Of course somebody then starts a thread criticizing the critics for ever making a big deal out of the LDS Church making a big deal in 2005...
(Excerpt) Read more at mormondialogue.org ...
Rain, Tonie, and Thinking are posters @ the board.
When you review Lds chat boards on the subject of "Smithmas" through the years, 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."
To address all of these claims, see: Smithmas FR articles bumping up among top five hits on Google searches! [Vanity]
Get ye behind me ...
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):
* 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:
a lot to read!
What do you mean by that animation ?
Be warned, some of the ones I've seen are not G rated.
maybe the two different gospels?
Or the two different accounts of which angel visited Smith? Angel or Jesus himself?
Now if it's just a bad example of HTML playbox ... OK ... admit it
I thought it very strange as a response to my remark about the author of confusion
Merry Christmas, brother
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Well; you mentioned confusion; and you are confused at what I mean!
The animation is a parody of one of Mormonism's favorite images: Joseph's 'visitation' by two.... somethings.
15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
16 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home.
Notice that the one speaking says to LISTEN to the other? Why didn't the 'other' then speak?
Appreciate the clarification
That’s quite all right.
With Mitt being a Politician; the inter workings of Mormonism has become quite an export product on FR.
Bump
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