VANITY: Elizabeth Smart got me thinking--what's up with Mormons?

[Feline_AIDS]

The following is the short version of how I recently discovered Mormonism is nothing like I thought it was.

A few weeks ago, ABC announced that former kidnapping and rape victim Elizabeth Smart would join them as a commenter on kidnapping cases around the country. With the memory of Casey Anthony lingering in my head, I thought, I'll youtube Elizabeth Smart and see what kind of smooth talker she is to be asked to do this. What I found was a beautiful, poised, graceful woman who would never stoop to entering a "hot body contest" like Casey Anthony, but certainly not one I would have guessed would become a news commenter. Those people are expected to repeat facts we've all already heard at least 2374828 times before, only in a more "impactful" way. She seems like the type not to speak unless she has something to say, which is a great and rare quality, however it's certainly not what we expect to see on TV.

So I started googling. I was 16 when Elizabeth Smart was abducted, too young to be scared or concerned because Utah was across the country and if my mother's constant warnings had reflected any shadow of reality, people were abducted left and right all the time anyway.

I read Elizabeth Smart's (ES) testimony in Brian David Mitchell's (BDM) competency hearing, BDM's first interview with police in Sandy, Utah, Wanda Barzee's testimony at BDM's trial, ES's testimony at BDM's trial, ES's statement at BDM's sentencing, the testimony of a head doctor at BDM's competency hearing, and a few articles written soon after ES was found.

As I read, I realized that I knew very little about Mormonism, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I knew they believed in odd things, Jesus visiting America after his resurrection for example, but that was the extent of my knowledge. (Oh, also a family story: When the Mormons came through South Carolina in the late 1800s, they told one of my relatives that he could have two or more wives if he became a Mormon and went to Utah. He tried to get his current wife to go with him, but she wasn't having it, and he went by himself. He returned a year or two later claiming that the new wives they had given him were combined not as pretty as the wife he already had in South Carolina. She took him back.)

After some more googling, I learned that Mormons believe the following (not exhaustive):

-God has a physical body

-God was once a man, and men on Earth can become equal to God

-God lives near the star Kolob

-God is accompanied by a goddess (or goddesses), who is too holy to talk about, and possibly more powerful/holy than God himself

-Jesus and Satan were brothers

-Jesus was married

-Good Mormons will be rewarded for their works by getting their own planet over which they'll have dominion just like God has over us

-The Bible is imperfectly translated and cannot be trusted

-A tribe of Jews came to North America and perpetuated a HUGE advanced civilization of millions of people (for which there is zero archeological evidence)

-The good tribe was annihilated by the bad tribe in one giant battle in New York state that killed 2+ million people

-The LDS church is controlled by a group of people who receive "revelations" about what to do

-The LDS church has a president whose revelations frequently alter or update church doctrine

(Here's where I'll say that not all Mormons believe these things, because they probably just don't know. Similarly, lots of people who attend my Presbyterian church probably know little about Calvin or what we disagree with other Christians about. Mormons have a policy that some on exmormon.org called "Milk before meat," meaning new members/converts are not told all these beliefs until they are very deeply involved in the church.)

This was quite surprising to me. Mormons are polytheists. Mormonism, I suppose, is actually closer to Islam than it is to Christianity. Islam is defined by the Koran, which is essentially the "final chapter" of the story begun in the Bible. The Book of Mormon is also a "final chapter" of the story begun in the Bible. Both of them radically alter Christianity to the point that it is nothing like it.

Now how does this relate to Elizabeth Smart? She and her Mormon family met her abductor when he was panhandling in SLC. Her mother gave him some money and IIRC, asked if he needed work. Little did she know he was scoping out candidates for the 14-year-old wives he had received a revelation to take. ES's family had him come work on their home. Perhaps you could call this Christian charity, and perhaps that's what it is. But part of me wonders if, since Mormonism is largely a works-based salvation model, their willingness to help BDM was bolstered by the need to do good works. I don't think this equates to blame--not even close. But it might help explain why they invited a drifter they didn't know to come work on a roof where skylights provided a view of the floorplan leading to their daughter's bedroom. I read some past posts on FR about the BDM trial, and the consensus among Freepers commenting was 1) the father, Ed Smart, is ultra creepy, and 2) it was his fault for inviting a bum to work on the house. The declarations of "creepiness" of the father are unfair, I think, because he was the police's #1 suspect at first, he was emotional, his daughter had been kidnapped from the seemingly safe home he had provided for her, and he knew she was probably going through hell. He deserves credit for keeping her story in the news while she was gone and for not giving up hope that she was alive. The fault here belongs to BDM and Wanda Barzee, his wife and accomplice.

To her credit, Elizabeth Smart testified she never believed that BDM was receiving revelations from God, and she never thought he was the prophet he claimed to be. (Lots of people wondered why she didn't run since she was out in public. She testified repeatedly that BDM told her that he would kill her, or if she escaped, her family. He knew people who could do it for him if he was taken to jail. And he was able to get in her house to take her, so why shouldn't she believe the rest?) But Mormonism leaves the door open to these people--these false prophets, one of whom was Joseph Smith himself. BDM was a rapist and a pedophile and deserves to die for his crimes, I think. (He won't--he got a life sentence in his federal trial. Fun BDM anecdote from Wanda Barzee's testimony: He killed his stepdaughter's pet rabbit and fed it to her, telling her it was chicken.) But he was also imitating the theological behavior that the LDS church was founded on. Reading what Wanda Barzee, BDM's wife, said as she testified only confirmed this. Barzee was mentally unstable, but she was also a devout LDS follower. She believed in this culture of latter-day saints and revelations, and it was that belief that enabled her to follow BDM and believe his revelations about plural wives, alcohol, drugs, and the rape of a 14-year-old girl.

The Latter-Day Saints model is a clever design, really. Christianity, "when it happened," physically benefitted no one. Mormonism benefitted Joseph Smith. Christians know that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that they are saved by grace; there is nothing they can do to earn their salvation. But the LDS Church informs members of "callings," which are works they must perform to remain in good standing. The LDS church has a steady supply of indentured workers laboring desperately for their salvation.

I'm not surprised that something like this exists; I'm surprised that so many people are hoodwinked by the story Joseph Smith made up. Sure, you could say that Christianity is just a story someone made up, too. But the Bible is a historical document that references real people, real people groups, and real places. The Book of Mormon is a fairytale.

Back to Elizabeth Smart: I hope she lives a full and happy life. I genuinely like her and her attitude. I want her to succeed as an ABC correspondent. It was evident from her testimony that she has put the past where it belongs and is moving on with her life, and that is something that I am thrilled to see. She is refusing to be a victim, and is instead claiming ownership over herself and her life. Good for her. I hope when she becomes a goddess, she gets a nice planet like earth to rule over, and not some frozen chunk of ice like Pluto.

-- Sites that I visited while considering these things:

Elizabeth Smart's testimony in BDM's competency hearing http://media.trb.com/media/acrobat/2009-10/49605279.pdf

BDM's sentencing hearing http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=15696692

Elizabeth Smart's testimony part 1 http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50632966-76/smart-viti-yes-elizabeth.html.csp

part 2 http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50639245-76/smart-viti-yes-cable.html.csp

part 3 http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50647494-76/elizabeth-mitchell-smart-viti.html.csp

Wanda Barzee's testimony in BDM trial http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50704089-76/steele-barzee-mcknight-mitchell.html.csp

http://exmormon.org/ and http://www.exmormon.org/phorum/

Lifting the Veil of Polygamy - Documentary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-iIOWOblW0

The Bible vs The Book of Mormon - Documentary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtq62XQ4jw&feature=relmfu

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

[caww]

I found out that it isn’t the case at all.

All that glitters is not gold, has been said. Light can be counterfeited as easily as a counterfeit 20 dollar bill. Mormoanism is expert at hiding behind a front of good works, but the heart is far from Him.

[caww]

we as members have seen thousands of times

Which evidences God has not given up on retrieving them from the clutches of a false religion. He is relentless and not called the hound of heaven for nothing. He goes after those who are His when they have been baited and hooked into a false religion. Especially those who counterfeit Christianity.

He will do so even to rescue "one in ninety-nine", who will not hear Him.

The enemy of mens souls does not let loose easily when he has his tenticles deeply entrenched with deception and various other tactics he uses to entrap people.

There's a reason Mormons have "heard and seen" the same thing from true Christians for so long...... The message of true Christianity never changes. On the other hand Mormonism changes as it goes in order to attempt to find acceptance as Christian...which it is not.

[reaganaut]

Don’t let it get to you FA, it is the standard response (namecalling and accusations of lying) that all LDS do to anyone who dares to question anything about Mormonism.

We see it all the time, also see post #24.

[reaganaut]

Very well said, CAWW

[caww]

I do think the time is short they will have an opportunity to return to the Christ of Christianity. We have seen clearly they are cozying up to the Islamic/Muslim community and recruiting members from there. They are an easy mark since the agendas are very similar.

Islam's intentions are to infilitrate large and wealthy organizations, play whatever role is necessary to acquire positions within it, until enough Muslim representation is large enough make the changes their agenda pushes for throughout those organizations.

Mormonism is a corporation first and foremost....and political in nature as well. So it's one of Islams targets in our country....money and power... which can and will continue to be funneled thru any organization they have control in.

It is interesting you rarely hear of Islamic teachers assult the Mormon faith....that should be a heads up to many, but again deception runs rampid in Mormonism....so the deceived are easily deceived further.

[Graybeard58]

.....Smart would join them as a commenter.....

.....would become a news commenter.....

First off, thank you for making those tatorless comments and if I hear somebody say "orientated" again, I'm gonna puke.

Well thought out and written vanity and all, oh so true, thank you for posting it.

Get used to being called a liar, hater, bigot. If you haven't already, join the "Inman" ping list and see the Mormon lies refuted on a regular basis. We have some very knowledgeable people on it. I'm a charter member, for the education I get from it.

[Colofornian]

The LDS never officially condemned polygamy. As someone in the know said on another thread, to do so would be saying Joseph Smith was not a prophet.

Exactly.

Even now, a few current Lds general authorities have married more than once...serially. The thing is that Mormons say they marry not only "for time" -- but for eternity.

So if you've had more than one spouse in which you've been Mormonally sealed to "for 'ternity," this presents an "eternal" dilemma: Which one do you live with forever?

Well, the Mormon answer to that is both...or all three...or all four...or however many you marry "for 'ternity."

And guess what? A little known Mormon policy is that this applies to women as well. Some Mormon women will supposedly be sleeping with multiple men for eternity! All they had to do was marry each guy in the temple -- and then outlive their husbands.

So Mormons can't really condemn polygamy. 'Cause their current as well as their past leadership is made up of supposed eternal polygamists!

[Colofornian]

Thanks for posting.

Prayers for Elizabeth Smart.

Victimhood isn't easy to put behind you. I pray she can whenever the enemy of our souls seeks to prey upon her.

[Colofornian]

The author of the article isva liar

How so? Which part? What needs correcting? And what's the supposed "truth" instead?

Or do you ALWAYS going 'round vaguely & generically accusing people of stuff...slandering them?

If you're parent, or if you become one, I've got some advise for you: Don't discipline your kid(s) by this kind of same vague/generic discipline. The kid gets in trouble. You discipline them. They ask, "What for, dad?" Or "What for, mom?"

And you won't tell them specifics.

[bonfire]

ITA. That’s always the thing that stood out to me: her parents were idiots.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Its called ‘lying for the Lord’

And Islam teaches the same thing, that it is okay to lie if it advances your religion.

[Terry Mross]

You said: So Mormons can’t really condemn polygamy. ‘Cause their current as well as their past leadership is made up of supposed eternal polygamists!

This is brilliant. They would be saying it’s okay for Joe and Brigham to have mulitple wifes in the celestial kingdom but not okay for you and me. And that would just be wrong! ha

[reaganaut]

And guess what? A little known Mormon policy is that this applies to women as well. Some Mormon women will supposedly be sleeping with multiple men for eternity! All they had to do was marry each guy in the temple — and then outlive their husbands.

- - - - -
That is fairly new, and rare. Up until recently and still more often than not, if a woman is divorced then she needs her first husband’s permission to have the ‘sealing’ broken so she can re-marry in the temple. It is also rare for women who are widows to re-marry in the temple for eternity.

[reaganaut]

And Islam teaches the same thing, that it is okay to lie if it advances your religion.

- - - - -
Yep. When I was training for my LDS mission (ended up not serving), I was given a list of teachings/doctrines we were not to discuss, admit to or even be honest about to potential converts.

When I asked the instructor “why should we lie, if we have the truth, then we should be honest”. His response was “If we told the truth, no one would join”.

[Terry Mross]

What is the “unofficial” doctrine on child abuse and incest? It’s obvious both go on in the FLDS. What is the “truth” in the SLC LDS?

[reaganaut]

It is frowned upon officially, however back in the early days of the LDS it was a little more common.

That said, I know several LDS women who were molested by their fathers under the guise of them ‘teaching’ the girls how to be ‘good wives’. I don’t know if the percentage is any higher or lower than non-LDS families.

Ping to Colofornian who is our statistics wizard.

[Terry Mross]

I know some who were molested by their families. And the wife was a part of it. This same woman married an older mormon when she was very young and set it up for her younger sister to be raped.

I also know some people who were placed with mormon families for various reasons. They all said they were molested while staying with the “mormon” families.

Is it more common than in non mormon families? I don’t think that’s the question we should be asking. We should asking “Is it condoned by the mormon religion?”

[caww]

Interesting is also people who had mentioned their wealth being a factor. Hardly in the case of who you allow or not around your children. I know poor people who would not have permitted this man on their property!

[reaganaut]

I wouldn’t say condoned overly, but definitely turned a blind eye to and ignored.

And many LDS women are too scared of their ‘priesthood holding’ husbands to fight back. I also know some men who hold the ‘Resurrection’ over their wives as in “if you don’t do what I tell you, or if you tell, I won’t call you forth from the grave” which IS Mormon doctrine, the husband only has the power (the temple name) of the wife to call her forth from the grave.

[reaganaut]

There are also many cases of the LDS leadership (local and higher) covering up sexual abuse cases. Some of the news articles were posted here.