Heber Jentzsch, when he was still allowed to breathe free air

UPDATE: HOLMES-CRUISE DIVORCE SETTLED. So far, looking like how we predicted it in our previous story.

This morning, more than 10,000 Scientologists found an e-mail from Karen de la Carriere in their inboxes, written in jargon that they will understand, and informing them of the controversy surrounding the death of her son Alexander Jentzsch.

As we reported first on Thursday night, de la Carriere learned about the death of her 27-year-old son more than two days after he was found, unresponsive, at the home of his in-laws in Los Angeles. (The manner of his death is still being investigated, but the county coroner says there is no suspicion of foul play.)

She had not been notified that her son had died and was lying in a morgue, and only learned about it through Facebook chatter that eventually was passed to her. In 2010, Karen was excommunicated for speaking out critically about Scientology, and her son had been forced by the the church to "disconnect" from her. Now the church was also keeping her in the dark about his death, and she was barred from the mortuary and could not see his body.

What made the situation even stranger is that Alexander's father is Heber Jentzsch, who since 1982 has been the president of the Church of Scientology International, but who has not been seen in public since about 2004.

According to Mike Rinder, the former top spokesman for the church, Heber has spent much of that time as a prisoner in Scientology's strange office-prison at its international base east of Los Angeles. (Rinder was himself a prisoner in "The Hole," where he saw Heber.) Rinder tells the Voice that Scientology won't hold a memorial service because it doesn't want to produce Heber for a public event.

Taking a page from Debbie Cook, whose New Year's Eve e-mail about problems with Scientology's leader David Miscavige has fueled a growing split in the church, de la Carriere told us she wants to make sure church members learn something about what's going on.

She believes that Heber, 76, may not have even been told that his son has died.

(Several days ago, we e-mailed Scientology attorney Gary Soter, asking if Heber had been notified about the death, and asking about Heber's whereabouts, but we have not received a reply.)

For several days, Karen has been gathering mailing lists of thousands of church members through the help of sympathetic Scientologists. She says that she wrote her letter with the sensibilities of church members in mind, and not for the general public (as will be obvious as you read it).

Here's the text of what she wrote. We've put in some annotations in brackets to help with some of the jargon...

Dear Scientologist,

I am emailing you as a friend and fellow Scientologist to let you know about the mysterious and sudden death of my son Alexander Jentzsch at 27 years of age on July 3, 2012.

Although I am not in the Sea Org right now, I served aboard the Flagship Apollo where I was trained by LRH to the level of Class XII C/S. I am one of only seven Class XII C/S' LRH ever made. [Originally, members of Scientology's hardcore Sea Organization literally sailed the seas with L. Ron Hubbard, and some were trained to be auditors -- counselors -- up to the level of Class XII.]

After LRH took Flag ashore in Clearwater, I met and fell in love with Heber Jentzsch. We married and Heber went on to become the President of the Church of Scientology International. I remained devoted to LRH and to my duties as a Class XII C/S at Flag. I won "Auditor of the Year" at Flag numerous times. [In 1975, tired of running Scientology from his flagship for eight years, Hubbard moved the operation onshore in Clearwater, Florida -- and to this day the place is known as "Flag" to Scientologists.]

In 1984, I gave birth to our son Alexander.

Alexander Jentzsch was born in the Sea Org. He formally joined the Sea Org when he was eight years old. Despite the promises that Sea Org recruiters made to Alexander, he did not receive a proper education. While other children were in school, Alexander was cleaning toilets and mopping floors at Flag. As a child working in the Sea Org, Alexander was made to work long hours and would sometimes sneak away to call me on the phone in tears.

While LRH had made family time a daily requirement in the Sea Org, things radically changed under COB RTC David Miscavige and family time virtually disappeared. Unless there is a death or a PR flap of some kind, Sea Org members are almost never allowed to see their families. Alexander seldom saw his father, Heber. Factually, years would go by between the times Alexander was allowed to see his father. Alexander called himself "The Boy with no Dad". He saw Heber less than 11 times in 14 years. [Hubbard died in 1986 and was succeeded by Miscavige, whose formal title is chairman of the board of the Religious Technology Center, or "COB" of "RTC".]

COB RTC David Miscavige ordered Heber Jentzsch and I to be divorced and has utterly destroyed our 2nd dynamic.

I was suddenly a single mother with a child to support. Heber was unable to pay any child support.

Indeed, Heber could not even support himself on his $50 per week Sea Org pay. I did not protest this as Heber was the President of the Church of Scientology International and I did not want to create a flap for the Church. The Church had me sign affidavits on video camera that I would never ask for child support. [Even high-ranking Sea Org executives make only about $50 a week, despite working 100-hour weeks and helping the church to bring in huge amounts of money from its members. Cheap labor and its tax exemption help explain why Scientology is so flush with cash.]

I was suddenly a single mother with a child to support. Heber was unable to pay any child support. Indeed, Heber could not even support himself on his $50 per week Sea Org pay. I did not protest this as Heber was the President of the Church of Scientology International and I did not want to create a flap for the Church.

I routed out of the Sea Org in 1990 and took many years to pay off my $90,000 Freeloader Debt. I paid my Freeloader Debt so that I could remain a Scientologist in good standing. I knew LRH and knew the Tech worked miracles. [Sea Org members receive counseling and other services at a reduced rate (reflecting their miniscule pay), but if they leave the Sea Org, they are hit with a "freeloader debt" and are asked to pay full price for the discounted services.]

After I left the Sea Org, I remained a loyal member of the Church of Scientology. I raised Alexander by myself and supported him financially when he entered the Sea Org. Alexander served on many posts during the sixteen years he was in the Sea Org. When he was a young man, Alexander married Andrea Kavon, a fellow Sea Org member.

Alexander and Andrea Jentzsch routed out of the Sea Org in 2010 due to the fact that Andrea was pregnant and babies are not allowed in the Sea Org. (She miscarried.)

Sometime after they routed out, I made the decision to publicly depart the Church in 2010 for the same reasons Debbie Cook outlined in her letter of January 1, 2012. Like Debbie, I saw the Church engaging in extreme over-regging and gross out tech. Having been trained to deliver the highest technical levels of Scientology possible, I know what Standard Tech is and is not. My decision to leave the Church was based upon my deep respect for LRH and my 100% commitment to preserve his legacy and technology.
I could no longer be a part of what was happening in the Church under the deeply suppressive management of David Miscavige. ["Over-regging:" pressure applied by registrars, whose job it is to convince church members to spend more money on services or give donations. "Out-tech:" deviating from L. Ron Hubbard's "technology."]

I was declared a Suppressive Person. My son Alexander and his wife were forced to disconnect from me by OSA when I left the Church. [When the church excommunicates someone it declares them a "suppressive person." All members in good standing must then "disconnect" from that person entirely, even if it's a family member. This is enforced by the Office of Special Affairs (OSA), Scientology's intelligence and legal affairs wing.]

In 2010, Alexander's father Heber Jentzsch was 75 years old and had not been allowed to see our son for many years. Heber has been locked up in the Int Base RPF for many years and remains locked up with other International executives.[Contrary to what is on Wikipedia, Karen tells me that Heber was born on November 30, 1935, making him 76 currently. The RPF (Rehabilitation Project Force) is the Sea Org's prison detail, and can take years to route out of.]

Due to the policies of Disconnection and RPF, Alexander effectively had no parents in 2010.

After he left the Sea Org, Alexander took a job in sales at a Scientology-owned company in Dallas. During this time in Dallas, Alexander was involved in a traffic accident that injured him to such an extent that he began to take prescription pain pills. Alexander lost his job and began on a downward spiral.

Because Alexander did not have $10,000 or more, the Church of Scientology would not and give him any auditing to handle the engram from the traffic accident. The Church would not even give Alexander any charity Chaplain auditing. It did not matter that Alexander's parents had served more than fifty years in the Sea Org. There is no compassion or mercy in the Church in present time.

As a Class XII C/S, I have the technical skills necessary to help anyone. I could have helped my son Alexander handle the engram from the traffic accident. However, due to the policy of Disconnection no one from the Church of Scientology ever called me to let me know that my only child had been badly injured in a traffic accident. [Scientologists believe that a traumatic experience leaves behind a sort of scar on the mind called an "engram" which can be removed through auditing.]

As an art dealer, I have a good income. I would have immediately paid to give my son the best medical care possible. Again, however, due to the policy of Disconnection no one from the Church of Scientology ever called me to let me know that Alexander had been badly injured in a traffic accident.

It came as a shock to me, then, when someone called me to let me know that Alexander had been found dead in his bed on the morning of July 3, 2012.

Alexander died at the home of his in-laws in Los Angeles. Both of his in-laws are New OT VII's. [The highest level of spiritual attainment in Scientology is Operating Thetan level Eight, and someone who has reached OT seven -- one step lower -- has spent many years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in counseling to get there.]

It was only after I began to ask questions that I learned of the traffic accident and that Alexander had allegedly died from a high fever.

Through its spokesperson, the Church was very quick to publicly state that Alexander has left no suicide note and had over-medicated himself. This was a strange and suspicious claim coming from the same Church that claims to have the most powerful technology on the planet. I am working very hard to find out the truth about my son Alexander's death because the Church will not tell me anything and has forbidden Andrea or her family from telling me anything.

The behavior of the Church raises questions:

Where was the tech when Alexander needed it? He served 16 years in the Sea Org. Why not a lifeline in his time of need?

Why did two New OT VII's allow a fellow Scientologist in good standing to over-medicate himself? Why had two OT's failed to help Alexander? This is a gross violation of point one of the Code of Honor written by LRH in 1954:

Never desert a comrade in need, in danger or in trouble.

Alexander was clearly in need, danger, and trouble and yet he was utterly deserted by the Church of Scientology.

I wanted only to cremate my son quickly per the scriptures of Scientology. When I sent a messenger over to the home of Alexander's in-laws to ask for his body, I was told:

-- Any communication between Andrea and myself must go through OSA

-- There would be no funeral or viewing for Alexander

-- Worse, I was told that I would not be allowed to take one last look at my son

This is the Church of Scientology in 2012 under David Miscavige:

-- An LRH-trained Class XII C/S cannot use the tech to help her own son

-- A grieving mother cannot see her son's body one last time

-- No one will help a comrade in need, danger, or trouble for fear of incurring the wrath of David Miscavige or OSA

The Church did not tell me that Alexander died. I had to find out from someone who cared enough to tell me.

The Church never told you why Debbie Cook left as Captain of FSO. Instead, Debbie Cook sent out a letter herself to tell you why.

The Church is not telling you that LRH's granddaughter Roanne Horwich recently blew from Int Base.

The Church of Scientology under David Miscavige is a Church full of secrets, lies, and injustices.

The Church of Scientology under David Miscavige uses Disconnection and SP Declares only to keep the truth from being known.

I am writing this letter to let you know that the Church has tried to keep secret the news that Alexander Jentzsch -- whose father Heber is still the President of CSI -- died.

The Church is keeping other secrets from you as well:

-- Why is the Super Power Building still not open after almost twenty years?

-- Where does all the money go?

-- Why are the Ideal Orgs empty?

-- Where is the expansion claimed by COB?

-- That the entire Dror Mission in Israel just left the Church, and why.

I am a Scientologist and will always be a Scientologist for I know the power of the tech.

I love LRH and care enough about the tech and the church he created to send you this letter.

I close by quoting what Debbie Cook said very well in her letter:

"We all have a stake in this. It is simply not possible to read the LRH references and not see the alterations and violations that are currently occurring. You have a very simple obligation to LRH. Don't participate in anything off policy, and let others know they should not either. If every person who reads this email does nothing more than step back from off-policy actions we would have changed direction. If we took all that energy and directed it into auditing, training and raw public dissemination, we would be winning."

You can e-mail at karendelac@aol.com

ARC,

Karen de la Carriere

Class XII C/S

Crew member, Flagship Apollo

Karen tells me she's received thousands of e-mails in the past few days since our first story about her son appeared, and after we printed her open invitation to attend the memorial service she is creating for him, she quickly filled up about three quarters of its capacity.

When I talked to her last night, Karen could barely get through the conversation. If she had maintained a strong exterior in the first days after learning about her son's death, yesterday it seemed to catch up to her. "I'm jelly," she said through sobs, and then said she was having a hard time dealing with how she'd been treated by the church. "I can't deal with the fact that I gave my life and my soul to such a cruel thing," she said. "I blame myself for bringing into the world a second generation Scientologist. He's just ashes now. They've cremated him."

She didn't get to see him one last time.

We'll show Alexander to you one last time this morning, in a photo with a friend.

A young Alexander Jentzsch, in comm with his friend John Travolta

A promise of eternal salvation and power.

HMMmm...

The Doctrine and Covenants

Section 132

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded 12 July 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, and also the plurality of wives (see History of the Church, 5:501–7). Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.

1–6, Exaltation is gained through the new and everlasting covenant; 7–14, The terms and conditions of that covenant are set forth; 15–20, Celestial marriage and a continuation of the family unit enable men to become gods; 21–25, The strait and narrow way leads to eternal lives; 26–27, The law is given relative to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; 28–39, Promises of eternal increase and exaltation are made to prophets and Saints in all ages; 40–47, Joseph Smith is given the power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven; 48–50, The Lord seals upon him his exaltation; 51–57, Emma Smith is counseled to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.

16Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in ^amarriage; but are appointed angels in ^bheaven, which angels are ministering ^cservants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.

17For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are ^aangels of God forever and ever.

18And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that ^acovenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.

19And again, verily I say unto you, if a man ^amarry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and ^beverlasting covenant, and it is ^csealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of ^dpromise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the ^ekeys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit ^fthrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s ^gBook of Life, that he shall commit no ^hmurder whereby to shed innocent ⁱblood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their ^jexaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the ^kseeds forever and ever.

20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from ^aeverlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be ^bgods, because they have ^call power, and the angels are subject unto them.

21Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my ^alaw ye cannot attain to this glory.

22For ^astrait is the gate, and narrow the ^bway that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the ^clives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.

23But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that ^awhere I am ye shall be also.

24This is ^aeternal lives—to ^bknow the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath ^csent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.

25^aBroad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the ^bdeaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they ^creceive me not, neither do they abide in my law.

I could loan you a scientology tech dictionary...

hmmMMM...

Here is an alphabetical list of some of the more important terms and their meanings to a Mormon:

AARONIC PRIESTHOOD: This is called the lesser priesthood, and is usually held by young men starting at the age of 12 to the age of about 18. It is also held for a short time by men who have just become members.

AFTERLIFE: The Mormon afterlife is divided up into four levels. From the lowest to the highest they are: hell, and then three levels of heaven: the telestial, the terrestrial, and the place where God dwells, the celestial (also called the kingdom of God). The celestial is also divided, the highest level being "exaltation," or becoming a God.

APOSTLES: The Mormon Church claims to have the same organization as the primitive church that Jesus set up. They also have twelve apostles and sometimes use this as a proof of their divine appointment as the one true church. But they actually have fifteen or more most of the time. The general practice has been for a new president, who is also an apostle, to appoint counselors from the Quorum of the Twelve; then the openings left by the president and his counselors are filled, resulting in a total of fifteen.

CELESTIAL KINGDOM: See Heaven.

ELOHIM: The name of God the Father.

EXALTATION: This is becoming a God in the highest level of the celestial kingdom.

ETERNAL PROGRESSION: The teaching that each of us has the potential to become a God just like God the Father did. He was once a man capable of physical death, was resurrected and progressed to become a God. We can take a similar path and get all the power, glory, dominion, and knowledge the Father and Jesus Christ has. We then will be able to procreate spirit children who will worship us as we do God the Father.

GOD: Usually means God the Father. He was once a man like us capable of physical death and he progressed until he became a God. He has a body of flesh and bones, but no blood. Within Mormonism, Gods, angels, people and devils all have the same nature or substance but are at different stages along the line of progression to Godhood.

GRACE - The Mormon concept of grace means making oneself worthy of the grace of God by doing good works in the church, temple, and community.

HEAVEN-The Mormon church teaches there are three levels of heaven (three "degrees of glory"):

Telestial - where unbelievers go
Terrestrial - for religious people who aren't Mormons and for Mormons who have not met the requirements of the Church.
Celestial - for Mormons who have kept ALL of the laws and ordinances of their church. What will the celestial heaven (kingdom) supposedly be like for a good Mormon? He will be a god, he will rule over a planet with his wives and spirit children.

HELL: A place of torment from which the worst of sinners are resurrected (if they repent) into the Telestial kingdom; only a limited number remain in hell forever, - the devil and the demons and apostates who consciously reject and work against Mormonism.

HOLY GHOST: The third member of the Godhead, a personage of spirit, unlike the Father and Son who have bodies of flesh and bones.

JEHOVAH: The pre-incarnate name for Jesus Christ.

JESUS CHRIST: The spirit of Jesus Christ was the first spirit born to God the Father and his wife (Heavenly Mother). He progressed to become a God under the Father. (The Father is also the literal father of Jesus' body in the exact same way we were begotten by our earthly parents.) He now has a body of flesh and bones, but no blood. He is the spirit brother of Satan whose spirit was procreated in the same way as Jesus'. To Mormons, even the atonement of his shed blood is not enough to provide forgiveness of sin and bring eternal life. Stripped of his Deity and demoted to a partial Savior, the Jesus of Mormonism has been robbed of his power and authority. Not only is the Mormon Jesus one who had struggled to achieve his own salvation, he also failed to establish his church. Both in Jerusalem and in the America's where Jesus was supposed to have visited, he attempted to build a group of followers. But in each case, truth was overcome by the alleged early church apostasy into false teaching.

MARRIAGE: The Mormon Church teaches two types of marriage. One ends at death. The other is for "time and eternity." If the couple is married in a Mormon temple by someone with authority it is believed they will stay married in the next life. This kind of marriage is needed if they are to progress, not only as husband and wife, but as God and Goddess.

MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD: The higher of two categories of ministry in the LDS Church, assigned primarily to seasoned members over the age of 18, males only.

POLYGAMY: The practice of men having more than one wife was started by Joseph Smith in the early/mid 1830's and ostensibly ended in 1890. It is not now sanctioned by the LDS church headquartered in Salt Lake City. Members found practicing it are excommunicated. While the practice was ended, the revelation teaching it is still in Mormon scripture (Doctrine & Covenants 132). Some Mormon splinter groups believe the teaching was for eternity and still practice it. These modern-day polygamists (called fundamentalists) number in the 30,000-50,000 range.

PRE-EXISTENCE: The Mormon teaching that our spirits (Mormons and non-Mormons) were procreated in a premortal life by God the Father and our Mother in Heaven, that our spirits were born and raised to maturity before coming to earth to obtain physical bodies, and that the spirit of Jesus Christ was the first one born to our Heavenly parents.

PRIESTHOOD: A category of ministry in the LDS Church open to all worthy males 12 years of age or older, empowering them to act in God's name. Non-Mormons cannot hold the priesthood, hence they have no authority. Men of African descent have only recently (by special correction of the original revelations) been allowed to hold these offices.

PROPHET: The top leader of the Mormon Church is considered not only a prophet but is also a seer and revelator. He has the title "president." He is the only one who can speak for the whole church and receive new revelation for the whole church. When the current prophet dies, the most senior (time as an apostle, not age) of the twelve apostles, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, becomes the new president. He can appoint counselors, who receive their authority from him.

SALVATION: A word that Mormons qualify in one of three ways: unconditional or general salvation is simply resurrection from the dead, granted to all through Christ's atonement; conditional or individual salvation involves entering the celestial kingdom through works of Mormonism; full salvation means exaltation to become a God as a result of temple ceremonies and other works. The word 'salvation' can have a two-fold meaning: a) forgiveness of sins and b) universal resurrection:

"There will be a General Salvation for all in the sense in which that term is generally used, but salvation, meaning resurrection, is not exaltation" (Stephen L. Richards, Contributions of Joseph Smith, LDS tract, p.5).
"All men are saved by grace alone without any act on their part, meaning they are resurrected" (Bruce McConkie, What Mormons Think of Christ", LDS tract, p.28).

The Mormons have several different levels of "salvation".

General salvation- in Mormon theology, the death of Christ ransoms men from the effects of the fall (Mormon Doctrine, p.62), except for a few sons of perdition who fell with Lucifer. Thus, all mankind will eventually receive general salvation because all men will be resurrected.
Individual salvation - to obtain individual salvation, the standards set forth by the Mormon church must be met. This comes by grace plus baptism plus works.
Exaltation - different degrees of exaltation
Eternal life on the other hand is reserved for the elite few who qualify and are found worthy of this "honor" or "reward" and who will move on to be "exalted." This salvation is in fact the personal "exaltation" or the fast track of the "eternal progression" process in attaining your own self-made status of godhood in order to people your own planet.

SATAN: One of the spirit children of God. As a consequence of their rebellion Satan and his angels cannot have mortal bodies - hence cannot progress.

SCRIPTURES: The Mormon Church has four documents it calls canonized scriptures: the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

SON OF GOD: Along with Jesus Christ, all of us are viewed as the children of God, his literal spirit children. This makes us all - Mormons, non-Mormons, Jesus Christ and Satan - spirit brothers.

SPIRITS: Nonmaterial beings allegedly procreated in the pre-existence by God the Father and his wife. Jesus Christ, and even we ourselves, were supposedly born and raised to maturity as spirits before coming into bodies on this earth. The spirit of Satan was also procreated in this way. This makes Satan and Jesus Christ spirit brothers. Jesus selected a righteous path; Satan selected the opposite.

STANDARD WORKS: The four canonized scriptures (see Scripture above) used by the Mormon Church are called the Standard Works.

TEMPLE: One of about four dozen special (for LDS) buildings around the world in which sacred (to LDS) ceremonies are performed for the living and the dead; off limits to nonmembers and even to Mormons who lack a "temple recommend" from their leaders. Only about 20% of the Mormons qualify to go.

TRINITY: This word is used by Christians to summarize the Biblical teaching that within the one true God is three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. They share the same nature or substance so that there are not three Gods, but three persons in the one God. Mormons say they also believe in the Trinitarian concept of God. But really what they mean are that God the Father is a God, God the Son is another God, and God the Holy Ghost is a third God and they are "one God" because they are "one in purpose." Mormons often have an incorrect understanding of what Christians mean by the "Trinity." They say Christians believe that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one person (i.e., Monophysiteism) or that God shows himself as the Father or the Son or the Holy Ghost (i.e. Modalism).

VIRGIN BIRTH: A concept negated by the view that God, a resurrected man with flesh and bones according to Mormon teachings, literally fathered Jesus in the flesh in the same way in which earthly men father their children. Despite the documented position of previous Mormon prophets, presidents, and apostles about the nature of Christ's conception, modern LDS apologists maintain that "Christ was born of a virgin". How can they? By changing the definition of the word "virgin". The reasoning goes like this: since Mary had sexual relations with an immortal man, not a mortal man, the phrase "virgin birth" still applies.

WORD OF WISDOM: The name for the Mormon Church's teaching requiring abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and hot drinks (tea and coffee).

He might be hoping to simply out survive the current mal-adminstration and reestablish his primacy in a reborn church.

If dat don't work; just START YOUR OWN!!!

(Worked for JS!!)

And a few others...

With the Mormons (to be precise, the members of The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - based in Salt Lake City) intent on being called “Christians” after so many years of eschewing that word, and despite the fact that there are so many fundamental theological differences between Christianity and Mormonism, I often wonder:

How do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints feel about calling the members of its various spin-off sects Latter-Day Saints, Christians, or Mormons? Or about those sects calling themselves Mormons or Latter-Day Saints? (There was an earlier campaign by LDS to have journalism style books use the word “Mormon” to refer only to LDS, and not RLDS, FLDS, or other LDS sects).

For a man who bragged about holding things together, Joseph Smith, Jr. doesn’t appear go have done a good job of it during his lifetime. Wycam Clark’s “Pure Church of Christ” spun off in 1831. This trend continued. There were six LDS sects spawned in the 1830s, eight in the 1840s, two in the 1850s, and seven in the 1860s.

Do those responsible for the “Mormons are Christians” campaign consider these denominations to be Mormons or Latter-Day Saints? Surely many of these denominations are much closer to mainstream LDS than LDS is to Christianity. Many stick to Smith’s teachings and old temple endowment ceremonies.

Short Creek Community
Latter Day Church of Christ
Apostolic United Brethren
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness [sic] of Times
Church of the Lamb of God
Church of the New Covenant in Christ
Confederate Nations of Israel
Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
School of the Prophets
Centennial Park
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kingdom of God
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days
The Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven
Blackmore/Bountiful Community
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ
Order of Enoch
Aaronic Order
Zion’s Order, Inc.
Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter-day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ (Bullaite)
Community of Christ
Church of Jesus Christ (Toneyite)
Independent RLDS / Restoration Branches
Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830
Church of Christ (Lion of God Ministry/Clarkite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Zion’s Branch)
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Fettingite) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ at Halley’s Bluff (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Restored) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ “With the Elijah Message” (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Hancock) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Burtite) (Hendrickite)
Church of Israel (Hendrickite)
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message (The Assured Way of the Lord) (Hendrickite)
The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Restored Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Holy Church of Jesus Christ (Strangite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Drewite) (Strangite)
True Church of Jesus Christ Restored (Strangite)
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Whitmerite)

Or these defunct sects:

Pure Church of Christ (Clarkite)
Independent Church (Hotonite)
Church of Christ (Boothite)
Church of Christ (Parrishite)
Alston Church
Church of Christ (Chubbyite)
Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife
Church of Christ (Pageite)
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (this one was particularly curious - started by William Law, editor of The Nauvoo Expositor, just one of many sects started in opposition to plural marriage)
The Church of Zion (Godbeite)
United Order Family of Christ
Church of the Potter Christ
Church of the Firstborn (Morrisite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Gibsonite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High
Church of the Christian Brotherhood
Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion (Rigdonite) Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Primative Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Christ (Aaron Smith)
Church of the Messiah (Adamsite)
Church of Christ (Wrightite)
Church of Christ (Whitmerite)
Church of Christ (Brewsterite)
The Bride, the Lamb’s Wife
Congregation of Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Gladdenite)
Independent Latter Day Saints of Nigeria
Independent Latter Day Saints of Ghana
Apostolic Divine Church of Ghana

Are members of those LDS groups “Mormons”? “Latter Day Saints?” “Christians?”

Do the folks in Salt Lake City have a problem with any of those groups, who believe in the restoration of the original church by Joseph Smith, calling themselves Mormons or Saints?

Most of these divisions in the Latter-Day Saint movement occurred over the issue of polygamy or succession of the Prophet. Sects broke off when Joseph Smith was still alive, and when Brigham Young was named prophet, because they didn’t believe in the practice of plural marriage – either publicly, or in some cases when it was practiced in private and denied in public.

Of course, there was the great split between Rocky Mountain Saints and Prairie Saints, when LDS members couldn’t agree on a successor prophet to Smith, Jr., and the church went to Utah, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania under Brigham Young, Sidney Rigdon (senior member of the First Presidency), James Strang, Lyman Wight, Alpheus Cutler, William Smith, David Whitmer (a BOM witness), or Joseph Smith III (son of Joseph Smith, Jr.). Almost all of these individuals still has multiple sects in existence that date to an 1844 decision about who should be the next President/Prophet of the church.

The Prairie Saints split into sects over the issue of whether Smith practiced polygamy. Rocky Mountain Saints had many, many spinoff sects after the 1890 Manifesto – groups that still practice plural marriage.

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Thanks to ScoutMaster for all the hard work here!

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