“You know I have always been curious, how is one elected a “prophet”?”
Clearly, it isn’t the Biblical way...
So I will answer your question of how it happens in mormonland:
1. Businessmen who comprise the “leadership” of the cult gather behind closed doors.
2. They testify to each other that Ol’ Joseph Smith is indeed a prophet.
3. They perform non-Biblical ceremonies to communicate with departed spirits.
4. They lobby each other to be chosen as profit - oops, prophet, offering various deals and promises.
5. They each get 1 vote.
6. If they make donations that are above average, they get two votes.
7. Votes are cast.
8. Votes are tallied in the presence of all leaders.
9. Leadership collectively throws all their magic underwear into a burning fireplace.
10. Outside SLC, mormon faithful see gray smoke and rejoice that a new prophet has been chosen.
I suspect I’m not far off ...
That or they pulled a name out of a hat.
Why buck tradition?
1. Businessmen who comprise the “leadership” of the cult gather behind closed doors.
At a highly polished mahogany table (onloy the best and most expensive will do for the mormon god’s “men” and with plenty of coffee ...
2. They testify to each other that Ol’ Joseph Smith is indeed a prophet.
They laugh about how that salespitch is still working to sell their version of Joey Smith’s snake oil...
3. They perform non-Biblical ceremonies to communicate with departed spirits.
They play with a Ouija Board
4. They lobby each other to be chosen as profit - oops, prophet, offering various deals and promises.
Whoever’s turn it is gets to sit at the head of the table as godfather until he croaks...
5. They each get 1 vote.
All the ballots have just one name...nothing communistic about mormolnism...
6. If they make donations that are above average, they get two votes.
That was already takken into account one guy won that already...
7. Votes are cast.
Isnt it a bit unAmerican to just have one name on the ballot ??? Oh yeah its not a republic...its a theocratic dictatorship...never mind...
8. Votes are tallied in the presence of all leaders.
Why bother when they know who already “won”...errr is going to win ???
9. Leadership collectively throws all their magic underwear into a burning fireplace.
I knew there had to be a puff of black smoke somewhere in the process...
10. Outside SLC, mormon faithful see gray smoke and rejoice that a new prophet has been chosen.
Oh its gray smoke ??? Why those little devils...they broke out the cigars...