From the article, citing the current Lds "prophet": He also noted that he's always appreciated the fact that Joseph Smith was born in the season in which we celebrate the birth of Christ. "I think very little happens by coincidence," he said. And at this season, he's happy that our thoughts can be drawn to Joseph Smith. "He gave us everything."
Ah. More Mormon substitutional idolatry.
Smith gave Mormons "everything?!"
*************
Time to weigh in on the nominees for Top 2010 "Merry Smithmas" FREEPER threads...from ones that show...
...Where Mormon apologists & Lds leaders are, in effect, trying to change the second verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel by inserting Joseph Smith in place of Jesus Christ into Isaiah 11:1 as the "rod of Jesse" [click on first link below]...
...To where the previous Lds "prophet" started off his 1997 article greeting at Christmas to focusing on four graphs on Joseph Smith (due to his Dec. 23 birthday) [Click on second link below]...
...To where Joseph Smith is identified as the "Rose of Sharon" [click on third link below]
Oh. And BTW. Harry Reid is really and truly (no foolin') one of those officially sanctioned Lds home teachers!
Per this Salt Lake Trib 2009 article -- Harry Reid: A Mormon in the Middle: ”Today, Reid, with his security escort in tow, likely will be making his HOME TEACHING ROUNDS after his ward's three-hour service. Anyone who questions his Mormon credentials should see that, says Jim Vlock, his home-teaching companion.
So I encourage all to invite a Mormon to your Christmas Eve (or Christmas Day) service to fill this vacuum!
I've read many other Lds blogs where they've openly discussed this vacuum as it pertains to Christmas and Easter (same thing happens where no special Easter weekday services...and some Lds wards recognize Easter in a special way -- others don't).
Re: "disconnect" -- don't take my word for it...even the Lds church-owned Deseret News ran this BYU Study in April of this year:
BYU study: Disconnect between Mormons and Easter
The full article on the website is nice.
The follow-up posts are mostly classless and clueless as is usual in an obsessed anti-Mormon activists thread (excluding this post).
Merry Christmas!
Twas The Night Before Smithmas
12/02/2009 - by elee
‘Twas the night before Smithmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was tithing, not even a mouse;
The recommends were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that the Bishop would actually care;
The Sunbeams were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Sacred Groves danced in their heads;
And mamma in her Garments, and I in my baker’s cap,
Had just settled down for a pre tithing settlement nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a large minivan, and eight tiny “volunteers”,
With a black suit-wearing driver, so resign-ed and thick,
I knew in a moment it must be The Bishopric.
More rapid than cumoms his Elders they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Spencer! now, Tanner! now, Brigham and Monson!
On, Sterling! On Nephi! on, Talmadge and Huntsman!
To the top of the steps! And on to the door!
Now pester them! Pester them! Pester them all!”
As dry Wonderbread that before the Congregation does fly,
When they meet with an objection, scream “anti’ to the sky,
So up to the house-top the Elders they flew,
With the sleigh full of Shame, and The Bishopric too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each cheaply shod foot.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney The Bishopric came with a bound.
They were dressed all in black, from their heads to their feet,
And their clothes were all tarnished with Cheerios and defeat;
A bundle of tithing receipts he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a scheister just opening his pack.
His eyes — how they scorned me! his smile most unfriendly!
His sneer like a wolf, his words meant to shame me!
His tight little mouth was drawn up like a sphincter,
I could tell just by looking, he weren’t no drinker;
The end of a pen he clenched tight in his fist,
And his knuckles encircled it like a man with a beef;
He had a fat face and a “too much Jell-O” belly,
That shook, when he seethed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, all full of himself,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A glare from his eyes and a twist of his pen,
Soon clued me in that I had much still to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Perused all the records; then turned with a jerk,
And raising his arm, up high, to the square,
And jerking his head, he loudly declared;
You’re apostate! You’re evil! But we’ll still take your money.
Pay it up soon, or we’ll brainwash your Honey.
That being said, he turned like a jerk,
And giving his posse the “Pay Lay Ale” yelp
Away they all waddled, like self-righteous whelps.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he lurched out of sight
Happy Smithmas to all and to all a good-night!
Smith is a false prophet.
SNIP
Mormonism is a tool of satan.
SNIP
I know you have to excerpt but I do hate me some snips.
Oh, SNAP, I have just said the “H” word in the religion forum.
They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.Who has made this so?Have I?Have this people?Have the world?No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.Can you pass without his inspection?No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?
--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224