Indeed. Now I've provided many examples -- and links -- as to how that plays itself out in some the various venues Mormons gather.
Some people post the Joseph Smith creche at the BYU Admin building from 2005; I referenced the Joseph Smith Memorial messages given the third week of December at Utah State; yet another example is the Mormon ward sacrament meeting -- their final meeting on a Sabbath that is more "intimate" than those open to the public earlier in the day.
On Dec. 24, 2009 Utah Mormon columnist Doug Gibson gave us a "glimpse" into how this secondary role that Jesus plays out (behind Smith).
For the column, go here: The dreaded Christmastime ward sacrament meeting [Mormon Merry Smithmas!]
Here are a few Gibson excerpts:
Gibson: ...every December around Christmastime, sacrament turns into a bummer, at least for me. Almost every year, Jesus Christ seems to be a bit player. I dont know who is to blame. Maybe bishoprics are instructed to have Christmas Sunday appear as just another Sabbath in the ward house, with a couple of religious carols thrown in the mix as a nod to the holiday...Every year I convince myself were going to have a real Christmas Sunday with talks on the Lords birth and the congregation singing Christmas carols along with the ward choir, and, well
My Q to DelphiUser and other Mormons: Mormons, isn't it time to have a "real Christmas Sunday?" Come worship in a church this season that truly honors the birth of the Lord Jesus.
And more from Gibson: There are not-too-subtle conflicts...the prophets birthday is Dec. 23. Although Joseph Smith, for all his recognition, is not the same as Jesus Christ, there have been occasions where Praise to the Man is sung more often than Away in the Manger on Christmastime Sunday. But most of the time theres just a maddeningly frustrating neutrality about Christmas, Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ. Take the most recent sacrament meeting. The opening song was The First Vision, and then the bishop reminded us that during this season we should remember the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. That seemed an appropriate nod to the man and I was encouraged that there were two Christmas carols and three talks left on the program. But the talks, which bookended a ward choir Christmas carol, were NOT about Christs birth, although they did capture His spirit. They were well-prepared, informative and spiritual talks that would have been appropriate for any sacrament meeting, but why cant we have had talks about the birth of Christ? Is there some edict against it? ... Christ shouldnt get the bump like a diet book author waiting his turn on a Letterman show that runs too long
ALL: Christmas is for Jesus Christ. Honoring Him. Don't 'bump' him 'like a diet book author waiting his turn' on an over-extended Letterman show.
And I thank the Mormon, Doug Gibson, for that message! (It's only too bad he had to use the negative backdrop of a Mormon ward sacrament meeting to make that point!)
And our blatherphilic MORMONs here will ignore them all...