Posted on 07/07/2013 10:37:51 AM PDT by Colofornian
On the day of July 8, 1838 -- 175 years ago tomorrow -- the original "prophet" of the Church of Mormon, Joseph Smith, made up four "revelations" from the Mormon god:
These are recorded in Doctrine & Covenants (numbers 117, 118, 119, & 120). Let's look at some of the verses in these:
117:12: I say unto you, I remember my servant Oliver Granger; behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord."
Of course, you all know Oliver Granger, right? ....Uh, right?
Well, surely, you Mormons do. Right? You hold his name as a household sacred byword. Right? Generation after generation? Yes? No?
Apart from this entry, who remembers Oliver Granger? (And why?)
What? As Oliver Granger obscurity continues, a false prophesy by Smith, then? (Apparently so)
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Earlier in the chapter, Smith returns to talk about "the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman and on the plains of Olaha Shinehah, or the land where Adam dwelt..." (v. 8) [In D&C 116, Adam had unveiled less than two months earlier that "Adam shall come to visit his people" in this place; original reference was in D&C 78]
Per Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: "Adam-ondi-Ahman -- meaning the place or land of God where Adam dwelt -- is at a place called Spring Hill, Davies County, Missouri. This site is named by the Lord 'Adam-ondi-Ahman...'" (The Millennial Messiah, pp. 587-588)
LDS Church "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. stated that before the Second Coming, Adam will convene another meeting at that place to turn the government of the human family officially to Jesus Christ (Source: Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p. 13)
So...Spring Hill, MO...I know that's on the bluffs of a river. Yet Smith talks about "the mountains" of this area, which is now farmland owned by the Mormon church. What "mountains" rise up there?
Per another Lds "apostle" -- Mark E. Petersen, in his book, Adam: Who is He? -- says on p. 15 that Adam lived in Missouri.
Perhaps you are not a Mormon, but you have one of the characteristics so often displayed by the Mormonism apologists who work Freerepublic: you make false assertions/specious accusations. You’re just the sort to defend them. I don’t think congratulations are in order.
I’m not trying to “prove” something. That was merely a quote that fit what I saw there. I don’t buy into much of their doctrines and dogma. I am only trying to find out what part, if any, their religion plays in their social and economic success. Why do they have so much success, patriotism, family integrity and stability? If not their religion, what then? Let’s learn what it is for ALL our benefit. Would we not all gain something from it?
I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question “have you repented for your righteous deeds”, especially in the context of the question I posed. Is that the answer to my question?
I was just trying to learn something about what works for them, and if their religion had anything to do with it.
Everyone is free to believe what they want, however Christians are tasked with contending for and defending the Faith. We are also tasked to look out for our fellow man and lead them away from evil that disguises itself as good and we are to call out false teachers.
All of these things are Biblical, its all there.
As far as “concern levels” sure there maybe more important things, indeed there are for me, but I don’t “score and ignore”. I do not want to sit there and have to tell the Almighty when asked why I did not take an opportunity when I had the time to save a soul “I had better things to do...”
And if goals are important know this, there have been several LDS members who have escaped the cult and found the True Christ right here through these informational threads on FR. A worthy goal indeed...
Easy, the man who said it isn’t a prophet. Simple as that...
Social stability? Take a closer look @ what you describe as "social stability"...and remember that Utah is 60% Lds:
If you go to this post I did a while back, you can see all the original sources for what is below: Sociology of Utah
I provided links to first two headlines below...plus several others [wherever you see "source headline"]:
* Two Studies Find Depression Widespread in Utah
* Utah leads the nation in rates of depression
* And referenced where Utah has the most anti-depressant use, especially in women: Study Finds Utah Leads Nation in Antidepressant Use. Some point to the pressures of Mormonism, especially for women, to explain the surprising findings. [Source urls: http://www.usu.edu/psycho101/lectures/chp2methods/study.html http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/03/eveningnews/main510918.shtml ]
Other related depression and suicide Utah anecdotes:
* Utah, which a 2007 report said had the country's highest rate of nonmedical painkiller abuse. Source headline: Utah has new prescription for painkiller problem [Original link...click on first link above for linkage to actual article]
And depression is not only a female issue in Utah:
* At least at one time, Utah lead the nation in suicides among men aged 15 to 24: As of 5 years ago: Utah leads the nation in suicides among men aged 15 to 24...Utah also has the 11th highest suicide rate 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people in the nation over all age groups, according to the most recent data from the American Association of Suicidology. Source headline: Deadly taboo: Youth suicide an epidemic that many in Utah prefer to ignore [Original link -- click on first link above for linkage to actual article]
* Utah has the country's highest suicide rate for males between the ages of 14 and 25. That grim statistic is given a name and a troubled family in Carol Lynn Pearson's impassioned Facing East, now at the International City Theatre in Long Beach." Source url: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2285528/posts
* For more than 10 years, 15- to 34-year-old males in Utah have had suicide rates markedly higher than those seen nationally. In fact, in the early to mid-1990s, suicide was the number one cause of death among 25- to 44-year-old men in the state and the second-leading cause of death among men aged 15 to 24. Source url: http://www.adherents.com/largecom/lds_LowSuicideRate.html
Now, this article actually says being active Lds "helps" in comparing rates. But this and another study I saw actually says when you compare the suicide rates for active Lds, inactive or less-active Lds, and non-Lds, the middle category is by far the highest: I
In addition, per this article the risk of suicide among males aged 15 to 19 was three times higher among the less active church members than among their active peers, but the rate among the active youth was comparable to the national suicide rate.
So...this article not only says suicide risk is 3x higher among less active Lds than active Lds (among 15-19 yo), but that the suicide rate for active Lds 15-19 yo is no different than the national suicide rate!!!
One point that can be drawn from the above is that Mormonism is no barrier to the suicide rate for teens, and in fact, jeopardizes more teens (the less active ones)!
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From a 2012 article: ...the gayest city in the U.S. is Salt Lake City, Utah, according to The Advocate, the gay and lesbian newsmagazine...The Advocate used different measures to establish per capita queerness including a citys number of teams entered in the Gay Softball World Series, gay bookstores, openly gay elected officials and semifinalists in the International Mr. Leather Contest...
Also:
* Utah leads the nation in # of porn subscriptions per capita, porn consumption among the general internet user population and dial-up users. Source 1, and Red Light States: Who Buys Online Adult Entertainment?, Benjamin Edelman (Journal of Economic PerspectivesVolume 23, Number 1Winter 2009Pages 209220). Utah also lead the nation in porn busts. FBI in Utah Lead Nation in Porn Busts.
Also, Utah:
Sexual misconduct pervasive problem among teachers (KSL.com, Oct. 25, 2009)
Quote from this KSL article: SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- State education officials say sexual misconduct by teachers is the No. 1 reason Utah educators are forced to surrender their licenses. Records shows Utah has nearly 20,000 licensed educators. Since 1992, the State Board of Education has suspended or revoked 313 teacher licenses -- 208 of them for sexual misconduct. That number excludes 10 cases still being investigated by the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission. The behaviors range from inappropriate touching and downloading pornography on a school computer to full-blown molestation...In 2005, a survey by The Associated Press ranked Utah 16th in the nation for teacher sex offenses based on disciplinary records from 2001 to 2005 in 50 states and the District of Columbia. At that time, 52.7 percent of Utah teachers who lost their licenses surrendered them for sexual misconduct -- twice the national rate, the AP found.
Sexual misconduct persistent in Utah schools (Oct. 25, 2009)
Utah's sexual assault rate outpaces U.S. average (April 6, 2010)
Utah Sexual assault realities:
* A few years ago, KSL reported that there's a reported rape in Utah less than 9.5 hours apart (see http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=14136899)-- that's up just from 2008 when it was just under a rape per 10 hours...http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/documents/CIU%202008%20book%200810.pdf, p. 6
* Per the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (see also Utah Department of Health), the 2008 Utah rape rate was 63.7 per 100,000 females vs. U.S. average of 57.4. For entire crime report, see:
http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/documents/CIU%202008%20book%200810.pdf
* BTW, 2008 wasn't some new surge: Since 1991, Utahs rape rate has consistently inched higher than the national rate. By 2002, Utah ranked 14th in the nation for rapes.
[Source url: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600125585,00.html] -- and inched to 13th by 2004...http://www.utahfoundation.org/reports/?page_id=290)
* Why has Utah as of the years since 2000, consistently has ranked between 13 & 18 re: rape rate?
* Why as of 6 years ago, was Utah #8 in the nation for its sex offender rate per Nation Master.com?
Utah: "...officials are already struggling to house and treat the sex offenders who make up 30 percent of the state's prison population well above the national average of 12 percent." Source: Tougher laws keep sex offenders behind bars
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In just the last several years, authorities have tracked BILLIONS in white collar fraud committed by Mormons... [for more on that next post]
Social stability? Take a closer look @ what you describe as "social stability"...and remember that Utah is 60% Lds:
Lds members have fleeced over 1 & 1/2 $BILLION from fellow Mormons the past few years alone! Guess what? They initially didn't regret "doing business" with them, either!!!
(2010 Source puts it at over $1.4 billion...and MORE has been uncovered since then!) : Mormons Now Losing Billions to Affinity Fraud
Can you fill me in any other religious sect that has less than 2% of the overall population (1.7%) -- that has launched at least $1.4 billion worth of fraud schemes vs. fellow sect members the past two or three years?
If you only have time to click on one article link below...read this one: JOHN L. SMITH: Thieves in the temple: How 'affinity fraud' hurts LDS church members
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sept. 12, 2010 Be sure to read the comments of FBI special agent Cameron Saxey (who is Lds)...the article mentions how the Utah jurisdictional Securities Fraud Task Force was working on 100+ cases...meaning that $1.4 billion total doesn't tell it all!
The sad individual accounts [Indeed: Pray for the victims, most Lds]:
* All in the Mormon Family Mortgage Fraud [Re: Idaho fraud]
Source: Conservative Babylon.com, June 27, 2012
* Episode Detail: The Mormon Madoff - American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals
Source: TV Guide.com re: series American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels, and Scandals, June 20, 2012
* Former LDS bishop gets jail, probation for massive fraud
Source: Provo Herald, June 7, 2012
* LDS Bishop Pleads Guilty To Fraud
Source: Kutv.com, June 7, 2012
* Utah investors caught up in alleged $170M fraud: SEC says 2 men committed fraud as they raised $170M to build Caribbean resorts, and that 250 of the 1,700 alleged victims are from Utah
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, May 31, 2012
* Beware of affinity fraud predators who exploit trust, LDS spokesman warns
Source: Fraud College.org, April 2, 2012
* Former LDS bishop charged with fraud, pleads not guilty
Connecticut Criminal Defense Blog, March 29, 2012
* Former Mormon Bishop In Trumbull Charged With Investor Fraud
Source: Hartford Courant, March 27, 2012
* The LDS Church Issues a Strong Position on Affinity Fraud
Source: Utah Securities Fraud.com, March 7, 2012
* Affinity Fraud Called a Destructive Crime at Conference
Source: Lds.org, Feb. 20, 2012
* Church Representative to Address Fraud College [From the official Lds Web site]
Source: Lds.org, Feb. 15, 2012
* Affinity Fraud statement
Source: Official Mormon Newsroom.org, Undated (Early 2012)
* Father, son used Mormon connections to commit $220M Ponzi scheme (Utah case)
Source: Mormon church-owned KSL.com, Dec. 16, 2011
* Former LDS bishop cons elderly man out of life savings, police say
Source: Provo Daily Herald, Oct. 19, 2011
* Tag archives @Utahsecuritiesfraud.com: LDS Church
* Provo councilman Steve Turley charged with felonies [LDS High Council Member]
Source: Provo Herald, July 27, 2011
* Feds arrest St. George business man, philanthropist for mail fraud
Source: Mormon-church owned KSL.com, June 11, 2011
* Former LDS leader charged in fraud against Ute football coach, others
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, June 8, 2011
* Suspected Mormon Con Artist Pleading Guilty to $78M Scam
Source: Streetsweeper.org, May 31, 2011
* Mormon Madoff? Source: Financial Fraud Law.com, May 27, 2011
* A Fraud Played Out on Family and Friends
Source: New York Times, May 26, 2011
* St. George investor ordered to jail [ex-Lds bishop]
Source: MidUtahRadio.com, April 15, 2011
* Using trust to steal (Utah affinity fraud)
Source: Ogden (UT) Standard Examiner, Feb. 3, 2011
* JOHN L. SMITH: Thieves in the temple: How 'affinity fraud' hurts LDS church members
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sept. 12, 2010
* Local political gadfly arrested for exploiting elderly woman
Source: Provo Daily Herald, May 4, 2010
* Preying on the faithful: Though Mormons often victims, LDS church skips fraud-prevention event
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, May 2, 2010
* Kaneohe swindler is sentenced
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 6, 2010
* Investors with troubled firm have Mormon ties
Source: Austin American Statesman, Jan. 16, 2010
* Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: www.connect2utah.com (KUTV) Jan. 7, 2010
* Lindon Man Accused of Trying to Kill Witnesses to Alleged Scam
Source: MidUtahRadio.com, Nov. 19, 2009
* KSL 5 News investigates affinity fraud
Source: KSL.com Nov. 9, 2009
* Mormon victims are caught up in $50M scam to sell gold bullion
Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 18, 2009
* LDS Church returned $200K in Southwick Tithing
Source: AP, Sept. 14, 2009
* Merriman's church donations may be tained [Momon Ponzi schemer's tithe monies ill-gotten?]
Source: Denver Post, April 24, 2009
* Man Who Defrauded Fellow Church Goer Pleads Guilty
Source: Fox News, April 8, 2009
* Calif. Man Charged with $40 million Ponzi scheme
Source: AP, March 20, 2009
The bottom line here is that you would expect a church that has 2% of the nation's population to have about 2% of affinity fraud cases -- even if they were as criminal as the atheists and agnostics! [You would expect them to have less than 2% if there was a true higher moral standard at operation here]. You don't expect cases involving $one and a half BILLION!
Hell!
A superficial glance ought to be enough!
200 years is a LONG time to ignore the challenge to MormonISM!
Lotsa stuff in D&C.
Like the prohibition of MEAT eating in the summertime.
Anyone want to venture a guess on what percentage of MORMONs actually FOLLOW what their 'sacred' scripture says?
Look!
Over THERE!!
Those folks aren’t HATERS!!!!
One man's HATE, is another man's REVELATION.
We REALLY don't do to good playing defense here.
Try calling us RACISTs next time.
Have fun with the TarBaby.
I wonder what they do BETWEEN their turns??
I just LOVE the smell of vitriol in the morning!
52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.
53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.
54 And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and acleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be bdestroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.
55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of beternal lives in the eternal worlds.
56 And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid aforgive my servant Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to brejoice.
Oh NO!
What to do???
You've been called a SISSY!!!
How many does it take??
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