Proverbs 25:28:
He (or she) that
hath no rule over his(her) own spirit
is like a city
that is broken down,
and without walls.
Self Control
It takes a good amount of self control to resist the natural tendancy to mis-judge, mis-understand, accuse or condemn others. These are all bad ways to put on display our personal errors. How we treat others, is what matters most. Our dealings with our fellow beings, as stated in the LDS Church. Surely, we need to properly discern and judge some things, in order to protect ourselves or our loved ones in our mortal journey. But how often do we find ourselves taking some questionable information about someone, after hearing some assumption that is not known if actually true, and then use it to color our view to then mis-judge, accuse and then condemn others? Bearing false witness is a serious offense against anyone, especially against a good person seeking to be a part of and bring about Zion in the last days. It is wrong especially to do so against Prophets (more connected messengers of God) such as Joseph Smith, who was commissioned by God to attempt to restore the Patriarchal (Holy) Order back to the earth. But even his own friends and church members participated in these things against him, that eventually led to only help fuel the hate of the outside mobs to do what they did. That mis-judging and false assuming was part of the contention and jarrings going on in Nauvoo, that helped lead to the loss of restoring the Holy Order back to earth.
The Accusing Spirit
Satan is "the accuser". He seeks to cause us all to judge and condemn others, in order to manipulate our mortal emotions of anger and fear into causing us to then create accusations, misunderstandings, dishonesty, divisions, jarrings, contentions and strifes.
In my own journey, I have been often surprised how how quick the Lord is to forgive. Sooner than I would have forgiven myself at times. His dealings with me, have helped me be more patient and forgiving with others. Maybe too forgiving, as you will later see. Surely Satan being the master architect of such evil contention(including lies), would use those very things to tear down, from within, another attempted restoral of the Patriarchal Holy Order back to the earth. His main goal is to prevent this very thing. Having lost his Sonship after so much hard work and offering up a plan contrary to that which the Gods already have done for eons of time... in his lofty station, surely he wants to prevent anyone else from ever obtaining what he himself lost. He loves it when people take lies and assumptions, often crafted up by him or his follow the leader spirits in their realm. They cause people to get that accusatory spirit, and then uses their mortal emotional weaknesses (fear and anger mostly) to steer them into causing serious havoc and disorder with other imperfect mortals.
Quote from March 2015 by Denver Snuffer in his Plural Marriage paper:
"The original Gospel taught from Adam to Enoch has not been recovered. Joseph Smith was working backward in restoring the earliest teaching, scripture, covenants and ordinances as part of his brief ministry. That ended abruptly with his death. The still-not-completed restoration of the Gospel must return again the original body of teaching, covenants and ordinances revealed in the beginning to the first fathers, who are now resurrected, and in heaven.
The original Gospel cannot be judged until it is understood. It cannot be understood until it has been returned. There was such haste and foolishness in Joseph’s day that it hindered God’s work.
Then fear of what Joseph was doing made even those closest to him wonder if he was “fallen” or egomaniacal and untrustworthy. The ignorance and superstition of his contemporaries were great obstacles. Aspiring men gathered around Joseph who wanted to further their ambitions by associating with him, but they did not understand what was really involved with God’s plan for mankind.
The Gospel requires virtue and righteousness. No one can please God with a heart that is not contrite and broken, willing to receive or suffer everything God will require of them. We are nowhere near Zion and only a small fraction of what needs to be recovered has been given. Unless this generation is patient enough to allow God to do His “strange act,” and humble enough to support what He provides as He provides it, another future generation will need to accomplish Zion. The “jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among” us are no different than what destroyed all hope for Zion in Joseph’s time.
Why want what is not understood? How can we judge the Gospel taught directly by God to Adam, renewed face-to-face by God with Enoch, when it has not been shown us? Is our only motivation our ambition and envy? Why do we not yet consider how great a price is demanded by God as a sacrifice before anything is gained. Lectures on Faith really are an accurate description of the burden required of us to become faithful.
In God’s plan there are provisions made for everyone. Every soul in every state of development will be given what a loving and kind God has made possible. It is vast enough to accommodate the development of each person who has lived in this estate, regardless of the time, location or opportunities while here. It is far greater, and more thorough than what we can see.
It is impossible to re-establish the earliest form of the Gospel of Christ with its associated teachings, rites, ordinances, covenants and organization if we insist it fit into our current prejudices. We think so many things are necessary that are not, and we think many necessary things cannot possibly be required."
Nothing New Under the Sun?
Joseph Smith was doing some extremely questionable things like sealing(marital fashion) over 34+ wives to himself. Some even already married (I think around 12). Some as young as 14. Whether or not Joseph had the usual marital physical relations with any of them (and surely he could have reduced a ton of contention if we would just have publicly admitted that the familial sealings to other women he was involved in had zero intent to have the usual marital relations)... and we know that there were others who Joseph helped to get into polygamy, including William Clayton who actually bore a son with a plural wife in Nauvoo and Joseph Smith told him not to worry much about it if church members found out. Even Denver Snuffer admits that others in the past like Abraham, Jacob, David and others did live it and we know they did have many children with plural wives in the biblical record and according to D&C 132 - (see Denver's revised version on his blog).
Joseph was in fact involved with teaching women to be a part of his sealed family, and promising them and their families great eternal blessings if they did. Sure, I think there was a lot he got into, some innovating going on, some extra assumptions he might have personally held (like martial sealings with women who already had husbands which caused serious problems and the reason Parley Pratt was later murdered, or maybe some of the ways or the rapidity in which Joseph used to get women to join whatever union he was proposing to them). We have to ask ourselves, a man as connected as he was with God... I mean I see him being way more connected than any other church president and most other people, a man entrusted to restore a temple that could restore the Patriarchal Order of God, well after he knew some of the truths of the possibility of plural wives (back around 1829 actually when him and Oliver started discussing the topic - and Oliver actually went into living it at that time and never ex'd by Joseph for it), and had some kind of experience with it (as well as many of his friends, including his brother and church Patriarch Hyrum), God was still allowing Joseph an attempt to do another restoral of the fullness. And I am talking about restoring a head Presiding Patriarchal King, a Familial Kingdom of God that has been had before like with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and very few others for the past 6,000+ years, a Patriarchal temple, almost having ability to passing on Patriarchal Priesthood/C&E/Sealing power to his heirs by temple ceremony, after translating the Book of Mormon, producing many ancient records, after serious experiences on both sides of the veil with Father, Son and Angels. These are serious things. And so many people, even within the LDS Remnant movement are assuming Joseph must have become a fallen prophet before being given that Holy allowance right before his death. Even Snuffer states that God was in fact commanding Joseph to live plural marriage is some fashion, in order for him to increase his connection with God; and that D&C 124 is accurate when agreeing that God was attempting to allow Joseph a chance at the Nauvoo opportunity to restore the fullness or Holy Order, well after Joseph getting involved with the plural marriages.
I want to declare, that I do agree with Snuffer, when he says that the unauthorized practice of plural marriage is an abomination. In my book, it is adultery. Adultery is one of those serious sins, second to the grestest of murder or turning completely away from and fighting God after C&E. Even Joseph personally felt that if someone commits adultery, they are barred from the Celestial Kingdom for good. Surely he would be afraid of that in whatever involvement he had with it in his day. For anyone to consider living plural marriage, the first fear would be that if it is not actually allowed or commanded by God (and Denver has spent much time over the years talking about when and how that can occur), then it is adultery and would bar them from eternal progression. I also know that even Snuffer agrees (simply read his revised version of D&C 132 and see what he left in his revision) that some of God's prophets and Patriarchs of old did live plural marriage. We know from the Bible that Jacob/Israel was one of the elect who bore the 12 tribes via all four of his wives, at the same time. I think Snuffer has also spent much time trying to stop the improper teachings on the topic, going on since Brigham Young, in order to stop the error promoted by mormon fundamentalists (they believe Brigham's declaration that it is an absolute requirement to be lived in order to go to the highest degree in the Celestial Kingdom). That thought is error and an innovation by Brigham, but lets be a little patient with BY... as he was left with Joseph's actual involvement in plurality(however great or small) and was trying to figure out answers to a lot of questions in order to get the church to follow him, after making himself the next church President (after the 3 year succession crises after the death of Joseph). Many get into it because they are incorrectly taught it is required. Many get into living it due to thinking their group priestly leaders have passed on sealing authority (man to man since Joseph), but they don't understand that those man to man rites have been ineffective since Nauvoo (at the death of Joseph and Hryum).
The death of Eldredge G Smith was a "sign" according to Snuffer, because upon his death, there was no more opportunity for God to again restore that which was lost (in the church structure) all the way back since D&C 124 (there was no more presiding Patriarch after Eldredge - who was seed relative to the Smith family). A new covenant and branch could then be established... and soon will be.
My Character
I detest all wickedness and error. I seek to avoid it at all costs myself. It has never been a capability within my character to ever choose to do anything that would prevent me from returning back to Heaven. Not within me to ever hurt or cause another person suffering or tears. I am not guilty of any serious sin or crime, in my entire life, that would cause me to lose things formerly promised from our Lord. My character is such that I want to become the best person I can be, and help to make the world a better place. I want to save, protect and help everyone, if I could. I want Zion and all the Lord has to offer and I try to teach others, as nicely as possible, to do so as well for the past 8 years. I detest any and all types of manipulation, with or without realizing we are participating in it. We need to research all about manipulation, in order to avoid it ourselves. It really should be a required course in high school. I detest any kind of force or pushy type of communication or behavior, to place fear into someone, in order to enact change, or to push someone to do what we expect or want of them to do. I dislike it when anyone is not loyal to their word. I detest adultery. I detest dishonesy, and find it hard to remain in relationships with those who use it too often, or in order to cover up their own flaws, to hurt others or to protect themselves in some way. I detest immodesty. I detest mortals using the "jezebel spirit" or seduction, in order to sell something or to manipulate someone to behave in a certain way. What rare gems who do so in our day and age of global corruption. I have been labelled a peter priesthood since a kid and a fanatic religious man for years, even by close companions. I detest hearing about a few of the small fundamentalists groups participating in... thinking they can share their married companions with anyone in their "sealed family group". Seems a smart way for satan to convince truth seekers to get into it as a way to try to get them to commit serious error in order to damn them.
We Are the Products of Mormonism
It is a fact that Joseph Smith did have some kind of involvement with
plural wives. It is also found to be lived in the Old Testament. It is
even mentioned as sometimes possible in the Book Of Mormon (definately
contrary to Brigham's teaching that it is always required). It is a part
of our mormon history, however confused it all has been. Denver has
mentioned that most mormons, even mainstream LDS church goers are Plural
Marriage believers at least mentally. I mean, most of us grew up hearing about some strange things from church history, though hardly anyone actually
examines it in detail and we are actually discouraged from doing so. I remember reading (I think it was Pres Hinkley) saying that he will be with each of his wives in eternity. I remember
on my mission in NYC, hearing companions talking about how polygamy will be
restored one day and lived in Zion, along with consecration. Fact is, all of us are products of our up-bringing. Most of us think and act the way we do, based on our past (and maybe a little from passed on family genes too). Plural Marriage is a huge confusing topic in Mormonism, when viewed by the rest of the Christian world. The Tanners are having a hay day using this topic that church leaders don't even understand and have been confused about since Nauvoo, getting people to learn our actual history and have people just throw away Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and some even go athiestic.
Point is, let's be more understanding of those still practicing a little understood topic in our day. It was lived either quietly or openly in the church from 1835 to 1904 (and church leaders still lived with plural wives until around 1950 though they stopped adding plural wives). It was taught for decades by our church presidents and apostles that it is required for the highest level of heaven! There are many fundamentalists joining our LDS Remnant movement. There are even some in our movement who have recently began living it, and some few still looking to live it as they personally feel required to do so.
Some few have been a bit judgemental towards me, for discussing too
much the topic of Plural Marriage online. Seems the trusted and great Denver Snuffer can talk about it often in his books and blog, and no one judges him bad for it. But when others like me want to continue the discussion after him bringing it all up and want to get it all figured out so all the division and contention among all the fractured different Mormon groups can end, and to help others in the LDS Remnant to be more kind to others within our group living it or thinking they need to, all kinds of presumptions, labeling, contention and even more division (heavens, do we really need any more of that!) occur. Many who oppose the idea in some form, do not seek to understand
one's personal path and understandings or true intentions in their hearts/minds, and are quick
to falsely misjudge intentions and then condemn according
to their own perceptions. I personally have had false assumptions made against me the past year just for trying to discern the topic with others online (little one on one discussion has occurred). I usually hear about it much
later, in very harsh complaining ways and from others who ask me what's going
on after hearing some reported allegation.
The Moab conference was all about forgiving, being understanding and uniting. Denver has written about our strifes and contentions existing just like they did in Nauvoo, which caused Holy Order restoral failure. We need to be more charitable and less judgemental and condemnatory.
Before we judge another family among us, for whatever they feel led to do, remember, that early connection with Heaven is
a hard one to master. So much goes on in our minds. So many ways for
messages to enter our thoughts. Even when we hear, there is the doubting
phaze. No matter what, keep seeking to hear His voice. He will
personally work with you, to wring out whatever is necessary, to break
your heart too. We might think the course too rough, or Heaven will
wait to see if we will get so upset at letting us suffer what we will...but endure well.
Denver Snuffer from Pg. 11 of his Plural Marriage talk:
Some accuse Joseph Smith without sufficient proof, and they will find God
applies that same standard to them. It has even been foolishly claimed by some that they have “prayed” and God has revealed to them Joseph was an adulterer! I would never trust such a “revelation” as proof. Christ did not accuse the woman taken in adultery, even when He had eyewitness proof against her. If He would not condemn her with such proof, why would the same God condemn Joseph Smith in a “revelation” because someone asked in prayer? Would the same Lord of mercy send the woman taken in adultery away without condemnation but condemn Joseph? Would our Lord divert our attention from the history we have that lacks proof of this about Joseph to furnish proof through prayer to diminish His servant Joseph? When the Lord send an angel to tell Joseph that his “name should be had for good and evil among all nations” am I to assume it would be the Lord Himself who would speak both “good” and “evil” of Joseph? Satan is the “accuser of the brethren” not God. If in an answer to prayer anyone listens to an accusing spirit to judge Joseph, I very much suspect they would be in tune with the wrong source, or else God has become changeable44 and contradicts His own prior revelations.
Footnote 41: By answering a “prayer” informing the inquirer Joseph was “an adulterer” it appears to me to qualify as “evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed.” It seems incongruent to me for the Lord to call Joseph, accomplish a great work through him, expect mankind to “seek blessings under his hand” (D&C 122:1-2), but then supplement the posthumous record by a revelation condemning him. Is the Lord among the ‘fools who shall hold Joseph in derision?’ (D&C 122:1.)
