Saturday, January 14, 2017

Another Way the LDS Church is Racist

As a white male, I freely admit that my eyes are slowly opening to all the racist things that the LDS Church has done.  This one I had missed until now.

Temple Work for the Dead


For more than 40 years, I was taught that there are men and women in "Spirit Prison" who are suffering because they are waiting to have their temple work done.  There was an urgency to find names and get to the temple and do Baptisms for the Dead to relieve them of their suffering.

I had endless guilt as I imagined by ancestors, waiting, suffering and staring down at me, wondering why I was hanging out with friends or watching baseball while they were in this horrible state.

With a long heritage of Mormons in my family, we had to go further and further back into European Christian Church records to find names.  On all of my lines, we eventually hit road-blocks. Mostly in the 15th or 16th Centuries.  I felt guilty for those Great - Great - Great - Great Grandparents who were left to rot in Spirit Prison.

The Racist Part

Because of slavery, colonialism, tribals wars and much more about Africa,  Asia and many other cultures including Native Americans, it is impossible to go back more than a few generations.

So once again, the White Europeans are getting their temple work done, while a good African or Native American brother and sister and suffering in Spirit Limbo - Land.   All that money, those huge elaborate $ multi-million temples are doing the work for WHITE People.

If it is so important, why can't God find those Africans and others who are ready to accept the gospel and make an Earthly printer start printing their cards? 

Or why can't we do the temple work for Bob's Great Great Great Grandmother on his maternal line WHO is DEAD?  

I've had some crazier names I've been given in the temple, like E. S. - Mother. 

The Reality is:

When I asked about my 14th century ancestors I was told that during the Millennium, all the names would be revealed and all that work would be done.  More guilt, more waiting, more anticipation that the Millennium would happen any day.  

How many temples are there in Africa?  Six

How many are in U.S., Canada and Western Europe?  104

I now know that the whole temple work thing is another way to keep us busy, paying our tithing and filled with guilt.  

If there is a Heaven and there is a God, then everyone has a shot, and they aren't sitting in some "prison" waiting for a 12 year old to get dunked. 






Tuesday, January 10, 2017

When you are in the service of your fellowmen....

The recent disclosure of salaries over $120.000 for General Authorities prompted me to read King Benjamin's speech.

MOSIAH CHAPTER 3

12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded you--

14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne--and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Mormonism's Lost Items

Mormonism's Lost Items

According to LDS Church History all of these items were seen by multiple witnesses and yet they are now lost, destroyed, or badly damaged.

Bones of Zelph - Lost
Bones that Joseph Smith said belonged to a great Lamanite Warrior.  
Reference Link
Book of Abraham Papyrus - Lost, fragments later found 
Egyptian Papers that Joseph Smith said were written by the Prophet Abraham


Liahona - Breast Plate and Glasses - Sword of laban - Golden Plates - Brass Plates - Location Unknown - Taken by Angels?
All relics that are mentioned in the Book of Mormon
Pro - LDS Source (See pages 42 and 50 - 57)


Adam's Altar
Altar of Adam - Lost or destroyed
A stone altar in Missouri that Joseph Smith said Adam prayed at after leaving the Garden of Eden.


116 Pages of the Book of Mormon - Lost, perhaps altered, burned
Pages that Joseph Smith "translated" from the Golden Plates.


Original manuscript of Book of Mormon - Placed in Cornerstone of Nauvoo House - very water damaged.

Mummies
Mummies that were with the Book of Abraham Papyrus . - lost or sold.


Book of Joseph Papyrus - Lost with BofA fragments.


Kinderhook Plates - Lost. One later found.

Plates that were made to trick Joseph Smith - it worked.
Kinderhook Plates
Reference Link


Stone box holding Golden Plates - Lost




So what is left? A rock!!
"And upon this rock will I build my church."