1841, 1867, 1961 ... Jehovah = Father

I don't know what I think about the Bible right now, today, but, I ran across these quotes, all authorized by LDS Church Presidents, supporting the view for which I was previously charged with apostasy in the modern LDS Church:

“We believe in God the Father, who is the great Jehovah and head of all things, and that Christ is the Son of God, co-eternal with the Father; yet he is our Savior, Redeemer, King, and Great Prototype;… and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.” – Times and Seasons 3 (1 November 1841): 578.

“Jehovah God, Thou Eloheim - Thy Son Jesus Christ” (BYA, 4 Aug 1867) - Brigham Young

“Jehovah, God the Father is one / Another His Eternal Son” (Sacred Hymns #262) - John Taylor

“Jehovah and his Son, Jesus” - (1 July 1961, Church News) - David O. McKay.

Today, the Church teaches that Jehovah is the same character as Jesus, a view primarily introduced and pushed by James E. Talmage, and unsubstantiated by Scripture.

RWW - This one's for you!

... and for the rest of those who have been wanting to hear from me again. Thank you all for your concern, your prayers, and your support. For better or for worse, I have found that blogging specifically to a Mormon audience is utterly not worthwhile. The Mormonism of today has its truth already, and is not looking for any innovation whatsoever. Innovation would separate it from mainstream Christianity, and favor with mainstream Christianity is that which the Saints of today most deeply covet. Strong words, perhaps, but true: If not individually, then collectively.

I am forever the heretic because I believe that Jehovah is the Father, as Joseph Smith did, and because I side with Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff on certain issues which, according to Bruce R. McConkie, implies that I "have the intellect of an ant and the understanding of a clod of miry clay in a primordial swamp" and that I "do not deserve to be saved." Why won't "our" apologists apologize for statements such as this?

(Side note: 2,555,000,000 years old. Hmm.)

And yet I believe! Well, I believe in something, and my beliefs are deeply intertwined with Mormonism. They may not be the Orthodox religion, but they are Godly, or, if they are not, then I have been deceived. But, I choose to believe that the Holy Ghost I have felt is real, that the answers to prayer I received about Joseph Smith are true. But I am not part of mainstream Mormon culture. They look at me funny. I scare some of them. They just don't know how to deal with me. And the more I endure, the more sick I feel when I hear their teachings. I mean their pet teachings, their naive teachings, not the truth. When they preach the truth it is still sweet, but the other things, the naive assumptions and philosophies of some of their most prominent men which they have blended with the gospel offends my spirit in subtle ways, and I would rather be in an environment more facilitative of my spiritual growth.

Is this selfish of me? I'd like to help them grow. I'd like to pitch in and teach, but I can't. My teachings are not permitted. So I feel saddened by it all.

If you like my posts, my thoughts, and want to hear more from me, or speak with me, please consider reading and commenting on my Masonic blog: Lodgical. Nearly everything I write there and elsewhere has personal religious significance to me. Even the articles I write for other organizations. If you have comments or questions to share with me of an overtly Mormon nature, or just want to chat, please contact me directly by email at jeffREMOVE_THIS_PART@storago.com

I want to talk. I have very little religious fellowship now. I am currently accepted as a sort of sojourner ("on the path") in the Jewish community, but that is not a place to deeply discuss my Latter-day Saint beliefs.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Joseph Smith - Hermetic Prophet

I recommend everyone read this article. It's been around for a LONG time now.

Joseph Smith: America's Hermetic Prophet

To be sure, Gnosticism was always at core an independent product of primary, creative vision; by definition, devoid of this experiential ingredient there was no Gnosis.
Lance S. Owens

1 Nephi 17 - 22

I continued reading through the end of 1 Nephi.

I've been thinking about inspired work and foundations suitable for a testimony. The thought has occurred to me that books and other works can be inspired without being true. For example: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

They can touch you and teach true principles and yet be fiction. I wonder about how The Book of Mormon can be considered distinct from this.

While studying, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps Joseph had the visions, the visitations, everything as he said and but was unable to translate the curious characters on the Golden Plates, desparately looking to his trusty seer stone to try to gain contact again with those heavenly forces that had started him on his mission. Knowing a little about the Nephite culture from his visitation by Moroni (or was it Nephi? - this has been a historical question as well since the story was told both ways), he attempted to produce the translation, but didn't even refer to the plates during the process -- all the while praying for revelation to guide him as it had done in the beginning. What if the Golden Plates never were translated, but an original inspired book was brought forth instead? This would account for Joseph's readiness to revise it and correct doctrine in it in subsequent years, and his tendency to disregard many of its clear teachings (on the monotheism, the trinity and polygamy for example) in later work. Had he known it was lacking he would be eager to correct its shortcomings, otherwise it seems he would have let it stand. I read somewhere a sentiment that suggested that Oliver Cowdery believed in the Golden Plates but had also indicated that they were never translated, nor ever intended to be. Please understand, this is all a "What if?" consideration.

If this were true, it would not invalidate Joseph Smith's mission. The keystone of our religion is a Masonic term the full meaning of which evades the understanding of the modern reader of the Book.

So, I have a lot of questions.

The Burned-Over District

Have you ever heard of the Burned-Over District of New York? Are you aware of "The Second Great Awakening" of which Mormonism was a major part (and one of the only surviving remnants to this date) ? This bit of American history, geography and culture has been fascinating me lately. There is a fairly good description on this site:

The Burned-Over District

And, an article on wikipedia about it and another on The Second Great Awakening.

What spiritual giants came from this time and place! Amazing.

Mormon Gnostics Podcast

I've just started a Mormon Gnostics Podcast to go along with this blog, and the first episode is 001 - Theology, Moses 1:1-23. Enjoy!

Mormon History

Here is a snipped down version of the "historical" sequences from the "All About Mormons" episode of Southpark.



What errors exist in this "telling" of the story? I know of one offhand: Joseph's seer stones are pictured on the screen but they are referred to verbally as the Urim and Thummim. Joseph's stones were actually separate and independent of the Urim and Thummim.

New Cool Thang » The Prophet lived his life in crescendo

In understanding Joseph Smith's teachings, especially in respect to how they progressed throughout his life, we need to make some tough decisions. Do we take something said earlier as more authoritative than something said later, or vice versa? This post I ran across on one of my new favorite blogs "New Cool Thang" was very enlightening and helpful for me to put it in perspective:

New Cool Thang » The Prophet lived his life in crescendo

I think the essence of continuing revelation is that it does continue. Joseph was not bestowed with all knowledge at the moment he became a Prophet, but rather, he started on a road of increase that will continue throughout the eternities.

Search for the best Joseph Smith Biography

This post is sort of a call for action. I am interested in opinions on where one can find the best, most definitive biography of Joseph Smith? I'm not interested in apologetics here, but the best detailed and frank exposition on the life of the Prophet? Whether web or printed publication, it would be nice to have something like this handy to point interested parties that direction.

It would be especially nice if it included things such as information from the Nauvoo Masonic Lodge minutes, and childhood information documenting Joseph's early reputation as a seer in a non-judging and simply informative way.

Peep-Stones

Seer Stones including the Urim and Thummim, as well as other Stones that Joseph had acquired by various means (some during his childhood, I believe) were used in receiving Revelation and in translating The Book of Mormon. The translation process is best documented as follows:

“Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. ”
(David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12.)

Joseph had a reputation of seeing and treasure hunting even before he received his prophetic calling. I wonder if we have any natural seers in our midst today? Would the use of a seer stone be a productive way in which to receive personal revelation? Why don't we practice this today?
(Or do some of us?)

Symbolically it makes sense, because a stone would tend to be associated with the energy of the element Earth, which is related to Michael, or the Father.

So, lets head down to our local river bed, find a few candidate stones, grab an old top hat, and give it a whirl. (Note: Translation isn't the only task these stones can help perform.)

I'm also not suggesting this as a replacement for the T.O.O.P. taught in the Temple, but it must be a related practice, as it seems to bring forth similar results?