Hacking at the Root

Live from Salt Lake City, Utah, this is Heart of the Matter ESPRESSO! where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in Truth. I’m Shawn McCraney, your host.

Show 14 543
Hacking at the Root – Part X
April 4th 2017

This is an important point to people who are former LDS – who have come out of it. Many of you cannot let the Mormon church go – in your hearts – not because you love it, but because you hate it so much. And this is yet ANOTHER way that it continues to destroy you and your life even after you’ve left it – it fills you with hate and rage! Every six months the church holds a semi-annual General Conference. I know people who have long abandoned the faith in their hearts who still watch that clap! It amazes me.

You know what it’s like? It’s like a man who thirty years ago had a wife who cheated on him. He discovered this by hiring a private investigator who documented the affair through pictures. And the man cannot let it go – still! He is STILL angry and bitter at the deception. The solution to his health? Forgive her – let it go. And move on.

So it is with the former Mormons. Forgive it. Let it go. It’s the only way to really live, and to be free. To not would be like that man, every six months, going to a strong box and taking out pictures of his unfaithful spouse and staring at pictures – over and over and over again to keep the pain alive. Grab ahold of Jesus and let the disease go, my friends.

The Importance of Letting Go

This is my problem with people who week end and week out feed the anger against Mormons because what they are really feeding is inner cancer in those who have discovered the truth of it. My advice – it's normal to be angry and disillusioned initially. Very normal to react and get consumed by the deception. We all have to go through the stages of death. But after a while guys let the effer go – forgive the Mormon church and let them go from your mind and heart – grab ahold of Jesus . . . and live.

Christianity in Today's Church

Last week, right here on the air, I think we were abundantly graced with a picture of what we have been trying to describe as real Christianity in the church today. Some of you may disagree but many of you understood – thank you for your texts, calls, and emails.

See, right here we had a man in our presence, one Joey Scoma, a former Mormon homosexual who entertains the ideas that he is the reincarnated Joseph Smith, who certainly has different ideas about life and faith, who walks a different path, who has no PHD in theology – but who not only loves Jesus, he loves others. There was no doctrinal positioning – I have no idea if Joey agrees with the Trinity, eternal punishment and I think his eschatology is futurist – but he was a brother. Period. By Christ, through love. Nothing more required, folks. He can do his mushrooms, and I can refuse to do them. He can wear robes and I can wear fugly shirts open to the navel – but he is a brother and we were so blessed to have this experience caught on air.

Audience Feedback

Relative to the show we received these:

First from Mark L who said:

From: Mark Laubman
Subject: Tuesday caller
Message Body:
Thank you and Joey for addressing my issue. Joey answered amazingly. I'm just learning the pastoral ropes as it were. This one was a shocker to me. He metaphors were much more graffic than I could repeat. I played back the tape and yours and Joey's reaction was priceless to say the least. Thank you for your ministry and keep up the good work.
Mark

Then from Ferren who wrote:

Shawn –
I am forcing myself to watch this episode in full. Due to the fact this sermon began with talk of homosexuality, and how it is to blame for a large number of young people, in Utah, committing suicide.

Listen to yourself, gentlemen! Homosexuality is an abomination according to our Bible! In the Old and New Testaments. Faggotry is filthiness according to our Father named YAHWEH GOD.

The lds children that commit suicide is due to a or many, in their family, priesthood holders i.e. dad, uncle, granddad, usually practices SRA/ MKUltra or Monarch Programming with fellow priesthood members (high priests, bishops, etc.).

Mormonism and Its Critiques

Stake presidents, members of the seventies, apostles, and their prophet, at that time. Mormonism was written by the children of Satan that still walk the earth today. Naturally, they wish to beguile or confuse the Sons and Daughters of Father named YAHWEH GOD.

The Mormon faith is clearly of Satan due to the fact it mixes truth with falsehoods. It will eventually go with the current false philosophy of the day; like openly practicing homosexuality. My goodness, the Mormons are opening up to the idea of homosexuals holding the priesthood and serving missions. Oi vey.

I do enjoy this ministry, Shawn. Mormonism is overtly false. It's a fairytale. I do, however, wholly concur with that particular certainty. Moreover, I am well aware of my Father the CHRIST. As a fervent Daughter of my Father YAHWEH I disagree with the preaching of your first guest. For some odd reason, I disagree with Joseph's sexuality choice, yet I find I have a soft spot for his being. What a light! May our Father bless you, Warren, and sweet Joey. Blessings, Ferrin. Post Script, please, excuse my inability to communicate properly. I pray this was clear. Just had to state my piece.

Personal Experiences and Insights

We also received this from Robert S. regarding Warren’s comments:

From: Robert Swanson

Subject: Brother Warren's comments

Message Body:

Hey Shawn, as I was listening to Warren's comments about the issue of homosexuality, which I agree with 100%. I heard him say if you're gay bring yourself to the table which I understand the language of. I immediately said without thinking about it, be carried to the table. His statement stirred in me the story of Mephibosheth (2 Sam 4:4, 2 Sam 9:1-6) which I think brings out the revelation that we are daily carried to the table. We don't get to the table by our own strength, or works, But it is Jesus who carries us there. Anyway, just agreeing with your message to all us sinners, saved by grace. Thank you for your influence and passion to reach those who will listen. Blessings.

Impact of the Show

Also this from WHITNEY:

Subject: Saved

Shawn your show changed my life. 2 years ago my best friend took his own life. I was raised LDS and believed it. At the time thought I was mostly inactive. I really struggled with my friend's death and had a ton of questions about the afterlife. I decided that I needed to get my butt in gear and start going back to church so I could be sure to be with him again one day. My biggest goal though was to make sure I wasn't just going through the motions. I wanted to be all in when it came to the LDS church.

I found this quote by Joseph Fielding Smith “Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.”

I took this quote to heart and started studying the life and times of Joseph Smith. I truly thought this would be my journey back into the church as a fully active member. However….. Once I started my research I, of course, found out things about Joseph Smith and the early church I had never heard before. I started watching videos on Youtube and came across a few of your videos. At first I was upset at the things you were saying, they had to be lies. But the more I researched what you were saying the more truth I found in your words. The LDS church was putting out essays showing that what you were saying was the truth. I was completely shocked and my world started to crumble.

I became obsessed with searching for the truth. I read a ton of books, read blogs, church manuals, everything I could get my hands on. After I came to the conclusion that the church wasn't true I really struggled to believe in anything. I wanted to believe in God though so I searched and through his words and watching your show I was able to come to believe that God does exist and he is bigger than the Mormon God ever could be.

Thank you for your show. I know it has truly saved a lot of us from a destructive church.

Evaluating Church Influence

Destructive Church . . . love that . . . is the church you are in “destructive?” Remember, those who embrace Mormonism believe theirs is NOT – that theirs is CONSTRUCTIVE? How to tell? How to measure? Gain the whole world lose soul.

Exploring Modern Priesthood Miracles

From: Sam
Subject: Modern Priesthood Miracles
Message Body:

Hey I've been born into the church and have a long line of members flowing from every branch of my lineage, I think I'm 5th generation Mormon on either side. For the past year I've been conflicted with the conflicting church history, and realizing that joe smith very well could have been a false prophet, but I've been strung up on the testimonies of my grandparents.

My question is this: if the church isn't true, then how could certain miracles be possible? For example; my grandfather gave a priesthood blessing to my grandma while she was in the hospital, using blessed olive oil he and others in my family prayed that my grandma would regain circulation in her leg. Ok and behold within 10 minutes the white limb deemed medically lost was found to have some pink return to it. Nurses were stunned. It was a miracle in every sense of the word. That is but one that involves the priesthood, my grandfather has many more.

Sorry for the theatrics I know it somewhat negates from the critical analysis. I will include one more story from my grandpa that I think is most extraordinary. When my grandfather was ward clerk he became very good friends with the bishop (now quorum of the twelve), this bishop had a son that was born with very serious health problems, and it was unclear if the boy would live. After weeks and or months of an emotional roller coaster ride in and out of hospitals, the boy still lived. The bishop, asked his friend (my grandpa) if he would fast and pray for him (I'm going off the top of my head here so I don't remember exact details).

Witnessing Visions and Miracles

My grandpa agrees and goes 3 days without food or water. On the third day my grandpa was suddenly caught in a vision, in this vision he saw his bishop and friend standing at the general conference pulpit, and my grandpa heard the words in the vision that The Boy would be known throughout the world for his priesthood. My grandpa told only his wife about this vision. Years later the medically hurt boy grew up despite severe financial hardship to help him live. He soon became a teacher in the priesthood, the only one as I can recall. But he made it his duty to bring others into the fold per say and soon filled his teachers quorum with converts. This story made it around, and got war of the church. This story made it onto general conference. The friend of my grandpa came to him and told him that "(The Boy) was known throughout the world for his priesthood". I conclude with this: how could my grandfather have a vision involving the priesthood if it supposedly doesn't exist?

The Principle of Reversals of Fortune

(And with that how about our going to our BOARD OF DIRECTION!)

I am personally convinced that those who build for themselves empires here on earth have received their rewards and those here on earth who choose to truly build empires in heaven will suffer here, but have a reversal of fortune there. Many Christians teach about eternal flames of hell burning away the flesh of the worldly forever and ever but I just don’t see the Bible teaching this when it is examined. What I do see the Bible teaching is the principle of reversals of fortune.

Teachings from the Scriptures

Let’s establish some quick facts:

In Luke 16:15 Jesus says to some Pharisees, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Isn’t that interesting? That which is HIGHLY ESTEEMED AMONG MEN is an abomination in the sight of God!

What do men highly esteem?

Materialism
Fame
Power
Control

John put it this way:

1st John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Taking these principles the misery in the afterlife will be felt by those who built their mansions of mud on foundations of sand and not the things of the Spirit. Those mansions will have no place in the Kingdom of God for they are an abomination to Him. I suggest then that there will be a tangible reversal among all inhabitants of earth – those who dwelled in luxury and feeding the flesh will dwell in eternal spiritual poverty and suffer from spiritual hunger and those who lived a life to the

The Principle of Reversal

Spirit here (and in material poverty as a result) will abide in heavenly mansions of light and fire and glory – forever. This supposition of mine is endorsed by scripture. For instance, Jesus said plainly in Mark 10:31, "But many that are first shall be last; and the last first."

Speaking to the Principle of Reversal Luke writes:

Luke 1:50-53

"And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away."

Warnings to the Wealthy

Then in Luke 6:24-25 Jesus said, "But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep."

That’s a reversal of fortune. I have long been greatly curious over the attitudes of the rich and famous toward God and the things of God. Toward Jesus. I am stunned at the number of times I see icons and representations of the Buddha in the background of Hollywood sets but rarely a picture of Jesus. I wonder why this rock star, or that movie star or this business mogal don’t ever seem to care about sharing the Good News. Why is it so rare?

The Biblical Principle of Afterlife Reversal

I think we know why it’s rare, but do we understand the biblical principle of afterlife reversal? If we do, choose well. Of course, one of the grand examples of afterlife reversal comes in the story of Lazarus and the Rich man. The parable is interesting because the only things mentioned about Lazarus is he was poor and covered in sores and the only thing about the rich man is he lived sumptuously every day. Nothing more is given to describe them. But at verse 25 of Luke 16, we read the following summation Jesus has coming from the mouth of Abraham, who says: "But Abraham said (to the rich man), Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented."

I am convinced that there is something very true in this . . . I just don’t understand how it all works out. But one thing I do believe plays a strong role in the Principle is that it speaks to the desires of the human heart more than to the actual material conditions of the individual. In other words, those with desires in the heart for the things of this world or the things of God will be rewarded commensurately. And it’s all a matter of choice.

Let’s go to the segment, "If I had kids today."

If I had kids today, instead of trying to take them and get them involved in a local church with all of its programs and youth groups and activities, I would spend time during the week with them in learning the Bible (through age-appropriate discourse) and I would spend a day a week (Saturdays or Sundays or whatever) taking them to different houses of worship (that are safe). I would then reward them with dinner or lunch out, and I would spend that time around the table talking about what was seen and heard, and how it relates to what the Bible actually says. I would not limit it to Christian denoms but would expose them to all faith-based movements – so long as they were not dangerous and the reason would be to expose them to religion – then use that exposure to discuss what the Bible actually says. Establish the tradition early in their lives, realize that it will not always be a good experience, that sometimes the kids will just want the lunch or dinner out, but this is what I would do if I had kids today – and I’d make it a weekly tradition and do it as long as the kids were willing.

And with that, how about a moment FROM THE WORD?

By now we are well aware that to understand scripture we have to examine context – of the passages themselves, then the context of the books, the testaments, and the Bible as a whole. I want to speak to the principle of asking God for things.

Learning to Pray

In Luke chapter 11, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray at their request. So he does. This

The Parable of Shameless Persistence

Sets the tone. Then after doing this He teaches them through a parable – which I believe is directly related to coming to God in prayer and asking Him for things (which is touched on in the Lord’s prayer.)

So Jesus then says:

5 Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

The word, “importunity,” used in the King James, might best be understood by us to mean, “shameless persistence.” This makes sense when we look at the contents of the parable – it is night, everyone is in bed, the chillen’s are asleep, but the shameless persistence of the bread borrower causes the friend to get up and provide. So he has taught them to pray, and then he gives them a parable that endorses shameless persistence as a way to obtain what we need from God.

Spiritual Lesson in Parables

Right? In a way, yes. Unfortunately, many people read these literal examples and apply them to life in this material world, supposing that we too, if we shamelessly persist with God He will give us loaves of bread, or loads of diamonds, or whatever. What is lost in this is Jesus parables are there to teach us spiritual things, not material. In the parable, the friend asks the friend (a citizen of this world) to provide him with bread. The meaning is not to tell us to expect the same application but to expect our shameless persistence to provide us with SPIRITUAL abundance. I’ll prove this in a minute.

So after sharing this parable Jesus goes on and says:

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Notice the teaching tool provided to us English speakers here – ASK is the first thing Jesus commends, followed by Seek and then Knocking – all creating an acronym from the first word, ASK. Anyway, Jesus now brings it all home to its PROPER application and says:

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

These are all examples from the material world BUT LISTEN now to Jesus application of the Principles:

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give (bread, fish, eggs? No . . .) How much MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

Get it? Today these passages are often applied wrongly, making God and our petitions of Him earthly, when our earthly provisions are obtained and gained through everyday living – but that He is there to give and bless and provide us all who ASK – the Holy Spirit.

And with that how about we get back into our Hacking at the Root ambition?

Critical Examination of Chomsky's Principles

We have a few principles left to set in place (from the mind of Chomsky) before we can sit back and look at the overall application to the faith and material religion today.

In the past we’ve talked about the following:

• Reduce Democracy
• Shape ideology
• Redesign the Economy (and then last week,)
• Shift the Burden and three weeks ago . . . Attacking Solidarity.

What other principles are in place that allow the few to try and control the masses? According to Chomsky, and relative to Government, Big Business and Major Media Outlets, the next principle is what Chomsky calls,

“Running (meaning controlling) the Regulators.”

The application of this principle to the faith is there, but in a unique and differentiated way then how Chomsky uses it toward his concerns. Which we’ll talk about his views first. According to Requiem for the American Dream, Chomsky says that

Regulatory Capture and Its Historical Background

If you look over the history of “regulation” (railroad and financial regulation and so on) you find that commonly such regulation is either “initiated by the economic concentrations that are being regulated or it is supported by them.” That’s sort of odd isn’t it? That those who are being regulated would be the ones who initiate the regulatory group or support them?

According to him, the reason is because these concerns know that sooner or later they will “take over the regulators” who are supposed to be in place to monitor them. This is called “regulatory capture” which might be defined as the business that is being regulated is in fact “running (or governing) the regulators,” assigned to oversee and regulate them. In some cases this can get so twisted up that “bank lobbiests” (who are in the pockets of the banks) wind up actually writing the laws pertaining to bank regulation! Chomsky points out that “this has been happening through history” and adds—“which is a pretty natural tendency when you look at the distribution of power.”

The Business World and Regulatory Changes

One of the things that expanded in the 1970’s was “lobbying” as the business world moved sharply to try and control legislation. The business world was upset by a number of things—like the advances of public welfare in the 1960’s and particularly the actions of guys like Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon? Huh?

Chomsky notes that it is not very well understood that Richard Nixon was the last “new deal president” and the business world regarded his actions as essentially “class treachery.” In Nixon’s administration the country received “consumer safety legislation,” “safety and health regulations in the workplace,” and even the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA. Of course business didn’t like this—neither the high taxes that came with it nor the regulation (meaning the loss of control and power), so they began a coordinated effort to try and overcome it. Therefore lobbying increased and deregulation began with some real ferocity.

As we have pointed out, there were no financial crashes in the 1950’s and the 60’s because the regulatory apparatus of the New Deal was still in place (and still autonomous). But it began to be dismantled (due to business and political pressure) and that is when we got more and more financial catastrophes—(like the S and L crisis, the Mortgage Crisis, and the Freddie Macs, and Fannie Maes and Enrons of the world). But the case of each of these big government has bailed them all out—which ostensibly means the individual tax payers have born the brunt of the burdens these few have created due to personal lust for money and power.

Economic Disparity and Its Implications

But get this—and get it clear—the standards set for the poor and the commoner—“for the me and you”—has CONTINUED to be “well, we just need to let market principles prevail!!” In other words, what this means is that if WE can’t pay OUR debts there’s no bailout coming our way. Ever.

Hear me clearly—this is not to say that the many, the mom and pops, the me and you’s—should be let off the hook—it’s just that the few should not either! But that isn’t the case is it? And the bottom line to all of this? Ready?

There is ONE SET OF RULES FOR THE RICH AND THE OPPOSITE SET OF RULES FOR THE POOR. And this will always be when there is power in a narrow sector of society that is really only interested in increasing power and wealth for itself.

Parallel in the Church

So application to the Church today relative to the principle of Regulating the Regulators? It’s not a straight across application but it is as real as butter on bread. See, organized religion thrives in an environment of a pseudo self-regulation. Akin to how corporations run their regulators.)

I say “pseudo” because regulation within the church, whether it's from the super institutional groups like the Mormons or Catholics or in the small, single-unit non-denominational churches on the corner with a board, the game of church playing and politicking reigns supreme. In other words, “regulator-apparents,” as seen in elders boards, financial oversight committees, or a pack of deacons, are (LISTEN) ALWAYS in-house, and since part and parcel of what they all stand for as Christians is peace and unity their regulatory efforts are almost always compromised, politicized, or won over by a slap on the back.

What I am saying is that there is a pretense of regulation but in reality they are just

Challenging the Status Quo in Faith

Playing church.

However – there are exceptions to this – and the exceptions within religion wind up getting downright dirty, and more divisive than a bitter divorce. Why? In corporations and big Government getting around sticks in the mud is a matter of manipulation. In religion, the name of right, wrong, and even God himself is implored.

The Case of The Second Advent Church

How about some examples? The Second Advent Church of the Wonderful Divine is having its quarterly board meeting and one of the Board members has done a study on tithes and giving. The pastor and board are staunch tithe-guys but one of their regulators has discovered that the principle is unfounded in the New Covenant church. And so he brings it up at the board meeting. The rest of the Board toes the party line (just like the regulators of the S and L’s towed the party line until people lost money) but this one brave soul will not be moved. Their use of tithes is wrong and he believes it should be changed.

After much debate this regulator and his concerns are squashed – and it's church as usual at the Church of the Wonderful Divine. But the regulator who will not be owned refuses to shut the hell up. He raises his hand after service and confronts the pastor. And he is told that he is being contentious. He is told that he is not living by the fruit of the Spirit. The man is relentless and his relentlessness labels him a “busybody,” “a troublemaker,” ultimately someone who has lost the Spirit. In time heretic will be used. And this regulator that will NOT be run is driven away.

The Role of Naysayers in Faith

Listen really closely here – it is the naysayers, and the challengers of the status quo in the faith that have typically been in the right – and NOT the majority nor the consensus!

In the faith, the true regulators are those who refuse to be owned or run! The Isaiah’s, the David’s, the Jeremiah’s, the John the Baptist’s, the Jesus, the Paul’s. In the faith, in the body those who have the best input and the best wisdom on the failures in the faith are the ones who are never allowed to be a part of the faith!

This is how the few are able to maintain control of the many – by labeling those who challenge their ways in deleterious ways relative to God! Now that is sinister. And it is ALL in the name of God!

Allowing Dissenting Voices

The ONLY way to eradicate this from the faith is to allow – not always agree with or conform to – but to at least allow for dissenting voices within any congregation to thrive. For the outsiders with different views to not just remain but to teach and lead and play active roles. Until this happens the worst examples of owning the regulators is NOT found in banking or big business, it's found in the faith.

(beat)

Let’s open up the phone lines.

(801)

And while your calls are being monitored and vetted and scrubbed for anything offensive toward me, my person or this ministry – take a look at this:

(SHOW SPOT HERE)

Calls?