In this episode of Heart of the Matter Full Circle, Shawn McCraney directly addresses Presidents Russell Nelson and Dallin Oaks, leaders of the LDS Church, calling out the religious burdens imposed on their members. Drawing from his personal journey of spiritual liberation in 1997, Shawn contrasts the teachings of the LDS Church with the simple, transformative message of faith in the finished work of Yeshua. He challenges the hypocrisy and institutional demands that overshadow true faith, referencing scripture and personal experiences to urge the LDS leadership to embrace and preach the gospel of grace without the weight of religious intermediaries.

Dear Presidents Nelson and Oaks

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Addressing the Leaders of the LDS Religious Empire

Well, tonight, I want to speak directly to the two Presidents currently at the top of the LDS Religious Empire – President Russell Nelson, who is called their prophet, seer, and revelator, and President Dallin Oaks, who is President of their Quorum of false Twelve Apostles and who (according to historical tradition) is in line to become the next Prophet, Seer, and Revelator if Nelson dies before he does.

Introduction

Dear Presidents Nelson and Oaks of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

The date is September 3rd, 2024, and my name is Shawn McCraney.

I am a former member of the church you govern and promote out into the world as “the only true church on the face of the earth.”

Admittedly, in my youth, I took pride in this claim, and when I served a mission, I proudly taught it, even clung to it as someone who dutifully served the church until I asked to be excommunicated in 2001. Wasn’t always worthy, but I served until the bitter end.

My Perspective

I do not know of any other way to address you men other than from my own point of view of things because that is all I truly know and understand, so I do not pretend to represent any other.

My person, status, and stature in this world are less than a nobody because of the harm I have inflicted on others throughout my younger life, so I would imagine that my speaking to you will either never reach your ears, and if it does, will fall on ears deaf to what I have to say.

Reflection on Last Week’s Program

Last week, we did a program where I cited your third article of faith and mentioned how “obedience to the Laws and Ordinances of the LDS Gospel” which you two boldly represent can bless the lives of those devout enough to obey everything they promise to obey – this includes promises of health and strength, long-life for some, financial success for others, and strong and devoted marriages so long as your laws and oaths are kept, which members make at baptism, as well as when they go to the temple for the first time.

I also said last week, Presidents Nelson and Oaks, that in my estimation, having studied institutional religions most of my adult life, that out of all the organized religions on the face of the earth, Mormonism is the best in terms of religious operations, organization, fiscal strength, and overall leadership – almost without exception.

For most people, this is enough to want to belong.

As proof of these benefits, your so-called “Restored Gospel” has been very successful in producing what the world would see as exceptional citizens who contribute to society, Government agencies, and a number of other impressive realms of human existence.

Personal Accomplishments of the Presidents

On the surface, I tend to believe that in your own respective lives, Presidents Nelson and Oaks, you each represent “the results of Mormonism” in some of its finest forms.

For example, President Nelson, you will be celebrating reaching 100 years of age in just a few days! That’s not only a long life, but it has been one of great accomplishment and success – which many of your members see as living proof that you truly represent what God Himself wants the world to be.

You attended the University of Utah, where you got your medical degree at the young age of 22, and then after your residency, you obtained an additional Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. You even served your country in the Korean War before helping to create a heart-lung machine that has helped innumerable souls, all before becoming a professor at the U of U and spending 29 years in cardio thoracic surgery.

These are admittedly some tremendous personal accomplishments and can only be applauded by any reasonable person who hears of them.

Of course, President Oaks, prior to your becoming an apostle, you attended BYU, then you got your Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago. Afterward, you served in the esteemed position as legal secretary for Chief Justice Earl Warren before being made president of Brigham Young University. Thereafter, you sat on the Utah Supreme Court before both you and President Nelson were made what your religion says are “apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ” – which occurred in 1984, the year my wife and I were sealed in the Los Angeles temple.

My Own Failings

In the face of what you have made of your lives by living the Restored Gospel, I honestly and frankly stand ashamed for everything I failed to do while I was an active member of your church.

Unlike you men, I cheated my way through every level of formal education – from grade school to high school and then on into BYU, where you presided over my Freshman year, President Oaks.

I think back on that time every now and again and wonder why your devotional speeches never rang right in my head.

And where I am pretty sure illegal drugs, alcohol, or coffee have ever touched either of your lips, I’ve not hesitated to imbibe.

I suppose you could say, along with your other members, that this is the reason my life was such a mess. I tend to see the mess as the result of something deeper.

I’m also sure neither of you has ever stolen anything, been in a fist-fight, or a street brawl, and I am willing to bet neither of you has ever been arrested.

Worst of all (in my book) is I am certain neither of you has ever cheated on your spouses (I say “spouses” not because there are two of you but because you have both been sealed to two women for time and all eternity, thereby fulfilling your founder’s revelation that plural marriage is a requirement for anyone seeking to enter the highest degree of Celestial life). Unfortunately, I cannot say the same.

I wish I could – but why I couldn’t will become apparent soon enough. Oh, and please understand, Presidents, I am not in any way proud or boasting of any evil I have ever done, nor am I proud of my nature to do them – I really am ashamed of the sinful life I’ve lived – especially in comparison to yours – and especially up until August of 1997.

A Turning Point in 1997

See, it was in August of 97 where, after decades of trying to become like one of you but failing miserably for too many reasons to name here, I was liberated and set on a course in the life I have followed ever since, which, oddly enough, I see as far more authentic, honest, and Godly than the combined years of good works and leadership you two offer the world.

The reason is my works on that day became the works of the Son of God and not from my will, not from obedience to laws or ordinances, and not from the desires of my flesh.

Things shifted when I heard a radio preacher say something over the air that nobody in your organization had ever said to me in my many years of struggles and searching.

The message was simple, Presidents Nelson and Oaks – so simple, and I have often wondered what it is about you two and all those who have come before you as leaders in your church that have NEVER shared it with me when I was a member.

His message obviously included nothing about temple attendance or baptismal covenants, nothing about wearing garments, honoring an unbiblical priesthood, attending church meetings, paying tithes, being sealed, fulfilling callings, staying out of debt, avoiding alcohol, being chaste, avoiding substances, or ANY of the things you impose on your members as the means to reach your celestial Kingdom – all the man asked his audience was the following question, saying:

“If you could get yourself right before God, why haven’t you done it?”

Now in my case, this was a really good question, dear Presidents, as I had tried, really – I had tried.

The Difference Between Us

And it is here where you Presidents, prophets, seers, revelators, doctors, judges, and I, a pathetic sinner who couldn’t cut it as a Latter-Day Saint, DRASTICALLY . . . differ.

I continued to listen as the man answered his own question and said,

“The reason you haven’t (gotten yourself right with God) is because you can’t –
That is why God sent us His only begotten Son – to do everything that you can’t do.”

And here is the interesting part – it was right here – all the way back in 1997, where the tables turned on my perspective of you as leaders and apostles.

It was here that I began to understand the difference between men like you and a man like me.

Oh sure, I remain a loser in the face of this world – nothing’s ever gonna change that.

But from what I have come to understand about Our Maker, the living God whose name is YAHAVAH who gave the world His only Son named Yeshua, you have your reward, and all the glory, and all the honors, and all the accomplishments are about to fade forever from view in your lives.

See, the thing that happened that day to me in 1997 is a thing that can and will happen to every one of the millions of members you lead – if you would only have only taught them His truth.

It could have come about had either of you had the guts during your tenures to preach and proclaim to dozens of millions of souls who have looked to you for guidance that their works are but filthy rags and that there is one way alone to please God – and that is by faith in the finished work of His Son – His FINISHED works.

The Message of 1997

All the way back in 1997, sitting in my car with nothing to show for myself but a heart yearning for truth, the Living God opened my eyes, Presidents Nelson and Oaks, and I saw the Truth with a capital T.

The Truth was not you nor anyone like you. It is not in man-made intermediaries like religions, prophets, false apostles, or phony priesthoods.

It is only found in receiving and believing in the FINISHED work of His Son.
Period, Presidents Nelson and Oaks.
Period.

Freedom from Religious Intermediaries

From that day forward, I knew that I would never ever need to look to or listen to another man again who claimed religious authority or possession of the true Church.

From that day forward, I was freed from all idolatrous intermediaries like you who try and insert themselves between me and my Maker and then take His glory.

From that day in 97 out to this day in 2024, He has equipped and supported me in my personal drive to liberate souls trapped by the likes of you.

And ever since, everything else fell into place. Our family, unlike your threats and warnings, has been abundantly blessed by Him, not by our earning blessings through dark arts.

What You Really Are

And I see and have seen, clearly, what both of you really are despite your earthly accomplishments – you are counterfeits, idols, false intermediaries who have earnestly sought to prop yourselves up to be adored.

Extended out even further? You have embraced and promoted chains of spiritual darkness that have served to keep millions of souls from knowing Him intimately, or His singular solution, or Him as their loving, unconditional God.

Looking back, I now compare our lives in a very different way.

Sadly, I now see you as frightened men, too afraid to genuinely introduce the only solution God has ever had for this world – His Son – and to renounce the rest.

Instead, you have continued, consistently, energetically, even, it appears up to your death, to Darkly, selfishly, even demonically, promote what is “another way,” a way that keeps innocent trusting people in spiritual darkness.

The Result of Your Teachings

In making them believe that they can impress God by their righteous living, by obedience to your crumbling laws and ordinances, and in continuing to stand up in front of millions and sing praises to a man who communed with Jehovah – and as prophets don’t even know or use His real names.

It is here that the words of Paul override all the life works and words you present to the world as justification for them looking to you, Presidents Nelson and Oaks, as this true Apostle said in his day:

1 Corinthians 1:17-29

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Your Qualifications Mean Nothing

If Paul was correct, what can we say about your accomplishments qualifying you as God’s representatives?

They mean absolutely nothing. And you stand before Him and the world utterly unqualified, for you fail to solely preach the FINISHED works of God’s Son.

The Pharisees of Yeshua’s Day

In your case, Presidents Nelson and Oaks, you more fit the qualifications of the Pharisees in Yeshua’s day, whom He called out directly in Matthew 23:

Let’s close this letter up and see if His words to them better expose you as qualified or not, as He said to the crowds and disciples around Him:

Matthew 23:2-3
2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat;
3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.”

Let me give you an example of how both of you Presidents also meet this insight from the King. The LDS twelfth article of Faith reads:

“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates in OBEYING, HONORING, and SUSTAINING the law.”

It appears you not only pretend to do this but that you also demand that those under you in Stake and Ward leadership ask all of their temple-attending members, “if they are honest in all their dealings with their fellow man,” and then deny temple recommends if they admit that they are not.

Hypocrisy in Action

But like all religious phonies, you don’t hold yourselves up to the same standards, do you?

Hypocritically, the top six leaders of the Church who directly oversee the investments of “Ensign Peak” for more than a decade were directly approving of its every major financial move, which included authorizing them to “misrepresent and misfile” the church’s holdings to the SEC, causing the Securities and Exchange Commission to fine them five million dollars (which is nothing), which they flat-out paid, and quietly walked away from unscathed.

You two Presidents, so wise in the ways of the world along with Eyring and another three, “preach honesty in all your dealings but lied like criminals to a governing body in the Nation.”

Now you Presidents have literally joined the ranks of a loser like me – but worse – you do it as religious leaders when I only did things when I was one of your members.

Yeshua continues and addresses more to the phony religious leaders of His day, saying,

Matthew 23:4
4 They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.

Burdens on the Members

How are you doing this, Presidents Nelson and Oaks? You push, from the top down, and upon all of your people to:

• Attend the temple monthly. (That’s a heavy burden in this day and age)
• Pay their tithes (on gross earnings) and offerings too. (More burden because you can’t get in the temple unless you pay to play.)
• You press in on them to live by every law and covenant placed upon them, including rightly answering all the temple worthiness questions, and fulfilling their callings.
• Honoring their false priesthood.
• Attending their every meeting.

Burdens!
Burdens!
Burdens!

But worst of all, insisting that your members give all that they have or may have to the building up of your institution!

Those are Dark arts.

Yeshua’s Rebuke

Yeshua adds,

Matthew 23:5-7
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad.
6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,
7 and salutations in the marketplaces, and being called rabbi by men.

Why do you allow other human beings to stand up when you enter a room? You idols of death?

Why do you have people address you using your damn middle initials? You pretentious false religionists? Why do you claim to be prophets, seers, and revelators when Christ is the prophet, the seer, and the revelator to all of humanity forevermore?

How come nobody can approach you unless you invite them? Are you more important than Yeshua?

All of it is utterly pathetic in the face of our Living God from whom you take glory, as Yeshua adds,

Matthew 23:11-12
11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;
12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

A Call for Humility

How about you Presidents humbling yourselves and asking people to refrain from standing when you enter a room? How about you praise God in Yeshua’s name before them, rejoicing in Him and Him alone, and refusing to add Smith, or Young, or your institution to the list?

Why won’t either of you or your cronies admit that you too are sinful, that you stand in constant need of God’s grace, and that anything you do of worth is by and through the power of Yeshua the Messiah’s finished work?

You won’t do it because you can’t do it. You’ve given your allegiance to another source and do everything you can to make your members do the same.

Yeshua adds,

Matthew 23:13
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in.”