Heart of the Matter

LIVE! From the "Mecca of Mormonism," Salt Lake City, Utah – THIS . . . is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. . . . “Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity Face to Face.”

Show 32 Polygamy IV August 11th, 2009

And I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host. If you have family or friends who cannot get Heart through television, give them a call and tell them to go to www.hotm.tv and they can watch through streaming video from anywhere in the world! Streaming has been updated and is more clear and powerful than ever before! Tell your friends.

Born-Again Mormon and Weekly Bible Study

“I was a Born-Again Mormon.” We recently made the manuscript available online through a downloadable PDF. Go to www.hotm.tv and you can have the book in your hands within minutes for any size donation – or for free for that matter. If you prefer a bound copy, wait a few weeks and we’ll have them available again.

I’ve got a question for you. How well do you know your Bible? Would you like to know it better?

We meet every week throughout the year for an hour on Sundays to study the Bible verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty.. I teach at UofU at 2:30 and then at 7pm at Utah State in Logan. Marcus teaches in Ogden Wednesday nights. Go to www.calvarycampus.com for more information like location and directions. We’re finding that people from all over come and so there is a social element to the study’s as well. All are welcome.

We hope you will join us for our ministries largest annual event on Saturday, Sept 5th at Sugarhouse Park.

Burning Heart 09 – The Big Tent Revival

Bands (including Adams Road from Florida), Jeremiah’s Fire from SLC, and some other local talent. Box Lunches from Subway will be available along with cotton candy, popcorn, inflated bounce houses for the kids, and ministry booths for the adults.

After some food and fellowship, we’re going to head inside a giant tent for the BIG TENT REVIVAL where we’ll worship and have a good old fashion give your life to Jesus message of salvation. If you can’t say you have been born-again, if you wonder about your salvation, or if you wonder about the Lord, come join us. We want to introduce you to Him.

When: Saturday Sept 5th, 2009
Where: Sugarhouse Park
Time: 5 to 8 pm

The Christian Battle

We are living in some strangely fantastic days, my friends. The LORD is drawing and calling and bringing any and all with “ears to hear and eyes to see” in new and miraculous and radical ways. Information is everywhere, and those who have a desire to “seek truth,” will certainly “find Him.”

Yet, at the same time, the counterfeits, and deceptions, and inter-faith hybrids are starting to run amok. There are POWERFUL forces pressing to take hold on people's lives and liberty and to replace them with their own special brand of counterfeit.

The Christian battle is not with those who have been taken captive by these forces but with the forces themselves. Can I say that again? The Christian battle is NOT with those taken captive by dark forces but with the dark forces themselves. It’s sort of like we are liberators of people who have been taken captive and brainwashed by a foreign enemy. We do not blame the captives for resisting us – they have been brainwashed – but we would certainly not hesitate in eliminating the brainwashers if given the chance.

In Eph 6:12 it says:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

I want you to know, that behind the high tower sheen of holiness and cleanliness and righteousness these principalities represent, there exists a horribly dark thread of proud materialism seething in the hearts of these men. They are, as Paul wrote, “angels of light,” who are “transformed as ministers of righteousness.”

CS Lewis described the leaders and institutions of evil that we face in this day and age when he said:

“I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of “Admin.” The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid “dens of crime” that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labor camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Bleeeeeech.”

Paul wrote in 1st Timothy 4:1 . . . that in the latter.

Challenges Facing the Modern Church

In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils . . .

And what do seducing spirits seduce with, my friends? Scripture tells us:

The lust of the flesh.
The lust of the eyes.
The pride of life.

Does this describe you when you really look at your heart or hearts? Has this world view been planted in you by virtue of false doctrines you have inadvertently embraced? SEARCH YOUR HEARTS!

It seems that on every front there is a war being waged today. In the areas of simple common decency, there are the relentless attacks on all forms of morality, on the family unit, and on marriage. While these battles appear so vitally important and worthy of our Christian time and thoughts, they are but a symptom of a much deeper spiritual pandemic – and unfortunately many Christian people have somehow deluded themselves into thinking that these social issues are of the greatest import to humanity and their Christian walk. This is just not so. They are but a by-product of a more sinister conflagration.

The Rise of Social Reform Over Spiritual Truth

More and more we are seeing religions, denominations, and even the cults uniting in a concerted effort to “save the world through social engineering and reform” rather than turning to knowing and worshipping the true and living God. In this insipid delusion, the church has played the fool. Humanity will never be saved by humanity, for salvation – whether in the collective or the individual – comes only by knowing and trusting in the Way, the Truth, and the Life – Jesus. Unfortunately, many churches, denominations, and faiths have replaced reflective cerebral biblical studies with the fleshly activities of reforming social ills.

First, we are going to witness more interfaith “marriages” based solely on the common goal of “curing social ills and saving humanity” rather than discovering and teaching the biblical Jesus. This condition will ultimately lead to the construction of a religious chimera of sorts, who, like Frankenstein, will amble forth with arms outstretched, suffocating anything that startles or disagrees with its narrowed inclinations. Watch as non-Christian faiths like Mormonism continue to successfully integrate themselves into the Christian church in part because they “have such good standards” and represent such “sound family values.” Bleeeech.

A Call for Reflection and Return

What can be done? What can stop the bride of Christ from becoming the bride of Frankenstein? First, the Body must stop trying to save the world with social reform but must instead return to what it is supposed to do – share, teach, and enlighten people with Jesus. Second, the Shepherds of the Body must relentlessly teach the Bible week in and out to their thirsty flock. Not a series on the evils of Dan Brown, Harry Potter, or Islam. Not organizing pro-life campaigns or interfaith marches against the gays. The flock must be fortified and fed with the Word, not moved to empty causes and winless social reform.

Finally, Christians must be reminded that they have a duty to stand up and call things as they are. Put away these ecumenical outreaches, these dialogues for greater understanding – these interfaith picnics and state without fear that – Hell is a reality. Jesus is the ONLY way. The Bible is God’s infallible word. And ANY other way is wrong. It may not be easy, or well received, or increase your popularity – but in the end, it will keep the Body of Christ from becoming a monster. And with that, let’s have a prayer.

PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER
PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER

So we’ll continue tonight to present the history of Mormon polygamy with part four of our coverage.

Author Richard Abanes, speaking of the Mormon practice of polygamy in Utah, wrote in his book "One Nation Under Gods," that “After several years in Utah, Mormon men began realizing that their supply of young women was dwindling.” Two weeks ago, in part III of our coverage, we discussed how Brigham Young and others viewed women as property, even as cattle, which were gathered, owned and exchanged.

Well, when the women started to run in short supply, something needed to be done. LDS missionaries were therefore instructed to bring back as many females as possible from the mission field to replenish the wanting supply. Concerns began to crop up, however, that the missionaries, who were usually a lot younger and more appealing than the brethren back home, would take the “best women for themselves” and leave the graying grandpas with the leftovers. Heber C. Kimball told departing missionaries the following (as found in JOD vol 6).

The Practice of Deception in Historical LDS Polygamy

“You are sent out as shepherds to gather the sheep together; and remember that they are not your sheep: they belong to Him that sends you. Then do not make a choice of any of those sheep; do not make selections before they are brought home and put into the fold. The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettiest women for themselves before they get here, and bringing the ugly ones for us; hereafter you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a fair shake.”

Nice eh?

Now, I’ve got to be honest. If I was the leader of a church that taught that men needed to take on extra wives in order to achieve exaltation, and I desired to surround myself with wives so I could be exalted, I would want the hotties around me too. Huh? Huh????

Historical Misinformation

Well, word got around overseas that women were going back to Utah (or Zion as they called it) and were getting taken in as plural wives. This caused both the LDS leadership and the missionaries to frankly LIE to people about the practice of polygamy in order to convince them to join the church and come to Zion.

The same lying is still going on today by both the missionaries who represent a very limited gospel perspective to investigators and to the leadership who present a very limited, revised, and spun history. For example, the 1866 version of the LDS Doctrine and Covenants in Europe denied polygamy – so did the American version up until 1876 when the monogamy revelation was replaced with the polygamy revelation called D&C 132.

Contradictory Declarations

But in 1866 Brigham Young declared:

“The only men who become gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.”

This same year, Brigham Young’s successor John Taylor said:

“Where did the commandment come from in relation to polygamy? It also came from God . . .” he continued, “when I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I consider them apostates.”

What is interesting is that while in France, this very same John Taylor said in a debate:

“We are accused here of polygamy, and actions the indelicate, obscene and disgusting.” He added, “These things are too outrageous to admit of belief.”

Then he took out the Doctrine and Covenants and read from the edition of the D and C that disavowed polygamy. At the very moment John Taylor, this future president of the Mormon church, while standing on French soil and denied the doctrine and practice of plural marriage, had twelve wives back in Zion who had at that point already bore him eight children. He lied in order to get people to convert and come to isolated Zion.

Continued Deceptive Practices

As with the leaders so with the sheep. Mormon missionaries routinely lied – as they do today – in order to deceive their European audiences. These lies were outright, in the form of half truths, and misinformation.

Three nights ago I was looking up film reviews for a movie my family was going to see. The site is called MRQE.com and it is a repository for thousands of film reviews by hundreds of critics. At the top of this site banner adds advertised the giving away of free Bibles. They prompted people to click on the ads with hook-lines like:

“ ”

And

“ ”

I clicked on an add and was immediately taken to the LDS.org website where I could dialogue with an LDS representative about Mormonism. It was after midnight, but I clicked on the function and was connected to someone named NORMAN who presented the most bifurcated, myopic form of Twistianity I have ever heard. He approach was no different from the early LDS members, missionaries, and leaders who downplayed polygamy.

Deceptive Practices and Their Consequences

In order to deceive European investigators, let me share a story about one woman who was deceived into coming to Zion.

Her name was Caroline Owens and she was friends with one John Miles since they were children living in England. It seems John Miles migrated to Utah as a Mormon, but on a return trip to England, asked Caroline to be his wife, saying they would be wed once they arrived back in Zion. Caroline asked about polygamy, and Miles reassured her that only a few men were allowed more than one wife, but that young men like himself had but one.

The couple came to Utah and Caroline reported that she was treated cordially and with love, but the entire charade revealed itself just hours after her wedding. She recounted: (Read statement here from page 300)

This deception ultimately led to a Supreme Court case in Miles vs. the United States of America.

The Jarman Experience

Before Englishman William Jarman and his wife came to Utah they too had been deceived by LDS missionaries. According to Jarman, the Elder who converted them never denied polygamy, but when asked about it said what missionaries continue to say today: “Polygamy is very rarely followed; the prophet Brigham and one or two others practice it.”

The elder continued to the Englishman’s wife: “But Mrs. Jarman, it is not essential to salvation, as you seem to think, that men must become polygamists.” Remember, two years earlier, Brigham Young actually taught that it was.

What was the fallout if an LDS man or woman refused or spoke against practicing polygamy? The very same fall out if a man or women refuse or speak against something the Mormon leaders say today – with some added pressure.

For instance, there is the documented case of one Bishop Snow, an LDS polygamist living in Manti. It seems old Bishop Snow – a believer in the Principle, in the BOM, in modern-day prophets, etc., etc., – had his eye on a buxom young LDS woman and approach her with an offer to be another one of his wives. The girl thanked Snow but declined, saying she was in love and engaged to a younger man – one Thomas Lewis – who much nearer her age.

Consequences of Dissent

Bishop Snow, invoking God’s name and claiming it was “His will,” explained that her beau could be “gotten rid of or sent on a mission,” but the girl refused. Her refusal was unheard of – just like refusing anything your bishop says comes from the LORD today is not in harmony with LDS protocol – and this caused “the brethren” to call Thomas Lewis in to counsel him to give up his love.

Lewis said, “no way,” and for his insolence, he was attacked held down by a bunch of believers in Joseph’s gospel and brutally castrated by Bishop Snow, who used a bowie knife to do the job. Now, before you pass this off as a singular aberration, there are some things to consider relative to this act of castration that Bishop Snow ruthlessly and selfishly and demonically did to Thomas Lewis:

First, it was done in the name of a man in authority angered at not getting what he wanted. It was done by a true believing Mormon leader. He was held down by the same. I would NEVER be done by Bible-believing Christians, it was a by-product of Mormon doctrine and policy, and here’s the important one – THEY ARE STILL CASTRATING MALES TODAY WHO REFUSE THEIR WILL.

How? By telling them they will lose their wives in the eternities to other worthy LDS men. By telling them they will lose the ability to procreate in the here-after if they leave the Church. By refusing to put independent men in positions of authority, thereby rendering them theologically impotent. From the seed springs a tree, from the tree springs the fruit, from the fruit springs the seed, and on, and on, and on.

Sadly, horribly, disgustingly, the girl ended up marrying Bishop Snow. His counselor recorded in May of 1857 that Thomas Lewis “has now gone crazy.”

In Historian D Michael Quinn’s book, The Extensions of Power, he notes that when Brigham Young was informed of the castration he stated that he felt, “inclined to sustain him,” and then in July, Young wrote to Bishop Snow and said “Just let the matter drop, and say no more about it, and it will soon die away among the people." Like Mountain Meadows, right Brigham?

Let’s open the phone lines: (801) 973-TV20, (801) 973-8820. Please . . . First time callers, LDS callers, Have a comment or Question ready. Turn down your TV sets. While the operators are screening your calls, let’s run this spot.

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