Prosperity Teachings, Part 2

Prosperity Teachings and Mormonism

Live from the Mecca of Mormonism (and the Factory here in Salt Lake City, Utah) this is Heart of the Matter, where . . . Biblical Christianity meets American Evangelicalism Face to Face . . . Show 9 Prosperity Teachings II April 30th 2013

And I’m Shawn McCraney, your host. We praise the True and Living God for allowing us to participate in this, His ministry. We pray His Spirit upon you – and us – tonight.

Grant Palmer's Revelations

Years ago, I met with Grant Palmer, former LDS institute instructor and author of a few good books, the most notable being, An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins. Of all the books a Latter-day Saint could read Palmer’s might be the best. Most of you are probably aware that Brother Palmer recently released a communication that detailed his meeting with some upper echelon LDS leaders. What he reports (and I trust Grant Palmer in what he has to say) is astounding.

Instead of paraphrasing the letter, I want to take the time to read it so as to have it in our archives. Here we go:

"In mid-October 2012, a returned LDS Mission President contacted me to arrange a meeting. Several days later, he called again and said that a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy also wished to attend. He said the General Authority would attend on condition that I not name him or repeat any stories that would identify him. He explained that neither of them, including the GA’s wife, believed the founding claims of the restoration were true. He clarified that they had read my book, An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins, and had concluded that the LDS Church was not true; was not what it claimed to be. The GA often went to the MormonThink.com website for information and there discovered my book. The Mission President said he received my book from the GA. We have at this writing met three times. We first met on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 and again February 14, 2013 at my house. On March 26, 2013 we convened at the GAs house. Upon entering my home for the first meeting the GA said, “We are here to learn.” I recognized him. He has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy for a number of years. He has served in several high profile assignments during this period. The following are the more important statements made by the GA during our first three meetings. We now meet monthly.

Insights into LDS Leadership

He said that each new member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is given one million dollars to take care of any financial obligations they have. This money gift allows them to fully focus on the ministry. He said that the overriding consideration of who is chosen is whether they are “church broke,” meaning, will they do whatever they are told. He said the senior six apostles make the agenda and do most of the talking. The junior six are told to observe, listen and learn and really only comment if they are asked. He said that it takes about two to three years before the new apostle discovers that the church is not true. He said it took Dieter F. Uchtdorf a little longer because he was an outsider. He said they privately talk among themselves and know the foundational claims of the restoration are not true, but continue on boldly “because the people need it,” meaning the people need the church. When the Mission President voiced skepticism and named ___ as one who surely did believe, The GA said: “No, he doesn’t.” The one million dollar gift, plus their totally obedient attitude makes it easy for them to go along when they find out the church is not true. For these reasons and others, he doesn’t expect any apostle to ever expose the truth about the foundational claims.

When I asked the GA how he knew these things, he answered by saying that the Quorum of the Twelve today is more isolated from the Quorums of the Seventies now because there are several of them. When only one Quorum of the Seventy existed, there was more intimacy. During his one on one assignments with an apostle, conversations were more familiar. He said that none of the apostles ever said to him directly that they did not believe; but that it was his opinion based on “his interactions with them.” Also, that none of the Twelve want to discuss “truth issues," meaning issues regarding the foundational

The Struggle of Integrity and Truth in Mormon Leadership

He said that the apostle’s lives are so completely and entirely enmeshed in every detail of their lives in the church, that many of them would probably die defending the church rather than admit the truth about Joseph Smith and the foundations of the church. The GA stated that my disciplinary action (which would have occurred on the final Sunday of October 2010 had I not resigned), was mandated/ordered/approved by the First Presidency of the Church. I said that if the apostles know the church is not true and yet order a disciplinary hearing for my writing a book that is almost certainly true regarding the foundational claims of the church, then they are corrupt even evil. He replied, “That’s right!”

The GA said the church is like a weakened dam. At first you don’t see cracks on the face; nevertheless, things are happening behind the scenes. Eventually, small cracks appear, and then the dam will “explode.” When it does, he said, the members are going to be “shocked” and will need scholars/historians like me to educate them regarding the Mormon past. The Mission President and the GA both said they attend church every Sunday and feel like “a hypocrite and trapped.” The GA said his ward treats him like a king and when he gives firesides and speaks to LDS congregations they have high expectations of him. He would like to do more in getting the truth out besides raising a few questions when speaking and gifting my book to others when feeling comfortable. Perhaps this is why he has reached out to me. The GA is a man of integrity and very loving. Upon leaving each time, he always gives me a big hug.

Historical Evidence and Apostolic Doubts

Do the Following Statements Support the Disclosures of the GA? Apostle Boyd K. Packer said to Michael Quinn when interviewing him for a history position at BYU in 1976, “I have a hard time with historians because they idolize the truth. The truth is not uplifting, it destroys,” quoted in, Faithful History: Essays on Writing Mormon History, editor, George D. Smith, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1992), 76n22. Thomas Stuart Ferguson, a California lawyer, church member and avid amateur archeologist, took the Egyptian papyri that was gifted to the church in 1967 to several Egyptologists at Berkeley, and as I recall Brown University and had them independently translated. All said the papyri were common funerary rites from the Book of the Dead. Ferguson then took their statements to apostle Hugh B. Brown, and after reviewing the evidence “with Brother Brown he said that Brother Brown agreed with him that it was not scripture …. that Hugh B. Brown did not believe the Book of Abraham was what the church said it was” (Journal entry of Ronald O. Barney concerning Thomas Stuart Ferguson on 19 April, 1984. Barney, now retired, worked at the LDS Library and Archives at Church headquarters, in Salt Lake City). Ferguson also said the same to Gerald and Sandra Tanner on December 2, 1970: “Mr. Ferguson had just visited with Mormon apostle Hugh B. Brown before coming to our house, and said that Brown has also come to the conclusion that the Book of Abraham was false” (Letter of Gerald Tanner to Dee Jay Nelson, December 10, 1970, published by Modern Microfilm Co., SLC, Utah).”

Engaging the Leaders of Mormonism

I think this communication suggests a number of important things. First, I think it suggests the best way to reach the top leaders of Mormonism – through people like Grant Palmer – a man of reputation who is willing to make himself available to meet with them and speak with them as one of them. Obviously, they would never engage with a guy like me and we’ve known this all along. But perhaps more to the point is there are Christian people here in state of Utah who have over the years befriended some of the so-called “top brass of Mormonism” and have convinced the many leaders in the Christian community in and out of Utah that this has been effective.

Not so. What they fail to recognize is when Christian seek to assimilate with Mormon leaders the Christian will end up as nothing more than a puppet in their craggy hands. No outsider, no Christian with his politically driven ministerial efforts will ever make a dent in the armor of LDS leadership. Why? Because they will always consider such people uninformed at best . . . and worst, just a tool begging to

Understanding the Core of Mormonism

be used in by Mormonism in its efforts to appear Christian. Additionally, the letter unfortunately reveals what is at the heart of these high-ranking LDS leaders – huMANism.

Let me explain. In the letter, the General Authority talks about the Church cracking, and Palmer quotes him as saying: “Eventually, small cracks appear, and then the dam will “explode.” When it does, he said, the members are going to be “shocked” and will need scholars/historians like me to educate them regarding the Mormon past.”

Let me tell you right now, while I love Grant and his ability to explain Mormon history, when the dam breaks those people are going to need Christian people and responsible, Bible-teaching churches to bring them to the true and living God.

Intellectual Versus Spiritual Needs

See, to the General Authority, everything is intellectually based. How I wish he would have said: “Eventually, small cracks appear, and then the dam will “explode.” When it does, (the General authority said),” the members are going to be “shocked” and will need true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ to take time to show them what it really means to be a Christian.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t this, supporting the fact that even though he has come to see Mormonism for what it is, he has NOT come to see Jesus for who He is… and why He is the only solution.

Finally, I think the letter also pulls back the covers and reveals some very important roots that keep Mormonism thriving. In a way, it gives all of us a pretty clear vision of how Mormonism is in many ways like a giant ponzi scheme.

The Mormon Lifecycle

Having been part of for forty years since birth, let me try and explain how it all works. Say there’s a nice LDS couple. They are married in the temple and they have a son who they choose to raise in the strictest LDS sense of being raised in the Church. By the time this boy can walk and talk he’s bearing his testimony. He has a box where he saves for his (future) full-time mission and another box where he drops a penny every time he earns a dime.

The boy becomes a boy scout, the program the LDS church has adopted for these young men. At twelve he participates in an important rite of passage and receiving a phony Aaronic Priesthood becomes a deacon. Through his teens, he moves up the ranks, in scouting, priesthood, and seminary, all the while being groomed to serve a full-time mission when he turns 18. All the while his parents ensure that he is isolated from bad influences and participates in LDS sponsored activities.

At 18 he serves a full-time mission to somewhere in South America. There he gains the experience of full-time church service. For many (even for myself) this is a very rewarding time – a time of growth, a time of self-discipline, but also a time of self. Here the one-two combo of service in Mormonism begins to take shape – serving the church as a means to improve and promote the self.

Upon his return, he gets married in the temple and like many faithful in the Mormon faith has his sights set on a number of factors: To raise an eternal family with his celestial wife. This includes regular temple attendance (where paying a full tithe is required, among other things), attending all church activities, and holding family home evening. He is also focused on fulfilling his callings with everything he’s got, proving a continued desire to serve, and give his total devotion to building up the Mormon church (he promised, under covenant, to do this when he went through the Mormon temple to do this). In the back of his mind, he begins to hope his allegiance will be rewarded with callings of more and more Church responsibility.

As he proves his allegiance through time, devotion, financial contributions, solid employment, and a faithful spouse (a good gaggle of faithful kids never hurts) he will be promoted up the ranks of local leadership – as sure as grass is green. The more tearful devotion, sacrifice to the church, and money given – the higher the rank (and being popular never hurts either). Our subject may be called to teach seminary, then be the Elders Quorum President. A call to bishop might follow, possibly the Stake High Council and maybe even a call to being a Stake President – all predicated on his worthiness, which is determined by his life.

The Hierarchy within the Mormon Church

Lived devotion to the church, money paid, and popularity with the church. But understand, the single most important factor in rising in the ranks is unwavering devotion to all the church and its leaders demand. So far this has all been local level leadership. It gives thousands upon thousands of men the idea they are important leaders, but they are only grist for the mill called Mormonism.

Moving from the local level leadership to general church leadership is a market jump and here is when success in the secular world really helps. If he makes the grade, he might get a call to being some sort of area president. From there, and this is when things really start heating up, he might be called to being in one of the Quorum of the Seventy. Then once brought into one of the Quorum of the Seventy, after sacrificing his entire existence to the Church and paying out the nose in time, money, allegiance, and in literally every other way you might imagine, he can only hope to get recognized by someone – anyone – as a means to get called up as one of the twelve apostles.

The Path to Apostleship

At this juncture, EVERYTHING has to be in place – every hand dealt well played, every card used properly, every assignment done with the aplomb of a professional, every hair never out of place, every ounce of time devoted (and having the right last name doesn’t hurt either). And then, according to Palmer’s meetings, once he is called up to be an actual apostle (which automatically puts his name in the running to potentially become the prophet who literally sits at the very top of the entire ant hill), he is paid one million dollars – to tow the party line, to keep his mouth shut about the realities which at that level cannot be hid, and to serve as a beacon for fives of millions of other males (and now females) yearning to “make it in Mormonism.”

The sinister thing about this game is everyone is fodder, everyone is grist for the Mormon mill and by the time most active adults have served a mission, married in the temple, and birthed a couple of kids, they are far too invested to ever change… even when the truth becomes apparent. What a sad, sinister regime. This is just one reason why we have devoted so much time to exposing the institution for what it is. What a LOT more information? Go to www.hotm.tv for more than 350 hour-long programs just waiting to be viewed.

The Influence of Joseph Smith

In the Salt Lake Tribune, there was a cover article in section D titled Romancing the Prophet. It seems some woman, not LDS, became wholly enamored with the tale and stories of Joseph Smith while working on The Mormon’s television series and wrote a book titled, “Falling in Love with Joseph Smith.” I’m taking the time to point this out not to promote the book but to point out that the Spirit of Smith is palpable even to non-believers in his religious tomfoolery.

Mezmerizers and con men all carry great appeal, which is why even after their deaths people can become enamored with their “cult of personality.” From Rasputin to Don Juan to Elvis to Joseph Smith, attraction continues from the grave – especially as myth becomes detached from fact and these cult figures become, ironically, larger than life.

People frequently ask, “In light of all that is out about Mormonism, what do you think will happen to it in the years and decades to come?" One of two main things – either it will go the way of the World Wide Church of God and distance itself from Smith and his deceptions OR it will become a center for godless humanism and the elevation of Man. I am more inclined at this point to think it will take the latter course.

Demands from the City

The city has made a number of demands. Some reasonable, some difficult to understand. Some downright hard to bear. Four days ago we received a downright hard to bear demand from out of the blue.

See, we were told, without any warning, that we had to hire a Mechanical Engineer to come and test the building’s envelope as a means to mathematically prove that our interior heating system is capable of keeping the building at 68 degrees Fahrenheit thirty-six inches above the floor when there is 8 degree weather outside. This would mean including all the factors of square footage, windows, doors, bearing walls, heating equipment, condition of the property envelope in its war with 8 degree outside. Calling several Mechanical Engineers I learned it would be thousands of dollars and a minimum of two weeks to four weeks to get everything completed – and we’ve already postponed church meeting here three times.

On Friday morning I received a call back from a man who identified himself as Scott. He was one of the mechanical engineers I contacted the day before but he was out when I called. He told me that I sounded desperate over the phone (I admitted I was with a laugh) and he asked if he could come over.

You want a miracle – that was a miracle. All from the hands of God, through His intervention, in His time, and according to His purposes and will. What did I do? Nothing but walk in faith, working and waiting on Him to act. And then trusting that when he does, it is the right thing. What would I have done if the mechanical engineer showed up and said it will take four weeks and would cost $500.00 – gone with it, in faith, knowing and trusting that the Lord was in it and working things out.

We walk in faith, trusting in Him and His will, praying for strength to understand it, praying for intervention on our behalf and then ACCEPTING whatever the outcome – whether that outcome seems good or bad.

Prosperity Teachers

So let’s continue where we left off last week in our examination of prosperity teachers. But first, a prayer.

So . . . prosperity teachers . . . we can almost draw a thick black line between the culprits who teach stuff and true biblical Christianity.

The Line Between Teachings

What is that line? On the prosperity teaching side we discover human self-sufficiency, human empowerment, and the call that all human beings need to come to terms with the divinity within them. In the Spirit of such stuff listen to these statements: Kenneth Hagin: “God made us in the same class of being that he is Himself . . . that’s who we are, we’re Christ . . . as much an incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth . . . in God’s class . . . gods.” Kenneth Copeland: “You don’t have God in you. You are one.” The Maharishi Mahesh said “Be still and know that you are God when you know that you are God, YOU WILL BEGIN TO LIVE GODHOOD…”' (Meditations of Maharishi Mahesh yogi p.178) White Witch Margo Adler said: “We are gods and might as well get good at it” (Drawing Down the Moon, 1986. p. 25. Margo Adler) And LDS Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith said “Mortality is the testing or proving ground for exaltation to find out who among the children of God are worthy to become Gods themselves, and the Lord has informed us that "few there be that find it." (Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.69 – p.70)

Biblical Christianity Perspective

On the other side of this thick black line we find believers (of all socio-economic levels) who read the Word of God, see and know that we are called to walk by faith, that we trust in God Almighty to bestow (or to not bestow) blessings of health and wealth upon us, and quite frankly, the New Testament pictures all believers . . . SUFFERING. Prosperity teachers say and/or infer that suffering (financial/physical) is beneath a god in embryo, and since Jesus came and paid the price of sin, suffering is not the destiny of believing Christians. They must not read the New Testament.

First of all, let’s look at the life of Christ. I do not read about a life of luxury but of a life where the Son of Man had no place to rest His head. I do not see a man of prosperity but a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

The Biblical Perspective on Suffering

Witnesses, who did their life’s work after Jesus paid for the sins of the world, did not experience a life of prosperity or even great health. Instead, every one of them suffered. As will every faithful Christian. It is a biblical promise. And let me tell you, the closer we draw to Him and His ways in our lives, the more suffering we will experience as His disciples. That’s a guarantee – but one most people do not want. So they clamor over to false teachers who, in the spirit of this world, promise them health and wealth and prosperity. Let’s go to the Word. What does it say?

Biblical References to Suffering

Consider Romans 8:16: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Philippians 1:29 says, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” To the Thessalonica, Paul said in 1st Thessalonians 3:4, “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”

Why tribulation? Romans 5, my friends – Romans 5:3 “. . . but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” See, by and through suffering and tribulation, God is able to take weak, saved baby-Christians and turn them into heirs of Christ who are filled with sound expectation in His ability to see them through all things . . . what scripture calls “hope.”

The Counter Argument of Health and Wealth

The health and wealth philosophy speaks counter to this process, and instead suggests that God wants His children in this world to prosper in beggarly elements. 2nd Timothy 2:11-12 states, “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him (meaning crucified to our lives in the flesh), we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.” Why does scripture tell us to take up our cross instead of hire someone to transport it for us? If believers have the power and ought to have the desire to speak prosperity, comfort, and material blessings, and healings into existence, why does James say tell us believers to: James 5:10-11 “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” If believers are supposed to command their will be done by producing prosperity and healing, why does the writer of Hebrews say: “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Hebrews 10:36-37.

Suffering in the Life of Apostle Paul

Was the Apostle Paul, “a recipient of Jesus stripes and salvation” weak of faith? He certainly didn’t live a prosperous life of health and wealth, did he? Listen to what he said comparing his life to others: 2 Corinthians 11:23 “. . . in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” Sound like prosperity or a life of health and wealth?

Learning from Different Approaches

Explained how she was leaving Mormonism and how she has learned from books by Philip Yancy the importance of love and grace in dealing with people. She went on to tell me how off the mark I was with my methods. She used scripture to prove it, and she shared anecdotal stories taken from Yancy’s books on how to reach the lost, etc. Her approach to me was loving but earnestly concerned about my acerbic methods. She was disgusted with the way I talked with people of her faith even though she was leaving for doctrinal reasons. And she signed off.

Responding to Criticism

I wrote back: On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 6:27 AM, shawn@alatheamedia.com wrote:

Dear Angela,

Over the past seven years I have received emails (like yours) from people who ardently believe that the only "right and correct" way to reach LDS people is through their prescribed methods. They cite scripture, tell me stories, and gently (or at times caustically) correct my methods. I am always left wondering what the motive is that drives writers like you. Do you want me to change how I do things? Do you want me to do them as you understand scripture? Between the lines are you really saying, "Shawn bad, me good?" or "I could do a better job than he does!" I can never tell what drives you guys. Maybe it's concern, maybe your writing as an enlightened friend. Maybe you are a “my way or the highway type?"

Understanding Different Methods

What I do know is this:

1. There are a lot of methods that work in reaching others. Mine may not work on many (or most) but they DO WORK on some and they do plant seeds in others. How can we tell the effectiveness of each method? There are LOTS of people who advise on how things ought to be done, but how do we measure what works and what is just opinion? I'll let you answer this for yourself.

2. The Bible is full of examples of doing exactly what I do. You have presented me with a myopic view – a passage here and there, usually given to believers and not to the missional world of reaching others. Read Matthew 23. Research the Greek word epagonidzomai.

3. There are expressions of love that are quiet and longsuffering and full of gentleness. Then there are expressions of love based in urgency and require immediate action. You have presented me with the former, citing Yancy and his books. The love by which I operate is the same type of love that causes a man to shout at a child to get off out of the street in the face of an oncoming truck, that drives a physician to tell a person that are fat and need to lose weight, the kind that calls people on their garbage and tells them to get real.

There are a dozen more things I know about why we do what we do. But not enough time to share them. Tell you what though, get out there in the trenches, work full time in dialoging with the LDS, and after a year or two of real engagement, write me back and tell me about your successes, okay?

God bless.

Today, Angie wrote back.

Shawn,

My husband Michael and I recently watched your "mormonstories" interview with John Dehlin and thought it was so inspiring. Your honesty and candidness were so refreshing. I know I sent the "I am concerned about your methods" email and I was sincere at the time- but I think it is because when you first come out of the church you are soooo afraid of what your mormon friends might think that a soft touch is the only way to win them over. I can see better now that it's the TRUTH that wins people for Christ however and varied the approach might be. One of these days I will get over my fear and be brave enough to tell my family and friends what I have done (only a few know) and let things fall how they may.

VERY GOOD EMAIL On a previous show Shawn gave a story of 2 neighbors, one who did the right thing all his life but had unforgiveness in his heart and one who did the wrong thing all his life but repented seconds before he died from having a 747 fall out of the sky onto his house. What I want to know, and maybe others would be interested as well, is what do

Understanding Life's Challenges

You say to the guy who does not squander his life (at least not in the usual sense) but squanders it trying to do the right thing, but god continually shits upon him with poor health for him and his family, financial difficulties, family difficulties… basically one thing after another with no letup whatsoever his entire life long. Doesn't this guy have a right to hate god for everything that god did to him? The drunkard expects to waste his life, but the guy who tries to do right, tries to work and support family, … and ends up at the same place as the drunkard at the end of his life due to continual reversals… I think he is totally justified in hating god. You should do a show on that.

Reflections on Prosperity

IF TIME, WRAP UP PROSPERITY TEACHING WITH READING FROM JOHN 15 and Hebrews 12.

Conclusion

“We’ll see you next week, here on Heart of the Matter.”