Heart of the Matter – November 4th, 2008

Live! From the “Mecca of Mormonism” SALT LAKE CITY, Utah . . . 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!”

Episode 46: Word of Wisdom III

The Role of the Church in Today's World

And I’m Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host, on this historic night, November 4th, 2008, where America speaks their mind. Hey, if your family or friends can’t watch Heart of the Matter on television because they have dish or are out of the area, have them go to www.HOTM.tv and they can watch it live streaming video from anywhere in the world! Also, you can hear Heart of the Matter on AM 820 The Truth right now – Tuesday evening from 8 to 9 pm mountain time. That’s AM 820 The Truth and/or www.hotm.tv for streaming video.

Well, it pretty much goes without saying that the United States of America – this nation – is in the midst of a ferocious battle for its very soul, with “soul” being defined as the Mind, Will, and Emotion of the nation. As I drive around this beautiful state and in my home state of California, I see rabid campaigning for McCain, and cult-like promotion of Obama. I’d like to take a moment tonight and speak to this. Not because I think what I will say will affect anything tonight, or tomorrow, or this year. But someday, maybe someone will take a minute out of their day and replay this commentary. And maybe someday there will be even MORE of a pressing need for what I am about to share. My words tonight are to confirmed Christians of all denominations. I am speaking to people who embrace Jesus as the Lord, Savior and King of their lives.

While the world – or especially the nation – is falling all over themselves for change, for hope, for a savior, if you will, let me remind you that you discovered Him already. He came with a valid and applicable message of True Hope and Salvation. He came and offered you THE ONLY place where solace can be found and . . . and TRUSTED. The answers to your problems AND the problems of our nation and world DO NOT lie -and NEVER have been found in an elected official, his or her abilities, charisma, or strengths. The world has NEVER found salvation in the power of men – only despair. Remember, my friends, that it is the “churches” job – your pastors, your priests, your reverends, to bring you week after week closer to the True and Living Savior. It is from the pulpit that all seekers and believers ought to embrace the only true campaign speeches ever given – which come directly from the Word of God. The church of Jesus Christ has NO business – none – in politics. We know where salvation lies for the children, for the teens, for adults, for parents, for education, for the community, and for the World itself – in Jesus Christ.

To the Christian, anything and everything else is but a temporary fix. Contrary to the focus and drive of most Christian radio and television ministries, our hope and duty lies not in social activism but in Jesus and Jesus alone – in sharing Jesus, in exemplifying Jesus, in loving and teaching as Jesus would love and teach. This was His message to us but the church – and its representatives – have somehow decided it is the Christian duty to save the world. HA!

Like many of you, we have been swamped with dire warnings about our future, with a “call to arms” against the destructive powers that loom precariously on the horizon. We are deluged with reminders that it is our duty – our Christian duty – to stand out in the street and fight against the rivers of filth that are collecting, even threatening, to completely saturate the American Way of life. Recently, I received yet another “call to action” email from a well-meaning Christian friend who I went to ministry school with in California. There was an attached video that he suggested all pastor’s show in their churches the Sunday before the national elections. I sent him a response that said:

If the world needed a political mover and shaker to save it, this is what Jesus would have been. But He wasn’t. Not even close. He was a saver of souls, a lover of men, and women and children, a creator, a sharer of eternal truth. I’ve got news for you – we will NEVER win

The Role of Believers Amidst War

The war of the world – never. Nor will we stop its progress. But we can – certainly – as believers in the saving message of True Hope – share this message (that has saved us) with the war-torn casualties who lie bleeding and wounded in its wake. This is what Jesus did. This is what we must do. This is the Christian duty.

I recently stopped by Utah Lighthouse Ministry and had a short conversation with Sandra Tanner. I needed some advice on some books – which I received. By the way, Utah Lighthouse Ministries is running a special where they will give you I Was A Born-Again Mormon as a gift when you purchase over 40.00 in other books or resource material – so go to www.utlm.org for more information on that. But anyway, one of the books Sister Tanner recommended to me is called: The Golden Bible, or The Book of Mormon, Is it from God? By M.T. Lamb. The thing is amazing. Tremendous insights and a great read.

Examination of the Book of Mormon

You see, MT Lamb was a preacher who really – I mean truly – dug into the book of Mormon and examined it linguistically, contextually, and comparatively against the Word of God. Nearly every paragraph presents a diamond of perspective in which I have never considered. I think I am going to do a little segment of these little diamonds each week before the monologue. Here’s tonight's:

Brother Lamb takes the Bible a shows the exquisite nature of God’s Word. That the Holy Spirit fell upon people and caused them to write what God would have them write and how the product of their revelations was extremely concise yet overflowing with depth and purpose.

The Process of Translation

Now the important thing to remember about the Book of Mormon is Joseph DID NOT TRANSLATE the book – NOT A SINGLE SENTENCE. Sometimes people get the idea that he read the plates, then sort of figured out what the ancient language was saying, then wrote it to the best of his ability. Not so.

The Three Witnesses wrote that he translated the book BY the “Gift and Power of God.” You will learn more of what this means in a minute. David Witmer, one of the Three Witnesses, said: “The tablets or plates were translated by Smith, who used a small oval, or kidney-shaped stone called the Urim and Thummim, that seemed endowed with the marvelous power of converting the characters on the plates, when used by Smith, into English.” So the characters etched in the plates, according to Witmer, were converted into English by the marvelous power of a rock. How?

Martin Harris, one of the three witnesses, said: “By aid of the seer-stone, sentences would appear and were read by the prophet . . . so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used.” Recall that He put His face in a hat with the stone inside of it, and words would appear to Him, and Joseph would read the words, and if they were read correctly and recorded correctly, they would disappear and be replaced by the appearance of more “precise words.”

This was NOT translating, it was Joseph reading written dictation from the plates and a scribe recording them. So clear was the writing that witnesses claimed that there were even occasions when a word would show up that Joseph didn’t know how to pronounce and he would spell it out so the scribe wouldn’t make any error in transcribing it to the paper! Okay, got all that?

Now the LDS claim this is why the Book of Mormon can be trusted over the Bible – because it has NOT been repeatedly translated over and over again throughout the ages like the Bible but instead came from the original writers by the power of God through one single man!

The language of the Bible is exquisite, profound, succinct, and expands in texture and richness each time it is read. We’ll let me read you a few direct quotes that were, remember, supposed to have come directly from the Power of God, to Joseph Smith, and into the Book of Mormon.

“Yea, if my days could have been in them days . . .”

“And they did arrive to the promised land . . .”

“And thus we see that they had buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace . . .”

Now, I have no issue with Joseph, as the author of the Book of Mormon (which the Book of Mormon used to list him as)

Examination of Errors in Translations

making such errors. But to receive the actual words by God, through his stone, in the hat, and to have God’s write like this?

Oh, there are just hundreds and hundreds of them . . . but let me give you some of the more ludicrous examples:

In Alma it is written –

“There were no robbers,” (Alma explains) nor murderers; neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of ites, but they were in one, the children of Christ??!”

“Yea, there were no stalagmites, nor stalagtites, nor men in tights, nor gay rights nor city lights neither bar fights nor shi’ites,

Brother.

But one of the all time greats reads:

“and went forth among the people, waving the rent of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had wrote upon the rent.”

Acceptable for an author? Sure.

Acceptable even for someone attempting to translate from one language into another? Yes!

But unacceptable for words coming directly from God to the eyes of a living prophet!

Reflection on Translation

Think about it.

Next week we’re going to examine Book of Mormon miracles.

So with that, let’s have a word of prayer.

PRAYER PRAYER PRAYER Open our eyes, and ears, and help us know your will, Lord.

The Evolution of the Word of Wisdom

Two weeks ago we started talking about the Word of Wisdom, which is where the LDS get their rules and laws for health.

We talked about the circumstances in which Joseph Smith received the so-called revelation.

Last week, we showed how little the revelation actually meant to Joseph Smith himself since after it was given, he continued to drink alcohol and use tobacco.

Tonight we are going to look at how the LDS application and interpretation of the Word of Wisdom has evolved over the years, becoming today a watermark of holiness where obedience is required in order to live with God again.

In the journals and Histories of the Church, as well as other reliable historical places, the evidence is ample that the early Latter-day Saints understood the Word of Wisdom in vastly different ways. After all, it was given by way of sound advice, and not a commandment.

Remember, that in general the Christian community was far more legalistic in these matters of drink and smoke than Mormons in their first 70 years of existence – with Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and B.H Roberts greatly enjoying in the partaking of the fruits of the earth.

In 1898, nearly 45 years after the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. of Joseph Smith, the First Presidency and quorum of the Twelve Apostles sat down and deliberated over the Word of Wisdom.

Lorenzo Snow, who was the president of the Twelve Apostles believed that the WOW should be lived to the letter including the eating of meat except in extreme circumstances, because Joseph Smith taught that animals have spirits.

Deliberations on the Word of Wisdom

The Prophet at the time, Wilford Woodruff agreed, but said they should hold off on enforcing it – especially the eating meat part.

The minutes of the meeting read:

“President Woodruff said he regarded the WOW in its entirety as given of the Lord for the LDS to observe, but he did not think Bishops should withhold temple recommends from persons who did not adhere to it strictly.”

That was 1898.

Now, either the WOW was from God’s mouth or it was not.

Either it was to be obeyed to display worthiness, or it was not.

Either a man was defiled by having a drink, or a smoke, or he was not.

But it seems that even after the turn of the century, LDS leaders couldn’t agree upon what was true and right and what was not.

After Lorenzo Snow became president of the Church he again stood fast for strict obedience to the WOW – including NOT eating meat – but some of the twelve apostles did not believe this included drinking beer – especially Danish beer and current wine.

Apostles Anthon H. Lund and Mathaias Cowley enjoyed Danish beer and currant wine, as did Charles W. Penrose. Emmaline B. Wells, a member of RS presidency and later President enjoyed an occasional cup of coffee, and George Albert Smith took brandy “for medicinal reasons.”

Hey, that’s why I drink tequila! J/k!

Apostles George Teasdale and President Woodruff though eating pork was a far more serious crime than drinking coffee or tea.

Heber J Grant appears to have been the most vocal in favor for total WOW adherence. He was a leader in the state prohibition movement. Grant was outraged – outraged – when some of the apostles actually opposed the prohibition of beer sales at the Salt Air Saloon.

When Lorenzo Snow died, and Joseph F Smith took

The Word of Wisdom and Its Evolution

His place, he sort of echoed Heber J. Grant's strong opinions for the WOW – but the use of meat was sort of dropped altogether at this time. I love it when the word of God is sort of open to what suits you. By 1902, the First Presidency and Twelve agreed not to “fellowship with anyone who frequented or operated saloons (I wonder if this would have included the Marriott Hotel guys at the time) and they urged the stake Presidents to refuse to give flagrant violators of the WOW temple recommends. (They did suggest leniency for those old men who liked tobacco and old ladies who enjoyed their tea).

By mid-1905 the campaign to sort of obey the WOW or not be allowed in leadership started taking hold under the leadership of the First Presidency. To be consistent with this focus, they made an administrative change, beginning July of 1906, to replace the sacramental wine in their temple meetings with water.

The Symbolism of Wine

Now, really pause and think about this. Jesus HIMSELF drank wine and commanded us to drink wine in remembrance of His shed blood. And the LDS drink water! In fact, it is often rotten, filthy tap water that has sat in the pipes and tastes absolutely horrific. I mean, there is just no respect for the LORD. Couldn’t they at least use purified water? More to the point, couldn’t they at least use wine of the grape as Jesus did? Now if you are LDS, this may seem insignificant to you. But it’s not. It is symbolic of His shed blood by which you are cleansed!

Between the years of 1907 and 1917, there were a number of factors that led to a greater allegiance and enforcement of the WOW, including the prohibition movement and some other pressing political issues the Church faced.

In 1915, President Joseph F. Smith took the enforcement a little farther, saying: “middle-aged men who have had experience in the church should NOT be ordained to the priesthood nor recommended to the privileges of the house of the Lord (meaning no temple) unless they will abstain from the use of tobacco and intoxicating drinks.” And the noose just kept getting tighter and tighter, to the point where only those who were outwardly conforming were allowed the opportunity for true salvation.

The Rise of Prohibition and Additional Restrictions

In 1921, under Heber J. Grant, church leadership made adherence to the WOW a requirement for admission to the temple. With prohibition underway, the 1920s also introduced some legislation to ban the sale of tobacco in Utah. A 1923 Ensign article argued that tobaccos users naturally linked themselves with evil persons such as profaners, criminals, vagrants, and prostitutes.

You know what, this might actually be true. I mean on scale, I think we would find that those lower on the social and socio-economic scale are smokers. But this isn’t the issue. The issue is who the hell do they think they are? Really? Now I’ve got a daughter who likes to smoke the weed. And she enjoys alcohol at times. And while I think she would be far better off without them in her life, she has got a heart, and a soul, and a gift of love unlike many I have ever seen! Who do they think they are? And do they really believe that God is impressed with them for these perspectives? GOSH!

Then, with the use of meat ignored from the original revelation, some started getting the idea that there were some other substances that needed to be banned – caffeinated drinks!

The Controversy Over Caffeinated Drinks

In March of 1917, Frederick J. Pack of the University of Utah published an article in the LDS magazine, The Improvement Era, which asked the question: “Should LDS drink Coca-Cola?” His answer was NO. Why? Because even though it was not prohibited in the WOW, such drinks contained the same ingredients as coffee and tea.

One rule for worthiness will always lead to more. So rabid was the topic that the Coca Cola company called and complained to President Heber Grant that as a result of this fanaticism, false things were being said about their product, like that it has five times as much caffeine as coffee (when it can be shown that there are 1.7 grams of caffeine in a cup of Joe and only .43 grams in the same amount of Coke. The LDS leadership has not taken an official stand on the use of caffeinated soft drinks but to say that members should not use any substance that is harmful to the body or addictive.

The Word of Wisdom in LDS Doctrine

WOW became requisite for exaltation in Mormondom, varied opinions and trends have surfaced among its members as to what is “allowed” and what is not. Nevertheless, a temple recommend is almost never given to a person who consumes coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages of any sort, tobacco products of any kind, and/or harmful drugs without a prescription from a licensed medical practitioner.

Let’s open up the phone lines so our operators can start separating the wheat from the chaff.

(801) 973-TV20
(801) 973-8820

First time callers, please. Preferably LDS. Please turn down your television sets. And try and have a concise question or comment ready.

Canonicity of the Word of Wisdom

Perhaps the most important thing about the WOW is its canonicity. Is it doctrine? Now, I have LDS people adamantly contend that the Adam God teaching was not doctrine, because it was never canonized. So, on the one hand, was doctrine and Covenants section 89 canonized? There was a sustaining vote taken in 1880 that the Doctrine and Covenants be binding on the Church membership – which passed. So, based on this evidence, I could agree that the WOW is LDS doctrine.

BUT . . . BUT . . . what is the doctrine? What did the revelation say? It said that it was given as a “principle with a promise” and NOT by way of commandment. So, if the WOW as it was received was canonized, and it truly LDS doctrine, what is the doctrine?

Consistency in Mormon Apologetics

THAT THE WOW was given NOT as a commandment but a principle. There is NO contemporary edict, announcement, or alteration from the LDS church to alter this. The true value in this issue really has nothing to do with the WOW or the contents or obedience to it itself.

It has to do with inconsistency in Mormon apologetics. It has to do with authority and power and manipulation taking precedence over God’s gentle love in peoples lives. It has to do with salvation and God’s acceptance being twisted to meet institutional demands so as to control the masses.

Next week, we are going to read what the Bible has to say about such demands as the WOW. I think you will be surprised.