Posts tagged: Mormonism

This week (Feb 10) on Shabbat Night Live, Joseph Smith, the father of Mormonism, lied about an Egyptian papyrus that he said was the writings of Abraham, but that’s not the worst of it.

Jake Hilton shares what Joseph Smith claimed about artwork depicting YeHoVaH in Egyptian mythology that is anything but holy.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!

1.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 17:00) How does Facsimile 2 in the “Book of Abraham” underscore the credulity of Joseph Smith’s followers through its considerable detail and cryptic imagery?  How does its actual meaning and function retroactively serve to discredit both its role in Mormon doctrine and the presumption of those who would engage in pseudo-science?

2.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) How does Smith’s failure to recognize the meaning of the reversed segment of this emblem call into question both his knowledge of Egyptology and also the importance of deliberate stylization within ancient cultures?  How do his annotations of Figure 7 constitute an anachronistic, Western gloss on an eastern cultural expression?

3.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) Similarly, how does the recognition of the fertility god Min in this image represent a withering rebuttal to Smith’s questionable description of the invisible deity?  How does this distinction further dramatize the enduring dynamic between the multiple gods of various pagan societies and the advocates of monotheism throughout so-called Judeo-Christian culture to the present day?  

4.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) How does the uncompromising description of the god Min by Prof. Nibley beg the question of this figure’s place within LDS doctrine and teaching?  How does this god’s inclusion within Mormonism reveal a level of exaggeration and excess that transcends fantasy or carnivalism to the point of outright blasphemy, thanks to its alignment with the deity of Abraham?

5.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) How does Joseph Smith’s categorical, presumptive claim of divine revelation for his presentation and interpretation of Egyptian artifacts serve to characterize him as a questionable prophet?  How is this ironically underscored by its presence alongside the numerous warnings within the epistles of Paul, Peter, and John against disobedience and the influence of false, self-serving teachers?

6.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 37:00) How is Joseph Smith’s reputation as a cult figure underscored by the predication of the entire Mormon infrastructure upon his texts and precepts?  In light of its longevity, how likely is this vast congregation to continue undeterred, or to collapse from increasing exposure and for its remnants to be absorbed into another Christian denomination?

7.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 40:00) How does Smith’s appropriation of the serpentine image of Nehebkau to the dove symbolizing the Holy Ghost suggest a deliberate attempt to rewrite ancient history for his own purposes?  How might this further demonstrate the dangers of allegorization in its apparent failure to recognize the resonance between this pagan figure and the appearance of Satan in the Book of Genesis?

8.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 44:00) How do the cynical and patronizing comments attributed to Joseph Smith about his own congregation in 1877 not only cast doubt upon his integrity as a religious figurehead, but also beg the question of the legitimacy of his canonical texts?  How does this underscore the frequently overlooked characterization of Satan, whatever his physical depiction, as the Father of Lies?

9.    (VIDEO TIMELINE: 48:00) How likely is the LDS Church to face decisive scrutiny in the near future over the matters of Smith’s erroneous assertions, thanks to the rapidity of communication and information exchange?  How has growing public awareness of imposture – valor thieves, 9/11 hoaxers, media disinformation – allowed for a more discerning and critical treatment of provocative claims and the reputations built upon them?

10.  (VIDEO TIMELINE: 51:00) Similarly, how does a latter-day statement from LDS Apostle Boyd K. Packer arouse suspicion of self-interest in its cautionary phraseology?  How do his admonitions to his fellow advocates regarding “faith promoting,” “responsibility to build faith,” and the distinction between what is “true” instead of “useful” illustrate a subtle but unmistakable attempt to justify the continued promotion of Smith’s doctrine?

This week (Feb 3) on Shabbat Night Live, it’s not in your Bible, it’s not even in the Apocrypha, but it is part of scripture according to the Mormon Church.

Jake Hilton exposes the fraud behind The Book of Abraham, a supposed “lost book” written in hieroglyphs by Abraham himself while he and Sarah were living in Egypt.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section, and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How does the apocryphal Mormon text The Book of Abraham demonstrate the astonishing presumption of revising and repurposing scripture for an ostensibly sacred yet essentially manmade endeavor? How does this further dramatize the pervasive ignorance of scriptural integrity by professed Christians who predicate their evangelization upon discreet biblical quotations that are frequently devoid of proper context?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) How does the early 19^th-century infatuation with Egyptian antiquities underscore the central conceit behind Mormonism? What is the essential ethos behind both the crass commercial publicity of important ancient artifacts and Joseph Smith’s opportunistic claim of understanding the written papyri and his appropriation of them for his own contrived religious doctrine?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) Similarly, how does the brief sojourn in Egypt of Abram and Sarai in Genesis 12 offer a questionable prospect for exploiting public gullibility during a period of pervasive fascination and ignorance of ancient languages and cultures? How is this syndrome still evident today in both New Age occultism and attempts to recontextualize scripture to render Yeshua as an accessible, contemporary figure?  
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) How do the equivocal words of W. W. Phelps regarding the apparent legitimacy of Joseph Smith’s ensuing translations of the papyri, along with Smith’s own ambiguous diary entries on this subject, inadvertently reveal the validity of Mormonism as a foregone conclusion by both men? How does this further suggest their exploitation of their congregation’s credulity regarding ancient texts?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) Similarly, how does the rhetoric of Smith’s November 14^th diary entry suggest a self-serving fait accompli regarding the providential involvement of Warren Parrish? How does the ersatz biblical phraseology of this passage, along with its supposed source in divine revelation, indirectly reveal a categorical attempt to seize control of his congregation through manipulation of doctrine, as further suggested by his entry of December 12^th?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 38:00) How does Smith’s lengthy denunciation of a young would-be follower regarding the antiquity of the Egyptian papyri anticipate the familiar hysterical reactions of those who defend politically correct or “woke” perspectives in our own time? Why do such attempts at verification of received opinion often elicit such vicious ad hominem attacks instead of rational argumentation from those in power?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 41:00) How does the sycophantic behavior of Joseph Smith’s “scribes” regarding the legitimacy of his translations of the Egyptian sources serve to support the view of him as a cult leader? How does the cynicism of Martin Harris regarding financial gain from these efforts reveal the corrosive effect of false prophesy and its potential for spreading corruption on a massive, popular scale?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 46:00) How does the extent of Smith’s translation of one specific depiction in the scroll – involving purely imaginary insertions of imagery, faux Egyptian names of “idolatrous gods,” and even a misapplied Hebrew construction – dramatize the dangers of amateurism in matters of historical folklore? How does Facsimile 1 ironically foreshadow such public embarrassments as the Piltdown Man or the “1692 A.D.” date of the prose poem “Desiderata”?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 50:00) How does the eventual discovery of the intact Hor Book of Breathing demonstrate the opportunism of those who underestimate future breakthroughs in archeology and paleography? How has the rise of Egyptology studies in various disciplines completely undermined Smith’s “translation” as a cornerstone of his contrived religion?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:00) How do Smith’s presumptive identifications of the various figures in Facsimile 3 reveal aspects of chauvinism regarding race and gender that have been invalidated by historical research and growing enlightenment since the early nineteenth century? How likely is Mormonism to survive accusations of “institutional racism” in a period of increasingly global and multiethnic commerce?

This week (Jan 27) on Shabbat Night Live, could it be that the leaders of the Mormon Church simply don’t know that their doctrine does not line up with the Bible? Do they simply not understand that Joseph Smith is not who he says he was?

Jake Hilton exposes the truth of what’s going on and, in his words, their actions are “deliberate and malicious.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section, and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How does Joseph Smith’s questionable interpretation of Yeshua as the “stump” of the family tree of Jesse demonstrate the vagaries of free interpretation of scripture by those who selectively emphasize English idioms? How might his argument here be effectually reversed in meaning by utilizing the same method for different ends?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) How does Smith’s claim that his apocryphal additions to scripture represent lost Mosaic sources illustrate the “creative bookkeeping” syndrome that often accompanies attempts to create supposedly definitive versions of ancient texts? How might the Mormon bible be viewed as a faux traditional work that, like many anonymous folk sources, is actually an imitative volume created by a specific individual with a hidden agenda?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) Similarly, how is this notion of appropriation and alteration of scripture supported by the rhetorical manner of Smith’s identification with Joseph of Egypt? How do the redundancies in phraseology and nomenclature in the lengthy passage quoted here combine with modern sentence structures to create an anachronistic, pseudo-Hebrew that seeks to convince the unwary reader?
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) Furthermore, how does Smith’s reimagining of the complete biblical text demonstrate S. Eliot’s principle of altering our perceptions of the past through new additions, wherein “[t]he existing monuments form an ideal order among themselves, which is modified by the introduction of the new (the really new) work of art among them”?  What are the spiritual ramifications of this tendency for seekers of salvation who can be misled by false scholarship?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) How does the questionable pedagogy of the Mormon Seminary Teaching Manual, with its emphasis on rote attribution of Joseph Smith as fulfillment of the “rod and root of Jesse,” suggest the practice of cult-like indoctrination rather than evangelization of Mosaic scripture? How does this prospect serve to align Mormonism with other systems of belief that are based on scriptural misreadings?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 38:00) Aside from its unqualified tone and unambiguous intention, how is Bruce R. McConkie’s statement regarding exclusive salvation through the LDS Church problematic for the scripturally literate believer? How can such a categorical proclamation be seen to rest upon questionable premises that are essentially interpretive and poorly researched in terms of language and history?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 42:00) How does Joseph Smith’s presumption of “restoring” the lost truth of Yeshua’s messiahship anticipate the personality cultism of the twentieth century, such as that dramatized by Conrad’s figure of the idolatrous Kurtz in Heart of Darkness? How might this further suggest the unintended consequence of atheistic systems of governance led by deluded seekers of power who view their mission in “divine” terms?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 46:00) How does the derivative ethos of the so-called Saving Ordinances in Mormonism further suggest the notion of presumptive, manmade regulation and oversight that can supposedly lead to salvation? How does this inevitably provoke the question of diabolic influence that can corrupt worship practice and individual conduct through arbitrary rituals that can constitute popular occultism?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 50:00) How does the defense of Mormonism against charges of cultism serve to demonstrate the relative ease with which human beings can be persuaded to hold opposing or contradictory points of view in the pursuit of a supposedly higher principle? How might our current climate of secular cult worship ultimately undermine the reputation of the LDS Church?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 52:00) Similarly, how might a plausible decline of Mormonism’s influence be viewed as an example of the resonance of Isaiah 29:13 for all believers of ensuing centuries? How could this global system of belief be diminished in strength and numbers by an increasingly literate international populace who might question its precepts and the vaunted claims of its figurehead?

This week (Jan 20) on Shabbat Night Live, there are certain verses in the Bible that, as believers, we clearly identify as referring to Yeshua — others, however, who call themselves believers, don’t see it that way.

Jake Hilton explains why the same prophecies in your Bible that you attribute to Yeshua are seen, by the Mormons, as referring to Joseph Smith.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How is Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 11:14 – “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” – particularly relevant in our contemporary world, where power-seeking and opportunism are so widespread? What is the most formidable weapon for today’s faithful against those who would corrupt their souls to usurp the place of YeHoVaH in their lives?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) Similarly, how does the bitter statement in Revelation 3:16 against those souls who are “lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot” dramatize the need for all believers to become conversant with doctrine and scripture, and to avoid the pitfalls of laziness, presumption of salvation, or careless syncretism among conflicting belief systems?  What are examples of proactive conduct that could protect the faithful against this ever-present danger?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) How do the images of Isaiah 11: 1 and 10 illustrate both the integrity of genuine prophecy in their allusion to Yeshua and the hidden dangers of interpretation by unscrupulous individuals who would seek to ingratiate themselves into salvation history? How does a view of these references as an extended metaphor suggest their ultimate power to expose and denigrate the false prophets and self-styled figureheads who seek to co-opt reverence for their own ends?  
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) How does the episode recounted in Luke 4:16-21 continue to constitute a paradigm of prophetic fulfillment and the challenge of belief that remains every bit as provocative as for its first-century participants? How has a pervasive ignorance of the Davidic lineage and its various scriptural references on the part of many evangelical Christians arguably led to a superficial view of Yeshua that has resulted in his rejection by many potential believers?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 33:00) Similarly, how has the cryptic reference in Matthew 2:23 –“He shall be called a Nazarene” – been poorly apprehended by otherwise diligent scholars of scripture who have undervalued Yeshua’s affinity with the House of David? How do Nathaniel’s critical words in John 1:46 unwittingly give voice to those skeptics who would dismiss Yeshua’s identity and ministry owing to an ostensible scribal error?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 38:00) How does the historical reflex of David’s lineage, which was exemplified initially by Saul’s disobedience and his replacement by David, whose kingship was in turn disgraced by his own sinfulness, ultimately contribute indirectly to the divine integrity of Yeshua as a ruler? How has his spiritual kingdom endured despite the vagaries of those earthly rulers who continue to try yet fail to depose him?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 42:00) Similarly, how has a popular narrative episode like David’s defeat of Goliath been allowed to obscure the complex and diverse life of this shepherd-minstrel, who rose from obscurity, exile, and outlawry to the consolidation of the tribes of Israel and the establishment of the city of Jerusalem before his downfall? Why is it necessary for today’s followers of Yeshua to recall these seemingly unrelated deeds as they cultivate their spiritual life with the Messiah?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 47:00) How does the recurrence of the root-and-branch imagery that denotes Yeshua as the Messiah, extending as it does from the prophetic texts through the Book of the Revelation, indirectly implicate a mortal figure like Joseph Smith for the presumption of ingratiating himself into this prophecy or appropriating it to his own created theology? How do his ensuing texts demonstrate the dangers of an exegesis that can distort its primary source?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 51:00) Similarly, how do Joseph Smith’s presumptive readings of these images illustrate the perennial hazard of sophistry – a disingenuous manipulation of language for self-serving ends – which is itself an accessible rhetorical resource for Satan, who specializes in mixing lies with truth to foster confusion, doubt, and arbitrary distinctions of meaning?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:00) How might Smith’s reliance on an English text of scripture have been exploited toward this same goal of establishing a man-made religion? How can a parsing of the King James Version without the attendant recourse to Greek or Hebrew texts or related sources lead to such potential errors as his apparent conflation of the lineages of Jesse and of Ephraim, to say nothing of the questionable identification of Yeshua with the “stump” of Jesse?

This week (Jan 13) on Shabbat Night Live, imagine having to break away from family, friends, and a faith your family had known for seven generations. That’s the personal story of Jake Hilton.

Once YeHoVaH got Jake’s attention, everything changed. Today, he helps others understand what Mormonism is and brings the truth to those who are questioning it.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How does the longevity of a Christian Restorationist movement like Mormonism within the United States demonstrate a challenge for present-day believers who seek to know the original apostolic ethos of Christianity? How does our constitutional freedom of worship unwittingly make definition and distinction between doctrines difficult for those who need simple answers to honest questions about faith and worship?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) Similarly, how does the cultural context of multigenerational family membership within an established system of belief create a wide range of potential alienation for individuals who seek to be true to their own convictions? How do the shared moral and ethical  values of otherwise divergent religions serve to intensify this conflict for the believer who would prioritize new discoveries over old principles?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) How does deference to a controversial figure like Joseph Smith reflect the dilemma of discernment for the seeker of salvation, who must weigh the relative value between tradition and valid documentation as a foundation of belief?  What are some possible reasons for Smith’s endurance as the figurehead of a prominent Christian group instead of his dismissal as a marginal cult leader or power-seeker?  
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) How do works like the Book of Mormon and its attendant texts purport to be definitive authorities on doctrine by assimilating the divine word of The Bible? How does this pretense serve to relegate sacred scripture itself to a secondary position as a mere gloss on manmade statements rather than as the revealed word of YeHoVaH?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 33:00) How is Satan’s evil strategy of mixing lies with truth manifest in the conceit of a manmade religion like Mormonism, whose authority lies less within scripture than in the pronouncements of men? How is his design for the destruction of souls completed by the actions of apostate members who see no recourse but agnosticism or even atheism rather than a turn toward evangelicalism?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 40:00) What are some elements within Mormonism that make its adherents reluctant to recognize their doubts or shift into another form of Christian worship? How do some of its expressions of conservative family values, such as its internal welfare program designed to support its members during the Great Depression, suggest the potential of widespread betrayal for those who would reject this belief?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 44:00) How do the words of Yeshua in Luke 11:52 continue to resonate throughout history as an indictment against the hypocrisy of presumed knowledge rather than true authority? How has the human vice of imposture in both civil and ecclesiastical life remained a definitive example from ancient times to the present of our temptation toward being “like God, knowing good and evil”?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 48:00) Despite its monolithic reputation and the international evangelism of its adherents, the Mormon or LDS Church has had a relatively brief history of only two centuries. What is the likely future of this movement in light of competition from other Christian evangelical or denominational organizations, to say nothing of increasing questioning of the historical underpinnings of its key texts?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 52:00) How does Paul’s uncompromising exhortation in Ephesians 5:11 against false prophets (“expose them”) underscore both our human reluctance to speak truth to power and our vulnerability to those who would manipulate the truth for our ostensible benefit? How does the scriptural context of these words transcend the limits of the first century and remain a perennial standard for all those who seek salvation?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 53:00) Similarly, how are today’s faithful susceptible to false teachings based upon moral relativism and the sophistry of “woke” discourse? How does our fear of the absolute denotation behind the scriptural command to “hate evil” serve to expose our inner fear of recognizing a single inerrant truth, supporting it with our prayer and worship lives, and exemplifying it with our moral choices?