Monthly Archives: October 2017

Tired of Talking to Former Mormons

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“Our numbers are small. There are a few here locally nearby you [in the Los Angeles area] but we are worldwide. At the moment we are composed mostly of former Mormons, and I’m really getting tired of talking to former Mormons. I would like to talk to Baptists, and to Lutherans, and a Methodist – particularly if they’ve made Wycliffe’s material a matter of study –you would add so much to a discussion among fellowship groups.

“Mormons know a lot, but Christians know a lot about the Bible. We would love to see a cross-fertilization of the Christian ideal in which we can bring to you some things that we have learned about the Christian faith and in turn hear from you what you have to share in fellowships. We want other Christians to fellowship with us.”

Source: Lecture one, 500th Anniversary of Christian Reformation. (page 8, paragraph 4)

“All are invited to attend a series of talks, which are free and open to the public, requiring no ticket, rsvp, or reservation. These talks will be delivered by Mr. Denver Snuffer who will discuss Christian history, the Reformation, Christianity since the Reformation, the Restoration movement, and Joseph Smith as a Christian thinker and Biblical preacher.

“Smithsonian Magazine identified Joseph Smith as the most significant religious figure in American history. Yet he remains misunderstood by most Christians, primarily because his legacy has been regarded as Mormon property. In many ways his life mirrors the Apostle Paul. He belongs to the Christian community as much as St. Francis of Assisi, Luther, Tyndale, Wesley, Knox, Williams, and Calvin.”

The Focus is on the Savior

I wish I could go to the second lecture in Dallas. I attended the first one here in the Los Angeles area. I have attended many of Mr. Snuffer’s lectures, read his books and have always felt his focus is on Christ and how we can increase our faith in the Lord. I have a cousin who is a Presbyterian minister. My mother’s family was mostly Presbyterian while my Father’s were mostly Baptist, including several ministers. I love how open they were about their belief in Christ, as evidenced by stories in our family histories from Texas, Tennessee and Alabama.

My family joined the LDS Church here in California when I was young so I grew up studying both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I married a fifth-generation Utah girl and remained a member of the LDS Church until a few years ago. I still attend LDS services on Sunday with my wife and enjoy singing in the choir. However, I’m now considered an apostate because I read Mr. Snuffer’s books and wrote about them in this blog over the years. Rather than be excommunicated for my beliefs, I resigned. Sadly, many of my friends who share my love of the Savior, are now being targeted by some of the LDS Church leadership.

Evidence of Concern is Increasing

The leadership of the LDS Church is becoming increasingly concerned about the loosely organized “Remnant Movement.” Mr. Snuffer is characterized as the de facto leader of the movement, although there is no official organization and no hierarchy in the movement. You can read more on Mormonleaks, including details of communications between Stake Presidents and General Authorities on how to handle the growing problem of those who participate in the “Remnant Movement.”

I share a concern expressed by one of my friends that our private worship practices are now being tightly scrutinized and condemned by some in the LDS Church leadership. What we read and what conferences we attend should not be subject to censure, even if we share our experiences on social media. The facts that we have been re-baptized and partake of the sacrament in our homes are especially frowned upon. I have no hesitation in labeling this scrutiny as Anti-Christ behavior. I don’t believe private practices worshiping Christ or inviting others to do so should be considered grounds for excommunication, do you?

Warnings From LDS Church Leaders

When I interviewed Mr. Snuffer a few years ago, I asked him directly if he considered himself a prophet. He was clear to point out that he preferred being referred to as a servant of the Lord or simply as a teacher. And, if you like, you can conjecture and infer even more by referring to this revelation presented for canonization by those active in the Remnant movement: The New Name David.

The image in this section is taken from a PowerPoint presentation prepared for instructing local leaders on false beliefs of those considered to be on the far right of the conservative spectrum. Note how Denver Snuffer is listed right next to False Prophets. In addition, I note it is apparently now also a sign of apostasy to study the last days or signs of the end-times. Can you image that, being condemned for wanting to be prepared for the last days?

Open Dialog is Welcome

If you click on the image in this section you can submit any question you would like to have Mr. Snuffer address in the next talk scheduled for this Thursday 10-19-17 in Dallas TX. I have been to a couple of Sunstone conferences where Mr. Snuffer was asked and answered all kinds of questions, including one seemingly controversial question on multiple mortal probations. He did not hesitate to answer openly.

I have thought a lot about why Mr. Snuffer would express his desire to talk with Christians other than former Mormons. Those who have come from a background in the LDS Church are often stuck on the idea that certain subjects are taboo to discuss in just about any forum, especially in a classroom setting. Its no wonder so many feel stifled and unfulfilled in the LDS Church. In the ten years I have been blogging about Mormonism I still get asked the same question, “Why don’t you follow the Brethren?”

Let No Man Come Between You And Christ

When I was discussing my church membership with my bishop just before I resigned, I remember distinctly asking him why the focus of the LDS Church seemed to be centered so much on following the Brethren. One cannot enter into the LDS Temples without swearing an “oath-like” allegiance to live by every word that proceeds from the mouths of the fifteen men who preside over the LDS Church. The practice of sustaining leaders in General Conference seems to place them between us and the Lord.

It seems idolatrous to place someone between you and the Lord. If you have accepted the Lord as your Savior and demonstrated it through baptism, it seems to me the Lord will then teach you what you should do to continue on the path to heaven until you reach His presence, or so I have read many times in the Book of Mormon. We must feast on the words of Christ and they will teach us all things we must do, including receive the Holy Ghost until He, Christ shall manifest Himself unto us in the flesh.

As In The Days Of Noah

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The focus of this blog has always been the last days. Even the name suggests the topics will address events of the latter days. We are witnessing those events, both the good and the bad. With all the bad in the news lately, it’s sometimes hard to focus on the good. With this post, I hope to bring some good things to our attention.

In the news and especially through the online and social media, we have become armchair witnesses to the great destructions of the last days. We see terrible loss of life through natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis and fires of epic proportions. At the same time we have seen, or at least it has been my observation that evil has increased lately through world-wide events of terror, mass murder and the threat of nuclear holocaust.

The Pace of the Signs are Quickening

It’s easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom prophecies that are rampant with each new sign from heaven. We are inundated every time some catastrophic calamity cascades through our news feeds or on the walls of the social media pages of our friends. Such incidents have become a swelling tide that can overwhelm even the most positive and faithful among us.

One doesn’t have to look far to find a myriad of voices proclaiming they have some special insight to what all these things mean. They want us to know they can help us prepare by following some sage piece of advice that has been revealed to them. Their interpretations of solar eclipses and stellar configurations are especially fascinating. They fill us with wonder and amazement. We ask ourselves why we didn’t see all these clues earlier in our own observations.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

I’m confident most who are reading this post are familiar with the parable of the wheat and the tares. The master of the harvest forbade his servants from gathering the tares to be burned until the wheat was fully ripe and had brought forth fruit. He made it clear an enemy had placed the tares among the wheat. He then focused the attention of his servants, and us, upon the upcoming harvest.

“…the world shall be burned with fire. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father.” Perhaps that is how it will be easy for the angels to determine the wheat from the tares. The angels will gather the righteous because they shine forth as brightly as the sun. At our core, we are beings of light and must be connected to the source of all light. Otherwise, our imagination and thoughts of our heart, or desires, will only be evil continually.

The Destruction of the Wicked

The prophecies of great destruction at the end of the world are perhaps some of the best known among all peoples of the earth. It is in our collective consciousness and immortalized in our myths. Armageddon may be the most overused name in our day to describe the overwhelming nature of impeding disaster feared by so many.

And rightly so, for great and terrible are the descriptions used by the Lord in Mathew 24. “The sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” Christ foretold his return and gave us clear direction all the world will see it together: “…then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”

He Shall Send His Angels Before Him

“For the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” I’ve often thought about this passage in reference to the identity of the angels. An angel is a messenger sent from God, with a message from God. Thus they can be mortal or immortal.

And that’s the good news upon which I’d like to focus in this post. We live in the days similar to the days of Noah with all the terrible wickedness and imminent destruction. The wickedness is reaching unimaginable horror with mass murders that defy all logic and reasoning. In my view, what happened in Las Vegas last week is a clear example of an enemy sowing tares among the wheat. The wheat is still young and tender. As it matures, the insensible attacks of the wicked will increase to shock and terrorize.

500th Anniversary of The Christian Reformation

2017 marks 500 years since the beginning of the Christian Reformation when Martin Luther nailed a copy of his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church. If you aren’t familiar with the story, I recommend you click on the above image, which links to a site containing highly instructive videos and essays describing this and many other important events of the Christian Reformation.

The good news of living in the days of tribulation is that, as in the days of Noah, there will be another Noah, a servant sent to warn the people of the need to turn from the ever-increasing wickedness of the world. He will also teach us how to be ready for when the Lord sends his angels to gather the wheat before the burning of the field, where the tares remain in bundles. In fact, there are many who are being visited by angels in our generation, which shall not pass before the Lord returns.