Are you CERTAIN about that, David?

A Mormon called David left this comment on my blog:

"Yes but the major difference between the Church and the sect is that polygamy was revoked in 1890 and the FLDS dissented and chose not to follow the new prophecies. So, no, we're not the same church because they left. They are not Mormons."

David, they follow the teachings of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Therefore why are they not Mormons?

Also, I would have to challenge you on your claim that polygamy was revoked in 1890.

It was taught when I was a Mormon that polygamy had only been suspended by the 1980 Manifesto and that it would be reintroduced "in the fullness of time." Along with animal sacrifices in the Mormon temples, another teaching that I found somewhat batty, to be honest.

Mormon Church issues sinister threat to world's media

The following is a letter from Elder Lance B. Wickman, General Counsel of the Church to publishers of major newspapers, TV stations and magazines. It was sent out on Tuesday, June 24, 2008.

Recent events have focused the media spotlight on a polygamous sect near San Angelo, Texas, calling itself the “Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” As you probably know, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has absolutely no affiliation with this polygamous sect. Decades ago, the founders of that sect rejected the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were excommunicated, and then started their own religion. To the best of our knowledge, no one at the Texas compound has ever been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Unfortunately, however, some of the media coverage of the recent events in Texas has caused members of the public to confuse the doctrines and members of that group and our church. We have received numerous inquiries from confused members of the public who, by listening to less than careful media reports, have come to a grave misunderstanding about our respective doctrines and faith. Based on these media reports many have erroneously concluded that there is some affiliation between the two – or even worse, that they are one and the same.

Over the years, in a careful effort to distinguish itself, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gone to significant lengths to protect its rights in the name of the church and related matters. Specifically, we have obtained registrations for the name “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” “Mormon,” “Book of Mormon” and related trade and service marks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and corresponding agencies in a significant number of foreign countries.

We are confident that you are committed to avoiding misleading statements that cause unwarranted confusion and that may disparage or infringe the intellectual property rights discussed above. Accordingly, we respectfully request the following:

1. As reflected in the AP Style Guide, we ask that you and your organization refrain from referring to members of that polygamous sect as “fundamentalist Mormons” or “fundamentalist” members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. We ask that, when reporting about this Texas-based polygamous sect or any other polygamous group, you avoid either explicitly or implicitly any inference that these groups are affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
3. On those occasions when it may be necessary in your reporting to refer to the historical practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that you make very clear that the Church does not condone the practice of polygamy and that it has been forbidden in the Church for over one hundred years. Moreover, we absolutely condemn arranged or forced “marriages” of underage girls to anyone under any circumstances.

Stated simply, we would like to be known and recognized for whom we are and what we believe, and not be inaccurately associated with beliefs and practices that we condemn in the strongest terms. We would be grateful if you could circulate or copy this letter to your editorial staff and to your legal counsel.

We thank you for your consideration of these important matters.

Sincerely,

Lance B. Wickman

General Counsel

(EDITOR: Here is some free, without prejudice, 'counsel to Lance B. Wickman and the Mormon Church:

Don't issue threats to the entire media of the world, lest people mistake you as a clown and the organisation that you work for as an organisation made up of clowns.)

They do not like it... but tough!..

The official Mormon Church really does not like it when people call members of the FLDS Mormons.

Well, that's just too bad! For, in reality, members of the FLDS have just as much right to be called Mormons as the members of the LDS church. After all, don't both churches consider Smith and Young as their founders?

And, if one considers the point a little, surely as Smith and Young both preached and practised polygamy, a practice the LDS church abandoned, yet is still fully embraced by the FLDS church, this would mean that, in essence, the FLDS is closer to the church of the founders (Smith and Young) than that of the modern LDS church?

This is the official LDS position on polygamy:-
"SALT LAKE CITY 24 April 2008 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reiterates that it has no affiliation whatsoever with any polygamous groups, including the polygamous sect in Eldorado, Texas. The Church discontinued polygamy officially in 1890, but more than a century later some news and Internet reports fail to draw clear distinctions between the Church and practicing polygamous sects."

Well, that's not actually true, is it? There are credible reports of officially sanctioned polygamous marriages well into the 20th century. so if there are still references made to Mormon polygamy, perhaps this is because the Mormon church played fast and lose with polygamy for several decades after the official deceleration in 1890?

It is not possible for Mormons to distance themselves from Polygamy. Especially when their own sacred scriptures (D&C) still refer to Polygamy as an official doctrine of the Mormon Church.

Expunge polygamy from the D&C and you might have something, Mormons. But until then your protests cut no ice with ordinary people, who are not Mormons, who know full well the links between Mormonism and polygamy.

COV for Sunday 1 June 2008

Firstly let's kick of with the following email

I saw your note for great sites to add that are ExMormon.

Here's a great one for you:

www.ExMormonConnect.com

** It is a social networking site for exmormons [dating, family connections, friends, playdates for kids, professional services, classified ads, events, etc]. It seems really cool/

Thanks,

RH

Thank you, RH. I'll add that to the list.

Next a blog entry from South Bay Soliloquies

http://south-bay-soliloquies.blogspot.com/2008/05/check-out-this-idiot.html

“Teen Alex Phillips puts girlfriend's nude shots on MySpace: Child Porn?

I definitely believe the charges on the guy should stand. Hopefully he spends his sixteen years productively doing something positive to turn his life around. We know his English skills need improvement.”

And next some very special art work from Sister Mary Lisa:

http://sistermarylisa.blogspot.com/

A fantastic piece of art and also “Focus on the Family”, which is the next post down.

My own post is in reply to one of those: “Why do you bother attacking the Mormon Church?” posts.

If these posts are rude or obscene I ignore them and delete them. I can't see why I should bother to help some poor Mormon break the rules of their own church! However, the response in this instance was not in the least ruse or obscene, so I have decided to answer the question in my blog.

http://notamormon.blogspot.com/2008/05/answer-to-this-is-just-me.html

And now some shameless self-promotion! The book is nearing completion. It will consist of extracts from this blog and some original material.

At least at first it will be sold as an e-book. I am thinking of charging about $2 to $4 for it. It will run to about 30,000 words.

See you in two weeks time!

Big Love The Complete First Season Debuts on DVD 3 March in UK

"Fascinating...first-rate drama" - Time Magazine

How would you cope with being one of three wives to your devoted husband, competing for his time and affection?

Find out what it would be like the easier way as multiple Emmy® Award and Golden Globe® Award nominee BIG LOVE finally finds itself wed to DVD as The Complete First Season debuts on 3 March 2008 from HBO Video.

All 12 episodes and exclusive special features will be presented across 5 discs at the 'family value' price of £39.99 RRP.

Intriguing, quirky and wholly original, BIG LOVE is an exciting contemporary new HBO series whose provocative, offbeat subject matter, coupled with its high-profile cast and producers, make it a unique and highly-collectible show in the vein of Six Feet Under.

With three times the love, intrigue and betrayal, Big Love is a family drama like you’ve never seen before.

The Daily Mail described the series as the “perfect dramatic backdrop for the most dysfunctional family of the century” and The Daily Telegraph hailed it as “a cross between The Sopranos, Desperate Housewives and Six Feet Under”.

The series, as broadcast on five tells the story of Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton), a practicing Mormon fundamentalist polygamist who lives in suburban Salt Lake City with his three wives and seven children.

An independent businessman who runs a growing chain of hardware stores, Bill faces a myriad of challenges in meeting the emotional, romantic and financial needs of his wives – Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn – Basic Instinct), Nicki (Chloë Sevigny – Boys Don’t Cry) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin – Walk the Line).

The DVD set will include the special features;
• Two Audio Commentaries
• Short - Big Love: A Balancing Act On Ice

Release Date: 3 March 2008
Copyright: HBO
Video Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama
Price: £39.99 RRP
Running Time: 643 mins approx
Audio: English 5.1
Website: www.homeboxoffice.co.uk

Why the Mormon Church will NEVER admit Brigham Young was wrong!

There's a simple reason why the Mormon Church (Utah offshoot) will never, ever admit that Brigham Young was in the wrong, about anything, ever.

If they admit that Young introduced and practiced the evil blood atonement doctrine (and that people were subjected to what amounted to ritualistic killing for "crimes" like having a Mormon leader covert your wife and or goods) and admitted that Young ordered and covered up the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and that he made millions of Dollars by ripping off the handcart pioneers, and that he ordered and covered up the murder of dozens of outsiders in case they might be government spies and that he almost certainly 'stole' the presidency of the Mormon Church, tThey would then have to admit that Young was not only a "fallen prophet" but that he stole the leadership by subterfuge and criminal acts.

So, therefore in admitting that Brigham Young was not the rightful successor to Joseph Smith, they would have to acknowledge that the RLDS (or one of the other offshoots) was the rightful successor to Joseph Smith.

That will not happen anytime soon. Although I suppose there is a Small chance that such a rapprochement might occur some time within the next 50 years, though this does very muh depend on how the Utah Mormon leaders react and if they can take the majority of the people with them. Some diehard Utah Mormons wold probably seek out the polygamous sects to join.