![FairMormon Logo](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021_fair_logo_primary.png)
FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
m (bot replace scripture DC with D&C (old version of template couldn't use amperstand), replaced: {{s||DC| → {{s||D&C|) |
m (→top: Bot replace {{FairMormon}} with {{Main Page}} and remove extra lines around {{Header}}) |
||
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
− | {{ | + | {{Main Page}} |
{{H1 | {{H1 | ||
|L=Criticism of Mormonism/Online documents/Denver Snuffer/Excommunication/Criticism of Church leaders | |L=Criticism of Mormonism/Online documents/Denver Snuffer/Excommunication/Criticism of Church leaders | ||
Line 92: | Line 92: | ||
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> | <!-- PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> | ||
− | + | ||
− | |||
[[Category:Denver Snuffer]] | [[Category:Denver Snuffer]] |
Jump to details:
Snuffer told his stake president and the First Presidency: "I was shown a section of the Church Handbook of Instructions that mandated discipline for criticizing the church’s leaders. I explained I hadn’t done that. I quoted from past church leaders’ diaries, journals, talks, letters or writings. But I did not criticize.[1]
"I was and am able to a pass temple recommend interview. I can answer all the questions in the right way."[2]
This question would not be raised if Snuffer had not repeatedly made it an issue. He told the First Presidency:
He even enlists the stake president in this claim:
One temple recommend question asks if the member sustains the President of the Church, First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his local leaders. Snuffer has made it clear he does not sustain any of these leaders because:
Snuffer's claim is false—by his own description of his behavior, he was not "worthy of a temple recommend." He either does not understand the temple recommend questions, or he is being dishonest with his readers, the First Presidency, and perhaps himself.
He also says:
Snuffer's recommend would have been automatically deactivated upon his excommunication; this is done electronically, and should not be interpreted to mean—as Snuffer implies by raising it—that he was known to be worthy and no one dared say otherwise.
Snuffer's letter from his stake president (published on his website) makes it clear that he may not wear temple garments or exercise priesthood functions: both prerequisites for entering the temple:
Snuffer claims God has called him to preach his doctrines. [needs work][9]
The scriptures tell us that one may not preach the gospel or build up the Church without known authority:
Not only does Snuffer have no authority from the heads of the Church, he certainly not been "regularly ordained." Instead, he has been excommunicated for apostasy.
His teachings and claims violate the scriptures he claims to uphold.
I am repulsed by people claiming they are to be respected as some giant, freaking, priesthood key holding, omni-competent replacement for God! I am tired of that! I don't want any more of that! I've had enough!
— Denver Snuffer [10]:31
To the extent I have ever spoken about living church leaders I have praised them.
— Denver Snuffer[11]:42
Murder was allowed [in Utah] but only when President Young thought it was needed for the salvation of the victim.
— Denver Snuffer[12]:223
It is not the responsibility of church members to judge church authorities.
— Denver Snuffer[12]:28–29, 422
One critic of the Church, Denver Snuffer, told his stake president and the First Presidency::
I was shown a section of the Church Handbook of Instructions that mandated discipline for criticizing the church’s leaders. I explained I hadn’t done that. I quoted from past church leaders’ diaries, journals, talks, letters or writings. But I did not criticize.[11]:42
Snuffer's account is not accurate. He has repeatedly criticized and attacked Church leaders.
Snuffer claims that his stake president agree with this after he 'explained' it to him:
I denied this accusation and after giving the explanation President Hunt agreed.[11]
However, his stake president seems to see the matter very differently, as revealed in a letter he wrote to Snuffer which Snuffer made public:
You [Denver Snuffer] have mischaracterized doctrine, denigrated virtually every prophet since Joseph Smith, and placed the church in a negative light....[13]
Snuffer reports that:
I asserted [to the stake president] that if he believed I was really "apostate" he would never have stood down. For that reason it was him merely following commands from higher up, and not a local matter.[14]
Yet, the Stake President clearly did not agree with this view:
[A]s you know, a stake disciplinary council was held on your behalf on September 8, 2013. The council's conclusion was that several of the claims that you make in Passing the Heavenly Gift constitute clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the Church and its leaders. Consequently, the council determined that you should be excommunicated from the Church for apostasy.[15]
It seems more likely, then, that Snuffer's stake president concluded that further attempts to reason with Snuffer on this issue was pointless. Anyone who can make so many criticisms and complaints, and then insist with a straight face that they've never criticized Church leaders is either dishonest, or not open to reasoned discussion.
This claim is blatantly false. Snuffer's book and other pre-excommunication writing[16] is filled with criticism of the Church's leaders.
Snuffer's book is also self-contradictory. He declares that "It is not the responsibility of church members to judge church authorities."[12]:28–29, 422
But, he judges them repeatedly. By his own standards, his behavior is inappropriate.
He is not speaking the truth when he says that he does not criticize, and he judges despite claiming he should not.
Snuffer compares modern leaders to the Popes, making false claims:
"The proud descendants of Nauvoo who have always retained control of the church’s top leadership positions, claim to hold all the keys ever given to Joseph Smith. They teach that they can bind on earth and in heaven. They are the ‘new Popes’ having the authority the Catholic Pope claims to possess."[12]:303, see also 66, 263
If this is not a criticism, what is it?
Snuffer repeatedly claims that leaders of the Church foster a "cult of personality."[12]:241, 264, 352, 359–360
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer claims that prophets believe
they are entitled to the adoration of followers.[12]:359–360
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer claims:
We [the Latter-day Saints] claim to hold keys that would allow men filled with sin to forgive sins on earth and in heaven, to grant eternal life, or to bar from the kingdom of God. Using that false and useless claim, we slay the souls of men, thereby committing murder. We are riddled with priestcrafts.[12]:414
Snuffer ignores that the claim to hold keys derives not from "Latter-day Saints," but from both the Bible and Doctrine and Covenants:
Bible: And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).
Doctrine and Covenants: That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (D&C 124:93).
Doctrine and Covenants:hatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven (D&C 132꞉46, emphasis added).
Does Snuffer imagine that these men were any less fallible, any less sinful that modern leaders? Yet, God declared that they had priesthood keys of blessing and cursing, binding and loosing, of remitting or retaining sins.
Joseph Smith could have been speaking directly to Snuffer's complaint when he wrote:
It may seem to some to be a very bold doctrine that we talk of—a power which records or binds on earth and binds in heaven. Nevertheless, in all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has given a dispensation of the priesthood to any man by actual revelation, or any set of men, this power has always been given. Hence, whatsoever those men did in authority, in the name of the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper and faithful record of the same, it became a law on earth and in heaven, and could not be annulled, according to the decrees of the great Jehovah. This is a faithful saying. Who can hear it? (D&C 128꞉9). [Joseph then quotes Matthew 16 as above.]
Snuffer's quarrel, then, is not with the Church leaders, but with ancient and modern scripture, as well as Joseph Smith whom he claims to sustain.
These claims are criticisms. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer makes a false claim relying on a misrepresented text to claim that David O. McKay "liked his ‘celebrity status’ and wanted ‘to be recognized, lauded, and lionized'."[12]:349
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
He repeatedly labels all general leaders since Nauvoo as "proud":
It is clear that he intends the term "proud" in its negative sense, since he elsewhere accuses the leaders of great arrogance:
I am repulsed by people claiming they are to be respected as some giant, freaking, priesthood key holding, omni-competent replacement for God! I am tired of that! I don't want any more of that! I've had enough![10]:31
This is a gross misrepresentation of how LDS members see their leaders, or what the leaders claim. But, it is the attitude that Snuffer imputes to them—clearly stuffed with pride and arrogance.
To be "proud" is to be guilty of great sin.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer's attitude toward modern Church leaders is displayed in his chapter title, "Prophets, Profits and Priestcraft."[12]:185 The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are said to be "modern administrative Apostles,"[12]:61 who cannot bear the proper Apostolic witness that Snuffer can: there are “two different kinds of Apostles”—”one is an administrative office in the church. The other is a witness of the resurrection, who has met with Christ”.[12]:34
To accuse others of priestcraft and valuing "profits" over prophecy is not a compliment. It is not praise to say that the Twelve Apostles are only "administrators" instead of witnesses of the resurrection.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer accuses Church leaders of changing the Church, and using "[B]abylonian methods":
"The book brings to light the [B]abylonian methods church leadership uses to make rapid and dramatic changes. We are not now the same church restored by Joseph Smith....."[17]
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer writes:
Part of the ceremony [made] it...clear to those who participated that there were no mortal sources who could claim they were ‘true messengers.’ Mortal men were universally depicted as false ministers in the ceremony Joseph restored. The only source of true messengers was God or angels sent by Him.[12]:276
LDS prophets and apostles claim to be true messengers from God. Snuffer says that they are not.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer tells his followers:
instruction from above...for me...has little to do with 47 East South Temple.[18]
Snuffer claims that instructions from Church leaders (at the Church Office Building at 47 East South Temple) are not from above, while claiming that he does get instruction from God above.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer tells his audience that the Church is easing "toward open acceptance of socially progressive mormonism. This is the product of social, political and legal pressure," as evidenced by the Church's support of anti-discrimination ordinances for homosexuals.[17]
Snuffer claims Church leaders are caving to social and legal pressure on homosexuality, and not following God's will.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer here accuses two of the twelve apostles:
Snuffer is clearly misrepresenting the apostles. Snuffer's "opposite sex attraction" is not a sin in and of itself, and someone else's "same sex attraction" is not a sin. Snuffer could sin by burning in lust toward someone, just as a homosexual member could sin by encouraging fantasies of same sex acts. But, there mere fact that Snuffer, or the homosexual member, have an attraction to one gender or the other is not a sin.
It appears that Snuffer is going out of his way to find fault, and reading Church leaders with the least charitable interpretation possible.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer claims:
It is not a compliment to claim that the Twelve Apostles "are unable to witness about" Christ.
This is a criticism. Snuffer's claim to not criticize is false.
Snuffer also misrepresents the content of many modern apostles' witness:
Jump to details:
Notes
<ref>
tag; name "1st_pres" defined multiple times with different content
FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We are a volunteer organization. We invite you to give back.
Donate Now