Criticism of Mormonism/Online documents/Denver Snuffer/Doctrinal claims/Authority lost by the Church

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A FairMormon Analysis of Denver Snuffer's Online Claims: Doctrinal claims

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"At that moment, the Lord ended all claims of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"

Denver Snuffer claim:

Last general conference [April 2014], the entire First Presidency, the 12, the 70, and all other general authorities and auxiliaries, voted to sustain those who abused their authority in casting me out of the church. At that moment, the Lord ended all claims of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to claim it is led by the priesthood.[1]

FairMormon Response


Question: Have Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Church leaders lost priesthood authority?

Such claims are typically made by apostates because they were excommunicated

The course of events makes it clear that the Stake, the Seventy and the Twelve have all been involved and bear some responsibility for [my excommunication]. I need to afford the First Presidency the opportunity to bear responsibility as well.

— Denver Snuffer, Jr. to the First Presidency[2]
∗       ∗       ∗
Last general conference [April 2014], the entire First Presidency, the 12, the 70, and all other general authorities and auxiliaries, voted to sustain those who abused their authority in casting me out of the church. At that moment, the Lord ended all claims of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to claim it is led by the priesthood.

— Denver Snuffer, Jr. to his followers[3]
∗       ∗       ∗
I will give you one of the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom. It is an eternal principle that has existed with God from all Eternity that that man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly that that man is in the high road to apostacy and if he does not repent will apostatize as God lives[.]
— Joseph Smith, Jr.[4]
∗       ∗       ∗

Some who are excommunicated from the Church believe that the leaders of the Church have lost any right to claim priesthood leadership. For example, Denver Snuffer, after his excommunication, claimed that everyone is "out of the way"—the Prophet, the apostles, the entire Church leadership, have all lost any right to claim priesthood leadership. Why? Because Snuffer was excommunicated.

Denver Snuffer stated:

Last general conference [April 2014], the entire First Presidency, the 12, the 70, and all other general authorities and auxiliaries, voted to sustain those who abused their authority in casting me out of the church. At that moment, the Lord ended all claims of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to claim it is led by the priesthood.[5]

By contrast, Joseph Smith says that people who make claims such as Snuffer does are possessed with the spirit of apostasy, and not the spirit of God:

I will give you one of the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom. It is an eternal principle that has existed with God from all Eternity that that man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly that that man is in the high road to apostacy and if he does not repent will apostatize as God lives[.][6]

Snuffer claims to sustain Joseph Smith, and to be continuing his work.

But, if Joseph is a prophet, Snuffer is an apostate from the truth.

If Joseph is not a prophet, then Snuffer's religious claims are likewise false.

In either case, Snuffer is wrong.


Accusing First Presidency of transgression

Denver Snuffer claim:

"[7] Section 121 is a warning to church leaders. It is addressing the powerful, not the powerless. It is addressing those who occupy the seats of authority over others. Only those who claim the right to control, compel, and exercise dominion, are warned against persecuting the saints, who believe the religion and practice it as I did from the time of my conversion. My excommunication was an abuse of authority. Therefore, as soon as the decision was made, the Lord terminated the priesthood authority of the stake presidency and every member of the High Council who sustained this decision, which was unanimous. Thereafter, I appealed to the First Presidency, outlining the involvement of the 12 and the 70. The appeal gave notice to them all.

"The appeal was summarily denied.

"Last general conference, the entire First Presidency, the 12, the 70, and all other general authorities and auxiliaries, voted to sustain those who abused their authority in casting me out of the church. At that moment, the Lord ended all claims of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to claim it is led by the priesthood.

"They have not practiced what He requires. The Lord has brought about His purposes. This has been in His heart all along. He has chosen to use small means to accomplish it, but He always uses the smallest of means to fulfill His purposes."[7]

FairMormon Response


"Claim the right to control, compel, and exercise dominion"

Snuffer believes that he is entitled to teach doctrines the Church regards as false, criticize Church leaders, and disregard priesthood authority.

He insists that to be subject to Church discipline is to subject him to an effort to "control," "compel," or "exercise dominion."

This, however, is false. Church discipline cannot force Snuffer to change his mind, or his behavior—and has not. Snuffer seems to think that his behavior must have no consequences, or he can charge others with "unrighteous dominion." The Church, however, is a voluntary organization, and has always claimed the right to decide whether individuals are eligible for on-going membership.

The Doctrine and Covenants says:

We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world's goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship (D&C 134꞉10).

Snuffer has been found guilty of "disorderly conduct," "according to the rules and regulations of" the Church. We would not normally know the details, but Snuffer has provided them.

The following table compares the Church's definition of "apostasy" with Snuffer's behavior:

Apostasy[8] Relation to Snuffer
#1: Repeatedly act in clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders. Snuffer has:
  • criticized present and past Church leaders repeatedly
  • claimed that the Church does not possess all the priesthood keys given to Joseph Smith
  • publicized and justified his defiance of the Church's authorized representatives.
#2: Teaching of false doctrine after corrected by bishop or a higher authority. Snuffer has:
  • taught many false doctrines, despite having an opportunity to explain his views to his leaders. These include:
  1. claim that priesthood authority not necessary for ordinances
  2. claim that tithing is misused
  • refused to cease teaching these false doctrines, even when counseled by his bishop, stake president, members of the seventy, and at least two apostles.[9] His stake president wrote him:
I cannot deny...the spirit's influence on me and the responsibilities I have to protect the interests of the Church. I have tried to persuade you that PTHG is not constructive to the work of salvation or the promotion of faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The book's thesis is in direct conflict with church doctrine. In your effort to defend the restoration, you have mischaracterized doctrine, denigrated virtually every prophet since Joseph Smith, and placed the church in a negative light. The book is a misguided effort to [p. 2] attempt to bridge the gap between the church and its dissidents. PTHG will never be the solution to hard questions that you believe it is. Like every other such effort, it will attract only the attention of those whose spiritual eyes, ears and hearts are obscured from the truth. Your work pits you against the institution of the church and will lead to the spiritual demise of you and your family.[10]
  • claimed that he is obeying God in teaching and acting as he has done.
#3: Following apostate practices (e.g., authorized plural marriage). Snuffer has not advocated plural marriage. He has, however, advocated such apostate practices as the performance of ordinances without priesthood authority.

Any one of these could be ample grounds under the laws and regulations of the Church for excommunication. Snuffer qualifies on all three counts.

Notes


  1. ↑ Denver Snuffer, "Preserving The Restoration," Lecture 10, Mesa, Arizona (9 September 2014), 7. https://www.scribd.com/doc/239760895/10-Phoenix-Transcript-Preserving-the-Restoration
  2. ↑ Snuffer to First Presidency, Letter (13 September 2013), reproduced in Denver Snuffer, "Preserving The Restoration," Lecture 10, Mesa, Arizona (9 September 2014), 42. https://www.scribd.com/doc/239760895/10-Phoenix-Transcript-Preserving-the-Restoration
  3. ↑ Denver Snuffer, "Preserving The Restoration," Lecture 10, Mesa, Arizona (9 September 2014), 7. https://www.scribd.com/doc/239760895/10-Phoenix-Transcript-Preserving-the-Restoration
  4. ↑ Joseph Smith remarks made at Brigham Young Dwelling, Montrose, Iowa Territory (Tuesday, 2 July 1839), recorded in Willard Richards Pocket Companion; cited in Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of Joseph Smith, 2nd Edition, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1996), 413. See also Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 278. off-site
  5. ↑ Denver Snuffer, Jr. to his followers,Denver Snuffer, "Preserving The Restoration," Lecture 10, Mesa, Arizona (9 September 2014), 7. https://www.scribd.com/doc/239760895/10-Phoenix-Transcript-Preserving-the-Restoration
  6. ↑ Joseph Smith, Jr., Joseph Smith remarks made at Brigham Young Dwelling, Montrose, Iowa Territory (Tuesday, 2 July 1839), recorded in Willard Richards Pocket Companion; cited in Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of Joseph Smith, 2nd Edition, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1996), 413. See also Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 278. off-site
  7. ↑ Denver Snuffer, "Preserving The Restoration," Lecture 10, Mesa, Arizona (9 September 2014), 7-8. https://www.scribd.com/doc/239760895/10-Phoenix-Transcript-Preserving-the-Restoration
  8. ↑ The definition of apostasy for Church disciplinary purposes is iscussed in James E. Faust, "Keeping Covenants and Honoring the Priesthood," Ensign (November 1993). Also in Handbook 1, 6.7.3
  9. ↑ Snuffer says that Elder Russell M. Nelson and Elder G. Todd Christofferson were involved in forcing his excommunication. Denver Snuffer, "Ten Points," from the desk of Denver Snuffer (blog), 14 September 2013, http://denversnuffer.blogspot.ca/2013/09/ten-points.html
  10. ↑ M. Truman Hunt to Denver Snuffer, “Notice of Disciplinary Council,” letter (21 August 2013), 1–2. On-line at Denver Snuffer, “Don't call me. (Yes, that means you too!),” at from the desk of Denver Snuffer blog (23 August 2013), accessed 3 September 2013. http://denversnuffer.blogspot.ca/2013/08/dont-call-me-yes-that-means-you-too_23.html
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