“The Thinking Has Been Done”
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The Salt Lake City Messenger MODERN MICROFILM COMPANY Issue No. 30 PO BOX 1884, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84110 March 1971 “The Thinking Has Been Done” Carl Gustav Jung, one of the world’s greatest psychiatrists, made these THE SEER very interesting observations: All mass movements, as one might expect, slip with the greatest ease In 1830 the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, published the Book of down an inclined plane represented by large numbers. Where the many are, Mormon—a book which purports to be a history of the “former inhabitants there is security; what the many believe must of course be true; what the of this continent.” The same year he organized a church in the State of New many want must be worth striving for, and necessary, and therefore good. In York. Later he claimed to have power from God to revise the Bible and to the clamor of the many there lies the power to snatch wish-fulfillments by receive many important revelations from heaven. In 1835 he obtained some force; sweetest of all, however, is that gentle and painless slipping back into papyri. He claimed that “one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham, the kingdom of childhood, into the paradise of parental care, into happy-go- another the writings of Joseph of Egypt” (History of the Church, vol. 2, page luckiness and irresponsibility. All the thinking and looking after are done from the top; to all questions there is an answer; and for all needs the necessary 236). He translated the “Book of Abraham” from the papyri, and the Mormon provision is made. The infantile dream state of the mass man is so unrealistic leaders still use this book to prove that Negroes cannot hold the Priesthood. In that he never thinks to ask who is paying for this paradise. The balancing of 1843 “six brass plates” were found near Kinderhook, Illinois. Joseph Smith accounts is left to a higher political or social authority, which welcomes the task, translated a “portion of them” and claimed that they contained the history of for its power is thereby increased; and the more power it has, the weaker and “a descendant of Ham.” He also taught that the “Garden of Eden was located more helpless the individual becomes. (The Undiscovered Self, pages 70-71) in what is known to us as the land of Zion, an area for which Jackson County, Very few organizations would want to admit that “all the thinking and Missouri, is the center place” (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce R. McConkie, looking after are done from the top.” The Mormon Church, however, is an page 20). He claimed that he found the very altar on which Adam offered exception. In fact, the ward teacher’s message for June 1945 contained these sacrifices and stated that Noah built his ark in America. Oliver B. Huntington statements: made these statements: Any Latter-day Saint who denounces or opposes, whether actively Adam’s Altar, which was mentioned, I have visited many times. I sat or otherwise, any plan or doctrine advocated by the “prophets, seers, and upon the wall of stone and reflected upon the scenes that had taken place revelators” of the Church is cultivating the spirit of apostasy . Lucifer . thousands of years ago right where I was. There were the rocks that Father wins a great victory when he can get members of the Church to speak against Adam used . their leaders and to “do their own thinking.”. When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they purpose a plan—it is God’s plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy. (Improvement Era, June 1945, page 354) Brigham Young, the second President of the Mormon Church, once Facsimiles of the Kinderhook plates from the History of the Church, vol. 5. Joseph stated: Smith claimed that he translated a portion of these plates, but they later proved to be forgeries. New research indicates the characters were taken from a Chinese tea-chest. The Lord Almighty leads this Church, and he will never suffer you to be led astray if you are found doing your duty. You may go home and sleep as NEW BOOK! Vol. 3 – The Case Against Mormonism sweetly as a babe in its mother’s arms, as to any danger of your leaders leading you astray, . (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, page 289) We are happy to announce that volume 3 of The Case Against Mormonism is now available in plastic binding. This volume deals with the Heber C. Kimball, First Counsellor to Brigham Young, made these meaning and changes in the Facsimiles in the Book of Abraham, books Joseph statements: Smith may have used in writing the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham, the Mormon doctrine of a plurality of Gods, the Adam-God doctrine, the Virgin . learn to do as you are told, . if you are told by your leader to do Birth, false prophecies of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, the Word of a thing, do it, none of your business whether it is right or wrong. (Journal Wisdom, the Priesthood, cursing enemies and animal sacrifice after Christ, the of Discourses, vol. 6, page 32) Mormon missionary system and many other important subjects. Price: $2.95 If you do things according to counsel and they are wrong, the consequences will fall on the heads of those who counseled you, so don’t SPECIAL OFFER! Case Against Mormonism be troubled. (William Clayton’s Journal, page 334) Vol. 1, by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. Deals with Joseph Smith’s First Vision, changes in Mormon Joseph Fielding Smith, who recently became the tenth President of the revelations and documents, the Law of Adoption, Church, made this statement: Reg. $8.85 the Mormon Battalion, suppression of the records, book-burning, the BYU spy ring and other subjects. “Therefore it behooves us, as Latter-day Saints, to put our trust in the Price: $2.95 presiding authorities of the Church, . ALL THREE Saints safe in following Church authorities. No man ever went astray Vol. 2, by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. Deals with Book by following the counsel of the authorities of the Church. (Doctrines of $6.95 Salvation, vol. 1, page 243) of Mormon witnesses, the gold plates, parallels between Book of Mormon and other documents, Those of us who grew up in the Mormon Church were taught that the If Ordered absolute proof that the Book of Abraham is a revelations of Joseph Smith should be received as if from God’s “own mouth” Before spurious work and many other subjects. Price: $2.95 (Doctrine and Covenants 21:5), and that the present-day leader is supposed to be God’s mouthpiece on earth. A careful study of Mormon history and Vol. 3, by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. The reader will doctrine, however, led us the conclusion that it is wrong to allow others to May 31, 1971 find a description of this book above under the title do our thinking or to put trust in man. “New Book.” Price: $2.95 2 Salt Lake City Messenger Issue 30 Perhaps those coals, I thought, were from wood burned by Father Martin Harris’ instability did not end when he joined the Mormon Church. Adam, . In 1846 the Mormon Church’s own publication, Millennial Star, reported the I felt sure, however, that the rocks were the identical rocks that he placed following concerning Harris: there, for Joseph said, “That altar was built by our Father Adam and there he offered sacrifice.”. according to the words of the Prophet Joseph, mankind One of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, yielded to the spirit and in that age emigrated eastwardly until they reached the country on or near the temptation of the devil a number of years ago—turned against Joseph Smith Atlantic coast; and that in or near Carolina Noah built his remarkable ship, in and became his bitter enemy. He was filled with the rage and madness of a which he, his family, and all kinds of animals lived a few days over one year demon. One day he would be one thing, and another day another thing. He without coming out of it. (The Juvenile Instructor, Organ for Young Latter soon became partially deranged or shattered, as many believe, flying from Day Saints, November 15, 1895, pages 700-701) one thing to another, as if reason and common sense were thrown off their balance. In one of his fits ofMonomania, he went and joined the “Shakers” or Mr. Huntington also claimed that Joseph Smith described the inhabitants followers of Anne Lee. He tarried with them a year or two, or perhaps longer, of the moon: having had some flare ups while among them; but since Strang has made his entry into the apostate ranks, and hoisted his standard for the rebellious to flock “The inhabitants of the moon are more of a uniform size than the to, Martin leaves the “Shakers,” whom he knows to be right, and has known inhabitants of the earth, being about 6 feet in height. it for many years, as he said, and joins Strang . if the Saints wish to know “They dress very much like the quaker style and are quite general in what the Lord hath said of him, they may turn to the 178th page of the Book style, or the fashion of dress. of Doctrine and Covenants, and the person there called a “wicked man” is no “They live to be very old; coming generally, near a thousand years.