Due to an overwhelming demand ... and feeling a need to defend the original truth of 1827 - 1829, I will be stating herein some discussion points in piecemeal fashion. Rather than present all 30 plus at once, this will give anyone interested opportunity to absorb and research the ideas and comments if interested. These points are mainly from a gentleman named Richard Bauman taken from his series entitled "What Happened To The Church". (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YdrywgxUomA)Like most documentaries I add that the views of the author do not necessarily represent my views. However, I believe he demonstrates great scholarship. Many of the Book of Mormon references are given as the RLDS version.
I quote:
...the following documented statements should bring the reader to the realization that ... Joseph Smith
indeed "yielded to the persuasions of men". Consequently in just a very short time, the truths of the unchangeable God became so obscured that those whose job it was to bring forth and establish the truth became the enemy by concealing the truth!
25. Dec. 1833 Joseph designated his father to be the first "Patriarch" in the church. (another new office not found in the Book of Mormon.) The High Priest gives patriachal and other blessings.
26.Feb.22,1834 Joseph received a "revelation" to go up to Zion and "... ye shall avenge me of
mine enemies..." (See RLDS D&C 100:5C). After arriving at a location near Independence
and being stopped by rain, hail, and enemies for 3 days, Joseph received another
"revelation": that the other church members, except the leaders, were in transgression
(see RLDS D&G 102: 2-3), and that the elders needed to go back to Kirtland for awhile and
wait for an endowment, and that they didn't have to avenge the Lord of His enemies (which
contradicts the divine order givenin 100: 5C), but that the Lord would fight the battles. So
now, it appears, we have a God that changes his mind - a changeable god. Look, brothers and
sisters about 200 men, women, and children made a 1,000 mile round-trip on two
contradictory "revelations" - and about 14 DIED!
27. Feb. 14, 1835 Twelve "apostles" chosen, another new priesthood office in the last days!
(The June, 1829 revelation given through the stone said they would be "Disciples"!)
28. Shortly after the "Apostles" were chosen, 70 high priests were set aside to be "Seventies",
another new priesthood office. At least 12 of these can be documented as already being high
priests in the Far West Record - the official minutes of the early conferences & as far back
as June 3, 1831 when Joseph and Sidney first brought in high priests. John Whitmer, who
wrote the early history of the church, which is copied in the book entitled An Early Latter
Day Saint History: The Book of John Whitmer, edited by Mckiernan and Launtus, states on p.
142, that 70 high priests were chosen. RLDS C.H. Vol. 2, p. 99 also shows that 5 of the
'First presidents were released when it was decided that high priests couldn't be seventies. It
is impossible to believe that Joseph could have been so close to many of those men over the
years, and participated in their ordinations, and not to have known that they were high
priests.
Several obvious questions emerge: (1) were their callings to the office of high priest of
God? (2) Were their callings to the office of seventy of God? ( 3 ) Was the decision that
high priests couldn't be seventies of God? (4) is God changeable? ( ) how much of this
whole issue was from God?
Ready for Part 10?
