LDS Doctrine and Covenants Critique
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The Doctrine and Covenants
SECTION 33
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to
Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet, at Fayette, New York, October 1830. In
introducing this revelation, Joseph Smith’s history affirms that “the
Lord … is ever ready to instruct such as diligently seek in faith.”
1–4, Laborers are called to declare the gospel in the eleventh hour;
5–6, The Church is established, and the elect are to be gathered; 7–10,
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; 11–15, The Church is
built upon the gospel rock; 16–18, Prepare for the coming of the
Bridegroom.
1 Behold, I say unto you, my servants Ezra and Northrop, open ye your
ears and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, whose word is quick
and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder
of the joints and marrow, soul and spirit; and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
Note: Ezra Thayre refused to follow Brigham Young.
After the death of Joseph Smith in June 1844, Thayre was part of the
minority of Latter Day Saints who refused to follow the leadership of
Brigham Young and the Quorum of the Twelve. When the majority of Saints
departed Nauvoo for the Salt Lake Valley, Thayer remained behind in
Nauvoo. In 1849, Thayre moved to Michigan. Affiliated briefly with
James J. Strang at Voree, Walworth Co., Wisconsin, but soon returned to
New York where he was rebaptized into the LDS Church in September 1854.
He became a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints in at Galien, Berrien Co., Michigan on August 24, 1860.
2 For verily, verily, I say unto you that ye are called to lift up your
voices as with the sound of a trump, to declare my gospel unto a
crooked and perverse generation. 3 For behold, the field is white
already to harvest; and it is the eleventh hour, and the last time that
I shall call laborers into my vineyard.
Note: Northrop Sweet came to realize that Joseph Smith was rotten.
Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley P.
Pratt, by Oct. 1830, in Palmyra. Appointed to serve mission, Oct. 1830.
Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, by June 1831. Ordained an elder,
by June 1831. Left church shortly thereafter and helped found Pure
Church of Christ.
4 And my vineyard has become corrupted every whit; and there is none
which doeth good save it be a few; and they err in many instances
because of priestcrafts, all having corrupt minds.
Note: The vineyard was Israel and not America.
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His
vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He
dug it up and cleared out its stones and planted it with the choicest
vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it;
So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild
grapes. “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge,
please, between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to
My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to
bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? And now,
please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away
its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it
shall be trampled down. I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or
dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the
clouds that they rain no rain on it.” For the vineyard of the LORD of
hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant
plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For
righteousness, but behold, a cry for help. Isaiah 5:1-7
5 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness.
Note: Jesus Christ established the church about 2,000 years ago.
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon
Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My
Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and
on this rock (confession) I will build My church, and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:16-18
6 And even so will I gather mine elect from the four quarters of the
earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they
will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other. Matthew 24:31
7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already
to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your
might, mind, and strength.
Note: Joseph Smith misinterpreted Scripture for judgment.
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like
the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a
sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a
loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and
reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the
earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the
earth, and the earth was reaped. Revelation 14:14-16
8 Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even
as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.
Note: The Book of Mormon is fiction.
Critical View: Critics and secular scholars treat the text as
19th-century fiction, pointing to environmental influences, language
parallels with contemporary books, and a lack of archaeological
evidence.
9 Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with
sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you. 10 Yea, open your
mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye
the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand;
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of
Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For
this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice
of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His
paths straight.’” Matthew 3:1-3
11 Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of
your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism
of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
Note: Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes from sincere belief in Jesus Christ.
Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God
shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works
righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the
children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of
all— that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and
began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who
went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did
both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by
hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him
openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God,
even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And
He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He
who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him
all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in
Him will receive remission of sins.” While Peter was still speaking
these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as
came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured
out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and
magnify God. Acts 10:34-46
12 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and
remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be
saved;
Note: The Christian Gospel is not water baptism.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no
effect. 1 Corinthians 1:17
13 And upon this rock I will build my church; yea, upon this rock ye
are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail
against you.
Note: The Christian church is built upon confession not baptism.
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart
one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will
not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For
“whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Romans 10:8-13
14 And ye shall remember the church articles and covenants to keep
them. 15 And whoso having faith you shall confirm in my church, by the
laying on of the hands, and I will bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost
upon them.
Note: The Holy Spirit will testify of Jesus Christ not the Book of Mormon.
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of
Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from
the beginning. John 15:26-27
16 And the Book of Mormon and the holy scriptures are given of me for
your instruction; and the power of my Spirit quickeneth all things.
Note: The Book of Mormon is fiction.
There is no accepted correlation between locations described in the
Book of Mormon and known American archaeological sites. Additionally,
the Book of Mormon's narrative refers to the presence of animals,
plants, metals, and technologies of which archaeological and scientific
studies have found little or no evidence in post-Pleistocene,
pre-Columbian America. Such anachronistic references include crops such
as barley, wheat, and silk; livestock like cattle, donkeys, horses,
oxen, and sheep; and metals and technology such as brass, steel, the
wheel, and chariots.
17 Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed
and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of
the Bridegroom—18 For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that I
come quickly. Even so. Amen.
Note: The Holy Bible was plagiarized.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were
wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps
and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with
their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered
and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is
coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed
their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your
oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No,
lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those
who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the
wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also,
saying, Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly,
I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know
neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Matthew
25:1-13