by Denver Snuffer: a Review
Denver Snuffer claims his book is not a
history as much as it is a doctrinal commentary. So my review will be a
doctrinal exposition more than a historical one. Like some others I praise Denver Snuffer admitting the weakness of the LDS Church. I condemn Denver Snuffer in skipping over the underlying cause of Mormon hypocrisy and for allowing ALL the weakness of Gentile apostasy to continue unchecked as he shifts the focus well beyond the mark to his fondness for a meeting with Jesus Christ face to face.
It is incredulous for a man as well versed in everything LDS to omit the true points of doctrine regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ. As valuable as his insights are into the despicable worldliness of Mormon leadership through so many generations down to the present hour, and such an insight could have saved me countless recriminations and allowed me greater charity in my own struggle to make the people see the light, yet Denver Snuffer opens up no wisdom or understanding of an alternative to this worldliness. Of course they should all have prevailed to have an audience with Jesus. That does not wash for a helpful assist. All is beyond the mark, and Jesus told the Nephites in the Land Bountiful, that anything more or less than the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost comes of evil. In so many words he did showing what counts for building upon the rock and not upon a sandy foundation. The foundation of the world. Where great shall be the fall thereof.
Another point I want to make against Denver Snuffer is how slippery he comes off not wanting to appear like he is seeking an office or wants to lead out and yet after all is said and done, he alone, remains worthy to lead, as he alone, has, according to his own testimony, spoken with the Lord.....for the first time.....in 2013! And he continually inserts the notion that having your calling and election made sure, which is what he thinks seeing Jesus is all about, also, and even ALWAYS bestows the sealing powers. And since all good LDSers know that there can ONLY be one man on earth at a time to hold the sealing powers, well, Denver Snuffer must be da man!
And he is quite meek and forebearing in not asking for to sit in Moses' seat. How unseamly for a Mormon, heaven forbid, But after the plagues and harvest begins to reduce the population of the Church, then, by the voice of the people, he plants this notion that they have the power to set up whomsoever they will. We all know that the shepherds will scatter when the times get rough.
That's my main point of review of Denver Snuffer's Passing the Heavenly Gift. He proves that he never came unto Christ acceptably to get the gospel right by obeying the commandments of Jesus Christ in:
1. Taking no thought for his life while seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
2. Continue in fasting and prayer with one accord until the promise of the Father is realized in the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
If he had, or any other man ever did, then they would wear out their lives like Alma in seeing to it that all who hear his voice might repent sufficiently to be truly born of God. This is not done by any Mormon, no, not even Joseph Smith caught this vision and so the generations have stumbled greatly. He might have, had he lived just one more day, who knows? Joseph only had fourteen years. Hardly long enough to gain much wisdom in these things. He wanted a reformation. He did say so. (DHC Vol. 5, Chapter 27 Page 510)
3. Believing the missionaries that simply joining the Church and getting hands laid upon your head gave him the Holy Ghost.
4. Partaking of the sacrament unworthily for many many years and taking honors of priesthood and mission service (I think he did) and temple attendance and marriage all in an unclean state like the entire LDS Church does daily taking sanctification for granted by conceit and utter abominations somehow exempt him from the cursing of D&C 112....oh boy, you betcha.
All of which has set him up for that wrath to be poured out upon his head with his fellow pretenders. And still, somehow, Jesus visited him and gave him advanced degrees of righteousness and a message for our time, for having lived so many years trampling the Holy One of Israel under foot? I don't think so.
And since all the Brethren make the same inference that they see Jesus and that the Lord is included in their sacred councils why not Denver Snuffer then to pretend to great things if he is trying to bring forth a better end? At least he is more concerned with Zion than worldly gain. Right? He gives off that he suffers great personal expense to promote that message Christ has charged him with. He donates a good portion of his sales to something or other.
I think Denver Snuffer is a heck of a guy for having the moxie to put LDS hypocrisy in its place. And, unlike me, have people actually pay attention. Wow! Now if he could just be converted to the REAL gospel of Jesus Christ and obey the first commandments to come unto Christ where he waits at the door and knock, where he employs no servant there. NO Denver, it is not the calling and election made sure. It is the rock, the gospel of Jesus Christ, to be conceived his seed and born of God and raised up to a state of righteousness by the power of Christ's atonement. And that after your faith and willingness to forsake this world. Oh, crap. Really? The world, you say? This great big wonderfully academic, scientific, wonder of wonderful wonders? Yup. That is the sacrifice. That is why we are given a world and the freedom to sacrifice it. So we got something to give to prove our love of God and show that we are not willing to live without Christ in God in our lives. And demonstrate the faith we have in Christ to call down upon us God's judgement today, as to whether or not we enter the kingdom of God, yes, this moment.
But this is about Denver Snuffer and his teachings and not about what I say. He says that the entire point of the gospel is to get your calling and election made sure, and that ALWAYS gives you the sealing power over heaven and earth...like Nephi, no, the other Nephi, in Helaman 10. And since he already has it NOBODY else can get it because there can only be one on earth at a time......???
I noted some 34 points I disagree or have a problem with Denver Snuffer in his book. But I am not going to elaborate on them as my point is already made. You can take a look:
1. Ruel/Jethro a descendent of
Abraham? Page 29.
2. Joseph Smith needed the
Melchizedek Priesthood to see God. (Not if it was a mere vision and not a personal visitation. He says he came to himself lying on his back....a vision.) Page 30-31.
3. Calling and Election = sealing
power. Page 81(Like Nephi in Helaman 10)
4. Sealing power ALWAYS connected to
C&E Page 85
5. Brigham
Young could not have sealing power without the heavens being opened to him and
getting it from the voice of God. Page
87
6. Conflates fullness of the gospel
with fullness of the priesthood. Page
120-121 (3 nephi 16:10)
7. Brigham Young guilty or Nephi 16 abominations citing
mass slaughter of Indians near Pleasant Grove. Black Hawks people, and MMM as
proof BY was not worthy to lead. Page
145
8. Joseph Smith head of human family
in this dispensation, all must be sealed to him. Page 153
9. D&C 132 is composed from
separate revelations. Page 154
10. Denies
Taylor revelation is about plural wives (But it IS about entering into God’s
glory the highest degree of heaven where the gods do the works of Abraham.) Page 164-165
11. Lamenting
saints inability to live Zion but he fails to give a reason other than they craved
individualism and self reliance. He omits the power of the gospel where it
is most crucial in supplying the power to overcome the world, give us a new heart from God. Page 188
12. Again
shows no understanding of the gospel power.
Simply citing ideals of Christianity like the people just need the
gumption to do better. Page 193
13. Clueless
once again about the commandments of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power
to overcome the world that flows from it. He says the people are just too
competitive and uncooperative….lol oh man!
Page 194
14. Writes
about following the brethren and shows how spiritually vacant they all were
since BY time to today. Page 200-270 (Actually I rather appreciate this part. It's telling indeed)
15. Power
from ceremony not BFHG. Page 272-3
16. Denies
the gift and power of the Holy Ghost in preference to visitation of angels and
seeing Christ. Says this is the way of the BoM...??? Page 277
17. Says
repent requires presence of Christ for forgiveness. Page 277
18.
No
need for being pre-qualified (to be clean) to enter the temple. Page 282
19. Skips
gospel to sanctification by seeing Christ. Page 287
20. Denver
Snuffer sets himself up as a MOSES type.
Page 290
21. Messenger
before my face not a church leader. Sets
up the idea of the voice of the Church, common consent can call him when they
want to. Page 316 (I think)
22. Come
unto Christ is to enter his presence to gain salvation NOT THE GOSPEL. Page 337
23. Seek
Christ’s presence is the gospel. Page 344
24. Gospel
binds generations. (sealed) Page 388
25. Unite
behind the messanger. (Denver Snuffer) Page 402
26. Beyond
the mark no servant there. Page 456
27. No
appreciation for the gospel. Page 460
28. Priesthood
from God or angels. Page 462
29. Joseph Smith was like DS, a messenger. Page 463
30. To
abide with Christ is him taking up his abode with us. Page 450
31. Elijah
last to hold the keys by VoG Page 474
32. Sealed
to JS or burned up at the Lord's coming. Page 486
33. Fails
to realize that BFHG makes us children of Abraham not sealing. Page 486
34. Then
why skip the real gospel? Page 496
