This is the summary of Snuffer's book from Amazon.com:

>> Mormonism has undergone four distinct phases. The first began in 1820 and ended with Joseph Smith’s death in 1844. The second began upon Joseph Smith’s death and ended with abandonment of plural marriage, publicly in 1890 and privately in 1904. In the third phase Mormonism denounced as apostasy its practice of plural wives, marking the first time an orthodox practice became grounds for excommunication. The fourth phase began with David O. McKay and is still underway. In it Mormonism has adopted corporate management techniques to consolidate and direct central church decision-making. The first phase was innovative and expansive, continually adding doctrine, scripture, teachings and ordinances. Subsequent phases have curtailed, abandoned, even denounced earlier teaching and doctrine. Phases two through four have all abandoned doctrine. Growth in these subsequent phases has been defined in terms of political influence, financial gains, cultural inroads, and population growth; while the underlying religion has been curtailed. Today, marketing the institution has become more important to Mormon success than preserving the original religious content. The changes from phase to phase have completely transformed Mormonism, sharing a vocabulary but redefining the terms. Modern Mormonism has now institutionalized change. <<

That has been my experience and observation of the church, too. I think Snuffer's SP also knows it's true. That's why he (and probably the brethren) want it suppressed.

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1000495,1000619#msg-1000619

I never heard of Denver Snuffer, either, and his book doesn't interest me, but oh, man, that letter is ridiculous.

I'm guessing the folks don't get to see a lot of these disciplinary letters. Someone should start collecting them and build a blog with letters and satirical commentary.

That disciplining dissidents gives them exponentially more notoriety?

I bet this council follows the typical pattern...hits the news...indefinitely postponed at the stakes president's discretion.

Their letters say it all for us. You're free to disagree as long as you don't disagree out loud. Hmmmm, that's like saying I'm free to want gay sex as long as I don't actually do it, including masturbate. I'm free to want rum as long as I don't actually drink it or SAY I want it...jeezuz, Mormon "freedom" means something entirely different than the dictionary definition.

Reluctant SP.
-shows this is coming from HQ, not local.

Not high profile.
-nobody cares enough to make this stop.

I thought it was THE Denver Snuffer, a serial killer in Colorado.

I kept seeing the subject line and wondering what Denver snuffer. It took me a while to get curious enough to click on it. :)

Notice that in the SP's letter, it says that they have ALREADY decided that Mr. Snuffer is in apostasy. No trial needed for that.

The court hearing is for sentencing only.

What a wonderful justice system! Very efficient.

Yep. And the trial had only two possible outcomes: excommunication or disfellowshipment. Nice.

Show up at a certain date and time.

Brother Snuffer puts himself up as having special knowledge that even the Living Prophet does not have, since the LP has not seen Christ in person, and Denver has. Snuffer has probably hundreds of followers, if not up to 3,000. His Church Court and aftermath can go any of the following ways:

a) he "repents" admits he is wrong, takes his books off the Amazon and other sites, begs for forgiveness, and is put on probation.

b) He refuses to do as the SP asks, is excommunicated, but continues just as before, and continues to attend Church on Sunday, and pay tithing, but continues to publish his books and blogs. Eventually, the SP and his bishop will take him aside and kindly ask him to "not come back to Church"; the unofficial "kick in the pants" that some Members experience which has no official Church sanction but actually happens all the time: this is called the "kick in the pants disfellowship" or the "don't let the door hit you on the way out" ritual. Not official,but happens quite often.

c) He is excommunicated, then publishes more, declares the LDS Church in total apostasy, proclaims himself a Prophet, and starts his own Priesthood group or even a new Church with him at the head. I'm sure he'd have at least a few hundred members to begin with. Personally, I want the 2nd Counselor in the FP position in the new Church.

d) He is excommunicated, then takes a gun, and blows his brains all over his back office wall, because his wife is divorcing him, his kids disown him, all his Mormon clients drop him as their attorney, and most of his LDS followers now shun him too.

e) He leaves the Church, divorces his wife, goes to Hawaii, starts a new law practice there, and sips martinis on the North Shore with a young blond honey he met at a Honolulu strip club he frequents.

Should be interesting to see how this plays out.

So tell me about this guy.. Is he a scholarly author (Stray Mutt's synopsis rings true with me, I agree with that) or is he some sort of wing nut making his own prophesies and gathering a following as Dan seems to think?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2013 12:12AM by rationalguy.

http://denversnuffer.blogspot.com/

"Saturday, August 24, 2013




Correction on Boise Venue Size



I made a mistake on the size of the Boise venue. It will hold 400, not 200. I've updated that post and make a note of that here.

I did not want anyone to attend any of the talks, including the first in Boise, without making them aware they were listening to someone who has church discipline pending (or accomplished). Therefore, I posted the letter to make sure no one was misled about my status.

No one needs to defend me. I am concerned that expressions of support will do no good, and may result in the church taking notice of those who step forward. I don't want that to happen to anyone else. No matter your own sentiments, it would be best to just let this run its course without involving anyone other than me. "