FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Criticism of Mormonism/Online documents/Denver Snuffer
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A FairMormon Analysis of Denver Snuffer's Online Claims
This set of articles comprises approximately ??? questions or sources assigned to the response to Denver Snuffer. A full list of these articles may be found here: Category:Denver Snuffer. New questions and sources are periodically added to this list.
Overview
Denver Snuffer was excommunicated for apostasy on 11 September 2013 because of the claims made in his book Passing the Heavenly Gift.[1] Following his excommunication, Snuffer has declared, among other things, that the Church's First Presidency has lost their authority, and claimed that Jesus appeared to him to instruct him. This wiki page examines his historical and other claims.
FairMormon's response
In developing our response, our primary intended audience is not necessarily Snuffer nor his associates, but rather those individuals, perhaps faithful Latter-day Saints, perhaps questioning, perhaps once-faithful but now sincerely doubting, who may have come across his teachings and been troubled by its contents.
Denver Snuffer claim:
You do not need buildings to meet. Tithing is for the poor.[2]
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FairMormon Response
The Doctrine and Covenants teaches a different doctrine. For example, tithing is commanded for the building of temples:
- 10 Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you.
- 11 Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people. (D&C 97꞉10-11, italics added}})
Likewise D&C 117꞉2-3 commands tithing for a variety of purposes:
- 2 For the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my Church.
- 3 And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.
These purposes include (1) temple building; (2) laying the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood; (3) paying Church debts.
Thus, tithing is properly used for temples and other activities consistent with building the kingdom of God. "The poor" are nowhere mentioned, since the scriptures have a different mechanism for providing for them—the fast (Isaiah 58:6-7).
Denver Snuffer claim:
Joseph Smith only built one building—a temple.[3]
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FairMormon Response
This claim is false. Joseph directed the construction of many buildings for Church purposes.
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Notes