Passing the Heavenly Gift

About this book

After being a Mormon for forty years the author was excommunicated by the LDS Church because he would not withdraw publication of this book. In this book he explains how Mormonism has undergone four distinct phases. The first began in 1820 and ended with Joseph Smiths death in 1844. The second began upon Joseph Smiths 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. For the first time in this book Mormonism is candidly described in terms which track the changes by examining doctrine teachings and practices. Interestingly the passing of the heavenly gift was anticipated by Joseph Smiths prophecies and the Book of Mormon.