Olive Tree Allegory - Picking the Right Branch

[RubinHighlander]

Until this morning I hadn't seen this Brother Jake video on the branches of Mormonism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2TgWZM93PQ

Although I was aware of many of the break offs and splits from Mormonism I'd never really looked at it the way BJ lays it out with side by side comparisons. It did always bother me that the fundamentalist polygamist groups in Utah laid claim to the throne because it seemed as long as DC 132 was still in the cannon, they had a legit argument. All we had in the mainstream TSCC was a stupid declaration, forced on us by the Feds. Don't get me wrong, I'm not for polygamy, I was just really bothered by how TSCC handled getting partially rid of it.

It would be interesting to make another one of those "Guess which church I'm from based on my sincere testimony." videos but only use members from all the different JS/Mormon churches; then get TBMs from all the branches to determine who is from what branch. Granted, you would need to dress them all in similar garb, the pioneer era clothing from some of them would be a dead give away.

Anyone read the book Under the Banner of Heaven? That's a pretty crazy bunch of info on all the connections between the polygamist break offs and how TSCC's doctrines can encourage bat sh!t crazy.

[Corsair]

We have to be really specific with names for a conversation like this. So, let's list the major doctrinal items that define the (Corporation of the President of) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

• Joseph Smith the Prophet
• Book of Mormon
• Melchizedek priesthood power
• Temple worship and temple ordinances
• Doctrine and Covenants
• First Vision
• authority to perform the ordinances of salvation

All of those break off sects will happily testify of those distinct doctrines. Many of them will also testify of plural marriage, of course. This is deeply troubling to Russell Nelson's church.

One amusing item not on the list is the Word of Wisdom. While many of the break off groups do have something like the Word of Wisdom, it's implementation was most sturdily put in place by Heber J. Grant. President Grant added the Word of Wisdom to the temple recommend questions.
This was after most of the splinter groups had already left.

But, let's be honest about "splinter groups". The mainstream(?) LDS church headed by Russell Nelson is the largest and most wealthy sect descended from Joseph Smith's restorationist movement. But, it's not necessarily the "mother church". It's arguable that Community of Christ would be the original church after it was founded by Joseph Smith III and retained the Kirtland temple.

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

I get to interact with various Missouri and Voree branch people on a fb page run by a Strangite historian and curator. By far the most judgmental and ugly comments on posts come from Brighamites. The culty arrogance is obvious. In contrast our midwest cousins are much less brainwashed. It's like South Koreans vs North Koreans.

[2bizE]

I get to interact with various Missouri and Voree branch people on a fb page run by a Strangite historian and curator. By far the most judgmental and ugly comments on posts come from Brighamites. The culty arrogance is obvious. In contrast our midwest cousins are much less brainwashed. It's like South Koreans vs North Koreans.

Are you calling us brainwashed?...what you talking about Willis?

[RubinHighlander]

I get to interact with various Missouri and Voree branch people on a fb page run by a Strangite historian and curator. By far the most judgmental and ugly comments on posts come from Brighamites. The culty arrogance is obvious. In contrast our midwest cousins are much less brainwashed. It's like South Koreans vs North Koreans.

Are you calling us brainwashed?...what you talking about Willis?

As a TBM I most certainly was brainwashed!