Pure Ephraimite, AmIRight?

Brigham Young famously described Joseph Smith as "a pure Ephraimite." Likewise it is emphasized in the Book of Mormon itself that Joseph Smith is from Joseph of old (coming through Ephraim, as must needs be every president of the Church). This is a critical piece to the Ezekiel 37 prophecy, which describes a stick of Judah (Bible) and stick of Ephraim (Book of Mormon) coming together as scripture. 

There's just one problem. 

Joseph Smith Jr. was most likely not Jewish. Instead he was assuredly Irish. Northwest Irish to be exact.

But that's okay, because Ephraim wasn't always considered Jewish either. He was born of an Egyptian mother (Asenath) and he, along with his brother, Manasseh, had to be adopted into the 12 Tribes by their grandfather, Israel. His life among the patriarchs would be marked by excellence, as well as intense jealousy towards his uncle, Judah. 

To me, it would be poetic if God chose a gentile like Joseph Smith to restore a church for the ultimate gathering of Israel as a modern Ephraim, by blessing (not breeding) him into the fold of the chosen people he had long envied and tried to imitate. --Even through seer stones.

Let's talk about 3 different types of seer stones. Because this is not just about interesting genealogy (or lack thereof). I want to get to claims of power, authority, seership, and presidency today, and with bloodline out of the picture that leaves us looking elsewhere. 

David A. Baird/
Historical Arts and Castings

The first type of seer stone is the spectacle-like device attached to the gold plates. This was meant to help Joseph Smith visualize and interpret the words engraved upon them by ancient hands. Because these spectacles are attached to a breastplate like temple priests of old, they are later referred to as an urim and thummim.  Traditionally, the urim and thummim would help priests perform cleromancy, i.e. determining God's will in a black and white, binary way. I imagine it would provide feedback as to whether man's interpretation was correct or not. At some point Joseph Smith decides he doesn't want to work only in this rigid way; he produces his own seer stone. The one that looks like a chocolate egg.

By Welden C. Andersen and Richard E. Turley Jr.

The chocolate-colored seer stone was something Joseph Smith had from when he was a young boy and fancied himself as having the powers of ancient Hebrew seers. There's a name for this kind of behavior, it's called Anglo Israelism. In other words, those who are from Northern European descent will believe --against all evidence to the contrary-- that they are literal heirs to the same blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This includes claims to priesthood power, land possession, and succession. 

The amazing thing is that the chocolate seer stone seemed to work. Joseph Smith produced The Book of Mormon with it. Later, when he comes across Egyptian papyrus, Joseph Smith uses another stone (a white one) to produce The Book of Abraham. We are starting to understand now that the chocolate-colored and white stones were likely not used for historical translations, but rather inspiration to produce scripture that deepens our knowledge of God.  

I have a testimony of The Book of Abraham. By extension, I believe those seer stones worked, not because Joseph Smith has the blood of Ephraim pumping through him, but because God blessed him to use those stones for enlightenment as He did with the Brother of Jared. This ability to act as seer further established Joseph Smith's authority as head of the restored Church. 

And then he was murdered without a succession plan.

It seems unthinkable that after all that effort to restore the Church of Jesus Christ, a framework for how it should continue was not solidified. And yet there it was, a succession crisis lasting 6 months! Thankfully the doctrine of having an established presidency with keys was already in place, but who should combine those keys and take on the mantel of president, prophet, and seer was up for serious debate and produced several factions in that time. 

Ultimately Brigham Young took the reins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but not since his predecessor do we see presidents of the Church using seer stones to establish doctrine and scripture. And yet we know the Church held on to the seer stone(s) because it was able to produce this item recently for exhibition. 

This is because, I believe, those stones serve as a type of "budded rod." Please allow me to explain.

The "budded rod" is described in the Old Testament as proof that Aaron and his sons should lead the Israelites. The parallel to the latter-day succession crisis is astounding. In both cases each of "The Twelve" believe they are next in line for power and authority. In Numbers 16 we learn that God commands the 12 to lay out their staffs (AKA rods) and return in the morning. The next day Aaron's staff has bloomed and has produced literal fruit (almonds). That secures his place as leader, and the rod's place in the Ark of the Covenant, next to the gold pot of manna, and the 10 Commandments. What was Brigham Young's "budded rod"? I surmise that it was the seer stone, which had produced the fruit of The Book of Mormon and was handed over to him by Oliver Cowdery. 

Brigham Young and his successors would likely deny it. He wanted it known that his authority lie in in his proximity to Joseph Smith AND being a literal descendant of Israel, like so many past presidents of the Church purported to be since. But a few things point against lineage being the actual, literal reason. First, we have modern hindsight to inform us that LDS presidents were mostly Northern European by DNA. Second, Brigham Young held on to the stone despite never using it --to our knowledge-- to produce scripture. Third, this could be coincidental, the box the stone was kept in was adorned with a rose blooming from its bud.

I need to take you a bit deeper into this symbolism if we're going to discuss applications for today. If we think the seer stone is a type of budded rod, then I imagine gold pot of manna is represented in our time by the new and everlasting covenants revealed to us, and the tablets are the scriptures by which we'll be judged. Just like in the days of old, the Ark of the Covenant is the outward representation of a people united and led by God. It also cements the authority of our doctrine. 

The imagery of the gold plates providing mana to our souls today is very beautiful. Let us not forget the plates were not the only things given to Joseph Smith by the angel, Moroni. He also presented the Sword of Laban and the Liahona. I think we tend to take that in as a neat factoid, and evidence that the events recorded in the Book of Mormon really did happen. While they certainly served that purpose, I have come to believe they were emblems of the Church Head and Body. Of Judgement and Mercy. Even of Joseph and Emma. If we combine these elements, it creates a figurative Mercy Seat atop of the Ark. I also interpret them as a warning: Lose your way and you will lose your life. 

Woman as the compass or Liahona is not an original thought I have. The scriptures and temple are teeming with this connection. And while I am more drawn to symbolism than early Church history, I do know that when Joseph Smith introduced polygamy Emma Smith became withdrawn, Joseph was murdered, and Emma --who had been charged to discern truth from error-- ceased to journey with Brigham Young. Since that time it seems the modern Ark of the Covenant went West, separating itself from the Mercy Seat, leaving a space filled with enmity between the men leading this Church and the outspoken women who ask them to redirect. 

Enmity might seem like a strong word, but I don't know how else to describe the response Brigham Young and his successors had after Emma stayed put. The words of the temple were changed so that women no longer received blessing unto God, but their husbands instead. The Relief Society became an auxiliary organization, instead of part of the "kingdom of priests." Further light about Heavenly Mother was stunted or blocked. And much more in the era of Correlation. This is life without a Mercy Seat, if you ask me. 

I wish to emphasize two things here. First, if you've read this far, thank you. Second, the new figurative Ark established Brigham Young as the one who should succeed Joseph Smith, and that authority lives on through our current structure utilizing the laying on of hands. I still can (and do) sustain current Church leaders in their roles because they are legitimately assigned to them. The only insight I have carved out for myself is that this legitimacy isn't rooted in Ephraimite blood, but rather a stone. This view further underscores my interpretation of Church leaders as the "wild branches" in Jacob 5 who are keeping this Gospel alive despite simultaneously bringing it to its knees (e.g. here, here). 

As Church authority lives on hand to head, remember too that Emma has a "lineage" of placing her hands on heads that are keeping up the work of discernment. And it is work. It would be much easier to simply take everything said over the pulpit as God's truth spoken by his Ephraimite messenger, and not challenge the messengers to produce tokens to validate. As Revelation puts it, straddling verses 11:19 & 12:1-2:

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ^aark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great ^bhail.

1 ^aAnd there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a ^bwoman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2 And she being with ^achild cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Pained in delivering this ark, this Church and its proclamations in the latter-days. I don't know about you, but I feel that.  

We Need to Talk about The Abominable Church

This year my baptism anniversary fell on Columbus Day. I was feeling pretty raw about it.

Some time ago my mother's cousin did our family history work and made a shocking discovery. He was looking for the Spaniard who traveled to Mexico and from whom we inherited our family name, but we never found him. Instead, our line proved to be purely indigenous to the Americas, all the way back to a grown man living in the early 1500s who was renamed Felix Moreno (we have no idea what he was called at birth). Felix Moreno literally translates to Lucky Brown Man. Was that name given in mockery? Did some Europeans think he was fortunate to not be killed, and apparently allowed to reproduce and/or keep his offspring (and not have them thrown to the dogs, as Columbus was known to do)? I was simultaneously proud to be detached* from such atrocities and hurt to think about my ancestors being subject to them.

This was not my favorite chapter

So as I reflected on my Church membership this time I couldn't find peace. I felt dumb, even traitorous to my roots as I felt the weight of 1Nephi13 on me. That chapter has always been there, causing me to ache, and serving as an immediate stumbling block to my progression in reading the Book of Mormon. As you can see from the screenshot above, it's about the "discovery and colonization of America," a scriptural embodiment of Manifest Destiny. Almost everyone who's ever read it understands the following verse to be a reference to Christopher Columbus:  "...and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land." Inspired by God, eh? Divine enslavement, rape, and torture? No, I couldn't get behind this. The chapter heading has a large X on it in my scriptures, encouraging me to look past it.

And yet, I felt impressed to face my stumbling block head on. Then and there. Of course I didn't want to, but the Spirit was nudging me. Plus, if there was any possibility I could bury this issue I thought I ought to go for it. So I did. And it was painful.

I re-read the whole chapter, and as Enoch once said, I "refus[ed] to be comforted... but the Lord said unto [me]: Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look." And verily I say onto you that I did see a few things, but the trick about seeing is that you perceive without understanding. At least at first. What I saw were many chapters in the Book of Mormon about war, and these reports stood as a witness to why God's anger had been kindled. After accepting this I felt permitted, even blessed to cast aside the 1Nephi13 verses that started with "I beheld." (Part of me even wondered if this was Joseph Smith's interpretation of what Nephi saw in a vision.) From there another strong impression came:

The Abominable Church is founded by Satan, the father of lies... and white male supremacy. 

In an instant I became aware of a historical dichotomy, as outlined below:

And you know what? This lines up with 1Nephi13, especially as you focus on the verses spoken by the angel, who instructs Nephi,

Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.(1Nephi13:7)

I always thought this was a jab at the early Catholic Church. But having been raised Catholic, I know that the men and women who toiled away at making and preserving illuminated manuscripts, who lived chaste and simple lives, preached the Gospel, and took care of the poor (including animals) did not deserve to be lumped into this group. I understand now that they never were. What I believe these verses want us to comprehend is that white male supremacy thrives on gold and silver obtained by the shedding of innocent blood, and by the bitter fruit of human trafficking ye shall know them. This does well to describe the Inquisition, of which God does not approve. The Inquisition was Satan's counterfeit missionary work.

The angel also asks Nephi to behold the wrath of God, as it rains upon his own brethren (verse 11). In my previous ward I was told this meant the bloody massacre of my people was ordained by God, which bothered me to say the very least. But if you think about it, that's not really how He operates. When Moses needed his people freed, for example, God worked through plagues and finally a destroying angel as a last resort. I am willing to accept that the multitude of diseases European immigrants brought with them could be a form of God's wrath for things well-documented in the Book of Mormon and beyond. Fine. But war is never God's modus operandi. Does he suffer it to be so? Sure, we're even told later on in Mormon 4:5 that "it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished." And why does God permit this? Because being a covenant people does not mean everything you do is blessed by the Lord, rather it means God will often stay His hand because He needs you to preserve or even restore His Word.

In 1Nephi13:29 we read,

And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.

This is a reminder that even though the Gentiles (in and out of the Abominable Church) do terrible things, God must have a level of mercy for them that relates to their actions occurring in a time when His Gospel is not fully on the earth. In other words, they will be judged on an incomplete law. But note here again that this is not saying the Gentiles are inspired as a group in all things, in fact just the opposite. This verse is reminding us that "an exceedingly great" number of white Americans will do awful things, often in His name. This concept is especially hard to grasp for those who believe the USA's origins are entirely divine. And yet...

Credit Arlen Parsa on this thread

Above we see the Founding Fathers, where those who owned and exploited slaves (that's White Male Supremacy in case you missed it) have their faces covered by a red dot. Those who managed not to stumble and held to pure Christianity (which abhors enslavement) were few indeed.

And if the Book of Mormon is written for our day, which I believe it is, then we really ought to think about what the Abominable Church is up to now and who is falling for it. We should seek to identify the false priests who oppress. And oppose white male supremacy. In fact we must.

Right now I feel a good sense of relief from a testimony standpoint, but one of the hardest things lately is sharing my revelations about this chapter with white Mormon Americans who are, "happy for [me]." Happy for just me? Why hasn't this bothered YOU? Are we so accustomed to indigenous people being used and abused that we're cool with planting these pain-inducing verses –for they are easily misused– in their lives and walking away? No. I need white members of the Church to try and feel what I feel, and go about correcting our discourse on 1Nephi13. Think of it as manifesting a new destiny.

*I'm actually equal parts indigenous and Iberian on genetic testing. Life is complex.