Book of Mormon, Part 37 – Harvest G

Shawn McCraney's teachings emphasize bridging the gap between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity through his ministry platform, Heart of the Matter, and other resources such as the CAMPUS website and Alathea Ministries. He recommends various Christ-centered churches for fellowship and encourages engagement with the Transitions program to assist with the transition from LDS beliefs to regenerated Christianity while promoting open discussions through platforms like "The Ex-Files."

Shawn emphasizes that treating all individuals equally, regardless of their background or identity, is crucial for genuine connection and love, rejecting any form of special treatment for specific groups. In his teaching, he highlights the importance of focusing Christian practice on Christ alone, contrasting this with practices like those in Mormonism, which he views as being centered more on church activities and allegiance than on Jesus himself.

In Shawn's teaching, he questions the authenticity of the Golden Plates, suggesting that their existence might have been a fabrication by Joseph Smith and his associates, and challenges the credibility of witnesses by examining the possible motivations and circumstances behind their testimonies. He stresses the importance of ensuring the centrality of Christ in church activities and teachings, implying that a church without a Christ-centered focus should be reconsidered by its attendees.

The teaching argues that the first three witnesses of the Book of Mormon, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, did not physically see the gold plates but saw them through spiritual visions, likely orchestrated by Joseph Smith to convince Harris of their authenticity. This narrative suggests that Joseph Smith manipulated the spiritual expectations and belief systems of these men, potentially with the complicity of Cowdery and Whitmer, to support his claims about the existence of the plates.

Joseph Smith and his companions, Martin Harris, David Whitmer, and Oliver Cowdery, engaged in fervent prayer to witness the promised plates, initially failing to receive any divine manifestation, which led to Harris withdrawing due to feelings of unworthiness. After Harris's departure, Smith, Whitmer, and Cowdery reportedly witnessed an angel with the plates, a vision Harris later experienced after being reassured and praying again with Smith.

Shawn outlines Joseph Smith's strategic actions to manage the accounts of the witnesses to the Mormon plates, highlighting how Martin Harris, initially unable to see the plates, eventually claims to have seen them after a prayer session with Smith. Smith's addition of the phrase "at least it was to me" served as a protective measure against any contradictory claims by Harris, ensuring that Smith maintained control over the narrative of the vision's authenticity.