I recently posted about the LDS author Ken Bowers, and his book 'Hiding in Plain Sight'. I also posted about the Freedom First Society. I asked if this was 'a Mormon thing'.
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,823747,823747#msg-823747

I have since come to learn a bit more info. about these issues.
Apparently Robert Welch (a 32nd degree Mason) was the founder of the John Birch Society. There were many accusations that this organization was just a puppet for the Mormon Church. After he died, a man by the name of G. Vance Smith took over. He was LDS. He was in leadership for about 14 years, and then resigned and formed Freedom First Society.
In his (Vance Smith) words in the press release, he resigned because 'there was a coupe from within' to take over the John Birch Society. Others however said that G. Vance Smith was removing those in leadership and replacing them with LDS members.
Point is, this dude was the founder of Freedom First Society, and I'm wondering how much actual association this organization has with the LDS Church. Is this just another way for the Church to get non-members to side with them politically? Or even to groom people for joining the Church?

I feel like the Church is so deceptive! This whole conspiracy about the 'New World Order' as discussed in LDS author Ken Bower's book, and then the Freedom First Society (formed by someone who is LDS), etc. It all seems a little fishy to me... But, maybe I'm just being a conspiracy theorist...?!

Thoughts?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2013 02:30PM by dogeatdog.

this is interesting. I will have to think about it. There def seems to be some sort of link between the two.

Mormonism is less than 200 years old, yet they have become politically influential in relation to how big they are. If they say 2 percent of the US population are Mormon, they sure have a large influence and lots of money and investments for such a small group. I see them like a beast with lots of feelers that wrap around many things, some visible and some not so visible. I have a feeling they have such an immense wealth and involvement that their church part is a way to keep getting a tax free flow of income without having to even try. It keeps coming in large envelopes from each stake monthly to Salt Lake (wire). I also believe they don't even need it. If the church crumbled they would still operate and survive even without it though it would be a big hit. I think they are dangerous. Call me a conspiracy theorist. There are a lot of people who think they are a harmless little cult and I hope they are right. I do believe parts of their power operates in the shadows and many people are fooled and contribute to something very dangerous due to their willful ignorance. There are people getting rich and powerful off Mormonism. Money is said to be the root of all evil.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2013 02:58PM by suckafoo.

I really tend to feel the same way. I think as you say, parts of their power operates in the shadows and many people are fooled, or can't really pin them down.

dogeatdog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recently posted about the LDS author Ken Bowers,
> and his book 'Hiding in Plain Sight'. I also
> posted about the Freedom First Society. I asked
> if this was 'a Mormon thing'.
> http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,823747,82374
> 7#msg-823747
>
> I have since come to learn a bit more info. about
> these issues.
> Apparently Robert Welch (a 32nd degree Mason) was
> the founder of the John Birch Society. There were
> many accusations that this organization was just a
> puppet for the Mormon Church. After he died, a
> man by the name of G. Vance Smith took over. He
> was LDS. He was in leadership for about 14 years,
> and then resigned and formed Freedom First
> Society.
> In his (Vance Smith) words in the press release,
> he resigned because 'there was a coupe from
> within' to take over the John Birch Society.
> Others however said that G. Vance Smith was
> removing those in leadership and replacing them
> with LDS members.
> Point is, this dude was the founder of Freedom
> First Society, and I'm wondering how much actual
> association this organization has with the LDS
> Church. Is this just another way for the Church
> to get non-members to side with them politically?
> Or even to groom people for joining the Church?
>
> I feel like the Church is so deceptive! This
> whole conspiracy about the 'New World Order' as
> discussed in LDS author Ken Bower's book, and then
> the Freedom First Society (formed by someone who
> is LDS), etc. It all seems a little fishy to
> me... But, maybe I'm just being a conspiracy
> theorist...?!
>
> Thoughts?


The John Birch Society has no more connection to Mormonism than it does to Catholicism, Protestantism, or Judaism. Leaders in the JBS have come approximately proportionately from all of these faiths. What members of the JBS have in common religiously IS religion, and the respect of others' religious beliefs.
The Executive Directors (CEO, whatever) have included fundamentalist Protestant, traditionalist Catholic, standard Mormon, and mainstream Protestant, with conservative Jewish and modern Catholics and Protestants in the next layer of leadership. While the JBS is based on universal religious principles, it is not an organization of any religion.
Yes, the "purged" executive leadership of several years ago included Mormons, but the dissatisfaction of their leadership had nothing to do with their religion; it was largely because of misdirected functional policies and poor personnel management. Besides being a "movement" , the JBS is also by necessity a business. And a business cannot survive if it is run in an unbusinesslike manner, and that includes the treatment of employees.
The John Birch Society remains the last best hope for the survival of liberty in this world. Support it, or Nikita Khruschev will ultimately be proven right for saying that your grandchildren will live under communism.

I needed a good laugh today, thanks!

is that they are white and delightsome.

Pretty good compatibility with Mormonism there, I'd say.

Are you sure about the delightsome?

I grew up in a home in which the John Birch Society was the guiding light, uniting all religions (and there were a lot of religions in my family).

However, I'm happy to say, everyone eventually grew out of it enough to realize how (thank you for the perfect word, CrispingPin) irrational it was. Even the most dyed-in-the-wool family members figured out that it was just another case of wild exaggeration and a blazingly slanted presentation of the facts.

Seriously, I had no idea that anyone still believed in the JBS. It's just like the Mormon church in that it is a group which has to generate evil monsters in order to justify its existence.

Well, I'm not sure about believing in JBS, but I know my father in law definitely believes in what seems to be it's reincarnation - Freedom First Sociaty. I know he gets newsletters, emails, and has gone to meetings. I think he may have donated money too. Of course it's run by someone LDS, so I suppose that's all very trustworthy to him. I know that my inlaws were first introduced to FFS when they were doing their 'at home mission' working at the mission home.

C’mon, get with the times. Having an irrational fear of communism is sooooo 20th century. Having an irrational fear of Islam is the cool, new thing.

dogeatdog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recently posted about the LDS author Ken Bowers,
> and his book 'Hiding in Plain Sight'. I also
> posted about the Freedom First Society. I asked
> if this was 'a Mormon thing'.
> http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,823747,82374
> 7#msg-823747
>
> I have since come to learn a bit more info. about
> these issues.
> Apparently Robert Welch (a 32nd degree Mason) was
> the founder of the John Birch Society. There were
> many accusations that this organization was just a
> puppet for the Mormon Church. After he died, a
> man by the name of G. Vance Smith took over. He
> was LDS. He was in leadership for about 14 years,
> and then resigned and formed Freedom First
> Society.
> In his (Vance Smith) words in the press release,
> he resigned because 'there was a coupe from
> within' to take over the John Birch Society.
> Others however said that G. Vance Smith was
> removing those in leadership and replacing them
> with LDS members.
> Point is, this dude was the founder of Freedom
> First Society, and I'm wondering how much actual
> association this organization has with the LDS
> Church. Is this just another way for the Church
> to get non-members to side with them politically?
> Or even to groom people for joining the Church?
>
> I feel like the Church is so deceptive! This
> whole conspiracy about the 'New World Order' as
> discussed in LDS author Ken Bower's book, and then
> the Freedom First Society (formed by someone who
> is LDS), etc. It all seems a little fishy to
> me... But, maybe I'm just being a conspiracy
> theorist...?!
>
> Thoughts?

There is a religion which would like to replace the U.S. Constitution and substitute their own law. Some factions of that group feel justified implementing jihad on all infidels in order to bring about their design. That mentality concerns the American people, but you folks seem obsessed with The Freedom First Society and law abiding Mormons that embrace the Constitution and believe in honoring the laws of the land.
Perhaps you should attend the Freedom First Society before you malign its premise.
You may discover that they tie people up, and sever their heads when they refuse to agree. On the other hand I am sure you will discover that they teach the constitution and how it was crafted by our founding forefathers to protect citizens from a government that would censor your right to free speech, and even your right to delude others with your prejudice.
Considering the level of your rant, your time might be better spent in areas that shore up and safeguard those with diminished and prejudiced mental capacities. Yes the Constitution even protects people like you. I don’t really care about your religious persuasion, race, or political party, but I am disturbed that you offer no evidence that you understand the value of the constitution, while you ignorantly demean the rights of others who embrace, understand and honor it.
How do your mundane words preserve and stabilize the framework of the Constitution? All citizens have the right to honor the Constitution. Your demeaning prejudice only serves to undermine earnest patriotism.
Indirectly you reveal that you have never attended, yet by vilifying the Freedom First Society (FFS) along with those who attend its constitutional classes, it’s apparent that your personal prejudices expand beyond Mormons to include Constitutionalists – which by-the-way currently embodies all faiths in 37 states where there are chapters.
Your position is inflammatory enough that one could justify a similar reactions by stating that your motivation is ulterior, anti constitutional and needs to be dealt with before it proliferates and we ends up with similar events that occurred at the Boston Day parade, and the San Bernardino Christmas party. Your position is bizarre and your words distract from fundamental issues that plague a free America. I am embarrassed at your befuddled and trifling prejudices.

into politics. Closing. Please do not start a part two.