I enjoy watching Steve Pynakker‘s Mormon Book Reviews (YouTube Facebook). Sometimes when I post comments on the videos, the comments disappear. Steve has told me in the past that he doesn’t delete comments and that it is YouTube that is doing it. I only noticed that my comment was not there when I decided I wanted to go back and add one thought about old cases. With the subject being a very important one, I decided to turn my comment into a blog post, and perhaps I’ll do that with more of them from now on. For those who are interested and have not seen Who Killed Joseph Smith please go see it for free here. Here is Justin Griffin interview with Steve. And my resource page on the subject.

[Responding to comment at 04M02S]
When criminal A shoots the victim and the victim does not die instantly but receives a deadly wound and is barely hanging on, then criminal B shoots the victim and finishes the job instantly, yes criminal B did murder the victim, but so did criminal A.

[Responding to comment at 07M48S]
Anti-belief is very much different than anti-physical-feature. I am anti-abortion, anti-Satanist and anti-lies. YHWH is also very much against lying as stated in the 10 commandments and throughout the scriptures, and more boldly in the Book of Mormon. Despite this LDS / Brighamite leaders are known to lie for the Lord even today. (This leads into the question whether Joseph Smith was honest about polygamy or not, I believe he was honest, otherwise how do you know when a liar is telling the truth, not to mention liars don’t really inspire people to be like Yeshua/Jesus but are just tickling people’s ears.) A political party sticking up for what is correct is fine even if it focus on the opposite negative. Bad beliefs leads to bad behaviors and actions.

2 Nephi (LDS 9:34) (RLDS 6:68) WO UNTO THE LIAR, for he shall be THRUST DOWN TO HELL.

2 Nephi (LDS 26:32-33) (RLDS 11:110-115)
32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they SHOULD NOT LIE; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit WHOREDOMS; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish. 33 For NONE OF THESE INIQUITIES COME OF THE LORD [YHWH];

Lectures on Faith 2:56 We have now clearly set forth how it is, and how it was, that God became an object of faith for rational beings; and also, upon what foundation the testimony was based, which excited the enquiry and diligent search of the ancient saints, to seek after and obtain a knowledge of the glory of God: and we have seen that it was human testimony, and human testimony only, that excited this enquiry, in the first instance in their minds—it was the credence they gave to the testimony of their fathers—this testimony having aroused their minds to enquire after the knowledge of God, the enquiry frequently terminated, indeed, always terminated, when rightly pursued, in the most glorious discoveries, and eternal certainty.

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; but AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

[Responding to comment at 16M17S]
Just because YHWH does not give prophets visions of everything, doesn’t mean that they are not prophets. Do we have writings from Isaiah prophesying his murder? FYI Joseph Smith did know of his coming murder, even though he did not know every detail of it. In a post titled Brass Plates Prophecy Chiasmus that I need to finish I expound Joseph Smith’s last dream and how it deals this in great detail. Also in the Doctrine and Covenants YHWH revealed through Joseph Smith that there were traitors in his midst, but did not reveal who, I believe partly because for a church court to happen there needs to be physical evidence brought forth. (I talk about church courts some in Bishops are JUDGEs of Israel.) We do have records showing that Joseph Smith knew he was going to be betrayed by someone close, he just did not know who. He even said so much in a talk a few days before his murder, I have more on this at Joseph Smith’s Murder.

I then told him that I did not think it worth contending about, that I had no desire to live upon it in its present state, and if he thought he had a better right I would not quarrel with him about it but leave; but my assurance that I would not trouble him at present did not seem to satisfy him, as he seemed DETERMINED TO QUARREL with me, and THREATENED ME WITH DESTRUCTION OF MY BODY.
Joseph Smith, Last Dream, Recorded 27 Jun 1844, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 393-394

1828 Webster’s Dictionary, QUARREL:
noun
1 A brawl; a petty FIGHT or scuffle; from its NOISE and uproar.
2 A DISPUTE; a contest.
On open seas their quarrels they DEBATE.
3 A BREACH OF FRIENDSHIP or concord; open variance between parties.
6 Objection; ILL WILL, or reason to complain; ground of objection or DISPUTE.
7 Something peevish, MALICIOUS, or disposed to MAKE TROUBLE.
verb intransitive
1 To DISPUTE VIOLENTLY or with loud and angry words; to wrangle; to scold. How odious to see husband and wife quarrel!
2 To FIGHT; to scuffle; to contend; to squabble; used of TWO PERSONS OR OF A SMALL NUMBER. It is never used of armies and navies in combat. Children and servants often quarrel about trifles.
5 To DISAGREE; to be at variance; not to be in accordance in form or essence.

D&C (LDS 50:4,6-9,15,25,31-32) (RLDS 50) (1833 53) (1835 17) (1844 17)
4 Behold, I, the Lord [YHWH], have looked upon you, and have seen ABOMINATIONS IN THE CHURCH that profess my name.
6 But wo unto them that are DECEIVERS AND HYPOCRITES, for, thus saith the Lord [YHWH], I will bring them to judgment. 7 Behold, verily I say unto you, there are HYPOCRITES AMONG YOU, who have DECEIVED SOME, which has given the adversary power; but behold such shall be reclaimed; 8 But the HYPOCRITES SHALL [WILL] BE DETECTED and shall be cut off, EITHER IN LIFE OR IN DEATH, even as I will; and wo unto them who are cut off from my church, for the same are overcome of the world. 9 Wherefore, let every man BEWARE LEST HE DO THAT WHICH IS NOT IN TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE ME.
15 And then RECEIVED YE SPIRITS [TEMPER] WHICH YE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND, and RECEIVED THEM TO BE OF GOD [ELOHIM]; and in this are ye justified? [this is a rhetorical question as we are never justified in doing evil even when we are deceived as Eve was]
25 And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may KNOW THE TRUTH, THAT YOU MAY CHASE [PASSIONATELY DRIVE OUT] DARKNESS FROM AMONG YOU;
31 Wherefore, it shall come to pass, that if you behold a spirit [temper] manifested that you cannot understand, and you receive not that spirit, ye shall ask of the Father in the name of Jesus; and if he give not unto you that spirit, then you may know that it is not of God. 32 And it shall be given unto you, power over that spirit; and YOU SHALL PROCLAIM AGAINST THAT SPIRIT WITH A LOUD VOICE THAT IT IS NOT OF GOD [ELOHIM]—

1828 Webster’s Dictionary, SPIRIT:
Turn of mind; temper; occasions; state of the mind. A perfect judge will read each work of wit, with the same spirit that its author writ.

1828 Webster’s Dictionary, CHASE:
verb transitive
1) Literally to DRIVE, urge, press forward with VEHEMENCE [GREAT FORCE]; hence, to pursue for the purpose of taking, as game; to hunt.
2) To purse, or drive, as a defeated or flying enemy. Leviticus 26:7. Deuteronomy 32:30.
3) To follow or pursue, as an object of DESIRE [PASSION]; to pursue for the purpose of taking; as, to chase a ship.
4) To drive; to pursue.
To chase away, is to compel to depart; to disperse.
noun
1) VEHEMENCE [GREAT FORCE] pursuit; a running or driving after; as game, in hunting; a flying enemy, in war; a ship a sea, etc.
2) Pursuit with an ardent DESIRE [PASSION] to obtain, as pleasure, profit, fame, etc.; earnest seeking.
3) That which may be chased; that which is usually taken by chase; as beasts of chase
4) That which is pursued or hunted; as, seek some other chase So at sea, a ship chased is called the chase
5) In law, a driving of cattle to or from a place.

Leviticus 26:7 And ye shall CHASE your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

Deuteronomy 32:30 How should one CHASE a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock [god] had sold them, and the Lord [YHWH] had shut them up? [you can remove your enemies because they false god doesn’t protected them and YHWH is will not protect them]

This day the Lord has shown to me that which was never shown to me before, that I have thousands of friends that never pretended friendship, while others have sought to crawl into my bosom because of my good feelings towards them, and now are the vipers and do seek my life; and if they shall take it they will pursue you; they will do it any how
Joseph Smith, Comprehensive History of the Church, Vol.1, Ch.26, p.318 – p.319, 1844-06-23

[Responding to comment at 24M14S]
FYI it’s a well-known fact that murders lie about what at crime scene on a regular basis. So using the contradicting statements from them as proof isn’t proof at all, this is why YHWH’s law/Torah states witnesses are to be cross examined and even the USA law system follows this principle, not to mention even the LDS / Brighamite church doesn’t believe their statements are credible.

Deuteronomy 19:18 And the judges shall make DILIGENT INQUISITION: and, behold, if the WITNESS BE A FALSE WITNESS, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

[Responding to comment at 25M20S]
Brigham Young being in Boston of the time of the crime does not make it impossible for him to have helped with the planning of murder, in fact this type of situation happens all the time. Not to mention an interesting journal entry of Brigham Young on the day it happened, which was days before the trail was to take place. People commit crimes all the time without absolute assurity of getting what they want, but their desires take over and they commit crimes and don’t get what they were after.

…I felt a heavy depression of spirit, and so melancholy I could not converse with any degree of pleasure. Not knowing anything concerning the tragedy enacting at this time in Carthage jail, I could not assign my reasons for my peculiar feelings.
Brigham Young Journal, 27 Jun 1844 (day of Joseph Smith’s murder)

[Responding to comment at 26M23S]
There was no rightful successor, as the president is to be VOTED in, not sustained, as YHWH revealed through JS and recorded in the D&C, I talk about this some in my MUCH vs ALL in LDS D&C 132:40.

D&C (LDS 20:63-66) (RLDS 17) (1833 24) (1835 2) (1844 2)
63 The elders are to receive their licenses from other elders, by VOTE of the church [members] to which they belong, or from the conferences. 65 NO PERSON is to be ORDAINED to ANY OFFICE in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, WITHOUT the VOTE of that church [members]; 66 But the presiding elders, TRAVELING bishops, high councilors, high priests, and elders, may have the privilege of ordaining, where there is NO BRANCH OF THE CHURCH [MEANING THE WORLD] that a VOTE may be called.

D&C (LDS 102) (RLDS 99) (1835 5) (1844 5)
5 The number composing the council, who VOTED in the name and for the church in appointing the above-named councilors were forty-three, as follows: nine high priests, seventeen elders, four priests, and thirteen members. 6 VOTED: that the high council cannot have power to act without seven of the above-named councilors, or their regularly appointed successors are present.
8 VOTED: that whenever any vacancy shall occur by the death, removal from office for transgression, or removal from the bounds of this church government, of any one of the above-named councilors, it shall be filled by the nomination of the president or presidents, and sanctioned by the voice of a general council of high priests, convened for that purpose, to act in the name of the church.
19 After the evidences are heard, the councilors, accuser and accused have spoken, the president shall give a decision according to the understanding which he shall have of the case, and call upon the twelve councilors to sanction the same by their VOTE.

[Personally I have issues with parts of LDS / Brighamite D&C 124 but if you believe it, it says the following on VOTING, you can see a list of sections I don’t believe are authentic here]
D&C (LDS 124:144) (RLDS 107) (1844 103) And a commandment I give unto you, that you should fill all these offices and APPROVE [VOTE] of those NAMES which I [YHWH] have MENTIONED, or else DISAPPROVE [VOTE] of them AT my GENERAL CONFERENCE;

Joseph presided over the church BY THE VOICE OF THE CHURCH [MEMBERS]. Perhaps it would make some of you stumble, were I to ask you a question – Does a man’s being a prophet in this Church prove that he shall be president of it? I answer, no! A MAN MAY BE A PROPHET, SEER AND REVELATOR, AND IT MAY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS BEING THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHURCH. Suffice it to say that Joseph was the president of the Church, as long as he lived. THE PEOPLE [MEMBERS] CHOSE TO HAVE IT SO. He always filled that responsible station, BY THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE [MEMBERS]. Can you find any revelation appointing him the president of the Church? The keys of the priesthood were committed to Joseph, to build up the Kingdom of God of the earth, and were not to be taken from him in time or in eternity; but WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO PRESIDE OVER THE CHURCH [MEMBERS], IT WAS BY THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE; though he held the keys of the priesthood independent of their voice.
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:133, Contributor 10:3

D&C (LDS 107:22) (RLDS 104) (1835 3) (1844 3)
22 Of the Melchizedek Priesthood, three Presiding High Priests [First Presidency], CHOSEN BY THE BODY [CHURCH / MEMBERS] [NOT YHWH/LORD ELOHIM/GOD], appointed and ordained to that office, and UPHELD BY THE CONFIDENCE, faith, and prayer of the church [members], form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.

1828 Webster’s Dictionary, CONFIDENCE:
1) A trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or FIRM [UNSHAKEN] BELIEF in the INTEGRITY [INCORRUPTNESS; HONESTY; PURITY; UNADULTERATED], STABILITY [FIRMNESS; STRENGTH] or VERACITY [HABITUAL OBSERVANCE OF TRUTH] of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact.
2) TRUST; RELIANCE [CERTAINTY OF A FACT]; applied to one’s own abilities, or fortune; belief in one’s own COMPENTENCY [QUALIFICATIONS; SUFFICIENCY; KNOWLEDGE].
5) BOLDNESS [FEARLESSNESS]; COURAGE [FIRM WHILE IN DANGER].
Preaching the kingdom of God with all confidence Acts 28:31.

Here is an excerpt from MUCH vs ALL in LDS D&C 132:40 dealing with this subject:

Sadly the more I study the Book of Mormon and then ponder and pray about the warnings contained within it’s sacred words, I see the LDS / Brighamite church imitating the examples of those who we should not be following. Just the other day my oldest son wanted to pick a random chapter from the Book of Mormon for me to read. I’m glad I let him do that, as Alma (LDS 47:17) (RLDS 21:98) really struck out to me.

Alma (LDS 47:17) (RLDS 21:98) Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief leader was killed [died], to appoint the second leader to be their chief leader.

Despite that LDS / Brighamite members say that the quorum of the twelve vote on who should be the next president, what really happens is quite different as history shows along with statements from top LDS / Brighamite leaders. Which also contradicts YHWH’s directions given to us in revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants through the prophet Joseph Smith. You don’t believe me, that is fine, below is a quote from D Todd Christofferson from the quorum of the twelve and another one from Russell M Nelson president of the LDS / Brighamite church that say just that from the live broadcast on 2018-01-16 to announce that Russell M Nelson is now president of the LDS / Brighamite church, even though the Doctrine and Covenants states the members are to VOTE (not sustain) who all officers in the church will be and that had not happened yet, see D&C (LDS 20:63-66) (RLDS 17) (1833 24) (1835 2) (1844 2), D&C (LDS 102) (RLDS 99) (1835 5) (1844 5), D&C (LDS 107) (RLDS 104) (1835 3) (1844 3), D&C (LDS 124:144) (RLDS 107) (1844 103) along with quotes from Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.

New First Presidency Speaks to Members Worldwide, 2018-01-16:

At 01M20S D Todd Christofferson states “throughout our history the senior apostle has always become the successive president of the church”. Later he even talks about how important seniority is for the president of the quorum of the twelve is.

At 08M30S Russell M Nelson also said the same thing with the following quote “when a president of the church passes away there is no mystery about who is next called to serve in that capacity”. Nelson also put additional focus on seniority in his remarks.

This is not a new development, this is how it has been since Brigham Young, and yes Brigham Young changed who was in charge of the LDS / Brighamite church as king Noah did in Mosiah (LDS 11:5) (RLDS 7:8) as I bring out in my King Brigham post. Here are a few quotes from others that bring this out.

By this time, there was apparently a near-consensus that the most senior member of the quorum was automatically quorum president and thus was at leastde facto leader of the Church. During the approximate four-hour deliberation in October 1880 that considered Taylor’s effort to reorganize the First Presidency, Orson Pratt polled each apostle on the subject, then further complicated the situation by taking the position that the Church president should be younger than the seventy-one-year-old Taylor.
Succession by Seniority: The Development of Procedural Precedents in the LDS Church, Edward Leo Lyman, Journal of Mormon History, Volume 40, No 2, Spring 2014, pages 92-158 (backup)

He [Kimball] privately believed that “no man will live long enough to become President of this church who is not the proper one to give it leadership.
Succession by Seniority: The Development of Procedural Precedents in the LDS Church, Edward Leo Lyman, Journal of Mormon History, Volume 40, No 2, Spring 2014, pages 92-158, page 151 (backup)
Former Church president Joseph Fielding Smith was one of the preeminent doctrinal scholars in the Church during the 20th century, and judging from the anemic crop being passed off as “scholars” today, one of the last of his kind. Surely he will be able to point to the scripture that shows the Lord designed a system whereby the senior apostle is automatically called to be president of the Church. In volume 3 of Doctrines of Salvation, President Smith wrote,
“There is no mystery about the choosing of the successor to the President of the Church. The Lord settled this a long time ago.”
Well, now we’re getting somewhere! I can’t wait for President Smith to tell us how the Lord settled the question. You’ve got the floor, Joseph Fielding Smith:
“The senior apostle automatically becomes the presiding officer of the church, and he is so sustained by the Council of the Twelve which becomes the presiding body of the Church when there is no First Presidency”

Alan Rock Waterman, Who Died and Made Him President

Throughout the history of the church, the longest-serving apostle has always become the president of the church when the First Presidency has been reorganized.
LDS Church PR Department

Not to mention what is stated in the Articles of Incorporation for the LDS / Brighamite church, which you read all about at the following links.

Chapter JESUS CHRIST, INCORPORATED: YEA, ZION PROSPERETH, There Are Save Two Churches Only Volume II, pages 317-347 Specifically page 340 (backup)
Articles of Incorporation Archive
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION of the CORPORATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
The Corporation © we call a “Church”

All of this explicitly contradicts how YHWH has set forth the officers in His church should be called and set apart.

Brigham Young admits he did not receive the priesthood necessary to govern the church.

Now will it cause some of you to marvel that I was not ordained a High Priest before I was ordained an Apostle? Brother Kimball and myself were NEVER ORDAINED HIGH PRIESTS. How wonderful! … When a man is ordained to be an Apostle, his Priesthood is without beginning of days, or end of life, LIKE the Priesthood of Melchizedek.
Brigham Young, 1853 Apr 06, Journal of Discourses 1:136

D&C (LDS 107:22) (RLDS 104) (1835 3) (1844 3)
22 Of the Melchizedek Priesthood, three Presiding High Priests [First Presidency], CHOSEN BY THE BODY [CHURCH / MEMBERS] [NOT YHWH/LORD ELOHIM/GOD], appointed and ordained to that office, and UPHELD BY THE CONFIDENCE, faith, and prayer of the church [members], form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.

[Responding to comment at 27M37S]
Regarding the court case, YHWH’s law/Torah states that you are to testify to the truth that you know, even the LDS / Brighamite movie The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd shows that to be the case, at 24M00S. John Taylor and Willard Richards would not go, and were actually telling people not to go. LDS / Brighamite church has a song do what is right and let the consequences follow. They did not do what is right in testifying because they are cowards. Lectures on Faith 6, which was in the D&C and was the doctrine of the D&C up to 1920, see my Lectures on Faith intro for more info, brings out that when the righteous that have communed with YHWH have the courage to withstand the world because they know of their coming reward.

BSB Leviticus 5:1 “If someone sins by failing to testify when he hears a public charge about something he has witnessed, whether he has seen it or learned of it, he shall bear the iniquity.

BSB Deuteronomy 19:15 A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Witnesses are commanded to testify in court, as it says “And if he is a witness or saw or knew, if he does not tell he bears his sin”.1 It is forbidden to give false testimony or testimony based on hearsay, as it says “You shall not answer against your friend as a false witness”.2 If it is proved that witnesses gave false testimony we are commanded to give them the same punishment that the defendant would have received on the basis of their testimony, as it says “If a wicked witness stands up against a man… the judges shall investigate thoroughly, and [if they find that] the witness is a false witness… you shall do to him as he plotted to do to his brother”.3 Judges are commanded to question witnesses carefully, as it says “And you shall inquire and investigate and ask thoroughly”.4 Once testimony has been given in court or put in writing it cannot be retracted.a
Testimony – Edus, Judges – Shoftim, Learning, Torah.org

[Chorus] Do what is right; let the consequence follow.
Do What Is Right, LDS / Brighamite Music

Lectures on Faith 6:3 Having the assurance that they were pursuing a course which was agreeable to the will of God, they were enabled to take, not only the spoiling of their goods, and the wasting of their substance, joyfully, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER DEATH IN ITS MOST HORRID FORMS; knowing, (not merely believing,) that when this earthly house of their tabernacle was dissolved, they had a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, 2 Corinthians 5:1.

[Responding to comment at 28M38S]
FYI when a crime is committed, not everyone in on the deed are in on all the planning or everyone doing the planning or even everyone who has helped with the crime.

[Overall thought]
It’s interesting that Brian didn’t talk about the few minutes the video actually deals with, but speculations on just about everything else.

[Responding to comment at 20M29S] The update I wanted to add:
People are still investigating Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection and are still finding new proofs including physical evidences for it, and that happened almost 2,000 years ago. One such find is evidence of the earthquake that happened at His death in the Dead Sea.

The more we keep YHWH’s clear instructions/Torah instead of clinging to the obscure, not clearly defined, false traditions of men, the more light we will have to see clearly through the deceptions that Satan is putting before us. As Yeshua/Jesus said to the lame [deceived man] “take up your bed and walk” John 5:8 or in other words awake and arise. I talk about this process in Catch and Understand.

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law [Torah] is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.