Denver Snuffer is one of the most polarizing figures on the Mormon fringe at the moment.

Denver has written a number of books having to do with teachings and practices in Mormonism. He has also given quite a few lectures/talks, and has maintained a blog for almost 10 years.

Through his books and his blog he gained a series of followers who began to view him as more than just an ordinary man, but as a teacher, servant, and even a prophet sent by God.

There are several reasons why Denver was able to attract followers.

The first reason is that he boldly claimed to have received his second comforter by having a personal visitation from Jesus Christ. In his first book, The Second Comforter, he claimed to outline the steps one must take to receive one’s one Second Comforter, or personal audience with Jesus Christ.

Obviously such a claim is bound to get some attention. The promise of being able to see the Savior in the flesh is very appealing and since this is really not taught in the Church anymore, people began looking to Denver for knowledge about this doctrine.

This gets into the second reason why Denver gained popularity. There are some serious issues in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Those who study the scriptures and early teachings and practices of the Church carefully soon realize that the Church has changed a lot from the early days. There are also some aspects of Church history that can be very troubling to a person living in the politically correct 21st century.

Some notable examples:

Polygamy (and especially the question of Joseph Smith’s involvement in it)

The priesthood ban on blacks (was the ban from God or due to racism and why was it reversed?)

The Church’s teachings (especially in the past) on the role of women

Brigham Young’s since disavowed Adam-God doctrine

There are also many examples of the Church having changed its teachings and practices from what was originally restored and set up through Joseph Smith. There are also teachings and doctrines contained in the scriptures that are twisted or outright ignored in the Church today.

All of these things can be troubling to a sincere seeker of truth who comes across them. They can be even more troubling for a relatively simple minded and naive Latter-day Saint who hears about the issues for the first time from the anti-Mormons.

In Denver Snuffer’s writings he openly talked about some of the issues and offered answers, often with varying degrees of scriptural support.

Denver is a very talented researcher of both the scriptures and church history. Because of this he is able to discuss issues and expound on things in a way that most Latter-day Saints can’t. Based on his claims of having an audience with Christ and his very high level of scriptural and historic knowledge, he comes off as an authority on these things.

Because of this people began to consciously or subconsciously put their trust in him as a teacher of truth, in whom they could turn to for answers and correct teachings from God.

Up to this point Denver was an active member of the Church in good standing. A couple of his books were even sold at Deseret Book.

Then Denver wrote a very controversial book, Passing the Heavenly Gift, in which he declared that the Church had fallen into apostasy following the death of Joseph Smith. He suggested that the Church had gone through four phases. In the latter three phases the church had slipped deeper and deeper into apostasy.

Needless to say this book caught the attention of the authorities of the Church. Denver was told to pull the book and rewrite it, because the authorities of the Church considered it faith destroying. They also asked Denver to cancel the speaking tour he had planned to go on throughout the Book of Mormon belt.

Denver refused to do this, so in 2014 he was excommunicated from the Church for apostasy.

On the day that his excommunication was final, Denver began began his ten stop speaking tour, in which he gave a ten part lecture entitled 40 Years in Mormonism.

Throughout his lecture series Denver declared that the contents of his lectures were given to him by Jesus Christ and that he was on the Lord’s errand.

By the end of his speaking tour he had called upon his listeners and readers to be re-baptized and form their own fellowships (study and worship groups).

Though the exact number of his followers is unknown, at least several thousand people have followed his invitation to be re-baptized, join or form a fellowship, and rise up to seek the face of God.

Denver’s followers generally refer to themselves as the Remnant or just followers of Christ. Most who are aware of the Denver led movement refer to his followers as Snufferites. Most members of the movement consider the term Snufferite to be a derogatory term and are offended at the insinuation that they are following Denver Snuffer at all. They hold that they are following only Jesus Christ.

Since the end of Denver’s 40 Years in Mormonism lecture series and the beginning of the movement things have picked up a little steam within the Remnant.

Denver and other leaders have talked about building their own temple and building up Zion, the New Jerusalem.

Denver has written several additional books, given quite a few additional lectures, and continues to maintain his blog, in which he continues to teach controversial things. In fact his teachings have become more and more controversial as time has gone on.

Denver has also “re-translated” the Testimony of John, which he referred to as a revelation. He has also had some other revelations and teachings which have been canonized by the Remnant in their own version of the scriptures. The Remnant version of the scriptures, which they refer to as the New Covenant Scriptures, were put together by a committee whose goal was to correct “mistakes and interpolations of men” found in the standard LDS scriptures.

Once the scripture project was complete, the Remnant held a conference in which the adherents voted to accept the new scriptures by covenant. After some initial push back and serious deliberation, the New Covenant was approved with a sufficient vote.

Based on the claims of Denver Snuffer, and what has been happening with the Remnant movement, Denver’s fruits need to be considered.

Is he a true prophet or servant of the Lord by whom the Lord is again offering salvation and a chance to build up Zion?

Or is he a false prophet who is actively deceiving people, or is he deluded or deceived himself?

It is one or the other.

Over the next few posts we will examine some of Denver’s fruits, notably his teachings and the teachings and actions of his followers, to determine whether the fruit is good or bad.

It should be remembered that the scriptures and Joseph Smith declared that false prophets will prophecy (or teach) so very near the truth, that if it were possible even the very elect, according to the covenant, would be deceived.

Therefore, it goes with out saying that we should expect that what Denver teaches will appear to be the truth. The questions will be whether it is actually the truth or very near to the truth.

If Denver’s words check out when compared to the scriptures and teachings of Joseph Smith and if the fruit in the lives of his followers is good, then we can know that Denver is a true servant of God. If this is the case, we ought to take his message very seriously and do what the Lord tells us through his servant.

If however, Denver’s words are only very close to the truth and contain falsehoods, contradictions, and half-truths that cannot be reconciled with the scriptures, teachings of Joseph Smith, or verifiable historical fact, then we have to reject him as a false prophet, no matter how badly we want him to be a true servant of God and no matter how much of his teachings seem to be right.