LDS seminary teacher charged with burglary, theft of prescription drugs

KSL.com ^ | June 5, 2013 | Geoff Liesek

[Colofornian]

ROOSEVELT — A man responsible for teaching religious education classes to LDS high school students is facing criminal charges after investigators say he burglarized a home on a Sunday afternoon to steal prescription painkillers.

Brian Dean Thacker was charged Wednesday in 8th District Court with burglary, a second-degree felony, theft, a class B misdemeanor, and possession of a controlled substance, a class B misdemeanor.

On May 26, Thacker entered a home about 2 p.m. and took Lortab from a medicine cabinet, according to Duchesne County sheriff's detective Dela Rowley.

A woman was upstairs in the home at the time and heard Thacker moving around downstairs, Rowley said. She waited until Thacker left and then looked out the window and recognized him, the detective said.

Thacker, 42, was interviewed after the incident was reported to the sheriff's office. He corroborated the woman's account of what happened and admitted to taking Lortab from the home, Rowley said.

Thacker served as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seminary teacher for Union High School during the 2012-13 academic year. Prior to that, he was the seminary teacher for LDS students at Altamont High School.

"The church expects the highest level of conduct from its seminary teachers," LDS Church spokeswoman Ruth Todd said. "Brian Thacker is on administrative leave."

So far investigators do not believe Thacker was using prescription painkillers while teaching seminary classes or soliciting medication from his students, Rowley said.

Thacker has entered an inpatient drug treatment program. His first court appearance is set for June 27.

[presently no screen name]

You have a false idea about Mormons

You have a false idea about me - it's not the Mormons (I don't know any)but Mormonism and their man-made teachings that deceive.

And if I did know any, you betcha I show them what God's Word says and explain it to them while making them a tomato sandwich or two and not throwing it at them. Then it's up to them to 'get it' or not.

Forgot about what you think you know - his is persecution for the sake of serving our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. So bring it on!!!!!!!!!! We rejoice and love our Savior even more. It's not the Lord you are serving, it is 'man/evil'. JESUS doesn't dwell where 'man made teachings' are. Those who are under 'it' have made their choice to NOT be with HIM/HIS WORD ALONE.

But it’s a free country.

And you had a free choice what to BELIEVE. And you choose 'man/evil'.

So bring it on!!!!!!!!!!

Time is short, it's coming, and remember you brought it on yourself!!!!

[presently no screen name]

cannot tolerate anyone who dares to interpret the Scripture some other way than they do

Scripture? If Mormonism ONLY followed God's Word why do they have 'man-made teachings' coming from 'their church' for 'their subjects' to hear and obey?

The Spirit of God, the HOLY SPIRIT, is the Teacher of His Word as it is spiritually discerned. And what 'sect' is that?

Harold Campings, Jim Joneses, the Crouches, the Bakkers, various Marjoes and the preacher cousins of Jerry Lee Lewis are revered.

You seem 'up' are snake charmers - what do they teach their followers? I know Jim Jones was into killing 'his followers' to stay with him. While Jesus gave His Life for all to be 'free'.

Evil is rampant and the results are destruction.

"“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to DESTRUCTION, and MANY enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to LIFE, and only a FEW find it." Matt 7:13,14

JESUS ALONE is The WAY, The TRUTH, The LIFE.

Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6

JESUS is The WORD.

"And The WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:14

No one comes to The Father through man-made teachings despite what 'man' teaches them. They are going to 'another'.

[laotzu]

Last week, I visited an atheist site named Freedom From Religion. The site contained a quiz for visitors to determine how well they knew the Bible.

I'm sure that it was clever, and gave the appearance of expertise. However, as atheists they clearly have an agenda, and I would not trust their assertions about what the Bible says.

I have heard Nancy Pelosi wax poetic about the Catholic Church, and what a good Catholic she is. However; she clearly disagrees with the Church, and I would not trust her assertions about it.

I have heard Ayatollahs articulate how evil the Jewish faith and people are. Khameni clearly hates the Jews and his assertions about them are untrustworthy.

I have heard President Clinton convince my fellow Americans that Republicans want to starve children. However; Clinton does not like Republicans and cannot be trusted to offer a trustworthy description of them.

Clearly, there are many at FreeRepublic that do not approve of Mormons; that preach that Mormons are blasphemous, heretical hypocrites. Like Pelosi, they offer themselves as knowledgable experts painting an accurate picture.

[District13]

You don’t know any Mormons but you say you know everything about what we believe. I find that odd. You believe everything you read on the Internet? That is Gospel to you? Oh, well; I see it would be useless to have a meaningful dialog since you already have made up your mind. Your mind is closed.

I say that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior but you do not believe me. “Jesus Christ is Lord!” You apparently do not believe the Bible because if you did you would know that I could not say that unless the power of the Holy Ghost were helping me.

I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost and was baptized thus - under the precious waters of baptism.

God bless you.
www.Mormon.org
www.lds.org

[laotzu]

We had one run for President, and he was as duplicitous as his religion when it comes to revising his history and dealing with his Christian conservative opponents.
--Greetings_Puny_Humans

"As for the one Mormon running for office. Those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways. So don't worry about that, that's a temporary situation."
--The 'Rev' Al Sharpton

[Elsie]

Because if it’s a Mormon - oh boy - the anti Mormonism freepers can have a field day!!

At LEAST you are getting it right!!

MormonISM

[Elsie]

I don’t know why we are so loathed on this site.

And yet you flip to personalize Christianity's LOATHING of false gospels and false prophets.

You individual MORMONs are NOT 'loathed' here; but LOVED.

Why else would ANYONE in their right mind waste their time with trying to get the FACTS about MormonISM a greater airing?

[Elsie]

Please do not change the rules to suit your own agenda.

What did I change?

I merely observed a lack.

You know full well the guys high above SLC can add/change/delete anything previously written at a moments notice.

[Elsie]

Homosexual behavior is not tolerated. Period - and you know it.

This is untrue; and can be proven:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52486958-78/mayne-gay-lds-ward.html.csp

[Elsie]

...which is to say at least 30,000 different ways for each of their sects...

Speaking of sex sects...

With the Mormons (to be precise, the members of The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - based in Salt Lake City) intent on being called “Christians” after so many years of eschewing that word, and despite the fact that there are so many fundamental theological differences between Christianity and Mormonism, I often wonder: 

How do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints feel about calling the members of its various spin-off sects Latter-Day Saints, Christians, or Mormons? Or about those sects calling themselves Mormons or Latter-Day Saints? (There was an earlier campaign by LDS to have journalism style books use the word “Mormon” to refer only to LDS, and not RLDS, FLDS, or other LDS sects).

For a man who bragged about holding things together, Joseph Smith, Jr. doesn’t appear go have done a good job of it during his lifetime. Wycam Clark’s “Pure Church of Christ” spun off in 1831. This trend continued. There were six LDS sects spawned in the 1830s, eight in the 1840s, two in the 1850s, and seven in the 1860s.

Do those responsible for the “Mormons are Christians” campaign consider these denominations to be Mormons or Latter-Day Saints? Surely many of these denominations are much closer to mainstream LDS than LDS is to Christianity. Many stick to Smith’s teachings and old temple endowment ceremonies.

Short Creek Community
Latter Day Church of Christ
Apostolic United Brethren
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness [sic] of Times
Church of the Lamb of God
Church of the New Covenant in Christ
Confederate Nations of Israel
Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
School of the Prophets
Centennial Park
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kingdom of God
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days
The Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of Heaven

Blackmore/Bountiful Community
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ
Order of Enoch
Aaronic Order
Zion’s Order, Inc.
Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter-day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ (Bullaite)
Community of Christ
Church of Jesus Christ (Toneyite)
Independent RLDS / Restoration Branches
Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830
Church of Christ (Lion of God Ministry/Clarkite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Zion’s Branch)
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Fettingite) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ at Halley’s Bluff (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Restored) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ “With the Elijah Message” (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Hancock) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Burtite) (Hendrickite)
Church of Israel (Hendrickite)
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message (The Assured Way of the Lord) (Hendrickite)
The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Restored Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Holy Church of Jesus Christ (Strangite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Drewite) (Strangite)
True Church of Jesus Christ Restored (Strangite)
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Whitmerite)

Or these defunct sects:

Pure Church of Christ (Clarkite)
Independent Church (Hotonite)
Church of Christ (Boothite)
Church of Christ (Parrishite)
Alston Church
Church of Christ (Chubbyite)
Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife
Church of Christ (Pageite)
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (this one was particularly curious - started by William Law, editor of The Nauvoo Expositor, just one of many sects started in opposition to plural marriage)
The Church of Zion (Godbeite)
United Order Family of Christ
Church of the Potter Christ
Church of the Firstborn (Morrisite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Gibsonite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High
Church of the Christian Brotherhood
Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion (Rigdonite) Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Primative Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Christ (Aaron Smith)
Church of the Messiah (Adamsite)
Church of Christ (Wrightite)
Church of Christ (Whitmerite)
Church of Christ (Brewsterite)
The Bride, the Lamb’s Wife
Congregation of Jehovah’s Presbytery of Zion
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Gladdenite)
Independent Latter Day Saints of Nigeria
Independent Latter Day Saints of Ghana
Apostolic Divine Church of Ghana

Are members of those LDS groups “Mormons”? “Latter Day Saints?” “Christians?”

Do the folks in Salt Lake City have a problem with any of those groups, who believe in the restoration of the original church by Joseph Smith, calling themselves Mormons or Saints?

Most of these divisions in the Latter-Day Saint movement occurred over the issue of polygamy or succession of the Prophet. Sects broke off when Joseph Smith was still alive, and when Brigham Young was named prophet, because they didn’t believe in the practice of plural marriage – either publicly, or in some cases when it was practiced in private and denied in public.

Of course, there was the great split between Rocky Mountain Saints and Prairie Saints, when LDS members couldn’t agree on a successor prophet to Smith, Jr., and the church went to Utah, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania under Brigham Young, Sidney Rigdon (senior member of the First Presidency), James Strang, Lyman Wight, Alpheus Cutler, William Smith, David Whitmer (a BOM witness), or Joseph Smith III (son of Joseph Smith, Jr.). Almost all of these individuals still has multiple sects in existence that date to an 1844 decision about who should be the next President/Prophet of the church.

The Prairie Saints split into sects over the issue of whether Smith practiced polygamy. Rocky Mountain Saints had many, many spinoff sects after the 1890 Manifesto – groups that still practice plural marriage.

======================================================================================================================================================

Thanks to ScoutMaster for all the hard work here!

[Elsie]

Elsie’s rules in post #28...

Elsie has no rules - the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints does.

[Elsie]

You have a false idea about Mormons.

No - they are GOOD folks!

Mormonism; however; is a hellish plan from Satan.

[Elsie]

One Sister Missionary had a bucket of water dumped on her.

Nana, we have a winner!

[Elsie]

Anyway, thank you for your comments.

And I thank you for avoiding the problems with your chosen religious organization and focusing on some poor MORMON druggie's problems.

---

(You ARE aware that UTAH has the highest rate of PROZAC users; don't you?)

[Elsie]

Time is short, it's coming, and remember you brought it on yourself!!!!

It's just a carryover from the old, LOVING days...

---

---

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

Joseph Smith: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

 

 

 

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

 

 

 

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

 

 

 

Orson Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses

, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses , 18:172).

 

 

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses , vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses , 10:127).

 

 

 

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

 

 

 

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

 

 

 

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

 

 

 

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

 

 

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses , vol. 2, p.196).

[Elsie]

Hey D13!

Do you agree with the above statements made by past leaders of your church; or do you repudiate them?

[Elsie]

Like Pelosi, they offer themselves as knowledgable experts painting an accurate picture.

But we CLEARLY give MORMONs a chance to defend their RELIGION.

HAve you seen ANY do it yet?

Whining about persecution is quite evident though.

[Elsie]

You don’t know any Mormons but you say you know everything about what we believe.

HE DID??

---

I have NO idea what you 'believe'; but I have REALLY good sources that SHOW what your chosen religion TEACHES!

[presently no screen name]

Your mind is closed.

You know nothing about my mind but still comment on it? YOU ARE PROJECTING!

you say you know everything about what we believe. I find that odd.

Where did I say I KNOW everything?? I don't find it odd that you said that since EXAGGERATION is always a part of defending the indefensible.

You apparently do not believe the Bible because if you did you would know that I could not say that unless the power of the Holy Ghost were helping me.

Wrong! It is you who does not understand it!

I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost and was baptized thus - under the precious waters of baptism.

Thanks for proving your lack of understanding, once again!

www.Mormon.org www.lds.org

No thanks - garbage in, garbage out.

[Elsie]

God bless you. www.Mormon.org www.lds.org

Paragon Defender had a MJUCH bigger list!

---

I miss ol' PD!

HE was about useless when it came to defending his faith; but at LEAST he had a bunch of links that showed interested people where to find the MILK of MORMONism...

---

Here; in his memory; is The LIST:

http://www.lds.org

http://scriptures.lds.org/
http://www.fairlds.org/
http://www.mormonapologetics.org/
http://www.mormonwiki.com/Main_Page
http://www.lightplanet.com/response/index.html
http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDS_Intro.shtml
http://www.answeringantimormons.com/index.htm
http://promormon.blogspot.com