BiV at Wheat and Tares has an amazing 4 minute video of Warren Jeffs in prison stating that he “never was a prophet.” I decided to make a transcript of the video. He speaks in a slow, deliberate fashion, indicating he is receiving and dictating the revelation during the filming of the prison video. Here’s the video and transcript. (I don’t know who he is talking to–obviously a devoted follower.)
Jeffs, “To Nephi, You can tell anybody who wants to read this message [garbled] that they can see it even apostates and gentiles that they may know that I have been a liar and the truth is not in me. I am not the prophet. I never was the prophet.”
Visitor interrupts: “You are the prophet.”
Jeffs, “Just a minute–the Lord is still dictating. This is not a test. This is a revelation from the Lord God of Heaven to his former servant who was never his servant who is dictating these words at this time that you may know this is not a test. I say farewell again, to all who qualify for Zion. Farewell.”
Visitor, ” We love you. We love you! We love you!”
The video has a graphic that indicates that many FLDS still believe Jeffs is a prophet, and that many FLDS believe the video was doctored. It also indicates that 3 days after the video was made, Jeffs tried a suicide attempt. (His lawyers chalked the video up to a bout with depression–the suicide attempt seems to confirm he was depressed.) In recent newspaper reports, Jeffs seems to have re-asserted his leadership and has called for the excommunication of some members. See the video yourself.
What do you make of this?
Mormon Heretic 
MH, Jeffs was speaking to William E. Jessop, who was his First Counselor at the time. Jessop was transcribing his words. First sentence of the video says:
“You can tell anybody who wants to read this message or see the video that they can see it…
Lord is still dictating. This is not a test. This is a revelation from the Lord God of Heaven to his former servant who was never his servant…
If you were a true believer, which would you focus on? The words in bold or the rest?
Thanks BiV! Last Lemming, If I were a believer, I’d be awfully darned confused.
If I were a believer, this would have made me a disbeliever.
This is a perfect example of how brainwashed people can become over religion.
To think that a man can receive a revelation directly from God stating that he is not and never was a prophet is laughable…yet his followers didn’t want to believer either was the case.
If we are honest with ourselves, we will realize that we are all brainwashed regarding religion. We are taught from infancy about Joseph Smith, Jesus, Mohammed, God, Allah, etc. We don’t stand a chance of forming our own opinion. Not that its impossible, but the cards are severely stacked against us.
I don’t think it makes any sense to analyse what Jeffs said. He is clearly not a prophet.
What would make this even better is if the X-Files music was in the background!!!
[…] capitalization, folklore, divine mysteries, values, favorite guns, where the hell is hell, who is the prophet, who needs the priesthood, who is god, and what does S/He think? Should we silently […]
@Eternal Daughter
What defines a prophet? How can we avoid people who claim to be prophets but are not?
[…] you want to see the reveletory process, check out the video on my post from 2011 where Jeffs dictates a revelation to one of his followers. Before you get so smug to dismiss […]
[…] you want to see the reveletory process, check out the video on my post from 2011 where Jeffs dictates a revelation to one of his followers. Before you get so smug to dismiss […]