Occult History: The Mormons and Freemasonry

Link: about.me/gideonsword

The Masonic Roots of Mormonism

Source: conchisle.com




Some Mormons do not realize that their temple Endowment ceremony was copied directly from occultic rites in Masonry. The Mormon temple ceremony has no connection whatsoever with Christianity. On March 15, 1842, Joe Smith became an Entered Apprentice Mason, and the next day he became a Master Mason. The usual thirty-day wait between degrees was waived by Abraham Jonas, Grandmaster of the Illinois Lodge.

Joe Smith admitted to being a Mason in his History of the Church (vol. 4, p. 551).

Under the date of March 15, 1842 his entry is, "In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office." (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 551)

The very next day he noted becoming a Master Mason, "I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree." (Ibid., p. 552)

Dr. Reed Durham, who was president of the Mormon History Association, noted:

"There is absolutely no question in my mind that the Mormon ceremony which came to be known as the Endowment, introduced by Joseph Smith to Mormon Masons, had an immediate inspiration from Masonry. It is also obvious that the Nauvoo Temple architecture was in part, at least, Masonically influenced. Indeed, it appears that there was an intentional attempt to utilize Masonic symbols and motifs. . . ." (Mormon Miscellaneous, pub. David C. Martin, October, 1975, pp. 11-16). The remainder of Dr. Reed Durham's address can be viewed at http://web.archive.org.

Less than two months after becoming a Master Mason, Joe Smith introduced the Endowment ceremony. For the Endowment ceremony, Joe Smith copied Masonic rites from a book called Freemasonry Exposed (1827) by William Morgan. When one compares the Nauvoo ceremony with the Masonic rite in Morgan's book, one easily sees the Masonic influence on the Mormon rite. The two rites resemble each other to the point of being identical at places. Morgan's account was an exposé of his local York Rite's "Craft" degrees.

One can easily see the similarities between Masonic and Mormon rites. The penalty for revealing the First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, Smith copied from the penalty of disclosing the first degree (Entered Apprentice) of Freemasonry.

Mormon text: "We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to ear and our tongues torn out by their roots" (W. M. Paden, Temple Mormonism, 1931, p. 18).

Mason text: "I will . . . never reveal any part or parts, art or arts, point or points of the secret arts and mysteries of ancient Freemasonry . . . binding myself under no less penalty than to have my throat cut across, my tongue torn out by the roots. . . ." (William Morgan, Freemasonry Exposed, 1827, pp. 21-22).

Compare the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood with the Second Degree (Fellow Craft) oath:

Mormon text: "We and each of us do covenant and promise that we will not reveal the secrets of this, the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign, grip, or penalty. Should we do so, we agree to have our breasts cut open and our hearts and vitals torn from our bodies and given to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field" (Paden, p. 20).

Mason text: "I . . . most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear . . . that I will not give the degree of a Fellow Craft Mason to any one of an inferior degree, nor to any other being in the known world . . . binding myself under no less penalty than to have my left breast torn open and my heart and vitals taken from thence . . . to become a prey to the wild beasts of the field, and vulture of the air. . . ." (Morgan, p. 52).

Besides similar penalties, there are also similar signs, arm positions, ear whisperings, passwords and handgrips. For instance, compare the "First Token of the Aaronic Priesthood" grip with the "First Degree" Masonic grip:

Mormon text:
Peter - "What is that?"
Adam - "The first token of the Aaronic Priesthood."
Peter - "Has it a name?"
Adam - "It has."
Peter - "Will you give it to me?"
Adam - "I can not, for it is connected with my new name, but this is the sign" (Paden, p. 20).

Mason text:
"What is this?"
Ans. "A grip."
"A grip of what?"
Ans. "The grip of an Entered Apprentice Mason."
"Has it a name?"
Ans. "It has."
"Will you give it to me?"
Ans. "I did not so receive it, neither can I so impart it." (Morgan, pp. 23-24).

Ashamed and embarrassed about Smith's copying Masonic rites for the Endowment ceremony, Mormon officials expunged the Five Points of Fellowship and the Penalties from the Endowment in 1990.

Although Freemasons use names and trappings from the Bible, Freemasonry is an occult organization. Various books have traced the occult roots of Masonry. Masonry forces its members to address all prayers to the Great Architect of the Universe--Lucifer, or Baphomet--(GAOTU). Masons have been forced out of the organization when they prayed to Christ Jesus.

In the Masonic initiation, the initiate bares his left breast and rolls up his left pant leg over the knee. His right shoe is replaced by a slipper and his eyes are blindfolded. A noose is placed around his neck, and he is led to the outer door of the Masonic temple. The blindfold symbolizes his being in outer darkness outside of Freemasonry. A sharp point is pricked on his breast, and he is made to kneel before an altar, behind which stands "The Worshipful Master," who presides over the ceremony. The initiate is then required to say that he is lost in darkness and is seeking the light of Freemasonry. A Christian cannot say that he is lost in darkness, since a Christian, by definition (1 John 1:4-7), walks in the light of Messiah. He would be lying if he took this oath.
[See Also: The Myth of Christian Freemasons, The Mason and the Christian, and Why I Left Freemasonry]

At the Blue Lodge ceremony, the initiate is given a white lambskin apron, as an emblem of a spotless and pure life, to bring before the "Great White Throne" when he dies (Masonic Monitors, the Craft ritual manual). However, there is only one Great White Throne in the Bible (Revelation 20:11-15), and only those who are to be eternally damned appear before it. It is the judgment of the lost. The only covering of sins God will accept is Christ’s blood atonement (Col. 1:13-14, 20; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:14; 1 John 1:7; Matt. 26:28; Isaiah 64: 5-6; Rev. 1:5). To God, good deeds alone are as filthy rags.

Dr. Albert Pike was a Masonic authority who wrote Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Rite. He was the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Southern Supreme Council, A.A., Scottish Rite, for 32 years. The current Sovereign Grand Commander, C. Fred Kleinknecht, noted that "Pike's great book, Morals and Dogma, is the most complete exposition of Masonic philosophy there is."

In Morals and Dogma, Albert Pike admits that Freemasonry is a religion (pp. 210, 213, 219). Among others, Masonic authorities Albert Mackey (Encyclopedia of Masonry, pp. 618-619) and Henry Coil (Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, p. 512) admit that Freemasonry is a religion.

The Masonic definition of God as polytheistic is not compatible with the Biblical, monotheistic God. Neither is the Masonic plan of salvation—works, moralism, Masonic ritual--compatible with the narrow Christian path to salvation--confessing sins (1 John 1:9), repenting from sin (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38), having faith in Christ (John 3:14-18), being born again of the Spirit (John 3:3-8) and reading the Bible in earnest (2 Timothy 3:15).

"Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.'" (John 14:6)

Scripture says there is only one true God (Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; 32:39; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:5). God commands us to have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:1-5), yet Masonry, by definition, bows to all gods and refuses to acknowledge the God of the Bible as Lord.

After earning the three Blue Lodge degrees, and having completed the Scottish or York Rite degrees, Masons can petition to become Shriners, who swear to a blood oath and who confess Allah as God (The Mystic Shrine: An Illustrated Ritual of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Shrine, 1975, pp. 20-22). "Allah" is not just another name for God; Allah is the name of another god. You may view an article with further information on Islam (together with two additional Mormonism articles) HERE.

Joe Smith copied the Mormon Endowment ceremony directly from the Blue Lodge degrees of Freemasonry, and he borrowed Masonic symbolism, such as the Masonic markings on underwear Mormons wear. Over the right breast in occult Mormon underwear is a carpenter's square, and over the left, a mason's compass. The opening at the navel is symbolic of the evisceration penalty for disclosing Mormon secrets. Mormons are taught that their underwear, and in particular its Masonic markings, "will be a shield and a protection" to them from the power of the destroyer (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, vol. 2, p. 295).

When the underwear becomes worn, Mormons may use the garment as, say, a rag only if they cut out and burn the patches with the Masonic square and compass. The occult power is in the Masonic symbolism.

Mormon buildings also have occult markings. The inverted pentagram is prominently displayed not only at the Salt Lake City Temple, but also at the entry of the LDS Museum just across South Temple Street, as well as on the new statuary honoring Moroni in Manti, Utah. The inverted pentagram is a symbol of Satan.

According to the Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, "The Pentagram, the sign of the Microcosm, was held to be the most powerful means of conjuration in any rite . . . with two points in the ascendant it was the sign of Satan" (vol. 2, p. 552).

The inverted pentagram is also called the "Baphomet," or "Goat of Mendes." It is on the cover of Anton LaVey's satanic Bible, and it is on the Salt Lake City temple.

In the architecture of Mormon buildings are various other Masonic and occultic symbols. The Nauvoo temple had decorative caps called "sunstones" on pilasters. The sunstone depicts a sun with a radiant, but goofy human face. There were thirty of the 2.5 ton white limestone sunstones decorating temple columns before the temple was destroyed. There were also thirty "moonstones" and "starstones." Mormon elder William Weeks was the architect for the 128 by 88 foot Nauvoo temple, although Joe Smith occasionally interfered and asked for changes, such as round windows on the second floor and sunstones. Smith had a "vision" in which the sunstone represented the Mormon "Celestial Kingdom." The term "Celestial Kingdom" is similar to the Masonic "Celestial Lodge Above."

The source of the sunstone is the Egyptian sun god Re (Horus-Re). Egyptians saw the sun as dying and being reborn each day. To Egyptians, the sun god Re made this diurnal journey in his solar bark. Egyptologists identify Re in Figure 3 of Facsimile 2 in the Book of Abraham. Dr. Samuel Mercer was one of the eight Egyptian antiquities experts who were quoted in Franklin S. Spalding's booklet Joseph Smith, Jr., as a Translator (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Arrow Press, 1912). All eight, of course, found Smith's explanations of Facsimiles completely false. Dr. Mercer was distinguished as the custodian of the Hibbard Collection of Egyptian reproductions, the most complete collection in the United States (The Utah Survey, vol. 1, no. 1, September, 1913, p. 3). Dr. Mercer noted that the personage in Figure 3 is Re (Ibid. p. 23). In his numbered explanations of Facsimiles in the Book of Abraham, Joe Smith wrote that Figure 3 represents "God, sitting upon his throne" (Joseph Smith, Pearl of Great Price). The Egyptian sun god, then, represents the Mormon god.

The Masonic influence is throughout Mormon temple architecture. At the Salt Lake City Temple, over a window of the east central tower, is the All-seeing-Eye. The All-seeing-Eye is taken from the left eye, the "moon" or "sound" eye of Horus. Horus is a detestable pagan god, the son of Osiris and Isis. There is much pagan Egyptian mythology in the roots of Masonry and Mormonism.

Besides the All-seeing-eye, the Salt Lake City temple also has as a part of its architecture Ursa Major, cloudstones, starstones, sunstones, moonstones, earthstones, Saturnstones and the demon Moroni. The clasped hands on the Salt Lake City temple were also derived from Masonic symbolism. The Mormon beehive is a Masonic emblem of industry and virtue. The 1854 architect's drawing of the south elevation has Saturnstones over each sunstone on the main buttresses of the central body of the temple. In 1870, Brigham Young moved the Saturnstones to a more obscure pattern atop five of the six spires of the temple. The sixth and highest topped is with the demon Moroni.

Next to Moroni, the Saturnstones have the loftiest place on the building. The pagan Roman god Saturn is the source of the Saturnstone. In Mormon symbolism, Moroni, the blood spurting ghost of a Spaniard who was murdered as an enchantment to guard treasure, occupies the loftiest position on the temple. The next highest position is occupied by a symbol for the pagan god Saturn.

At the seventh degree in Masonry, the "Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch," the initiate learns "God's" secret name: Jahbulon. The name Jahbulon is a composite name from Jah-Bul-On. It joins Jehovah (Jah) with two pagan gods, the pagan Canaanite deity Baal (Bul) and the Egyptian god Osiris (On). According to Masonic authorities Henry Wilson Coil and Malcom C. Duncan, "Jah" refers to Jehovah. "Bul" refers to the Assyrian or Canaanite deity Baal, and "On" refers to the Egyptian deity Osiris (Henry Wilson Coil, Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, New York, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply, 1961, pp. 516-517; Malcom C. Duncan, Masonic Ritual and Monitor, New York, David Mckay Co., nd., p. 226; Dr. Ron Carlson, Fast Facts on False Teachings, Eugene, Oregon, Harvest House, 1994, p. 86).

This is strong evidence that Joe Smith's LDS "church" is satanic at its roots. In the Bible, God does not allow His name to be mixed with pagan gods. Baal and Egyptian gods are all completely detestable in God's eyes. God is a very jealous God, and He has severe consequences for those who worship another. Much of the Bible is about the hammer coming down hard on Hebrews who fooled with Baal or other pagan gods.

Printing the initials J.B.O. for the secret name "Jahbulon," the ritual book of the Craft states,

"We three do meet and agree--in peace, love and unity--the Sacred Word to keep--and never to divulge the same--until we three, or three such as we--do meet and agree."


"And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies." (Judges 2:14)

"Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." (Ezekiel 20:7)

In the seventeenth degree of the Scottish Rite, or The Knights of the East and West Degree, the secret password is Jahbulon, and the Sacred Word is Abaddon.

"They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon [destruction], and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon [destroyer]." (Revelation 9:11)

No true Christian can take the name of the angel of the abyss, Abaddon, as a "sacred word."

In the eighteenth degree--the Most Wise Sovereign Knight of the Pelican and the Eagle, and Sovereign Prince Rose Croix of Heredom--there are various obscene mixings of Christ's name, together with a mockery communion of eating a biscuit, salt and white wine. In the thirty-first degree, the Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander, various Egyptian gods and goddesses are honored, including Anubis, Osiris and Isis. In the thirty-second degree, the Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, there is the false Trinitarian deity AUM, and its parts: Brahma as the creator, Vishnu as the preserver and Shiva as the destroyer. There is drinking from a human skull in this and other Masonic rites.

The Christian hope for Salvation is spelled out clearly in the Bible. On the other hand, the LDS religion is rooted in Freemasonry and other occult practices. Symbolizing his false hope, Joe Smith's last words included the Masonic distress signal.

In his book exposing Freemasonry, William Morgan revealed how Masons signal for the aid of fellow Masons "in case of distress": "The sign is given by raising both hands and arms to the elbows, perpendicularly, one on each side of the head, the elbows forming a square. The words accompanying this sign, in case of distress, are, 'O Lord, my God! is there no help for the widow's son?'" (Morgan, p. 76).

Mormon bishop John D. Lee, who was executed for his part in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, wrote about Smith's giving the Masonic distress sign before dying, "Joseph left the door, sprang through the window, and cried out, 'Oh Lord, my God, is there no help for the widow's son!'" (Confessions of John D. Lee, reprint of 1880 ed., p. 153)

Less than one month after Joe Smith's death, the Mormon periodical Times and Seasons referred to Smith's giving, as his last words, the Masonic distress sign, " . . . with uplifted hands they gave such signs of distress as would have commanded the interposition and benevolence of Savages or Pagans. They were both Masons in good standing. . . . Joseph's last exclamation was 'O Lord my God!' " (Times and Seasons, Vol. 5, p. 585).

LDS "apostle" Heber C. Kimball also admitted that Joe Smith gave the Masonic distress sign just before dying, "Joseph, leaping the fatal window, gave the Masonic Signal of Distress." (Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball an Apostle, the Father and Founder of the British Mission, Salt Lake City: The Kimball Family, 1888, p. 26).
[Read more about both the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the truth behind Joseph Smith's supposed 'Martyr's Death' HERE]

Joe Smith had placed his hopes of Salvation in a false hope, in that which cannot save. Those who follow Smith's religion likewise will share Smith's fate in hell.

Examining the Cult of Mormonism

Link: about.me/gideonsword

A Summary and Evaluation of Mormonism

This article presents a brief overview of the Mormons; including the history and basic belief structure of the Mormon church.


Author: Rev. Shane Lems
Source: ReformedFellowship.net - The Outlook, January-February 2011, Volume 61, No.1 - Reformed Fellowship, Inc.

Introduction
The cult of Mormonism is on fire. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is burning up the religious landscape in the United States. In 1800 there were no Mormons; in 1950 there were around two million; estimates today are around thirteen million. Recently the Mormon church has been brought to the spotlight through Mitt Romney’s run for president, Glenn Beck on FOX, David Archuletta’s #2 spot on American Idol in 2008, and the recent trials over polygamy that we’ve read about in newspapers and blogs. Many know about Steve Young, Brigham Young University, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and those crisply dressed young male missionaries with the shiny black name tags. Many of us have seen one of the Mormon temples spread around the world, from Australia to Korea to the Philippines to China to South America and beyond. In a word, we can’t escape the Mormon religion: it is as ubiquitous as baseball and hotdogs.

In recent years, Mormons have been attempting to name themselves Christians. “We’re Christians too” is a theme song of the Mormon missionaries. What should we make of that claim? I’m guessing that some of us would quickly agree that Mormons are not Christians in the historic sense of the term, but exactly why can they try to use that label? Should we budge an inch and let them take the name in the broad sense of the term, and include them in our larger Christian church: Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Anglican, and Reformed? The answer is the strongest and loudest no you can yell next time you hear the question: Are Mormons Christians? This will become evident as we dig a bit deeper into what Mormons teach.

The following discussion has two basic parts. First, we take a historical and theological trek through Mormonism. In a point by point, straightforward manner, we will discuss the major teachings and beliefs of Latter Day Saints. After observing the “brute facts” of Mormonism, we engage in a critical evaluation, matching them up with the historic Christian faith. Also, in the second part, we learn that the inner workings of Mormonism—the nuts and bolts of their theology—are neither logical nor biblical. Much of the information I use about Mormon doctrines is found on their website, www.lds.org; what follows is but a very brief survey. I only quote official sources, and since footnoting every source would significantly lengthen the article, most of the following quotes are “googleable” (you can Google them to find the source). Please note that each quote from a significant Mormon authority can be documented and thus is part of Mormonism.


Joseph Smith
To understand Mormonism we start with Joseph Smith (b. 1805). One of the Mormon scriptures, The Doctrine and the Covenants (D&C) says, “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (135:3). The late President, Gordon Hinckley (d. 2008) said, “Our entire case, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, rests on the validity of this glorious first vision. Nothing on which we base our doctrine, nothing we teach, nothing we live by, is of greater importance than this initial declaration.” In other words, Joseph Smith is one of the foundations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is not their savior, but without him, according to Hinckley, the truths of Mormonism would not stand.

Smith’s “glorious first vision” came in 1820, when he was around 15 years old, as a resident of west New York State. He was praying and meditating when suddenly he saw a bright pillar of light over his head. “When the light rested upon me I saw two personages,” wrote Smith, “whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.” One spoke to the young boy, pointed to the other personage, and said, “This is my beloved Son; hear him.” Smith later noted that these two “personages” were the Father and Jesus Christ: Smith saw both as distinct personages. From this revelation the Mormon church was born.

From this date on, Smith had many more visions, some of which became later Mormon scriptures, which are addressed briefly below. In 1827, after a few years of attempting to get golden plates that he heard about in another revelation, Smith was finally allowed by the angel Moroni (more info on Moroni below) to have the plates. Smith was led to a hill where he dug and found golden plates along with a mysterious translating device that allowed him to read the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic picture script that he found on these plates. Smith enlisted several people, including his wife, to help him translate the plates. While the helpers were not allowed to see the plates during translation, later these eleven witnesses signed a statement saying they did see the plates.

While it is beyond the scope of this discussion to highlight the details of subsequent Mormon history, the literal movement of the Mormon church is worth noting. The history of Mormon travels is significant for all Mormons; it is an interesting topic to study. They compare their journey to similar ones in the Old Testament. After Smith’s revelation, many followers moved from New York to Ohio to Missouri (where they say Zion was physically located) to Illinois to Salt Lake in 1847, where many still reside today. Along these lines is the Mormon enthusiasm for genealogies, though it would take us too far afield here. Again, this history is part and parcel to the Mormon faith.

The Book of Mormon
One of the foundational scriptures of Mormonism is The Book of Mormon (BoM). They call it “another testament of Jesus Christ.” They affirm and use the Bible (rightly translated); the BoM stands right next to the Bible as another word of God. Joseph Smith said about the BoM, “The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than any other book.” Along with Smith and his revelation, the BoM is a pillar of Latter Day Saint theology and practice.

The BoM is the history of a people from around 2000 BC to AD 421. It is roughly the length of the Bible, sounds exactly like the KJV, and reads mostly as history, but some theology and doctrine is found in it as well. In the BoM, some Jews from the kingdom years in the OT fled persecution and made several trips to Central America (though the exact location is disputed within Mormon scholarship). When in Central America, the Nephites and Lamanites (the two main people groups—Jewish peoples) set up massive civilizations. The BoM says that their cities covered the lands and the people numbered as the sands on the seashore (Mormon 1:7). While in Central America, they built ships, synagogues, sanctuaries, and temples; they had shields, compasses, silk, armor, cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, and elephants, among other things (cf. Ether 9:17–19; 15:15).

In the BoM, destruction—earthquakes, storms, and darkness—came to Central America when Jesus died in Jerusalem (around AD 34; cf. 3 Nephi 11:1–12). This destruction killed many wicked people in Central America, and the resurrected Christ appeared to those who remained. The resurrected Jesus taught these Central American people the Sermon on the Mount, the institution of the Supper and baptism, and so forth. He then ascended into heaven.

Later on, in the 5th century AD—still in Central America—a Nephite named Mormon gathered all the plates of the history of his people (dating back over 2000 years) and summarized them into one set of plates, and his son Moroni buried them around AD 421. These plates are what Smith found, what the now-angel Moroni showed him, which is now called The Book of Mormon. Along with the BoM, the Mormon church recognizes the Doctrine and the Covenants (D&C), the Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible rightly translated—all these are their scriptures. Smith recorded many of his prophecies in the BoM, D&C, and the Pearl of Great Price before he was murdered in 1844 (note: these three books also contain the prophecies/revelations of other significant Mormon leaders and prophets).

Mormon World History
“Long ago you and I were born as spirit children of God, and naturally, a Goddess, actual beings of glorified human form and substance.” This is the way one Mormon author explains the eternal period of existence before creation. Before creation, Mormons teach, God the Father (Elohim) had some sort of physical sexual intercourse with a goddess who then gave birth to spirit children. The first born spirit-child was Jesus, whose brother was Lucifer. People are also spirit-children, the offspring of Elohim. In the words of another Mormon authority, “Before you began your life on earth, you lived with your Heavenly Father as one of his spirit children.”

Brigham Young (d. 1877) the second president of the Mormon church (Smith being the first) wrote, “We were first made spiritual, and afterwards temporal.” In other words, before people had physical bodies, they existed as spiritual entities. In fact, not only did spirit-children exist before creation, so did the “elements.” And these elements are eternal (D&C 93:33). There was “stuff” or material or matter or intelligence—something—that is eternal, that had no beginning. Of course, Elohim and other gods (male and female) are eternal as well. Brigham Young said, “How many Gods there are I do not know, but there never was a time when there were not Gods.” We discuss below the Mormon teaching of “gods.” For now, simply note that before creation, there was/were 1) God/gods, 2) spirit-children, and 3) unorganized matter or “elements.”

Concerning creation, Mormons teach that the gods created the world (including God/Elohim as the leader). Smith taught, “In the beginning the head of the gods called a council of the gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people in it.” Gods created the world out of preexistent matter in a manner similar to the way that construction workers make a house. Mormons strongly deny the ex-nihilo (creation out of nothing) teaching of historic Christianity. Additionally, J. F. Smith (d. 1918), the tenth president of the Mormon church, declared that Adam in his spirit existence helped form this earth—he said “perhaps Noah and Enoch” did as well, “and why not Joseph Smith?” Mormons also teach that God created the world out of love, so that his spirit-children would have a place to dwell, a place wherein to progress to salvation. Mormons teach that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, a plan that we were involved in before creation itself.

Adam and Eve were historical people. They were, with us, spirit beings before creation, but they were the first humans on earth. They lived in the Garden of Eden, which Mormons teach is in Independence, Missouri. Eve sinned by eating the fruit; Adam committed a transgression when he ate. Note the terminology: Adam didn’t sin; he transgressed God’s law, and Adam’s transgression opened the door of salvation. He said, “Blessed be name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy” (Moses 5:10). Adam fell that man might be and progress in this life, on this earth (2 Nephi 2:25). In a mysterious way, the fall was a fall upward, and Adam did the right thing by eating the fruit. Also fundamental to Mormon doctrine is their absolute denial of original sin: it is written in their foundational document, Articles of Faith. That is, since Adam’s transgression was not a sin, there is no sin to pass down to his descendants.

Mormon Theology Proper
Mormon theologians and scriptures teach that God is loving, compassionate, caring, and powerful. In general terms, Mormons speak about God the same way Christians do. However, there are extreme differences. For example, many Mormon theologians teach that God progresses. Smith himself said, “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man. . . . we have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see . . . he was once a man like us. . . . here then is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves.” Lorenzo Snow, the fifth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said—now famously—“As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be.” In fact, “God . . . has flesh and bones,” Smith wrote elsewhere. In summary, Mormon theology holds that God was a man like you or me, who progressed to be the God that he is now. Orson Pratt even taught that God continues to progress in knowledge and power.

One other significant aspect of Mormon theology proper is that God is subject “to the laws which govern . . . even the most refined order of physical existence.” In other words, since God is at least in some real sense a physical being (remember he had some kind of physical sex with a goddess); he is subject to the laws that govern physical being. Since he has a body like people, he is confined to certain limits of physical existence—he has parts that take up some kind of space. Of course, he has to progress, since he is not outside of the laws of progression. This progression in Mormon theology even touches God’s fatherhood: Mormons teach the fatherhood of God ad infinitum. Smith: “If Jesus Christ was the son of God, and John discovered that God the Father of Jesus Christ had a Father, you may suppose that he had a Father also. Where was there ever a son without a father?”
Finally, concerning theology proper, Mormon theology is not Trinitarian: “Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. . . . I say that is a strange God anyhow . . . three in one, one in three! It is a curious organization. . . . All are to be crammed into one God according to sectarianism [read: Christian theology]. He would be a giant or monster,” Smith preached. Another Mormon publication says, “We declare it is self-evident from the scriptures that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate persons, three divine beings.” In other words, there is not one God, but three Gods—three different and distinct beings who share the title “God” but not the substance or essence of a single being. To reword the historic Christian Athanasian Creed: the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Spirit is Lord: yet these are three Lords, not one Lord.

The Doctrine of Man (Anthropology)
We have already noted the creation and fall of man: it is a historical fact in Mormonism. Again, we learned that Adam’s fall was not a sin, but an upward sort of transgression, which resulted in the possibility of spirit-children to take on human bodies, Adam and Eve’s many descendants. There is not a huge gap between God and man in Mormon theology. Joseph Smith said, “We say that God himself is a self-existent being. . . . Who told you that man did not exist in like manner upon the same principles? Man does exist on the same principles. . . . The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God himself. . . . The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. . . . The first principles of man are self-existent with God.” Even more boldly, Mormon theologian Bruce McConkie said, “Man and God are of the same race.” In other words, humans and God are on the same being-scale; God is only exalted and higher on the scale or ladder. There is no Creator/creature distinction in Mormon theology. There is a difference, but it is not an ontological or metaphysical essential distinction, just one of progress on the same scale of being.

Another thing to note about Mormon anthropology is again the teaching of progression. Man can by faith and obedience—as we note in a few moments—attain godhood, in a way similar to God’s progression to godhood. This has everything to do with the Mormon doctrine of salvation: how people attain godhood. We return to this topic after briefly examining the Christ of Mormon Christology. For now simply note that as God progressed to where he is now (and where he will go as he progresses still), man follows in the progression stage.

The Doctrine of Christ (Christology)
Jesus is Jehovah, the Son of God, the Savior; hence the name of the church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is a loving and caring Savior, the firstborn of all spirit-children. He was a spirit-child of God and a goddess—before us, but with us—in the stillness of pre-creation time. Lucifer, or Satan, is a spirit-brother of Jesus (and in turn, humans). According to one Mormon writing, “Both the scriptures and the prophets affirm that Jesus Christ and Lucifer are indeed offspring of our heavenly Father, and, therefore, spirit brothers. . . . Jesus was Lucifer’s older brother.”

Jesus “was not begotten by the Holy Ghost,” according to Young. Joseph F. Smith said, “Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of Man, and that Man was God” [emphasis mine]. God the Father had intercourse with Mary, and the result was Jesus’ conception. She was still a virgin because she didn’t have sex with an earthly man, but a progressed God. Jesus, after God’s prior progression, also progressed by obedience and faith. Jesus was saved by his faithfulness. According to McConkie, Christ “is a saved being.” Again, progression is key: God, man, and Jesus progress to salvation and godhood.

Mormons teach that Jesus is the only Savior, and apart from him there is no salvation. Many Mormon authorities sound similar to Christian teaching about Jesus as Savior. Through his suffering at Gethsemane and the cross, Jesus saves people. Actually, according to www.lds.org, “Through the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected—saved from physical death.” This general salvation that Jesus accomplished is a free gift from the Savior to all humans. Yet this universal resurrection as gift is by no means a resurrection to eternal blessedness in the highest degree—some are raised by Jesus as gift only to wind up in some semi-blessed state.

The Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology)
We’ve already touched on salvation in the sections on the doctrine of man and the doctrine of Christ; now we tie those themes together. According to the Mormon text Gospel Principles, exalted Mormons “will have everything that our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have: all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge.” Men become [a] god according to Mormon soteriology: exalted people (saved people) will share some of God’s essential or divine attributes (characteristics). Notice yet again the theme of progression: men climb the ladder of being to the attainment of godhood, or exaltation.

How does a person attain this salvation in Mormonism? By faith in Jesus Christ: “the fundamental principle of our religion is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” as one Mormon president said. Of course this means repenting and trusting, but in Mormon theology, the definition of faith includes faithfulness. According to McConkie, “Faith . . . includes good works. . . . Works are part of the definition of faith, and without them there is no faith.” “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness.” To be saved means to trust and obey, for there’s no other way to attain godhood in Mormon theology (see D&C, 132:20–21). It is clear then that Mormon soteriology is completely at odds with the “faith alone” teaching that many orthodox Christians hold so dear. One Mormon teacher wrote, “The sectarian doctrine of justification by faith alone has exercised an influence for evil since the early days of Christianity.”

According to www.lds.org, “Those who have been baptized and have received the Holy Ghost through the proper priesthood authority have been conditionally saved from sin. In this sense, salvation is conditional, depending on an individual’s continuing in faithfulness, or enduring to the end in keeping the commandments of God.” Faith is essential for salvation, but not enough; you must keep the commandments of God to climb the ladder to godhood. Though it is another topic, Mormonism teaches levels of glory: the celestial, the terrestrial, and the telestial kingdoms. “The glory we inherit will depend on the depth of our conversion, expressed by our obedience to the Lord’s commandments. It will depend on the manner in which we have received the testimony of Jesus.” In summary, the more faithfulness a person shows, the higher he or she will climb on the ladder: the top of the ladder is the celestial kingdom, where humans reign as gods over their own kingdoms, wives and all.

The Doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology)
When Joseph Smith found the golden plates in 1827 (which resulted eventually in the BoM), it was the restoration of the gospel and church of Christ. God reestablished his church on earth through Smith and the plates. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a continuation of the Church of Christ in the New Testament, according to Mormon theology. Smith received his revelation because there were no true churches on earth. In fact, in his vision he was told that all churches of his day were apostate. Thus, the Mormon church is the only true church on earth (D&C 1:30) and there was no drop of gospel-truth from the early days of church history until the American Joseph Smith was used by God to rekindle the church. Many early Mormon authorities (Smith, Young, Taylor, etc.) often said that Christianity was a tool of the devil, a bag of stinking falsities. As an interesting side note, some Mormons will give the Reformers a nod for their attempt to take the church back, though Mormons will say they fell quite short.

For Mormonism, the doctrine of ongoing, or progressive, prophecy and revelation is central. As we saw earlier, some of the fundamental truths of the Mormon church are Smith’s revelations in the 1820’s, along with other revelations of later Mormon teachers and prophets. In fact, in 1829, Peter, James, and John appeared to Smith and a friend of his and gave him the keys of the kingdom and made them apostles. In this way, the Melchizedekian priesthood was officially restored. There are still apostles and prophets in the Mormon church—fifteen total, including the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. “Prophets . . . receive revelation for the church;” the Scriptures are not closed; the canon is open and dynamic, always progressing, always becoming. Revelation can change, as with the change in the stance on polygamy and with the change in the stance against black people holding the priesthood. In a word, Mormon theology holds that divine revelation and prophecy is still going on and fluctuating from the Old and New Testament times. This is why the Mormon church has several scriptures, not just the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Another aspect of Mormon teaching that goes hand in hand with the doctrine of the church and ongoing revelation is the internal voice of the Holy Ghost, which assures a person that the Book of Mormon is true and that Smith was a true prophet of God. In fact, if you look at nearly any copy of the BoM, you will see on the inside flap somewhere a phrase that suggests reading the book and earnest, intense, heart-felt prayer will result in the Holy Ghost testifying that these things are true. Joseph Smith said this internal call is unmediated—that is, without book or voice, but God directly communicating to a person without external means. I’ve had several discussions with Mormons where they always end on this note: “I know it is true because I prayed it and the Spirit told me” (or something similar). This is one of the highest validations for Mormons concerning the truth of their religion: they will look you in the eye and in some way explain that they have a warm feeling deep down inside that Mormon teaching is true. For Mormons, you cannot question this revelation, because it is internal and unmediated.



_______________


Rev. Shane Lems
(MDiv, Westminster Seminary California) is the pastor and
church planter at the United Reformed Church in Sunnyside, WA

False Teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses

Link: about.me/gideonsword

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES: The Watchtower Society

"If they speak not according to this word,
it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20)

FALSE TEACHINGS

The Deity of Jesus Christ

Watchtower Doctrine: Jesus was an angel who became a man (Watchtower, 5/15/63, p 307). He was just a man, however -- not God in the flesh (Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, p 306).

Biblical Doctrine: Jesus is/was fully God and fully man. [See The Deity of Jesus Christ]


The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Watchtower Doctrine: Jesus was only 'spiritually' raised, not physically (Awake, 7/22/73, p 4; Let God be True, p 276).

Biblical Doctrine: Jesus was literally physically raised from the dead. In fact, Scripture teaches Jesus raised Himself from the dead. [See The Resurrection of Jesus Christ]


Eternal Judgment/Hell

Watchtower Doctrine: The doctrine of eternal torment (hell) is not valid. (Let God be True, p.90-90, and p. 94-95) The soul becomes extinct (nonexistent) after death, also known as Annihilationism (Let God be True, p. 74, 75 and p. 99).

Biblical Doctrine: Scripture, in both the Old and New Testament, teaches that the wicked will be eternally tormented in hell. [See The After-life]


Salvation

Watchtower Doctrine: Salvation is by works (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp. 150, 152), through membership in the organization (Watchtower, 2/15/79, p 30).

Biblical Doctrine: Salvation by grace through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ. [See Salvation]


The Trinity

Watchtower Doctrine: The doctrine of the "trinity" is an invention of man. (Let God be True, p 100, 101)

Biblical Doctrine: Although the word "trinity" is not in the Bible, the concept of the three-in-one Godhead is given throughout the Old and New Testaments. [see The Godhead]


The Holy Spirit

Watchtower Doctrine: The Holy Spirit is an inanimate force or power. (Watchtower, 6/1/52, p 24; Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985, pp 406, 407)

Biblical Doctrine: The Holy Spirit is a person and is part of the triune Godhead (the Trinity). [See The Holy Spirit]



What does Scripture say about false teachers?

1. It is the personal responsibility of the individual believer to test doctrine (Ephesians 4:14) and see if it is "the doctrine of the Lord" (Acts 13:12), "sound" (I Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1) and "good" (Proverbs 4:2; I Timothy 4:6).


2. Scripture repeatedly warns of the coming of false teachers.
(Deuteronomy 13:1-3; Matthew 5:19; 7:15; 15:2-20; 16:12; 23:2-33; 24:23-26; Mark 8:15; 13:21-23; Luke 11:38-52; Acts 15:11 24; 20:28; Galatians 1:7 ; I Timothy 1:3-7;6:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:13-14; 4:34; Titus 1:10-11; 3:10-11; Hebrews 13:9; 2 Peter 2:1; 2 John 7-10; Jude 1:4; Revelation 2:14-15)

a.) They teach the "doctrines of men" (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7; Colossians 2:22) and demons (I Timothy 4:1), not the "doctrine of Christ" (2 John 9).

b.) If it is the "doctrine of God" (Titus 2:10), it will in every aspect correspond with the written Word of God (Isaiah 8:20).

c.) Teachers of "divers and strange doctrines" (Hebrews 13:9), who use the scriptures but twist their meaning (2 Peter 3:16), make no distinction between right and wrong (Ezekiel 22:26). Often their motive in ministry is one of monetary gain (Micah 3:11).

3. Because people without a solid foundation in the Word can so easily be led astray (Matthew 24:24), "handling the Word of God deceitfully" (2 Corinthians 4:2) will be met with severe punishment (James 3:1).

The Watchtower Society

The Jehovah's Witnesses
(Watchtower Society)

Who are The Jehovah's Witnesses and what are their beliefs?

The sect known today as the Jehovah's Witnesses started out in Pennsylvania in 1870 as a Bible class led by Charles Taze Russell. Russell named his group the “Millennial Dawn Bible Study.” Charles T. Russell began writing a series of books he called “The Millennial Dawn,” which stretched to six volumes before his death and contained much of the theology the Jehovah’s Witnesses now hold. After Russell's death in 1916, Judge J. F. Rutherford, Russell's friend and successor, wrote the seventh and final volume of the “Millennial Dawn” series, “The Finished Mystery,” in 1917. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society was founded in 1886 and quickly became the vehicle through which the “Millennial Dawn” movement began distributing their views to others. The group was known as the “Russellites” until 1931 when, due to a split in the organization, it was renamed the “Jehovah’s Witnesses.” The group from which it split became known as the “Bible students.”

Close scrutiny of their doctrinal position on such subjects as the deity of Christ, salvation, the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and the atonement shows beyond a doubt that they do not hold to orthodox Christian positions on these subjects. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is Michael the archangel, the highest created being. This contradicts many Scriptures which clearly declare Jesus to be God (John 1:1,14, 8:58, 10:30). Jehovah’s Witnesses believe salvation is obtained by a combination of faith, good works, and obedience. This contradicts countless scriptures which declare salvation to be received by grace through faith (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the Trinity, believing Jesus to be a created being and the Holy Spirit to essentially be the inanimate power of God. Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the concept of Christ’s substitutionary atonement and instead hold to a ransom theory, that Jesus’ death was a ransom payment for Adam’s sin.

How do the Jehovah’s Witnesses justify these unbiblical doctrines? First, they claim that the church has corrupted the Bible over the centuries; thus, they have re-translated the Bible into what they call the New World Translation. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society altered the text of the Bible to make it fit their false doctrine, rather than basing their doctrine on what the Bible actually teaches. The New World Translation has gone through numerous editions, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses discover more and more Scriptures that contradict their doctrines.

The Watchtower bases its beliefs and doctrines on the original and expanded teachings of Charles Taze Russell, Judge Joseph Franklin Rutherford, and their successors. The governing body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is the only body in the cult that claims authority to interpret Scripture. In other words, what the governing body says concerning any scriptural passage is viewed as the last word, and independent thinking is strongly discouraged. This is in direct opposition to Paul's admonition to Timothy (and to us as well) to study to be approved by God, so that we need not be ashamed as we correctly handle the Word of God. This admonition, found in 2 Timothy 2:15, is a clear instruction from God to each of His children to be like the Berean Christians, who searched the Scriptures daily to see if the things they were being taught lined up with the Word.

There is probably no religious group that is more faithful than the Jehovah’s Witnesses at getting their message out. Unfortunately, the message is full of distortions, deceptions, and false doctrine. May God open the eyes of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to the truth of the gospel and the true teaching of God’s Word.