Deception and Apostasy

Link: about.me/gideonsword

The following post consists of two articles. The first, 'If It Looks So Good, How Can It Be Deception', is a timely warning for the modern-day church in North America -- a church which is increasingly being led down the road to apostasy by sensual, feelings-driven religious movements which appeal to the senses but have little to do with the sound doctrine and solid principles of Bible teaching. The second article, 'Pathway to Apostasy', is a commentary from Roger Oakland in which he shares some concerns concerning the direction and trends which evangelical Christianity is following today. Following both articles I have included a video presentation of a sermon by Pastor Carter Conlon (Times Square Church) entitled, 'Run For Your Lives', in which Bro. Conlon, annointed by the Holy Spirit, gives a tearful exhortation to the church to avoid false teachings and doctrines of demons at ALL COSTS.

If It Looks So Good,
How Can It Be Deception?

Author: Barbara Wilhelm
Source: web.archive.org - 11/1997




"Now the serpent was more subtle and crafty than any creature of the field which God had made." (Gen. 3:1 - Amplified version)

"But also (in those days) there arose false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among your-selves, who will subtly and stealthily introduce heretical doctrines." ( 2 Pet. 2:1)

"For certain men have crept in stealthily - gaining entrance secretly by a side door." (Jude 4)


How often do we hear the refrain - if it looks so "good" ("brings forth such "good fruit"), how can it be deception? Are we expecting deception to be obvious? Why then would the Bible describe it as "more subtle and crafty, stealthily" gaining entrance as by a side door? Barnes Commentary states in the analysis of 2 Peter 2:1 that,

"...(false teachers) would not at first make an open avowal of their doctrines, but would, in fact, while their teachings seemed to be in accordance with truth, secretly maintain opinions which would sap the very foundations of religion. The Greek words used in the preceding verses means properly to lead in along with others. Nothing could better express the usual way in which error is introduced. It is by the side, or along with, other doctrines which are true; that is, while the mind is turned mainly to other subjects, and is off its guard, gently and silently to lay down some principle, which, being admitted, would lead to error. Those who preach error rarely do it openly."

THEREFORE, WE SHOULD EXPECT DECEPTION TO LOOK "GOOD"!! According to the Bible, the easiest method of deception is for error to ride on the back of truth. We hear what is, indeed, truth being preached. We assume that everything, therefore, being preached is truth, that everything being done is Biblical, so we let down our guard...and error and deception can then enter "secretly by the side door." Do we forget that it is a little bit of leaven that leavens the whole loaf?

Let's carefully examine what the Bible says about things that look "good." A few simple - yet startling - examples:

Gen. 13:10 - What did God describe as looking "like the Garden of the Lord"? SODOM (where exceedingly great sinners lived, v.13)

Ezek. 28:12- Who did God say was "the full measure and pattern of exactness - full of wisdom and PERFECT IN BEAUTY"? SATAN

Matt. 7:15 - Who will come "dressed as sheep" on the outside, "but inside are devouring wolves"? False prophets...looking "good."

Acts 20:29-30 also speaks of "ferocious wolves" that come from "inside", from those thought to be in the flock of Christ.

Matt. 23:12 - Who "looked beautiful on the outside"? The Pharisees who "inside are full of dead men's bones and everything impure."

2 Cor. 11:14,15 - Who will come as an "angel of light" and as "ministers of righteousness"? Satan and his servants.

Conclusion: deception looks "good" on the outside, but inside it is deadly.

It requires diligence to discern when Satan comes as an "angel of light", bringing what looks like the "light" of new revelation on a holy subject: when he comes, not as a devil, but as "another Jesus"; not with out-and- out heresy, but with "another Gospel"; and when he does all this in a religious setting, as "another spirit" (2 Cor. 11:4). Have we forgotten that Satan is a "religious" creature? Have we not realized that false gospels are not completely new gospels, rather they are true gospels with a few "minor" changes? Didn't the Galatians believe the basic truths of Christianity? Yet, Paul said, not once but twice, that they were to be "accursed" (Gal.1:8-9) for receiving a "different gospel," for making a few changes to the true gospel.

Perhaps, we need to look at some passages of Scripture in greater detail so that we may grow in discernment and avoid the deadly dangers of deception. Let's start at the beginning...

Genesis 3 contains the foundational truths of discerning deception. The Garden of Eden was a perfect religious setting; and into this perfect religious setting came deception. The relationship between God and the man and woman was so close that He "walked in the garden in the cool of the day" with them. This was spiritual intimacy of the highest order. And therein was part of Satan's subtle deception - he tempted the woman in the realm of that spiritual intimacy to become closer to God, to be more like Him (v.5). Let's remember that deception came before the Fall, before sin corrupted her mind with the twisted knowledge of what good and evil were. Exactly because of the purity of her being, this deception had to come in a very "good" disguise - so it came disguised in a holy desire for her to be closer to the God she loved. Such a holy desire - but, in order for it to be fulfilled she had to disobey His one "small" warning: just take one bite of what looked "good" to her. Here was the first appearance of the "angel of light", bringing new "light" in a "holy" way. And she did eat...and Adam did likewise. And they lost everything. The temptation looked "good"; it sounded "holy"; and it would allow them to grow "wise" - how could this be bad when it looked so good?

In their deception and sin, the man and woman did not even first realize there was any change in them: "After Eve had eaten and apparently suffered no ill effect, this constituted an additional argument why Adam need not hesitate to adopt the same course" (Barnes Commentary). After all, she hadn't died as God said she would if she ate of the fruit, so it must be safe. But, "they eat, they expect marvelous results, they wait and there grows on them a sense of shame" (ibid). When we are first deceived, we may still seem to be holy - perhaps we may even think we are more holy - but in time a sense of shame will grow on us. We have partaken of that which God has forbidden in His Word: we have fallen for that which we think looks "good."

In the Garden of Eden, wasn't one of the things the Lord was saying was that He had already given the man and woman ALL they need? They did not need more than all the trees and fruits He had already provided for them. Today, isn't He trying to tell us the same thing? He has given us salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit - there is no "more" described in the Bible. Then why is the cry across the land for "more, Lord, more"? Biblically, what "more" is there? Do we not already have all we need?

Then there is the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matt. 13:24-30. Unger's Bible Dictionary defines tares as:

a poisonous grass almost indistinguishable from wheat while the two are growing into blade, at the beginning. When they come into ear, they can be separated without difficulty.

At the beginning all the crop "looks good", according to what the eye can see. But as time goes on the tares become visible. The wheat is sown first by the Lord. Then the enemy sows his tares as men sleep. Isn't this another way of saying that first, the true gospel may be preached, but "alongside" of that tares are sown? (remember 2 Peter 2) The Matthew Henry Commentary states:

"...when reason and conscience sleep, and people are off their guard then the enemy comes in...Note, when Satan is doing the greatest mischief, he studies most to conceal himself; for his design is in danger of being spoiled if he be seen in it; and therefore when he comes to sow tares, he transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:13,14)...The tares appeared not until the blade sprung up and brought forth fruit, v.26. As the good seed, so the tares lie a great while under the soil, and at first springing up, it is hard to distinguish them..."

All revivals may look good: great enthusiasm and devotion may be displayed. But, religious enthusiasm in itself is not evidence of the truth. The Pharisees had great religious enthusiasm, so do Catholic mystics and Mormon missionaries. Yet, remember Matt. 7:21-23:

"Not every one who says to Me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in YOUR NAME, and driven out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty miracles in YOUR NAME? And then I will say to them openly, Depart from Me, I never knew you." (Emphasis added)

Who were in danger: just a few? No, many. Were evil acts being performed? No, they were doing miracles, great signs and wonders, prophesying. Were they done in a demon's name? No, in JESUS' NAME! In His Holy Name. Yet, He said - depart from Me. How "good" it all looks and sounds - in our eyes. Not in His.

Moses was a true man of God, working true miracles. Yet, in the beginning, his miracles were duplicated by Pharaoh's magicians (Ex. 7:11-12, 22;8:7). So that we do not forget how prone we always are to "signs-and- wonders" deceptions, 2 Tim. 2:5-9 makes references to these magicians, Jannes and Jambres by name. It warns against "silly" (v.6) people who are "forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a knowledge of the Truth" (v.7). Verse 9 promises that these counterfeits will eventually be exposed. But, in the meantime, they will continue performing signs and wonders, counterfeit signs and wonders.

Counterfeits, in the real world, are only successful in so far as they, as closely as possible, imitate the real. Only very close scrutiny will show that that $100 bill is not legal tender. In the real world, if a warning went forth that there were counterfeiters at large, wouldn't we scrutinize our money with great diligence? Yet, there are "spiritual counterfeits" at large and so many are naively accepting what they teach at face value. There is so much more at stake - our spiritual lives hang in the balance.

The whole chapter of Deut. 13 is a warning about deception, but perhaps the most alarming verses are 1-3:

"If a prophet arises among you and gives you a sign or wonder and the sign or wonder he foretells to you COMES TO PASS, and if he says, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them. You shall not listen to the words of that prophet; for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your mind and heart and with your entire being." (Emphasis added)

Note: the man called himself a prophet of God. He came from among them, like the tares are among the wheat, like error comes alongside truth. And, incredibly, what he said CAME TO PASS! IT LOOKED GOOD!! Yet, God says not to listen to him; on the contrary, v.8 says that that prophet is to be put to death for talking rebellion.

The Lord says all this deception is sent as a test to know whether we love Him totally. Interestingly, the remedy for deception is for us to do our own "testing." In 1 Thess. 5:21 we are commanded by God to "prove all things until you can recognize what is good; to that hold fast." The word prove in scripture is a metallurgist's term. It is referred to in Jer. 6:27-30. An assayer or prover is to test ore closely because fool's gold looks so much like real gold ( it "looks good.") Once the assayer tests the ore and discovers it is gold, he then tests it further to see how pure that gold is -- 10k, 12k, 24k, etc. Interesting isn't it: God tests us to see if we are gold and how pure gold we are, and we are to test all things to see if they are gold and how pure they are. In Acts 17: 11 the Bereans were commended as being "more noble" because they took the Scriptures so seriously that they even tested the teachings of Paul. Notice that they did not use the fluctuating criteria of emotions or experiences in their testing; they used the only one reliable, trustworthy, infallible standard - the Word of God. Isa. 8:20 commands, "Direct people to the teaching and the testimony; if their teachings are not in accord with this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Where is the purest gold found? in the City of God (Rev. 21:21). We are only fit for this Golden City as we, too, are purified and immerse ourselves in pure teaching. In John 17:17 Jesus Himself said: "Sanctify them by the Truth. THY WORD is truth." (Emphasis added) Not our emotions, not our experiences, not by how "good" it looks or sounds or feels...by THY WORD.

I will close this by two simple examples of testing popular teachings by the holy standard of the Bible:

How many times have we heard that the end-times will be marked by revival? Yet, revival is NOT the sign of the end-times. DECEPTION is the sign of the end times. So says Jesus in Matt. 24 in v. 4-5,11,23-24. So says Paul in 2 Thess. 2:3.

How often have we been hearing lately about "miraculous signs and wonders"? The problem is that whenever signs and wonders are mentioned in the Bible in relation to the end times, they are called LYING signs and wonders! So says Jesus in Matt. 24:24 and Paul in 2 Thess. 2:9 ( see also 2 Pet. 2). Jesus in fact warns strongly against signs and wonders in Mt 12:39 and 16:4 --"An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." Then why are so many today being applauded for the "signs and wonders" in their midst?

Modern Day Application
There is a movement occurring today that, sadly, illustrates the principle herein described: error comes in alongside truth. I am speaking of the "Pensacola Revival" at Brownsville Assembly of God Church. I have personally viewed video tapes of numerous Brownsville services and read countless articles from Biblical authorities on their observations regarding the "Pensacola Revival." The Word that is preached may be holy. The burden for the lost and the heart's desire for the flock may be real. Individuals' lives may have changed for the better because of a sincere desire for God. BUT are the "impartations", the "birthings", the physical manifestations and emotional excesses truly of God? Are they not, instead, errors that have come alongside truth and are not those "little bits of leaven" in terrible danger of leavening the whole loaf?

We cannot test what we see and hear by our emotions or by experience: the only remedy for deception is the truth, the objective truth of God's Word. We must discern what is light and what is darkness. We must test the origins of this revival, its teachings and its total conformity to Scripture. Only by testing can we know what is true and to be embraced and what is deception and to be avoided.

Our criteria for truth, therefore, is not if it looks, sounds or feels "good." Partaking of the tree of the knowledge of GOOD and evil was our first sin - thinking we knew what was "good". The remedy for that sin in the Garden of Eden was "Yes, God HATH said!" Today, the remedy is still the same - has God said in His Word that it is good. Let our prayer be that in Isa. 11:2-3:

"(That) the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon ( us), the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of he Lord. And make us of quick understanding, and (let our) delight be in the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord. And (let us) NOT judge by the sight of (our eyes) neither decide by the hearing of (our) ears"...Nor by how "good" it looks or sounds or feels. Amen." (Amplified Version).

Pathway to Apostasy

Commentary by: Roger Oakland
Source: Understand The Times International: Roger Oakland Ministries
www.understandthetimes.org




Recently, I was contacted by a friend and colleague who also has a discernment ministry. He was surveying other discernment ministries in order to come up with a list of the top ten subtle ways the body of Christ is presently being led astray. As I was busy speaking at a conference at the time I received his e-mail, I wrote him back and told him I would get back to him in a few days.

While flying back to my home after the conference, I took out my computer and responded to my friend’s request. The topics I had presented at the conference were still fresh in my mind. Following are the first ten trends I have personally encountered. While I am certain there are many more, the following ten trends provide a good overview of what is taking place in the church today:

- Ecumenical unity at any cost yet completely void of any connection to the message that Jesus died on the Cross.

- The church-growth movement, which is focused on a market-driven seeker-friendly Christianity emphasizing a megachurch mentality.

- A Christianity focused on following men, their methods, and their movements.

- A Jesuit agenda promoted by publishers and pastors proclaiming the teachings and ideas of Roman Catholic church fathers and Roman Catholic mystics.

- The rejection of biblical creation and the acceptance of theistic evolution and progressive creation.

- The acceptance of New Age ancient Babylonian practices such as yoga and contemplative prayer as a means of “getting closer to Jesus.”

- A false Christianity that substitutes the gospel according to the Scriptures with a social gospel.

- The “Purpose-driven P.E.A.C.E. Plan” that prepares the church for a global one-world religion.

- An experience-based “Christianity” that seeks after signs and wonders and rejects the biblical warnings of a Last Days spiritual deception found in the Bible.

- The compromising of the church in order to become “postmodern” and “progressive” in an attempt to reach the postmodern generation.


It was not my objective to place these various trends in their order of importance. The fact is, each one is occurring, and the vast majority of professing Christians are not even aware these trends are happening or even that there is a problem. Perhaps in the future, these ten points would make good chapter headings for a small book that would deal with each topic in more detail.

For now, let me say I believe biblical Christianity is under attack like it has never been before. We are not only on a “slippery slope” -- Christianity is ready to fall off the cliff. As Jesus asked in Luke 18:18: When the Son of man cometh, will He find faith?

Current events indicate the pathway to apostasy is leading exactly in the direction foretold by the Scriptures.

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

Sermon presented by: Pastor Carter Conlon at the Times Square Church
Source: Youtube - NeverSurrender channel

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.