By Ed Decker
One of the most amazing ironies of Mormonism hinges on its central tenet that it was founded by Joseph Smith, who claimed that he was called of God to re-establish Christ's true Church on the earth. The Mormons revere Joseph Smith as a true prophet of God and the holy man upon whom God himself laid this authority to administer God's people and usher in this last dispensation of time. If his claims to having seen God and Christ and receiving his prophet-hood and authority from them were really true, two very important things would follow.
First, the Christian world would have to recognize that the "New Testament" era was over. To understand this one needs to understand the place of the "office" of prophet. The calling of the Old Testament prophet was "One to whom and through whom God spoke....their messages were very largely the proclamation of the Divine purposes of salvation and glory to be accomplished in the future." (Vine's Expository Dictionary, page 904). They were the pointers to Jesus!
In Luke 16:16, the Lord clearly stated, "The Law and the Prophets were until John: Since that time the Kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." The time for declaring the forthcoming of the Kingdom was over; the kingdom itself was now to be declared by the Son himself!
Hebrews 1: 1-2 makes it even clearer. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds." This was said after Christ had risen and the church was in operation. No prophet was appointed to be the head of the church and spokesman for God. Christ had fulfilled that empty office in His own right when he said, "It is finished." Yet as we read in Corinthians, notice that the gift of prophecy was active in the Church....but not anywhere in the headship of the church.
So, if Joseph Smith was now the spokesman through whom God would now issue His orders, then the established order of New Testament government would have to be ended, and the church step into a New (and everlasting?) Covenant that was NOT foretold by Christ, by whom God was to speak to us in New Testament times.
Second, If this were to be true, then we could step back from the "every man presseth into it" and listen to the instruction and counsel of the prophet and trust and obey the words from his mouth as though they came directly from God. However, in order for us to take that step of obedience, we should be wise enough to take the Biblical tests of a prophet, as given in the Bible and put this new era prophet to the same simple tests by which every Old Testament prophet was judged. We need to do that with Joseph Smith.
One would think that any member of a "restoration" church which bases its very existence on its own personal latter-day prophet, would be able to give any willing listener a long litany of "true prophecies." At least one would expect to find dusty volumes of such prophecies abounding in church libraries throughout the new kingdom. Yet, in Mormonism, they don't exist in mind or matter. While some who claim both scholarship and membership have written books on the subject, they are not received by the church in any official capacity, especially since much of the work is contrived and pure blather.
If you doubt that the true Mormon avoids such discovery like the plague, just ask any Mormon you know to extemporaneously recite their 5 or 6 favorite Joseph Smith prophecies. You will rarely get past one or two of the most commonly used "faith promoting" stories that are hardly kingdom shaking stuff.
One such story that really did come true( if Joseph actually gave it) was a "word" given to Orrin Porter Rockwell.. -->"OrrinPorterRockwell"-->, a Joseph Smith body guard and church assassin, to whom Smith promised a quiet death in bed if Porter never cut his hair. Old Porter killed a lot of men through the years and we are told he died in bed.
It is a continued source of amazement that when the LDS missionaries share the joys of having a church led by a living prophet and are asked to produce a list the prophecies of their living prophet or any of their deceased prophets, including Joseph Smith, they cannot produce any such list. You would expect that any reasonable, thinking person would flee from such foolishness as though the very demons of Hell were after them. Yet, over seven million people will testify that they "Know" by personal revelation, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.
It is our position that he meets the test of Scripture as one of the foretold false prophets who would come in the last days. Herein are a significant number of the prophecies of Joseph Smith. We had to dig them out of the LDS closet. It wasn't easy work Judge them for yourself.
THE FALSE PROPHECIES OF JOSEPH SMITH
Remember, in the light of the following list, that according to Deuteronomy 18:20-22, it only takes one false prophecy to make a prophet false, just as it only takes one murder to make a person a murderer. As you read the many false prophecies of Joseph Smith, keep this Biblical teaching in mind.
1) THE ABRIDGEMENT OF D&C 137.. -->-->"D&C137".
Although there are actually dozens of false prophecies we could begin with, we thought it might be appropriate to begin with one which has come to new found prominence in recent years. In 1976, the 137th section of Doctrine & Covenants (D&C) was submitted to the general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a vote to be "sustained" as scripture. It is a narrative of a vision supposedly seen by Joseph Smith in Kirtland, OH in 1836.
What the members who voted on this new addition to scripture were not told by "the Brethren," is that whole paragraphs (216 words) of the actual revelation as recorded in The History Of The Church.. -->"TheHistoryOfTheChurch"--> had been conveniently left out of the version to be included in the D&C. The reason for these omissions was that four obviously false prophecies were contained in the part of the revelation which was censored out. These were prophecies so obviously false that even the average LDS reader would pick them up. Therefore they went down the "black hole" of Mormon history.
What exactly were in these missing parts? Well, if you go to the official history of the LDS church published by the church's own publishing company, you will be easily able to find the missing prophecies. Here is what is not in the new D&C 137:
[Joseph Smith:] "....I saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who are now upon the earth, who hold the keys of this last ministry, in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and their feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold him. The Saviour looked upon them and wept.
I also beheld Elder M'Lellin.. -->-->"ElderMíLellin" in the south, standing upon a hill, surrounded by a vast multitude, preaching to them, and a lame man standing before him supported by his crutches; he threw them down at his word and leaped as a hart, by the mighty power of God.
Also, I saw Elder Brigham Young.. -->"BrighamYoung"--> standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of a bout a dozen men of color, who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it.
And I finally saw the Twelve in the celestial kingdom of God. I also beheld the redemption of Zion and many things which the tongue of man cannot describe in full"
Now, if this were true, it was a truly inspiring and wonderful declaration! Unfortunately, for the LDS faithful, a short look at the official history of the church reveals the false prophecies contained therein.
First of all, Smith claimed to see his (original LDS) Twelve apostles all in the celestial kingdom. This is difficult to imagine, since there was already division between Smith and the majority of the Apostles, beginning with discord in Kirtland, Ohio. The first portion of the "missing words" shows his less than subtle rebuke of their resistance to his will. "...fatigued....tattered...eyes cast downward....The Saviour looked upon them and wept." Smith was calling them to get into line and submit themselves to his full authority. That's the carrot offered in the last portion, "I finally saw the Twelve in the Celestial Kingdom of God."
However, his "thus saith the Lord" must have had little effect on them, since at least seven of the twelve under discussion were soon excommunicated or apostasized from the church: John F. Boynton.. -->"JohnF.Boynton"--> & Luke S. Johnson.. -->"LukeS.Johnson"--> (1837), Lyman Johnson.. -->"LymanJohnson"--> (1838), William E. M'Lellin.. -->"WilliamE.MíLellin"--> (c.1838), Thomas B. Marsh.. -->"ThomasB.Marsh"--> & Orson Hyde.. -->"OrsonHyde"--> (1838), and William Smith.. -->"WilliamSmith"--> (1845)
How could they have ever attained the celestial kingdom under those conditions? They couldn't! They were not only accursed by their very acts of apostacy or excommunication, but fell victim to the LDS Church's own scriptural denunciation. D&C 84.40-41.. -->"D&C84.40-41"--> clearly states:
"Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved. But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth there-from, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come."
Although a few of these men later returned to the church, none of them were even close to the standards necessary for attainment of that highest degree of glory. The majority remained apart for life. Therefore, the prophetic utterance, "I finally saw the Twelve in the Celestial Kingdom of God." was obviously false. It would have been false even if only one Apostle remained outside the fold.
Second, the vision of M'Lellin preaching and working miracles in the south never came true because he apostasized from the church without ever doing it! (see above).
Third, Although Brigham Young.. -->"BrighamYoung"--> did bring the Mormons west and was a great colonizer and orator, the vision of Brigham Young preaching to "men of color" in their own language, in some strange and faraway place in the southwest never took place eitheróor at least there is no trace of it in the very detailed records and diaries concerning his reign as prophet.
Finally, "Zion.. -->ìZion"-->î (Independence, MO.. -->"Independence,MO"-->.) was never redeemed, has never been redeemed in the 150+ years since the prophecy was made. (see below, for more on Zion). Is it any wonder that the Brethren chose to remove whole chunks of this "inspired" revelation? Four false prophecies for the price of one!
2) THE BUILDING OF THE NEW TEMPLE.
In D&C 84.. -->"D&C84"--> (esp. vs.2-5, 31, 114-115), Smith prophesied in 1832 that a temple would be built by the generation then living in Independence, MO.. -->"Independence,MO"-->. during THAT generation. Allowing the widest possible latitude of 100 years for a generation, that still leaves the prophecy unfulfilled over 50 years late!
There still is no temple in Independence; although one is being commenced by the RLDS Church.. -->"RLDSChurch"-->, a splinter off of Mormonism which the LDS church contends is a false cult! Not only that, the temple lot which Joseph Smith dedicated as the "only true site" has been owned for generations by a third Mormon splinter sect; and the Utah Mormons couldn't build a temple there if they wanted to!
3) THE NAUVOO HOUSE.
In D&C 124.56-60.. -->"D&C124.56-60"-->, Smith prophesied that the Nauvoo House.. -->"NauvooHouse"--> in Nauvoo, IL... -->"Nauvoo,IL."--> would be in his family forever (1841). It did not remain in his family, and is not owned by them today. This makes for a very false prophecy.
4) OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES.
In the Pearl of Great Price.. -->"PearlofGreatPrice"--> (PGP), Joseph Smith-History.. -->"JosephSmith-History"--> (JSH) 1.40-41, (1823) Smith claimed that the angel Moroni.. -->"Moroni"--> told him that the prophecies in Isaiah 11 were "about to be fulfilled," and that those in Joel 2 were "soon to be" fulfilled. More than 165 years have passed and that interpretation of prophecy has not yet come to pass. Those prophecies certainly will be fulfilled, but Joseph Smith and his angel sure got their dates wrong!
5) CONVERSION OF THE INDIAN PEOPLES.
In D&C 3.3.. -->"D&C3.3"--> (1828) it says, "Remember, that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men." This verse is considered sacred scripture by Mormons; and that means that Mormons, logically, must apply it to their history and Joseph Smith's prophecies. If Smith's prophecies were frustrated, then those prophecies were the work of men, not of God!
D&C 3.16-20.. -->"D&C3.16-20"--> says that the Lamanites (Indians) will be converted. For a century and a half, the LDS missionaries have been trying to convert their "Lamanite.. -->ìLamanite"--> brothersî and have not done so. The vast majority of Indians are not Mormons, and most of the few who become LDS turn inactive. This has obviously not been fulfilled, after many years and spending vast amounts of money on programs to convert Indians.
6) WHITE AND DELIGHTSOME INDIANS.
Speaking of the Lamanite.. -->"Lamanite"-->s, the Book of Mormon.. -->"BookofMormon"--> (BOM) contains a prophecy about them which can easily be put to the test. 2 Nephi 30.6.. -->"2Nephi30.6"--> prophesies that the Indians who converted would turn "white and delightsome" a few generations after joining the church. This is what is written in the original, handwritten manuscript of 2 Nephi 30. It is in the original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.
However, in 1840, Joseph Smith, evidently thinking to correct the "most correct book ever written," ordered the phrase changed to "pure and delightsome." Then later, Brigham Young.. -->"BrighamYoung"--> ordered it changed back to "white and delightsome." Then in 1981, it was again changed back to "pure and delightsome", even though the correction does not clean up the parts of the BOM where they are turned from white and delightsome to "dark and loathsome."
A honest reader would have to speculate that since over 160 years have passed (4 Biblical generations) since Indians began joining the church, that at least some of them would have to turned at least a little whiter. None of them have; and this is evidently why they changed the verse without so much as a word of explanation.
7) GATHERING TO ZION.
D&C 57.1-3.. -->"D&C57.1-3"--> (1831) identifies Independence, MO.. -->"Independence,MO"--> as the center place of Zion.. -->"Zion"-->, the gathering place of the saintsóit is "the land of promise." This revelation failed because, according to D&C 3.3 cited above, any work which is of God could not be frustrated. This "gathering" in Zion was really frustrated, because the Mormons tried to gather there and were physically driven out! To this day, there are few Mormons there; and actually many, many more RLDS members by far! If God was behind this revelation, then the Mormons could not have been driven out by men.
8) CONFOUND YOUR ENEMIES.
In D&C 71.6-10.. -->"D&C71.6-10"-->, the following prophecy was given: "For unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly, even power. Wherefore, confound your enemies; call upon them to meet you both in public and in private; and inasmuch as you are faithful, their shame shall be made manifest. Wherefore, let them bring their strong reasons against the Lord. Verily, thus saith the Lord unto youóthere is no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and if any man life his voice against you, he shall be confounded in mine own due time."
Mormons have never fulfilled this prophecy, in fact they shun it and constantly disobey it. There are over a hundred organized ministries to Mormons in the orthodox Christian church, just like ours; and no Mormon prophet or apostle has ever been willing to meet with us, in public or in private to "confound" us. Indeed, very few Mormons of any sort will meet with us, unless they are already having doubts about the Church and want some straight answers.
We have been bringing our "strong reasons" against the false god of Mormonism now for decades and official Mormondom has slunk away and refused to answer us, even though we have continually called for dialog. To the best of our knowledge, no minister to the Mormons has ever had his "shame" made manifest. If anything, there are more of us out there slugging away against the Zion empire than ever before!
The "weapons" we have used against the LDS have been primarily the Bible, and also its own published material. It is evident that these weapons have indeed prospered against the Church. We are seeing literally thousands of Mormons leave the Church for Jesus, because of the impact of our Biblical witness. We have seen the convert rate.. -->"convertrate"--> per LDS missionary drop from a high of 7.9 converts in 1982 to 6.5 converts per year (1987 figures). It is evident that our weapons are prospering and that the Church is adamantly refusing to obey its own prophecy and "confound" us. Instead, it is doing its best to pretend to ignore usóan altogether different thing!
9) THE EARTH SHALL SHAKE AND REEL AS A DRUNKEN MAN.
D&C 88.87.. -->"D&C88.87"--> (1832) prophesies that "...not many days hence the earth shall tremble and reel as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face...and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from a fig tree."
Now over 58,000 days have past (as of 1991) since that prophecy was given. By any reasonable standard, "not many days" could not be construed to be more than 58,000 days; and yet none of these things have occurred. This prophecy has obviously failed.
10) THE WORD OF WISDOM.
The Mormons are noted for their Word of Wisdom.. -->"WordofWisdom"--> revelation which forbids them from drinking liquor, coffee or tea, or to smoke. This is in D&C 89.. -->"D&C89"-->. Many Mormons do not realize that there is also a prophecy in it in vs.18-21: "And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in the navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary and shall walk and not faint, and I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen."
The fact is that this promise isn't working Although most Mormons diligently keep this Word of Wisdom.. -->"WordofWisdom"-->, they do not find any treasures of knowledge. They certainly run and become weary; and they certainly become faint at times from walking. In fact, many of the highest leaders of the LDS church (who presumably are keeping this commandment) are sick and dying of degenerative diseases. The entire First Presidency just a few years ago was so ill with blindness, Parkinson's disease and cancer that a Third Counselor to the Prophet had to be called to take over.
The destroying angel certainly is not passing the Mormons by; as it did the children of Israel in the Passover. Mormons die just like everyone else. Although they try hard to keep the LDS god's commandment, he does not seem to be keeping his end of the bargain, or else Joseph Smith is a false prophet!
11) ZION SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
D&C 101.17-20.. -->"D&C101.17-20"--> (1833) prophesies: "Zion.. -->ìZion"--> shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered. They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion. And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled. And behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed; neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed for the work of the gathering of my saints."
First of all, the Mormons were driven out. Secondly, those who were driven out never returned with their children to come to their inheritances. Thirdly, a little over a decade after this, the "gathering" place of the saints was transplanted to Utah, even though the LDS god declared that "neither shall {future tense} there be any other place appointed." Three strikes, and Joseph Smith is out!
12) THE UNITED ORDER.
In D&C 104.1.. -->"D&C104.1"--> (1834) a prophecy is given concerning the LDS institution, the "United Order.. -->ìUnitedOrder"-->î (a theocratic, communistic method of distributing and controlling property and goods): "…I give unto you counsel and a commandment, concerning all the properties which belong to the order which I commanded to be organized and established, to be a united order, and an everlasting order for the benefit of my church, and for the salvation of men until I come..."
LDS history reveals that this "everlasting" order had to be disbanded soon after because it failed. It is obvious that today Mormons do not practice a communal approach to property. If anything, they are in favor of capitalism and against communism. This is one of the most blatantly false prophecies of Joseph Smith.
13) DESTROYER SENT FORTH.
A prophecy was given in D&C 105.13-15.. -->"D&C105.13-15"-->: (1834) "Therefore it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season, for the redemption of Zion. For behold, I do not require at their hands to fight the battles of Zion; for…I will fight your battles. Behold, the destroyer I have sent forth to destroy and lay waste your enemies; and not many years hence they shall not be left to pollute mine heritage, and to blaspheme my name upon the lands which I have consecrated for the gathering together of my saints."
Note that the LDS god says "I have {already accomplished} sent forth…" the destroyer. History shows that the enemies of the Mormons were not destroyed or laid waste. They still haven't been to this day! The "destroyer" must be slow! This is another prophecy that was frustrated (D&C 3.3) because the Mormons were still persecuted after this and were driven out of "Zion" about 5 years later!
14) THE DREADFUL DAY OF LORD IS NEAR.
In D&C 110.16.. -->"D&C110.16"-->, (1836) we find this prophecy: "…the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors." Over 150 years have passed, and that "dreadful day of the Lord" has not come. Another failed prophecy!
15) THE TREASURE OF THE CITY IS YOURS.
D&C 111.. -->"D&C111"--> has a very strange revelation about treasures in Salem, MA.. -->"Salem,MA"-->: "I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion.. -->"Zion"-->, through your instrumentality…and it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth, pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours. Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them… And the place where it is my will that you would tarry, for the main, shall be signalized unto you by the peace and power of my Spirit, that shall flow unto you. This place you may obtain by hire. And inquire diligently concerning the more ancient inhabitants and founders of this city. For there are more treasures than one for you in this city."
Neither Joseph Smith nor other LDS leaders ever found any treasures in Salem. They did not take control of Salem, nor have any Mormons since. The "many people" were never gathered out, as only 13 were baptized out of the whole city. The silver and gold prophesied was never found. They returned to Kirtland, OH.. -->"Kirtland,OH"--> without funds to pay their debts! This prophecy fails on every count!
16) THOMAS MARSH'S "GREAT WORKS"?
A personal prophecy was given to Thomas B. Marsh.. -->"ThomasB.Marsh"--> on July 23, 1837 and recorded in D&C 112.3-12.. -->"D&C112.3-12"-->. At the time this prophecy was given, Marsh was the leader of the 12 apostles of the LDS church.
Here are key excerpts from it: "…thou [Marsh] shall bear record of my name, not only unto the gentiles, but also unto the Jew; and thou shalt send forth my word unto the ends of the earth…for I, the Lord, have a great work for thee to do, in publishing my name among the children of men…thou art chosen, and thy path lieth among the mountains, and among many nations. And by thy word many high ones shall be brought low, and by thy word, many low ones shall be exalted. Thy voice shall be a rebuke unto the transgressor; and at thy rebuke let the tongue of the slanderer cease its perverseness. Be thou humble, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers. I know thy heart, and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brethren…pray for thy brethren of the Twelve. Admonish them sharply for my name's sake, and let them be admonished for all their sins, and be ye faithful before me unto my name…"
In fact, Marsh was excommunicated from the LDS church less than two years later. Although he rejoined the church about 20 years later, he never did any of the mighty works listed in the above prophecy. For most of his 20 year absence he was, in fact, a bitter enemy of the Mormon church.
17) THE MYSTERIOUS MISSION OF DAVID W. PATTEN
Speaking of personal prophecies, here is a failed one in D&C 114.1.. -->"D&C114.1"--> (1838) "…thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant, David W. Patten.. -->"DavidW.Patten"-->, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world.
Sadly, Patten was killed before he could fulfill this prophecy. Mormons have two arguments against this fact. One is that Patten was actually being called on a mission to the spirit world after death. Although that is a very creative response, the verse itself contradicts it since 1) he was to go on the mission with eleven other men, none of whom were killed before spring; and 2) the verse says his mission was to "the whole world." That could hardly be just the spirit world.
The other argument is that he wasn't worthy of the mission so the Lord killed him. The problem with that assertion is that Joseph Smith himself proclaimed that "Brother David Patten.. -->"DavidPatten"--> was a very worthy man, beloved by all good men who knew him…and died as he had lived, a man of God, and strong in the faith of a glorious resurrection…one of his last expressions to his wife wasóëwhatever you do else, O! do not deny the faith.' These explanations do not hold water! The prophecy is false!
18) REMEMBER OLIVER GRANGER?
Another personal prophecy of Smith's which fell to the ground was D&C 117.12-15.. -->"D&C117.12-15"-->, which says, in part: "…I say unto you, I remember my servant Oliver Granger.. -->"OliverGranger"-->; behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord…"
You ask 99 out of 100 Mormons who Oliver Granger is, and they will give you a blank look. His name is supposed to be in everlasting remembrance from generation to generation, and yet most Mormons have never heard of him.
19) DID JOSEPH TRIUMPH OVER HIS FOES?
This section of D&C 121.. -->"D&C121"--> is prefaced in the LDS church introduction by being identified as "Prayers and Prophecies written by Joseph Smith the Prophet, while he was a prisoner in jail in Liberty.. -->"Liberty"-->…î Note what is said in part in vs.5-15, "…My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes…And also that God hath set his hand and seal to change the times and seasons, and to blind their minds, that they might not understand his marvelous workings; and take them in their own craftiness…And not many years hence, that they and their posterity shall be swept from under heaven, saith God, that not one of them is left to stand by the wall…"
This prophecy promises that Smith and his church would triumph over all their foes. This never happened. They had just been driven out of their "Zion.. -->ìZion"-->î in Independence, MO.. -->"Independence,MO"-->. Smith was to die by the hands of his foes, about five years later. The entire church was run out of the state about eight years later and had to flee to Utah.. -->"Utah"-->! Can this be triumphing over your enemies?
Even in Utah, the power of the church was ultimately broken by the federal government who forced the church leaders to submit to government authority and to do away with their cherished doctrine of plural marriage! More recently, the church was forced to succumb to outside pressure again and change its racist position on the blacks or else lose its tax-exempt status. Likewise, its strong anti-abortion stand has been also reversed. Is this triumph?
We need to ask: When did God change the times and seasons on us (vs.12)? When did he blind the minds of Smith's enemies? When were every one of Smith's enemies "swept from under heaven"? In fact, most of them long outlived him!
20) THE INTEGRITY OF GEORGE MILLER
In D&C 124.20-21.. -->"D&C124.20-21"-->, (1841) we find the following revelation: "…verily, I say unto you, my servant George Miller.. -->"GeorgeMiller"--> is without guile; he may be trusted because of the integrity which he has to my testimony I, the Lord, love him. I therefore say unto you, I seal upon his head the office of a bishopric…that he may receive the consecrations of mine house, that he may administer blessings upon the heads of the poor of my people, saith the Lord. Let no man despise my servant George, for he shall honor me."
In spite of this endorsement from "the Lord," George Miller was excommunicated seven years later. Another prophecy frustrated (D&C 3.3) by the work of men?
21) WHERE WAS JOSEPH'S VICTORY?
D&C 127.2.. -->"D&C127.2"--> contains the following prophecy, similar to the one noted above in 18: "…for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I will triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it."
This also promises that Smith would triumph over his enemies. Obviously he did not do so as they murdered him and drove his remaining church from pillar to post.
22) WAS EMMA SMITH "DESTROYED?"
One of the most significant sections of the Doctrine and Covenants is D&C 132.. -->"D&Cìì132"-->, which deals with the plural marriage.. -->"pluralmarriage" -->(polygamy) revelation. However, it also contains many false prophecies! "(v.6) And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant [i.e.. polygamy or plural marriage], it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness there must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.…(v.52-54) …let mine handmaid, Emma Smith.. -->"EmmaSmith"--> [Joseph's first wife] receive all those [wives] that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure and have said they were pure shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.…and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be ruler over many things; for he hath been faithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him. And I command my handmaid, Emma Smith.. -->"EmmaSmith"--> to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment [of plural marriage.. -->"pluralmarriage"-->] she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my lawÖ..(v.62) And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore he is justified."
Where do we begin? First of all, plural marriage.. -->"pluralmarriage"--> was an "everlasting covenant" that only lasted about 50 years. It was officially done away with in 1890. How can something everlasting stop? Obviously false! Secondly, according to v.6, everyone who is not living in plural marriage in the LDS church is damned. That means that almost all Mormons except for 30,000 or so "fundamentalists" today (who still keep the original commandments of plural marriage) are damned!
Verse 53 says that Joseph Smith would be strengthened henceforth. That depends on one's definition of "henceforth," as he was shot dead by his enemies less than a year later. That usually doesn't strengthen one.
Verse 54 threatens Emma Smith.. -->"EmmaSmith"--> with destruction is she doesn't let Joseph have all of his wives without complaint and acknowledge the divine origins of plural marriage. Emma never did these things. She fought against the plural marriage doctrine; and yet she lived to ripe old age; and Joseph was shot just months later. Emma was so opposed to polygamy, that she went off with Joseph's son, Joseph Smith III.. -->"JosephSmithIII"--> and started the RLDS church.. -->"RLDSchurch"-->, which denies that Smith ever taught polygamy. That pretty well blows that prophecy out of the water!
23) THE "LAST TIME" THE MISSIONARIES WENT OUT
In D&C 33.3.. -->"D&C33.3"-->, (1830) a "revelation" given through Joseph: ìFor behold, the field is white already to harvest; and it is the eleventh hour, and the last time I shall call laborers into my vineyard." Now this was in 1830, and it is quite evidently false for LDS missionaries are being "called" every day to go on missions. If the last time missionaries, who are certainly laborers in the field of harvest if anyone is, were to be called was 1830, then how can the LDS church call missionaries today and believe this scripture to be true?
24) "SOME REVELATIONS ARE OF THE DEVIL"
In the work, An Address to All Believers in Christ, David Whitmer.. -->"DavidWhitmer"-->, (one of the "Three Witnesses.. -->ìThreeWitnesses"-->î to the Book of Mormon.. -->"BookofMormon"-->) related that in the winter of 1829-1830, Joseph Smith sent Hiram Page.. -->"HiramPage"--> and Oliver Cowdery.. -->"OliverCowdery"--> on a mission to Toronto, Canada.. -->"Toronto,Canada"--> to sell the copyright to the Book of Mormon.. -->"BookofMormon"-->. This mission was ordered by a revelation that Smith claimed he had received from God.
Unfortunately, both the mission and the revelation were utter failures. This is yet another false prophecy. Oddly enough, when Smith was asked why the revelation had fallen to the ground, he "…enquired of the Lord about it, and behold, the following revelation came through the stone: ëSome revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil.' So we see that the revelation to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right was not of God, but of man."
But the question must be asked, if the "prophet" Joseph Smith cannot tell which of his revelations are from God and which are not; why should we trust any of them? It is a very flimsy proposition at best!
25) ANY NATIONS BOWING TO THE MORMON GOSPEL?
D&C 49.9-10.. -->"D&C49.9-10"--> (1831) gives us a false prophecy, redolent with arrogance: "Wherefore, I say unto you that I have sent unto you mine everlasting covenant.. -->"everlastingcovenant"-->, even that which was from the beginning. And that which I have promised I have so fulfilled, and the nations of the earth shall bow to it; and, if not of themselves, they shall come down, for that which is now exalted of itself shall be laid low of power."
This "everlasting covenant.. -->ìeverlastingcovenant"-->î is term used constantly in Mormonism to refer to the LDS version of the gospel and specifically to the idea of temple marriage. Now we have yet to see any nations "bow" to the principles of the Mormon gospel, and it has been almost 160 years as of this writing, since the prophecy was given.
In fact, since this prophecy, various governments (whether rightly or wrongly) have driven the Mormons out of various states, forced them to give up their doctrines of celestial plural marriage and white racism, forbidden them to preach their weird gospel in many lands.
None of these governments or nations, including the US (which was the particular subject of death curses from the LDS temples for almost a century) have been "brought low" for not bowing down to Mormonism.
26) "I, THE LORD, PROMISE THE FAITHFUL AND CANNOT LIE…"
Joseph Smith prophesied in D&C 62.1,6, & 9.. -->"D&C62.1,6,&9"--> (1831) that "…the faithful among you should be preserved and rejoice together in the land of Missouri. I, the Lord promise the faithful, and cannot lie… Behold, .the kingdom is yours. And behold, and lo, I am with the faithful always…"
There are some serious problems with this prophecy as well. The "faithful" weren't preserved; they did not rejoice together in Missouri (in fact, they were run out of the state); and the "kingdom" was not theirs and God certainly did not appear to be with them. Official LDS history shows how this prophecy failed!
27) WERE ALL THE PROMISES OF DOCTRINE & COVENANTS FULFILLED?
Even the celebrated first section of D&C (1831) does not emerge without a false prophecy of massive proportions. Section 1, verse 37 states: "Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled." We have already shown over twenty places in the D&C where the prophecies were not fulfilled. There are yet more to come.
28) WAS JESUS LATE?
D&C 133.17.. -->"D&C133.17"--> (1831) prophesies: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight, for the hour of his coming is nigh." This prophecy was given nearly 160 years ago, and has still not occurred. That is stretching the meaning of the word "nigh" to the breaking point!
29) THE CIVIL WAR PROPHECY
This is a long one, but it needs to be looked at closely because the Mormons [especially the LDS missionaries] like to claim this prophecy as one of Joseph Smith's true prophecies, and it just doesn't bear close scrutiny!
In D&C 87.18.. -->"D&C87.18"-->, (1832) we read: "Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina.. -->"SouthCarolina"-->, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; And the time will come that war will be pour out upon all nations, beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain…and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations.
"And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war. And it shall come to pass also that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves, and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation.
"And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations.
"That the cry of the saints, and the blood of the saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies. Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen."
This prophecy was given on Christmas Day, 1832, in appearance almost 30 years before the Civil War.. -->"CivilWar"-->. Although the prophecy looks good on the surface, it must be realized that at the time this was brought forth, South Carolina.. -->"SouthCarolina"--> was already involved in many rebellious acts, and this fact was available in the papers of the time. Congress had passed a tariff in July of 1832 that South Carolina had declared unacceptable.
It was during the Christmas season that the nation's press expected and wrote about the impending outbreak of civil war, beginning with this rebellion in South Carolina. Even the U.S. Army was on alert. With these facts at hand, it didn't take much of a seer to predict the unfolding events. Even a paper published by the Mormons themselves contained such news!
However, the war did not come to pass. The entire prophecy was shelved and never appeared again during Joseph Smith's lifetime. The first two editions of the History of the Church did not include it even though it was in the original manuscript. It reappeared in 1852 when the war again seemed imminent.
Aside from the dating problems, the scope of the prophecy is not in balance. In just one item, the prophecy states that war would begin locally and pour out upon all nations and shall be the direct cause of an international global war. Even the great World War I did not encompass all nations, and it was 50 years after the Civil War and had no possible relationship to it! This is a definite false prophecy that did not come to pass.
Former Mormon Dick Baer has pointed out there are at least 20 elements in this prophecy, and for it to be a true prophecy, all of those elements would have to have come to pass. In human terms, those odds are 1 in 1,048,576óa truly remarkable achievement, had Smith pulled it off. Obviously he did not.
In another example, verses 4 through 6 state that the slaves shall rise up, the remnants left in the land shall rise up against the Gentiles (non-Mormons) and the bloodshed, famines, plagues (caused by this great war) shall bring with God's wrath, "...a full end of all nations." This did not happen. In fact, Smith only got two elements out of 20 right, and those were based on current events and common sense. Sorry, this is a bad one!
30) PESTILENCE AND EARTHQUAKE IN THE US?
Here is an explicit false prophecy (1833) from official Church history: "And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake shall sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land…flee to Zion before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I had spoken, fulfilled."
Obviously, none of these dire predictions have come to pass, and it has been over 150 years since they were given. No one is now left alive from that generation. The scope of the warning was centered on the generation in which the Mormons were still calling on their converts to leave their homes, cities and countries and Come to Zion. They have long since stopped this mandatory migration to the center of Mormonism. That generation had passed by before the end of the 19th century.
31) DID ZION FAIL?
D&C 97.19-20.. -->"D&C97.19-20"--> (1833) prophesies: "Surely, Zion .. -->ìZionì-->is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there and the hand of the Lord is there; And he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation…"
This makes Smith a false prophet or God too weak to keep his promises. "Zion" fell and the Mormons were driven out of Independence, MO.. -->"Independence,MO"--> in 1838-39!
32) WAS ZION REDEEMED AFTER "A LITTLE SEASON?"
D&C 100.13, 15.. -->"D&C100.13,15"--> (1833) states: "And now I give unto you a word concerning Zion.. -->"Zion"-->. Zion shall be redeemed although she is chastened for a little season.…Therefore, let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church."
Again, over a century and a half has passed without this prophecy coming to pass. That would be stretching the idea of "a little season" beyond the point where the English language has any meaning at all.
33) SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT WRONG?
In a letter to "the Exiled Saints in Missouri," Joseph Smith declared: "Therefore this is my counsel, that you retain your lands [in Missouri], even unto the utmost, and employ every lawful means to seek redress of your enemies; and pray to God day and night to return you in peace and safety to the lands of your inheritance; and when the judge fail you, appeal unto the executive; and when the executive fail you; appeal to the president; and when the president fail you, and all things also fail you but God alone, and you continue to weary Him with your importunings, as the poor woman did the unjust judge. He will not fail you to execute judgment upon your enemies, and to avenge his own elect that cry unto Him day and night. Behold, He will not fail you. He will come with ten thousand of his saints, and all His adversaries shall be destroyed with the breath of His lips.
Unfortunately for the Mormons, none of these things came to pass; nor have they yet. They did not retain their lands in Missouri. The god of Mormonism never destroyed their enemies; and in fact those very same enemies drove them out of the state! The only thing Smith got right was that they would petition all the authorities and be turned down. 25% accuracy doesn't cut it according to Deuteronomy 18:20-22.
34) THE MARCH OF ZION'S CAMP
In D&C 103.15.. -->"D&C103.15"-->ff, there is a prophecy concerning Zion's Camp.. -->"ZionísCamp"-->. It begins: "…(v.15) Behold, I [God] say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power…(v.19) Therefore, let not your hearts faint…(v.20) Mine angels shall go up before you , and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land…(v.24) And inasmuch as mine enemies come against you to drive you from my goodly land, which I have consecrated to be the land of Zion, even from your own lands…ye shall curse them; and whosoever ye curse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies."
Leaving aside for a moment the totally un-Biblical theology of all this (Jesus told us to pray for our enemies, not to curse them; and nowhere does God ask His people to avenge Him!), this is still a failed prophecy. Zion's Camp was an armed crusade of Mormons sent out by "revelation" to go to Missouri .. -->ìMissouriì-->and rescue their fellow Latter-day Saints there. Actually, the march of Zion's Camp failed miserably, and so did the prophecy of God's presence going before them and cursing their enemies!
35) THE MOVE TO JACKSON COUNTY
In a letter to the High Council (8/16/1834), Joseph Smith declared, "…I shall now proceed to give you such counsel as the Spirit of the Lord may dictate…[you are to have the churches] use every effort to gather to those regions and locate themselves, to be in readiness to move into Jackson County.. -->"JacksonCounty"--> in two years from the eleventh of September next, which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.. -->"Zion"-->…î
Well, the churches did not move into Jackson County on September 11, 1836. Nor was "Zion" redeemed at that time; as church history itself shows. Was the Holy Spirit wrong, or just Joseph?
36) THE KIRTLAND "ANTI-BANKING SOCIETY"
A false prophecy from the Latter-day Saint Messenger and Advocate, "This place [Kirtland, OH.. -->"Kirtland,OH"-->] must be built up, and will be built up, and every brother that will take hold and help secure these contracts [for land] shall be rich."
This one fell with a "crash!" The Mormons were driven out of Ohio .. -->"Ohioì-->and no-one became rich by helping to secure those land contracts. Ironically, most of the men who helped Smith lost their shirts and Smith himself went bankrupt because of his "funny-money" scheme in the Kirtland Anti-banking Society.. -->"KirtlandAnti-bankingSociety"-->.
37) NASA, PHONE JOSEPH SMITH!
Joseph Smith, not content with banking; also tried his hand at exo-biology and astronomy. He declared in 1837: "Inhabitants of the Moon.. -->ìInhabitantsoftheMoon"--> are more of a uniform size than the inhabitants of the Earth, being about 6 feet in height. They dress very much like the Quaker Style & and quite general in Style, or the one fashion of dress. They live to be very old; coming generally near a thousand years. This is the description of them as given by Joseph Smith the Seer.
Although Mormons will try and deny that Joseph Smith ever really taught this nonsense, they will find it confirmed from Brigham Young.. -->"BrighamYoung"-->; who also taught it; and added that there were people also living in the sun! Obviously, modern science has condemned these prophecies to the ashcan of bad science fiction!
38) THAT POOR TEMPLE IN MISSOURI!
Another prophecy about the temple being built in Missouri .. -->"Missouriì-->is in D&C 115.1, 7-12.. -->"D&C115.1,7-12"-->: ìVerily, thus saith the Lord…Let the city, Far West.. -->"FarWest"-->, be a holy and consecrated land unto me; and it shall be called most holy, for the ground upon which thou standest is holy. Therefore I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may worship me. And let there be a beginning of this work, and a foundation, and a preparatory work this following summer;…Thus let them from that time forth labor diligently until it shall be finished, from the cornerstone thereof unto the top thereof, until there shall not anything remain that is not finished."
The temple has never been built, although the cornerstone was laid in 1838. Since this work has been frustrated for over a century and a half, it must be a work of men, not of God (D&C 3.3). The very best one can say about Joseph Smith and company is that they failed miserably in obeying their god's commands.
39) THE MARCH TO JACKSON COUNTY
Joseph Smith is quoted (1839) in "Reed Peck's Manuscript".. -->ììReedPeckísManuscriptîî--> as prophesying that: "…within three years they [the Mormons] should march to Jackson County.. -->"JacksonCounty"--> and there should not be a dog to open his mouth against them." The Mormons didn't march into Jackson County by 1842óin fact, they still haven't.
40) THE "ASTONISHING" ANSON CALL?
An 1842 prophecy of Joseph Smith from the "Anson Call Diary.. -->ìAnsonCallDiary"-->î [discussing the Rocky Mountains] declared that: "…there are some of these standing here that will perform a great work in that land…There is Anson [Call], he shall go and assist in building cities from one end of the country to the other and you shall perform as great a work as has ever been done by man, and the nations of the earth shall be astonished and many of them will be gathered in that land and assist in building cities."
As it happens, Anson Call.. -->"AnsonCall"--> did assist in settling Millard County, Utah in the southern part of the state. However, none of the "cities" in that region are particularly large or noteworthy. Nor did Call ever build cities from one end of the country to the other. He did not do anything which "astonished" the nations; nor did he do "as great a work as has ever been done by man."
41) JESUS' RETURN
Joseph Smith made this reference to the Second Coming.. -->"SecondComing"--> of Jesus: "Were I going to prophesy, I would say the end [of the world] would not come in 1844, 5 or 6, or in forty years. There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ comes.
"I was once praying earnestly upon this subject, and a voice said unto me, "My son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man." I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this, and I took the liberty to conclude that if I did live to that time, He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be writtenóthe Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old."[48 years hence or about 1890…]
Interestingly enough, this passage is taken from Smith's diary; and modern LDS "historians" have removed the phrase "48 years hence or about 1890" because it so clearly demonstrates the falsity of the prophecy .
Obviously, none of the "rising generation" ever saw Jesus' coming. Jesus certainly did not come in "about 1890." A century has passed since that date; and Smith's prophecy lies dead and buried along with that "rising generation."
42) THE POTSHERD PROPHECY
Although Mormons like to vaunt their patriotism, Joseph Smith was not very fond of the US government. In 1843, he declared: "…if the government, which received into its coffers the money of citizens for its public treasury, cannot protect such citizens in their lives and property, it is an old granny anyhow; and I prophesy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri .. -->"Missouriì-->and punish the crimes committed by her officers, that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left…"
Brief Facts of Mormon History
The Luciferian church of Joseph Smith, know as Mormons, or Latter Day Saints, epitomizes the Nicolatine spirit of CONTROL which the Lord says that He hates. (Rev 2:6&15) Joseph Smith's deal with Lucifer, was so successful because he promised to give the followers of his Mormon religion what they wanted most, to be a god or goddess.
The facts of Mormon history begin in Bainbridge, New York, in 1826. Joseph Smith, after almost being jailed for his many attempts to make easy money by helping people find buried treasure, sought a less risky way to turn buried treasure into money. There are verifiable records of the Bainbridge, New York, March 20, 1826 trial, where young Joseph Smith was found guilty of fraud, using the SAME method by which he later told Mormon faithful he translated Maroni's golden plates into the Book of Mormon. That 1826 trial on charges of "glass looking" really scared him. The judge appears to have been practical enough to not insist on going through with the whole thing if Joseph Smith agreed to leave town. Joseph Smith did leave the area, but that irrefutable record of his tracks of fraud remain there. The facts remain in spite of the many Mormon books written to say otherwise, including modern fraud to attempt to cover over and hide the pits of FRAUD from which Joseph Smith was digged in the 1820's of upstate New York legal history.
Joseph Smith came up with an ingenious plan to use his great skills as a story teller, and the idea of buried treasure, to make easy money and avoid the legal risk, which he came to know quite up close and personal. The idea was to write what he would promote as a true story about magic, religion, and buried treasure that he could sell. His genius was to make it an essential feature of that story that the buried treasure never be found. He had often learned the hard way that not finding the buried treasure is not a good experience for anyone.
Joseph tried to sell the Book of Mormon manuscript but could not find a buyer. Joseph knew that getting the books printed and selling individual copies was really hard, and slow, work. The method Joseph chose was to use the story's novel twists to find a place on the lucrative preachers' circuit. In that time of American history a good preacher was the closest thing we might imagine of a pop rock star today.
Joseph Smith's plan did not work out because he had to learn to be a great public speaker. Only a very few people who believed his story could afford to buy a copy of his book. None of the few who believed Joseph's story had enough money to buy the copyright. That led Joseph Smith to found his own church based upon his story.
Due to the success of the Luciferian church which he founded, many good paying jobs came his way. He was Mayor of Nauvoo which rivaled Chicago at that time for largest Illinois city. Joseph Smith even became commander in chief of a large military force. By founding his Luciferian religion he quickly came to be able to put many of his family and friends into nice paying positions as well.
Over time Joseph Smith refined and polished his story to sound more Christian. He stopped the magical stories and instead told stories about how God the Father, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Peter, James and John, as well as most of the key figures from the Old Testament, visited him on a regular basis. He did bring on one notable entirely new player that was sort of an angel that he called Moroni, and a host of smaller part fictional prehistoric American prophets. Moroni was supposed to be one of God’s prophets from the Americas.
Joseph Smith was always interested in religion, and while writing his story he answered a lot of questions that had troubled him about religion. Why do little children need to be baptized? How can a loving God permit evil to exist? Why do poor people suffer so much during this life? And after becoming a religious leader, Joseph Smith spent a lot of time thinking about other spiritually oriented questions, like if families will be together after death. What happened before we came to this earth. Joseph Smith does exhibit gifting from Lucifer, beyond normal intelligence and genius, for continuing to weave ever more complex stories. His stories were appealing to his audience. His stories attracted a steady stream of new converts to his church. However, the majority left once they got to know him and saw how he conducted himself.
There was quite an obvious difference between the morals he preached and the morality he practiced. To this day that remains the hallmark of the Mormon religion, and in their heart every Mormon knows that truth. However in a time of such rapidly eroding moral values and common decency, masses are drawn even to a fraudulent sham of biblical morality.
Joseph Smith began to have some big problems of his own making. He was NUMBER ONE and everyone in the Mormon church knew that. Joseph was thereby presented with many sexual opportunities. Joseph Smith could NOT resist. He could preach moral purity, but Joseph Smith obviously could NOT live and practice what he preached. When he got caught, he made an even bigger mistake. Instead of repenting and asking to be forgiven, Joseph Smith allowed his story telling abilities, demonically inspired beyond genius, to take over. What he told those who had to know because they were the ones who caught him, is that God had told him to have sex with those women, and that this was a sacred secret. Joseph Smith told them that NO ONE must be told about this sacred secret. The sacred secret was so secret that lying was justified to protect it.
Once Joseph's closest friends knew the sacred secret, they wanted to find out if God would tell them the same thing. As God’s prophet, it was Joseph Smith's job, and he had to find that out for them. Joseph Smith needed their cooperation. So, God allowed many of them in on the game, or the sacred secret, as prophet Joseph Smith called it. Eventually, the rumors about this sacred secret, became very widespread as a result of some women who refused to cooperate. The sacred secret was going to be quite public and no secret, and there certainly never was anything sacred about it.
Almost everyone in the community and surrounding area heard about the adultry and polygamy. However because the NUMBER ONE prophet of the church said it was a sacred secret, this resulted in a lot of sacred lying. It actually even became known as "Lying for the Lord" Joseph Smith said that God told them all to lie in this way because the “people were not ready” to hear about the new sexual mores that had been revealed to Joseph Smith and his closest associates, and the women they religiously propositioned.
The honest evaluation of prophet Joseph Smith, outside the narrow confines of the Mormon church finds LYING to be one of Joseph Smith's most often practiced bad habits. Joseph Smith's way of not telling the truth, was to use God as his excuse whenever he could not wiggle out any other way. The not so secret and not at all sacred secret, put his followers who were practicing the sacred secret in a tough position. The rumors and eye witnesses said one thing, and Joseph Smith and closest associates denied it for over ten years.
Joseph Smith created an illegal bank and tricked a bunch of his followers into investing in it. Joseph Smith's bank went bankrupt and a whole bunch of people left because of it. Joseph Smith and his close associate Sidney Rigdon, had to flee the jurisdiction to avoid law suits and jail. It took Joseph Smith quite a while to recover from that, but he did. The honest history regarding Joseph Smith while showing obvious failure regarding truth and
sexual morals, shows the founder of the Luciferian Mormon religion to be very creative and resilient. Joseph Smith moved the whole community to Nauvoo, Illinois, and started over there.
When things were getting difficult regarding the sex stuff in Nauvoo, Joseph attempted to solve the problem by destroying a printing press that was going to spread the news. However, at the same time, news got out that he had recently had himself secretly ordained as King of the Earth. Joseph Smith had promised a whole bunch of people, including many non-Mormons, that they would be the Princes of the Earth if they kept his secrets and helped him become King of the Earth. The combination of the sex stuff, ordering his followers to destroy the printing press, and the “King of the Earth” business made some people so angry, and afraid, that they killed him. Joseph Smith did not die as a martyr, but in a blazing gun fight, where Joseph single handedly killed two and wounded a third.
In actual fact, Joseph Smith, founder and number one prophet of Mormonism was not what he appeared to be. That remains the same for the Church he founded today. Joseph Smith's church is NOT Christian though it likes to pretend to be. Joseph Smith quite frequently was proven to be lying about important matters, and could not, and should not be trusted.
There was a power vacuum after Joseph Smith was killed in that gun fight. There was quite a large number of Mormons who were accustomed to being led by a strong leader. There were many who claimed to be Joseph Smith's successor. Some of Joseph Smith's followers accepted members of his family as their leaders, who had the best claim to Joseph Smith's authority based on what Joseph said and did. However, the largest group followed Brigham Young, who was by far the best showman after Joseph Smith died, and hands down best organizer.
Brigham Young changed a lot of things, and made some crazy rules. His primary genius was to move his people somewhere where they had no other options. Once in isolation, with lots of land to give away, Brigham Young could attract new recruits with all kinds of fancy promises. The poor of Europe flocked to him. Once in Utah, or Arizona, or Idaho, they really had no options in the days of Brigham Young. Brigham Young, though he was not in the same league with Joseph Smith as a story teller, was brilliant as an organizer. Young certainly understood how to exercise power.
Brigham Young put a large group of people down in the middle of the desert. Of necessity they had to find a way to survive. The Mormons found how to survive by working to exhaustion building irrigation canals, AND helping each other religiously, and developed a close to air tight community in the adversity of the desert. Most of those who followed Brigham Young to the desert were, fine people who had deep faith in God, and their prophet leaders. The Mormon followers of Brigham Young demonstrated amazing ability to overcome adversity and seemingly impossible situations. The kind of community they developed was essential to be able to survive in such a wilderness. Many communities similar to the Mormons failed in places where it was not such a wilderness. All working to a point of exhaustion, and religiously helping each other was the reason for success, much more so than what the Mormons like to call a mandate from God.
Even in Utah the Mormon sex problem was still causing trouble. Eventually, the US put so much pressure on the Mormons that Mormon prophets had to proclaim that God changed His mind. The Mormon prophets were forced to say that Mormon men were only allowed to have one wife. If they wanted to have sex with more than one woman, they would have to do like everyone else by sneaking around. For a while the Mormon polygamists did just that, practicing the hallmark of Joseph Smith's Luciferian religion they openly proclaimed not to have sex with their polygamous wives. But, since Joseph
Smith had established the precedent a long time for doing this, it seemed OK. The Mormon theology is ripe with its practices that the end justifies the means. When the Mormon leadership gets caught their historic first resort is to say God has told them to do it. The Mormons had so long seen their leaders say one thing and do another especially in relation to Mormon polygamy that in fact, though kept a secret, Mormon polygamy continues to this day.
Once the Mormons, at least publicly could get the sexually weird polygamy thing dispensed with, they found freedom to go more mainstream, and international in scope.
Eventually the totally controlled, air tight, community Brigham Young had established in Utah broke down. As non-Mormons moved in they brought newspapers, books, and now a days television, satellites, and finally the Internet pumped increasing amounts of information into Mormon communities in Utah and elsewhere. This access of the followers of Joseph Smith's Luciferian religion caused people to question Mormon leaders and their authority with greater frequency. However the intellectuals and scientists were the great threats to the Mormon control. Some of the greatest threats to the Mormon religion even taught for a while at BYU.
The Mormon prophets fought this in every way they could. They told their followers not to look at anything that questioned the Mormon way because it was like cancer. The Mormon leaders revised and rewrote Mormon history, particularly regarding the Mormon foundational events which we are trying to briefly, and accurately report here. History of the Mormon church revised by its leadership will have little resemblance to the verifiable facts presented here. In many ways true history of the Mormons and Mormon history of the Mormons are so different as to be hard to believe as being the same subject.
Mormons have sent out armies of innocent young people who have been taught to push emotional buttons by having their own emotional buttons pushed. The so-called Mormon missionaries only know one very distorted version of the Mormon story. The Mormon story they are taught is very misleading and believed so completely that they frequently break into tears while testifying that they "know" it is true. The Mormon leaders increasingly tried to control the information that was discussed in Mormon meetings adopting brainwashing techniques used by organization like the Jehovah's Witnesses. They write the only acceptable lesson manuals, encouraging teachers not to look outside their scriptures, and their explanations, and their official lesson manuals. They tell them how they must think as Mormons. Mormons therefore become increasingly inward looking, islands of Mormonism in a broader culture, whether in Utah or elsewhere.
However, in spite of its wealth and power, and abilities to control the way Mormons are supposed to think, more and more Mormons are leaving Mormonism entirely, or become marginal participants. The Mormon prophets responded to all of this by redefining Mormonism. It was no longer the church of weirdoes practicing polygamy. Now it is the church of the traditional family, of man, woman and lots of kids. It today presents the very dangerous image that it is the church of Family Values. That represents a much more serious threat to disillusioned Christians, to those with a zeal for God but not according to knowledge, and to the great numbers who are frustrated by antichrist government sponsored and forced IMMORALITY. So today Mormonism represents a MUCH stronger delusion than it did with its foundations of polygamy and the Book of Mormon.
Joseph Smith's story also known as the Book of Mormon is RIDICULOUS in the light of archeological, historical, biological, and linguistic evidence. The facts of the DNA evidence TOTALLY DESTROYS the Book of Mormon and proves the Book of Mormon to be 100% pure Joseph Smith FRAUD.
The history of Mormonism from the beginning till now is marked by fraud and hypocrisy. In Mormonism, the end justifies the means. Mormon spousal abuse and financial fraud is far worse than the general population statistics, but the vast majority of Mormons do not know the truth of that secret. Mormons will display family values, and try to make a show of serving others. The Mormons pride themselves to DISPLAY, or put on a show, of many qualities that most people would think are good. However they very much overestimate how "good" they are in these terms relative to other groups of humans.
While Mormons say they are happy, Utahans (70% Mormon) either leads outright or is close to the statistical top in the US in personal bankruptcies, antidepressant drug use, rape, commercial fraud, multi-level marketing participation, spouse abuse and spouse murder. These are clear signs of a group of human beings who are under more stress than those to whom they are being compared. The pressures within the Mormon community could and should be considered Luciferian religious BONDAGE just like Islam. Sadly, though Mormons do not really believe in hell. ESPECIALLY SAD is the fact that unless they can get out of Joseph Smith's Luciferian religion, they are most certainly bound to some day find their souls bound in the everlasting burnings where Lucifer's great prophets Joseph Smith and Mohammed are both found today.
(http://www.dccsa.com/greatjoy/mormons.html)
The facts of Mormon history begin in Bainbridge, New York, in 1826. Joseph Smith, after almost being jailed for his many attempts to make easy money by helping people find buried treasure, sought a less risky way to turn buried treasure into money. There are verifiable records of the Bainbridge, New York, March 20, 1826 trial, where young Joseph Smith was found guilty of fraud, using the SAME method by which he later told Mormon faithful he translated Maroni's golden plates into the Book of Mormon. That 1826 trial on charges of "glass looking" really scared him. The judge appears to have been practical enough to not insist on going through with the whole thing if Joseph Smith agreed to leave town. Joseph Smith did leave the area, but that irrefutable record of his tracks of fraud remain there. The facts remain in spite of the many Mormon books written to say otherwise, including modern fraud to attempt to cover over and hide the pits of FRAUD from which Joseph Smith was digged in the 1820's of upstate New York legal history.
Joseph Smith came up with an ingenious plan to use his great skills as a story teller, and the idea of buried treasure, to make easy money and avoid the legal risk, which he came to know quite up close and personal. The idea was to write what he would promote as a true story about magic, religion, and buried treasure that he could sell. His genius was to make it an essential feature of that story that the buried treasure never be found. He had often learned the hard way that not finding the buried treasure is not a good experience for anyone.
Joseph tried to sell the Book of Mormon manuscript but could not find a buyer. Joseph knew that getting the books printed and selling individual copies was really hard, and slow, work. The method Joseph chose was to use the story's novel twists to find a place on the lucrative preachers' circuit. In that time of American history a good preacher was the closest thing we might imagine of a pop rock star today.
Joseph Smith's plan did not work out because he had to learn to be a great public speaker. Only a very few people who believed his story could afford to buy a copy of his book. None of the few who believed Joseph's story had enough money to buy the copyright. That led Joseph Smith to found his own church based upon his story.
Due to the success of the Luciferian church which he founded, many good paying jobs came his way. He was Mayor of Nauvoo which rivaled Chicago at that time for largest Illinois city. Joseph Smith even became commander in chief of a large military force. By founding his Luciferian religion he quickly came to be able to put many of his family and friends into nice paying positions as well.
Over time Joseph Smith refined and polished his story to sound more Christian. He stopped the magical stories and instead told stories about how God the Father, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Peter, James and John, as well as most of the key figures from the Old Testament, visited him on a regular basis. He did bring on one notable entirely new player that was sort of an angel that he called Moroni, and a host of smaller part fictional prehistoric American prophets. Moroni was supposed to be one of God’s prophets from the Americas.
Joseph Smith was always interested in religion, and while writing his story he answered a lot of questions that had troubled him about religion. Why do little children need to be baptized? How can a loving God permit evil to exist? Why do poor people suffer so much during this life? And after becoming a religious leader, Joseph Smith spent a lot of time thinking about other spiritually oriented questions, like if families will be together after death. What happened before we came to this earth. Joseph Smith does exhibit gifting from Lucifer, beyond normal intelligence and genius, for continuing to weave ever more complex stories. His stories were appealing to his audience. His stories attracted a steady stream of new converts to his church. However, the majority left once they got to know him and saw how he conducted himself.
There was quite an obvious difference between the morals he preached and the morality he practiced. To this day that remains the hallmark of the Mormon religion, and in their heart every Mormon knows that truth. However in a time of such rapidly eroding moral values and common decency, masses are drawn even to a fraudulent sham of biblical morality.
Joseph Smith began to have some big problems of his own making. He was NUMBER ONE and everyone in the Mormon church knew that. Joseph was thereby presented with many sexual opportunities. Joseph Smith could NOT resist. He could preach moral purity, but Joseph Smith obviously could NOT live and practice what he preached. When he got caught, he made an even bigger mistake. Instead of repenting and asking to be forgiven, Joseph Smith allowed his story telling abilities, demonically inspired beyond genius, to take over. What he told those who had to know because they were the ones who caught him, is that God had told him to have sex with those women, and that this was a sacred secret. Joseph Smith told them that NO ONE must be told about this sacred secret. The sacred secret was so secret that lying was justified to protect it.
Once Joseph's closest friends knew the sacred secret, they wanted to find out if God would tell them the same thing. As God’s prophet, it was Joseph Smith's job, and he had to find that out for them. Joseph Smith needed their cooperation. So, God allowed many of them in on the game, or the sacred secret, as prophet Joseph Smith called it. Eventually, the rumors about this sacred secret, became very widespread as a result of some women who refused to cooperate. The sacred secret was going to be quite public and no secret, and there certainly never was anything sacred about it.
Almost everyone in the community and surrounding area heard about the adultry and polygamy. However because the NUMBER ONE prophet of the church said it was a sacred secret, this resulted in a lot of sacred lying. It actually even became known as "Lying for the Lord" Joseph Smith said that God told them all to lie in this way because the “people were not ready” to hear about the new sexual mores that had been revealed to Joseph Smith and his closest associates, and the women they religiously propositioned.
The honest evaluation of prophet Joseph Smith, outside the narrow confines of the Mormon church finds LYING to be one of Joseph Smith's most often practiced bad habits. Joseph Smith's way of not telling the truth, was to use God as his excuse whenever he could not wiggle out any other way. The not so secret and not at all sacred secret, put his followers who were practicing the sacred secret in a tough position. The rumors and eye witnesses said one thing, and Joseph Smith and closest associates denied it for over ten years.
Joseph Smith created an illegal bank and tricked a bunch of his followers into investing in it. Joseph Smith's bank went bankrupt and a whole bunch of people left because of it. Joseph Smith and his close associate Sidney Rigdon, had to flee the jurisdiction to avoid law suits and jail. It took Joseph Smith quite a while to recover from that, but he did. The honest history regarding Joseph Smith while showing obvious failure regarding truth and
sexual morals, shows the founder of the Luciferian Mormon religion to be very creative and resilient. Joseph Smith moved the whole community to Nauvoo, Illinois, and started over there.
When things were getting difficult regarding the sex stuff in Nauvoo, Joseph attempted to solve the problem by destroying a printing press that was going to spread the news. However, at the same time, news got out that he had recently had himself secretly ordained as King of the Earth. Joseph Smith had promised a whole bunch of people, including many non-Mormons, that they would be the Princes of the Earth if they kept his secrets and helped him become King of the Earth. The combination of the sex stuff, ordering his followers to destroy the printing press, and the “King of the Earth” business made some people so angry, and afraid, that they killed him. Joseph Smith did not die as a martyr, but in a blazing gun fight, where Joseph single handedly killed two and wounded a third.
In actual fact, Joseph Smith, founder and number one prophet of Mormonism was not what he appeared to be. That remains the same for the Church he founded today. Joseph Smith's church is NOT Christian though it likes to pretend to be. Joseph Smith quite frequently was proven to be lying about important matters, and could not, and should not be trusted.
There was a power vacuum after Joseph Smith was killed in that gun fight. There was quite a large number of Mormons who were accustomed to being led by a strong leader. There were many who claimed to be Joseph Smith's successor. Some of Joseph Smith's followers accepted members of his family as their leaders, who had the best claim to Joseph Smith's authority based on what Joseph said and did. However, the largest group followed Brigham Young, who was by far the best showman after Joseph Smith died, and hands down best organizer.
Brigham Young changed a lot of things, and made some crazy rules. His primary genius was to move his people somewhere where they had no other options. Once in isolation, with lots of land to give away, Brigham Young could attract new recruits with all kinds of fancy promises. The poor of Europe flocked to him. Once in Utah, or Arizona, or Idaho, they really had no options in the days of Brigham Young. Brigham Young, though he was not in the same league with Joseph Smith as a story teller, was brilliant as an organizer. Young certainly understood how to exercise power.
Brigham Young put a large group of people down in the middle of the desert. Of necessity they had to find a way to survive. The Mormons found how to survive by working to exhaustion building irrigation canals, AND helping each other religiously, and developed a close to air tight community in the adversity of the desert. Most of those who followed Brigham Young to the desert were, fine people who had deep faith in God, and their prophet leaders. The Mormon followers of Brigham Young demonstrated amazing ability to overcome adversity and seemingly impossible situations. The kind of community they developed was essential to be able to survive in such a wilderness. Many communities similar to the Mormons failed in places where it was not such a wilderness. All working to a point of exhaustion, and religiously helping each other was the reason for success, much more so than what the Mormons like to call a mandate from God.
Even in Utah the Mormon sex problem was still causing trouble. Eventually, the US put so much pressure on the Mormons that Mormon prophets had to proclaim that God changed His mind. The Mormon prophets were forced to say that Mormon men were only allowed to have one wife. If they wanted to have sex with more than one woman, they would have to do like everyone else by sneaking around. For a while the Mormon polygamists did just that, practicing the hallmark of Joseph Smith's Luciferian religion they openly proclaimed not to have sex with their polygamous wives. But, since Joseph
Smith had established the precedent a long time for doing this, it seemed OK. The Mormon theology is ripe with its practices that the end justifies the means. When the Mormon leadership gets caught their historic first resort is to say God has told them to do it. The Mormons had so long seen their leaders say one thing and do another especially in relation to Mormon polygamy that in fact, though kept a secret, Mormon polygamy continues to this day.
Once the Mormons, at least publicly could get the sexually weird polygamy thing dispensed with, they found freedom to go more mainstream, and international in scope.
Eventually the totally controlled, air tight, community Brigham Young had established in Utah broke down. As non-Mormons moved in they brought newspapers, books, and now a days television, satellites, and finally the Internet pumped increasing amounts of information into Mormon communities in Utah and elsewhere. This access of the followers of Joseph Smith's Luciferian religion caused people to question Mormon leaders and their authority with greater frequency. However the intellectuals and scientists were the great threats to the Mormon control. Some of the greatest threats to the Mormon religion even taught for a while at BYU.
The Mormon prophets fought this in every way they could. They told their followers not to look at anything that questioned the Mormon way because it was like cancer. The Mormon leaders revised and rewrote Mormon history, particularly regarding the Mormon foundational events which we are trying to briefly, and accurately report here. History of the Mormon church revised by its leadership will have little resemblance to the verifiable facts presented here. In many ways true history of the Mormons and Mormon history of the Mormons are so different as to be hard to believe as being the same subject.
Mormons have sent out armies of innocent young people who have been taught to push emotional buttons by having their own emotional buttons pushed. The so-called Mormon missionaries only know one very distorted version of the Mormon story. The Mormon story they are taught is very misleading and believed so completely that they frequently break into tears while testifying that they "know" it is true. The Mormon leaders increasingly tried to control the information that was discussed in Mormon meetings adopting brainwashing techniques used by organization like the Jehovah's Witnesses. They write the only acceptable lesson manuals, encouraging teachers not to look outside their scriptures, and their explanations, and their official lesson manuals. They tell them how they must think as Mormons. Mormons therefore become increasingly inward looking, islands of Mormonism in a broader culture, whether in Utah or elsewhere.
However, in spite of its wealth and power, and abilities to control the way Mormons are supposed to think, more and more Mormons are leaving Mormonism entirely, or become marginal participants. The Mormon prophets responded to all of this by redefining Mormonism. It was no longer the church of weirdoes practicing polygamy. Now it is the church of the traditional family, of man, woman and lots of kids. It today presents the very dangerous image that it is the church of Family Values. That represents a much more serious threat to disillusioned Christians, to those with a zeal for God but not according to knowledge, and to the great numbers who are frustrated by antichrist government sponsored and forced IMMORALITY. So today Mormonism represents a MUCH stronger delusion than it did with its foundations of polygamy and the Book of Mormon.
Joseph Smith's story also known as the Book of Mormon is RIDICULOUS in the light of archeological, historical, biological, and linguistic evidence. The facts of the DNA evidence TOTALLY DESTROYS the Book of Mormon and proves the Book of Mormon to be 100% pure Joseph Smith FRAUD.
The history of Mormonism from the beginning till now is marked by fraud and hypocrisy. In Mormonism, the end justifies the means. Mormon spousal abuse and financial fraud is far worse than the general population statistics, but the vast majority of Mormons do not know the truth of that secret. Mormons will display family values, and try to make a show of serving others. The Mormons pride themselves to DISPLAY, or put on a show, of many qualities that most people would think are good. However they very much overestimate how "good" they are in these terms relative to other groups of humans.
While Mormons say they are happy, Utahans (70% Mormon) either leads outright or is close to the statistical top in the US in personal bankruptcies, antidepressant drug use, rape, commercial fraud, multi-level marketing participation, spouse abuse and spouse murder. These are clear signs of a group of human beings who are under more stress than those to whom they are being compared. The pressures within the Mormon community could and should be considered Luciferian religious BONDAGE just like Islam. Sadly, though Mormons do not really believe in hell. ESPECIALLY SAD is the fact that unless they can get out of Joseph Smith's Luciferian religion, they are most certainly bound to some day find their souls bound in the everlasting burnings where Lucifer's great prophets Joseph Smith and Mohammed are both found today.
(http://www.dccsa.com/greatjoy/mormons.html)
Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism
Mormons tend to refuse to believe that Smith was very deep into the occult. I came across this article and thought it to be one of the better articles I have read. I know Mormons will find fault with this article, however I found this to be one of the better articles. To view pictures of their symbols and gather more informationvisit this web site....Enjoy http://www.inplainsite.org/html/masonic_and_mormon_symbols.html
Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism
By Joel B. Groat Copyright © 1996 Institute For Religious Research.
Mormonism's Link to Occultism
Both Joseph Smith and his father were involved in the occult practice known as "money digging." This involved special rituals and ceremonies which were performed for the purpose of obtaining buried treasure thought to be guarded by evil spirits. Accounts of money digging during the late 1700s and early 1800s are documented in Alan Taylor's article "Treasure Seeking in the American Northeast, 1780-1830", published in American Quarterly, 38 [Spring 1986], pp. 6-34. This article specifically mentions Joseph Smith, Sr., and Jr., on pages 10-12, giving examples of their money digging activities. LDS seminary teacher Grant Palmer also documents the Smith family's occult beliefs and practices, as well as those of their close associates, in his book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, (SLC, Signature Books, 2002, pp. 175-195).
Joseph's Involvement in Occultism. Joseph Smith, Jr.'s role in the quest for treasure was especially important since he had a seer stone. Joseph would place this small, special rock in his hat then pull the hat up to his face to block out all light. By doing this he claimed he could see supernaturally, and would help those who were digging by locating the place where the treasure was buried and observing the spirits that were guarding it. Joseph Jr., himself admitted to being a money digger, though he said it was never very profitable for him (History of the Church, V. 3, p. 29). He and his father's money digging continued until at least 1826. On March 20th of that year Joseph was arrested, brought before a judge, and charged with being a "glass-looker" and a disorderly person. The laws at that time had what was known as the "Vagrant Act." It defined a disorderly person as one who pretended to have skill in the areas of palmistry, telling fortunes or discovering where lost goods might be found. According to court records Justice Neely determined that Joseph was guilty, though no penalty was administered, quite possibly because this was a first offense (Inventing Mormonism, Marquardt and Walters, SLC: Signature Books, 1994, pp. 74-75).
Occultism and the Start of Mormonism. Shortly after this Joseph discontinued money digging but kept his seer stone. It was with the seer stone that he claimed to both find the plates and later produce the Book of Mormon. This was known by early converts but has since been replaced with later accounts of an angelic visitor. This transition was aided by downplaying the fact that Moroni was a dead Indian warrior, and by referring to him as an angel. Former BYU professor and historian D. Michael Quinn writes:
During this period from 1827 to 1830, Joseph Smith abandoned the company of his former money-digging associates, but continued to use for religious purposes the brown seer stone he had previously employed in the treasure quest. His most intensive and productive use of the seer stone was in the translation of the Book of Mormon. But he also dictated several revelations to his associates through the stone (Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, D. Michael Quinn, Signature Books, SLC, 1987, p. 143.
This fact is supported by LDS author Richard S. Van Wagoner who found,
This stone, still retained by the First Presidency of the LDS Church, was the vehicle through which the golden plates were discovered and the medium through which their interpretation came (Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, Signature Books, SLC, 1994, p. 57).
Thus we see that historians have documented a continuity between Joseph's early occultic practices and the origins of Mormonism. This link extends to the development of the LDS Temple ceremony.
Occultic Parallels in the LDS Temple Ceremony. Historian D. Michael Quinn has done extensive research on rites and ancient mysteries related to occultism. He states,
By drawing only on authorized descriptions of the endowment by LDS leaders, I believe it is possible to see within historical context how the Mormon endowment reflected the ancient and occult mysteries far closer than Freemasonry (Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p. 186).
Quinn then outlines the following ten essential characteristics common to both occult rituals and the Mormon Temple ceremonies:
They are revealed by God from the beginning, but distorted through apostasy.
They place an emphasis on the worthiness of initiates.
They include washings and anointings, a new name and garments
They emphasize vows of non-disclosure.
There are both "lesser" and "greater" rituals.
They feature presentation of the ritual through drama.
They contain an oath of chastity requiring strict purity and virtue of the participants.
They feature prominent use of the sun, moon and stars as key symbols.
The purpose of the ritual is to assist mortals to attain to godhood.
They employ titles and offices of prophets, priests and kings to those in leadership.
After presenting this material Quinn comments,
To be sure Masonic rituals also shared some similarities with the ancient mysteries, but these were not linked to any concept of heavenly ascent, which was fundamental to both the occult mysteries and to the Mormon endowment. Therefore, what similarities may exist between Freemasonry and Mormonism seem more appropriately to be regarded as superficial, whereas the ancient occult mysteries and the Mormon endowment manifest both philosophical and structural kinship. (Ibid., p. 190).
Mormonism and Masonry
Masonry's influence on Mormonism and Joseph Smith has been noted by a number of historians. Some of the areas impacted by Masonic lore and ritual include the Book of Mormon, Joseph's personal life, and the LDS temple ceremony.
Masonic Themes Related to the Book of Mormon. John L. Brooke in his book The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844, noted the following in reference to the story of the discovery of the gold plates and the narrative structure of the Book of Mormon:
Freemasonry provides a point of entry into this very complex story. As it had been in Vermont, Masonic fraternity was a dominant feature of the cultural landscape in Joseph Smith's Ontario County .... The dense network of lodges and chapters helps explain the Masonic symbolism that runs through the story of the discovery of the Golden Plates. Most obviously, the story of their discovery in a stone vault on a hilltop echoed the Enoch myth of Royal Arch Freemasonry, in which the prophet Enoch, instructed by a vision, preserved the Masonic mysteries by carving them on a golden plate that he placed in an arched stone vault marked with pillars, to be rediscovered by Solomon. In the years to come the prophet Enoch would play a central role in Smith's emerging cosmology. Smith's stories of his discoveries got more elaborate with time, and in June 1829 he promised Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris that they would see not only the plates but other marvelous artifacts: the Urim and Thummim attached to a priestly breastplate, the 'sword of Laban,' and 'miraculous directors.' Oliver Cowdery and Lucy Mack Smith later described three or four small pillars holding up the plates. All of these artifacts had Masonic analogues.
... Smith's sources for these Masonic symbols were close at hand. Most obviously, Oliver Cowdery would have been a source, given that his father and brother were Royal Arch initiates; one Palmyra resident remembered Oliver Cowdery as 'no church member and a Mason.' ... A comment by Lucy Mack Smith in her manuscript written in the 1840s, protesting that the family did not abandon all household labor to try 'to win the faculty of Abrac, drawing magic circles, or sooth-saying,' suggests a familiarity with Masonic manuals: the 'faculty of Abrac' was among the supposed Masonic mysteries (Refiner's Fire, Cambridge University Press, 1994, pp. 157-158).
However, it wasn't until later in life that Joseph's involvement became more personal.
Joseph's Personal Involvement in Freemasonry. Mormon Apostle John A. Widtsoe stated:
Many of the Saints were Masons, such as Joseph's brother Hyrum, Heber C. Kimball, Elijah Fordham, Newel K. Whitney, James Adams, and John C. Bennett .... With the acquiescence of the Prophet, members of the Church already Masons petitioned the Grand Master of Illinois for permission to set up a lodge in Nauvoo .... it was March 15, 1842, before authority was given to set up a lodge in Nauvoo and to induct new members. Joseph Smith became a member (Evidences and Reconciliations, 1 volume, pp. 357-358).
Joseph Smith admitted to being a Mason in his History of the Church, volume 4, page 551. Under the date of March 15, 1842 it reads: "In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office." The record for the next day reads, "I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree" (page 552).
How did Joseph's Masonic membership affect the development of the Mormon Church? The most significant area appears to be in the development of the Mormon temple ceremonies. As noted above, Joseph became a Mason on March 15, 1842 and "rose to the sublime degree" the following day. Less than two months later, on May 4, 1842, Joseph introduced the temple endowment ceremony (History of the Church, Vol. 5, pp. 1-2).
Masonry and Mormon Temple Ceremonies. The pervasive influence of Freemasonry in Mormon Temples is expressed well by LDS historian Dr. Reed Durham. Dr. Durham, who has served as president of the Mormon History Association, provides a number of interesting parallels between the two. He gives these as evidence for Masonry's clear influence on Mormonism.
I am convinced that in the study of Masonry lies a pivotal key to further understanding Joseph Smith and the Church. . . . Masonry in the Church had its origin prior to the time Joseph Smith became a Mason .... It commenced in Joseph's home when his older brother became a Mason. Hyrum received the first three degrees of Masonry in Mount Moriah Lodge No. 112 of Palmyra, New York, at about the same time that Joseph was being initiated into the presence of God . . The many parallels found between early Mormonism and the Masonry of that day are substantial...
I have attempted thus far to demonstrate that Masonic influences upon Joseph in the early Church history, preceding his formal membership in Masonry, were significant. However, these same Masonic influences exerted a more dominant character as reflected in the further expansion of the Church subsequent to the Prophet's Masonic membership. In fact, I believe that there are few significant developments in the Church, that occurred after March 15 1842, which did not have some Masonic interdependence. Let me comment on a few of these developments. 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. This is not to suggest that no other source of inspiration could have been involved, but the similarities between the two ceremonies are so apparent and overwhelming that some dependent relationship cannot be denied. They are so similar, in fact, that one writer was led to refer to the Endowment as Celestial 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 ...
Another development in the Nauvoo Church, which has not been so obviously considered as Masonically inspired, was the establishment of the Female Relief Society. This organization was the Prophet's intentional attempt to expand Masonry to include the women of the Church. That the Relief Society was organized in the Masonic Lodge room, and only one day after Masonry was given to the men, was not happenstance .... included in the actual vocabulary of Joseph Smith's counsel and instructions to the sisters were such words as: ancient orders, examinations, degrees, candidates, secrets, lodges, rules, signs, tokens, order of the priesthood, and keys; all indicating that the Society's orientation possessed Masonic overtones.
.... I suggest that enough evidence presently exists to declare that the entire institution of the political kingdom of God, including the Council of Fifty, the living constitution, the proposed flag of the kingdom, and the anointing and coronation of the king, had its genesis in connection with Masonic thoughts and ceremonies .... it appears that the Prophet first embraced Masonry, and, then in the process, he modified, expanded, amplified, or glorified it .... The Prophet believed that his mission was to restore all truth, and then to unify and weld it all together into one. This truth was referred to as 'the Mysteries,' and these Mysteries were inseparably connected with the Priesthood .... Can anyone deny that Masonic influence on Joseph Smith and the Church, either before or after his personal Masonic membership? The evidence demands comments ...
There are many questions which still demand the answers .... if we, as Mormon historians, respond to these questions and myriads like them relative to Masonry in an ostrich-like fashion, with our heads buried in the traditional sand, then I submit: there never will be 'any help for the widow's son' (Mormon Miscellaneous, October 1975, pp. 11-16, as cited in Changing World of Mormonism, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, 1981, pp. 546-547).
These statements demonstrate that much of the religious ritual within Mormonism finds its origin in both occultism and Freemasonry. It is not surprising that there is an overlap between occultism and Freemasonry within Mormonism since Masonry itself draws from occult lore and ritual. What becomes obvious is that Joseph neglected the Bible's clear prohibition regarding occult involvement. This is found in Deuteronomy 18:9-12 which states in part,
... thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shalt not be found among you any one that ... useth divination, or is an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits [demons], or a wizard, or a necromancer [one who communicates with the dead]. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.
Resources
The following resources contain a more extensive treatment of Joseph Smith's magical and occultic practices and worldview:
John L. Brooke, The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844, Cambridge University Press, NY, 1994, 421 pages. This non-Mormon author is an associate professor in the Department of History at Tufts University.
Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, (Signature Books, SLC, 2002, 281 pages). Palmer is an LDS seminary teacher and three-time director of LDS Institutes of Religion in California and Utah.
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, Signature Books, SLC, revised and enlarged edition 1998, 646 pages. This work is comprehensive and thoroughly documented. The author is a former BYU professor and one of the most respected historians of Mormonism.
Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism, Magic and Masonry, Utah Lighthouse Ministry, SLC, 1983, 97 pages. This former Mormon husband and wife research/publishing team are well-known for their carefully documented critiques of Mormonism.
Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism
By Joel B. Groat Copyright © 1996 Institute For Religious Research.
Mormonism's Link to Occultism
Both Joseph Smith and his father were involved in the occult practice known as "money digging." This involved special rituals and ceremonies which were performed for the purpose of obtaining buried treasure thought to be guarded by evil spirits. Accounts of money digging during the late 1700s and early 1800s are documented in Alan Taylor's article "Treasure Seeking in the American Northeast, 1780-1830", published in American Quarterly, 38 [Spring 1986], pp. 6-34. This article specifically mentions Joseph Smith, Sr., and Jr., on pages 10-12, giving examples of their money digging activities. LDS seminary teacher Grant Palmer also documents the Smith family's occult beliefs and practices, as well as those of their close associates, in his book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, (SLC, Signature Books, 2002, pp. 175-195).
Joseph's Involvement in Occultism. Joseph Smith, Jr.'s role in the quest for treasure was especially important since he had a seer stone. Joseph would place this small, special rock in his hat then pull the hat up to his face to block out all light. By doing this he claimed he could see supernaturally, and would help those who were digging by locating the place where the treasure was buried and observing the spirits that were guarding it. Joseph Jr., himself admitted to being a money digger, though he said it was never very profitable for him (History of the Church, V. 3, p. 29). He and his father's money digging continued until at least 1826. On March 20th of that year Joseph was arrested, brought before a judge, and charged with being a "glass-looker" and a disorderly person. The laws at that time had what was known as the "Vagrant Act." It defined a disorderly person as one who pretended to have skill in the areas of palmistry, telling fortunes or discovering where lost goods might be found. According to court records Justice Neely determined that Joseph was guilty, though no penalty was administered, quite possibly because this was a first offense (Inventing Mormonism, Marquardt and Walters, SLC: Signature Books, 1994, pp. 74-75).
Occultism and the Start of Mormonism. Shortly after this Joseph discontinued money digging but kept his seer stone. It was with the seer stone that he claimed to both find the plates and later produce the Book of Mormon. This was known by early converts but has since been replaced with later accounts of an angelic visitor. This transition was aided by downplaying the fact that Moroni was a dead Indian warrior, and by referring to him as an angel. Former BYU professor and historian D. Michael Quinn writes:
During this period from 1827 to 1830, Joseph Smith abandoned the company of his former money-digging associates, but continued to use for religious purposes the brown seer stone he had previously employed in the treasure quest. His most intensive and productive use of the seer stone was in the translation of the Book of Mormon. But he also dictated several revelations to his associates through the stone (Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, D. Michael Quinn, Signature Books, SLC, 1987, p. 143.
This fact is supported by LDS author Richard S. Van Wagoner who found,
This stone, still retained by the First Presidency of the LDS Church, was the vehicle through which the golden plates were discovered and the medium through which their interpretation came (Sidney Rigdon: A Portrait of Religious Excess, Signature Books, SLC, 1994, p. 57).
Thus we see that historians have documented a continuity between Joseph's early occultic practices and the origins of Mormonism. This link extends to the development of the LDS Temple ceremony.
Occultic Parallels in the LDS Temple Ceremony. Historian D. Michael Quinn has done extensive research on rites and ancient mysteries related to occultism. He states,
By drawing only on authorized descriptions of the endowment by LDS leaders, I believe it is possible to see within historical context how the Mormon endowment reflected the ancient and occult mysteries far closer than Freemasonry (Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, p. 186).
Quinn then outlines the following ten essential characteristics common to both occult rituals and the Mormon Temple ceremonies:
They are revealed by God from the beginning, but distorted through apostasy.
They place an emphasis on the worthiness of initiates.
They include washings and anointings, a new name and garments
They emphasize vows of non-disclosure.
There are both "lesser" and "greater" rituals.
They feature presentation of the ritual through drama.
They contain an oath of chastity requiring strict purity and virtue of the participants.
They feature prominent use of the sun, moon and stars as key symbols.
The purpose of the ritual is to assist mortals to attain to godhood.
They employ titles and offices of prophets, priests and kings to those in leadership.
After presenting this material Quinn comments,
To be sure Masonic rituals also shared some similarities with the ancient mysteries, but these were not linked to any concept of heavenly ascent, which was fundamental to both the occult mysteries and to the Mormon endowment. Therefore, what similarities may exist between Freemasonry and Mormonism seem more appropriately to be regarded as superficial, whereas the ancient occult mysteries and the Mormon endowment manifest both philosophical and structural kinship. (Ibid., p. 190).
Mormonism and Masonry
Masonry's influence on Mormonism and Joseph Smith has been noted by a number of historians. Some of the areas impacted by Masonic lore and ritual include the Book of Mormon, Joseph's personal life, and the LDS temple ceremony.
Masonic Themes Related to the Book of Mormon. John L. Brooke in his book The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844, noted the following in reference to the story of the discovery of the gold plates and the narrative structure of the Book of Mormon:
Freemasonry provides a point of entry into this very complex story. As it had been in Vermont, Masonic fraternity was a dominant feature of the cultural landscape in Joseph Smith's Ontario County .... The dense network of lodges and chapters helps explain the Masonic symbolism that runs through the story of the discovery of the Golden Plates. Most obviously, the story of their discovery in a stone vault on a hilltop echoed the Enoch myth of Royal Arch Freemasonry, in which the prophet Enoch, instructed by a vision, preserved the Masonic mysteries by carving them on a golden plate that he placed in an arched stone vault marked with pillars, to be rediscovered by Solomon. In the years to come the prophet Enoch would play a central role in Smith's emerging cosmology. Smith's stories of his discoveries got more elaborate with time, and in June 1829 he promised Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris that they would see not only the plates but other marvelous artifacts: the Urim and Thummim attached to a priestly breastplate, the 'sword of Laban,' and 'miraculous directors.' Oliver Cowdery and Lucy Mack Smith later described three or four small pillars holding up the plates. All of these artifacts had Masonic analogues.
... Smith's sources for these Masonic symbols were close at hand. Most obviously, Oliver Cowdery would have been a source, given that his father and brother were Royal Arch initiates; one Palmyra resident remembered Oliver Cowdery as 'no church member and a Mason.' ... A comment by Lucy Mack Smith in her manuscript written in the 1840s, protesting that the family did not abandon all household labor to try 'to win the faculty of Abrac, drawing magic circles, or sooth-saying,' suggests a familiarity with Masonic manuals: the 'faculty of Abrac' was among the supposed Masonic mysteries (Refiner's Fire, Cambridge University Press, 1994, pp. 157-158).
However, it wasn't until later in life that Joseph's involvement became more personal.
Joseph's Personal Involvement in Freemasonry. Mormon Apostle John A. Widtsoe stated:
Many of the Saints were Masons, such as Joseph's brother Hyrum, Heber C. Kimball, Elijah Fordham, Newel K. Whitney, James Adams, and John C. Bennett .... With the acquiescence of the Prophet, members of the Church already Masons petitioned the Grand Master of Illinois for permission to set up a lodge in Nauvoo .... it was March 15, 1842, before authority was given to set up a lodge in Nauvoo and to induct new members. Joseph Smith became a member (Evidences and Reconciliations, 1 volume, pp. 357-358).
Joseph Smith admitted to being a Mason in his History of the Church, volume 4, page 551. Under the date of March 15, 1842 it reads: "In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office." The record for the next day reads, "I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree" (page 552).
How did Joseph's Masonic membership affect the development of the Mormon Church? The most significant area appears to be in the development of the Mormon temple ceremonies. As noted above, Joseph became a Mason on March 15, 1842 and "rose to the sublime degree" the following day. Less than two months later, on May 4, 1842, Joseph introduced the temple endowment ceremony (History of the Church, Vol. 5, pp. 1-2).
Masonry and Mormon Temple Ceremonies. The pervasive influence of Freemasonry in Mormon Temples is expressed well by LDS historian Dr. Reed Durham. Dr. Durham, who has served as president of the Mormon History Association, provides a number of interesting parallels between the two. He gives these as evidence for Masonry's clear influence on Mormonism.
I am convinced that in the study of Masonry lies a pivotal key to further understanding Joseph Smith and the Church. . . . Masonry in the Church had its origin prior to the time Joseph Smith became a Mason .... It commenced in Joseph's home when his older brother became a Mason. Hyrum received the first three degrees of Masonry in Mount Moriah Lodge No. 112 of Palmyra, New York, at about the same time that Joseph was being initiated into the presence of God . . The many parallels found between early Mormonism and the Masonry of that day are substantial...
I have attempted thus far to demonstrate that Masonic influences upon Joseph in the early Church history, preceding his formal membership in Masonry, were significant. However, these same Masonic influences exerted a more dominant character as reflected in the further expansion of the Church subsequent to the Prophet's Masonic membership. In fact, I believe that there are few significant developments in the Church, that occurred after March 15 1842, which did not have some Masonic interdependence. Let me comment on a few of these developments. 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. This is not to suggest that no other source of inspiration could have been involved, but the similarities between the two ceremonies are so apparent and overwhelming that some dependent relationship cannot be denied. They are so similar, in fact, that one writer was led to refer to the Endowment as Celestial 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 ...
Another development in the Nauvoo Church, which has not been so obviously considered as Masonically inspired, was the establishment of the Female Relief Society. This organization was the Prophet's intentional attempt to expand Masonry to include the women of the Church. That the Relief Society was organized in the Masonic Lodge room, and only one day after Masonry was given to the men, was not happenstance .... included in the actual vocabulary of Joseph Smith's counsel and instructions to the sisters were such words as: ancient orders, examinations, degrees, candidates, secrets, lodges, rules, signs, tokens, order of the priesthood, and keys; all indicating that the Society's orientation possessed Masonic overtones.
.... I suggest that enough evidence presently exists to declare that the entire institution of the political kingdom of God, including the Council of Fifty, the living constitution, the proposed flag of the kingdom, and the anointing and coronation of the king, had its genesis in connection with Masonic thoughts and ceremonies .... it appears that the Prophet first embraced Masonry, and, then in the process, he modified, expanded, amplified, or glorified it .... The Prophet believed that his mission was to restore all truth, and then to unify and weld it all together into one. This truth was referred to as 'the Mysteries,' and these Mysteries were inseparably connected with the Priesthood .... Can anyone deny that Masonic influence on Joseph Smith and the Church, either before or after his personal Masonic membership? The evidence demands comments ...
There are many questions which still demand the answers .... if we, as Mormon historians, respond to these questions and myriads like them relative to Masonry in an ostrich-like fashion, with our heads buried in the traditional sand, then I submit: there never will be 'any help for the widow's son' (Mormon Miscellaneous, October 1975, pp. 11-16, as cited in Changing World of Mormonism, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, 1981, pp. 546-547).
These statements demonstrate that much of the religious ritual within Mormonism finds its origin in both occultism and Freemasonry. It is not surprising that there is an overlap between occultism and Freemasonry within Mormonism since Masonry itself draws from occult lore and ritual. What becomes obvious is that Joseph neglected the Bible's clear prohibition regarding occult involvement. This is found in Deuteronomy 18:9-12 which states in part,
... thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shalt not be found among you any one that ... useth divination, or is an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits [demons], or a wizard, or a necromancer [one who communicates with the dead]. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.
Resources
The following resources contain a more extensive treatment of Joseph Smith's magical and occultic practices and worldview:
John L. Brooke, The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844, Cambridge University Press, NY, 1994, 421 pages. This non-Mormon author is an associate professor in the Department of History at Tufts University.
Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, (Signature Books, SLC, 2002, 281 pages). Palmer is an LDS seminary teacher and three-time director of LDS Institutes of Religion in California and Utah.
D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, Signature Books, SLC, revised and enlarged edition 1998, 646 pages. This work is comprehensive and thoroughly documented. The author is a former BYU professor and one of the most respected historians of Mormonism.
Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism, Magic and Masonry, Utah Lighthouse Ministry, SLC, 1983, 97 pages. This former Mormon husband and wife research/publishing team are well-known for their carefully documented critiques of Mormonism.
Interesting Quotes from Brigham Young
Interesting Quotes from Brigham Young
the Second Prophet of the Mormon Church
Brigham Young said your own blood must atone for some sins.
"There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it . . . " (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, page 247; see also, Vol. 4, pp. 53-54, 219-220.)
Brigham Young said you must confess Joseph Smith as a prophet of God in order to be saved.
"...and he that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is Antichrist." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 9, p. 312).
Brigham Young said his discourses are as good as Scripture.
"I say now, when they [his discourses] are copied and approved by me they are as good Scripture as is couched in this Bible . . . " (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 264; see also page 95.)
Brigham Young said he had never given any counsel that was wrong.
"I am here to answer. I shall be on hand to answer when I am called upon, for all the counsel and for all the instruction that I have given to this people. If there is an Elder here, or any member of this Church, called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who can bring up the first idea, the first sentence that I have delivered to the people as counsel that is wrong, I really wish they would do it; but they cannot do it, for the simple reason that I have never given counsel that is wrong; this is the reason." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16, page 161.)
Brigham Young compared his sermons with scripture. "I know just as well what to teach this people and just what to say to them and what to do in order to bring them into the celestial kingdom...I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good Scripture as they deserve. The people have the oracles of God continually." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 95.)
Brigham Young said you are damned if you deny polygamy.
"Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 266). Also, "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269).
Brigham Young said you can't get to the highest heaven without Joseph Smith's consent.
"...no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p. 289).
Brigham Young said God was progressing in knowledge.
"God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 120).
Brigham Young boasted.
"What man or woman on earth, what spirit in the spirit-world can say truthfully that I ever gave a wrong word of counsel, or a word of advice that could not be sanctioned by the heavens? The success which has attended me in my presidency is owing to the blessings and mercy of the Almighty . . . " (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 12, p. 127).
Brigham Young said that we are obligated to keep all the laws and ordinances of God.
"Some of you may ask, ‘Is there a single ordinance to be dispensed with? Is there one of the commandments that God has enjoined upon the people, that he will excuse them from obeying?' Not one, no matter how trifling or small in our own estimation. No matter if we esteem them non-essential, or least or last of all the commandments of the house of God, we are under obligation to observe them." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 339).
Brigham Young said Jesus' birth was as natural as ours.
"The birth of the Savior was as natural as the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood--was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 115).
Brigham Young said that God the Father and Mary 'do it.'
"When the time came that His first-born, the Saviour, should come into the world and take a tabernacle, the Father came Himself and favoured that spirit with a tabernacle instead of letting any other man do it." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, Page 218.) "The birth of the Savior was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood -- was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, page 115). Note: the late Bruce McConkie who was a member of the First Council of the Seventy stated "There is nothing figurative about his paternity; he was begotten, conceived and born in the normal and natural course of events..." (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie, page 742.)
Brigham Young said that Jesus was not begotten by the Holy Spirit
"I have given you a few leading items upon this subject, but a great deal more remains to be told. Now, remember from this time forth, and for ever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 51).
Brigham Young taught that Adam was God.
"Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner! When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days! about whom holy men have written and spoken -- He is our Father, and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do. Every man upon the earth, professing Christians or non professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 50).
Brigham Young made a false prophecy?
"In the days of Joseph [Smith] it was considered a great privilege to be permitted to speak to a member of Congress, but twenty-six years will not pass away before the Elders of this Church will be as much thought of as the kings on their thrones." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, page 40.)
Brigham Young comments about blacks
"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind....Cain slew his brother. Can might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, page 290).
"In our first settlement in Missouri, it was said by our enemies that we intended to tamper with the slaves, not that we had any idea of the kind, for such a thing never entered our minds. We knew that the children of Ham were to be the "servant of servants," and no power under heaven could hinder it, so long as the Lord would permit them to welter under the curse and those were known to be our religious views concerning them." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 2, page 172.)
"Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 10, page 110.) (http://www.carm.org/lds/quote_by.htm)
I say wow what a guy Brigham Young, please catch my sarcasm.
the Second Prophet of the Mormon Church
Brigham Young said your own blood must atone for some sins.
"There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it . . . " (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, page 247; see also, Vol. 4, pp. 53-54, 219-220.)
Brigham Young said you must confess Joseph Smith as a prophet of God in order to be saved.
"...and he that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is Antichrist." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 9, p. 312).
Brigham Young said his discourses are as good as Scripture.
"I say now, when they [his discourses] are copied and approved by me they are as good Scripture as is couched in this Bible . . . " (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 264; see also page 95.)
Brigham Young said he had never given any counsel that was wrong.
"I am here to answer. I shall be on hand to answer when I am called upon, for all the counsel and for all the instruction that I have given to this people. If there is an Elder here, or any member of this Church, called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who can bring up the first idea, the first sentence that I have delivered to the people as counsel that is wrong, I really wish they would do it; but they cannot do it, for the simple reason that I have never given counsel that is wrong; this is the reason." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 16, page 161.)
Brigham Young compared his sermons with scripture. "I know just as well what to teach this people and just what to say to them and what to do in order to bring them into the celestial kingdom...I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good Scripture as they deserve. The people have the oracles of God continually." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 95.)
Brigham Young said you are damned if you deny polygamy.
"Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 266). Also, "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269).
Brigham Young said you can't get to the highest heaven without Joseph Smith's consent.
"...no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p. 289).
Brigham Young said God was progressing in knowledge.
"God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 120).
Brigham Young boasted.
"What man or woman on earth, what spirit in the spirit-world can say truthfully that I ever gave a wrong word of counsel, or a word of advice that could not be sanctioned by the heavens? The success which has attended me in my presidency is owing to the blessings and mercy of the Almighty . . . " (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 12, p. 127).
Brigham Young said that we are obligated to keep all the laws and ordinances of God.
"Some of you may ask, ‘Is there a single ordinance to be dispensed with? Is there one of the commandments that God has enjoined upon the people, that he will excuse them from obeying?' Not one, no matter how trifling or small in our own estimation. No matter if we esteem them non-essential, or least or last of all the commandments of the house of God, we are under obligation to observe them." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 339).
Brigham Young said Jesus' birth was as natural as ours.
"The birth of the Savior was as natural as the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood--was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 115).
Brigham Young said that God the Father and Mary 'do it.'
"When the time came that His first-born, the Saviour, should come into the world and take a tabernacle, the Father came Himself and favoured that spirit with a tabernacle instead of letting any other man do it." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, Page 218.) "The birth of the Savior was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood -- was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, page 115). Note: the late Bruce McConkie who was a member of the First Council of the Seventy stated "There is nothing figurative about his paternity; he was begotten, conceived and born in the normal and natural course of events..." (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie, page 742.)
Brigham Young said that Jesus was not begotten by the Holy Spirit
"I have given you a few leading items upon this subject, but a great deal more remains to be told. Now, remember from this time forth, and for ever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 51).
Brigham Young taught that Adam was God.
"Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner! When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days! about whom holy men have written and spoken -- He is our Father, and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do. Every man upon the earth, professing Christians or non professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 50).
Brigham Young made a false prophecy?
"In the days of Joseph [Smith] it was considered a great privilege to be permitted to speak to a member of Congress, but twenty-six years will not pass away before the Elders of this Church will be as much thought of as the kings on their thrones." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, page 40.)
Brigham Young comments about blacks
"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind....Cain slew his brother. Can might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, page 290).
"In our first settlement in Missouri, it was said by our enemies that we intended to tamper with the slaves, not that we had any idea of the kind, for such a thing never entered our minds. We knew that the children of Ham were to be the "servant of servants," and no power under heaven could hinder it, so long as the Lord would permit them to welter under the curse and those were known to be our religious views concerning them." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 2, page 172.)
"Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so." (Journal of Discourses, Volume 10, page 110.) (http://www.carm.org/lds/quote_by.htm)
I say wow what a guy Brigham Young, please catch my sarcasm.
Mormons Condemn Other Religions
Mormons do not like it when their Church is labeled a cult. This bothers them and they want desperately to be accepted as Christian by the Christian community. The Mormon church spends a great deal of time and money on public relations with the aim of portraying a loving, family oriented, non-condemning Christian denomination or any others. But there is a great differences in doctrine between Mormons and Christians and continue to pronounce the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a non-Christian cult.
The battle continues and Mormons try to claim that they do not go around condemning other religions like "anti-Mormons" do. They say they are forgiving, tolerant, good Christian people who don't have anything against anyone. They claim they are being more Christ-like.
Their desire for a good image is understandable. But the question remains. Does the Mormon church condemn other religious systems? The answer is definitely, "Yes." Let's look at Mormon writers and see what they have said.
Joseph Smith said . . .
(Regarding Joseph Smith's alleged first vision where celestial personages appeared to him.) . . .) "My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right — and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong, and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight: that those professors were all corrupt . . ." (Joseph Smith, "History of the Church, Vol. 1, page 5-6.)
"What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world." ("Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, page 270.)
(In questions directed to Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. . .)
First -- "Do you believe the Bible?"
If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do."
Third — "Will everybody be damned, but Mormons?"
Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings, page 119.)
Brigham Young said. . .
"But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong." (Brigham Young, "Journal of Discourses," Vol. 2, page 171. - 1855)
John Taylor said . . .
"We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense....Myself and hundreds of the Elders around me have seen its pomp, parade, and glory; and what is it? It is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol; it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century."( Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, page 167 - 1858)
"Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (J.D.", Vol. 10, page 127. - 1863)
James Talmage said . . .
"A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". ("The Articles of Faith," Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. P. 182.)
Bruce McConkie said . . .
"With the loss of the gospel, the nations of the earth went into a moral eclipse called the Dark Ages." ("Mormon Doctrine," Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, Utah, page. 44.)
Joseph Fielding Smith said . . .
"Again, following the death of his apostles, apostasy once more set in, and again the saving principles and ordinances of the gospel were changed to suit the conveniences and notions of the people. Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." ("Doctrines of Salvation," page 266.)
The Book of Mormon says. . .
"And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth" (1 Nephi 14:10).
"And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose foundation is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence. . ." (1 Nephi. 14:17).
The Doctrine and Covenants says . . .
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face" (Doctrine and Covenants, 112:23).
When the Mormon missionaries come to the door and do their "gospel" presentation, they mention an apostasy and the need for a prophet, their prophet, to restore the true Teachings of Jesus. Of course, these 'restored' teachings are completely false.
Nevertheless, the Mormon church clearly condemns other religious systems. Those Mormons who complain about poor treatment should familiarize themselves with their teachers' words. (http://www.carm.org/mormon.htm)
Don't forget they boast they are the only true church! I believe if you have to boast all the time, then you are trying to convince people.....if it is so true why do they work so hard convincing, perhaps they are trying to convince themselves?
The battle continues and Mormons try to claim that they do not go around condemning other religions like "anti-Mormons" do. They say they are forgiving, tolerant, good Christian people who don't have anything against anyone. They claim they are being more Christ-like.
Their desire for a good image is understandable. But the question remains. Does the Mormon church condemn other religious systems? The answer is definitely, "Yes." Let's look at Mormon writers and see what they have said.
Joseph Smith said . . .
(Regarding Joseph Smith's alleged first vision where celestial personages appeared to him.) . . .) "My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right — and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong, and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight: that those professors were all corrupt . . ." (Joseph Smith, "History of the Church, Vol. 1, page 5-6.)
"What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world." ("Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, page 270.)
(In questions directed to Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. . .)
First -- "Do you believe the Bible?"
If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do."
Third — "Will everybody be damned, but Mormons?"
Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings, page 119.)
Brigham Young said. . .
"But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong." (Brigham Young, "Journal of Discourses," Vol. 2, page 171. - 1855)
John Taylor said . . .
"We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense....Myself and hundreds of the Elders around me have seen its pomp, parade, and glory; and what is it? It is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol; it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century."( Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, page 167 - 1858)
"Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (J.D.", Vol. 10, page 127. - 1863)
James Talmage said . . .
"A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". ("The Articles of Faith," Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. P. 182.)
Bruce McConkie said . . .
"With the loss of the gospel, the nations of the earth went into a moral eclipse called the Dark Ages." ("Mormon Doctrine," Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, Utah, page. 44.)
Joseph Fielding Smith said . . .
"Again, following the death of his apostles, apostasy once more set in, and again the saving principles and ordinances of the gospel were changed to suit the conveniences and notions of the people. Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." ("Doctrines of Salvation," page 266.)
The Book of Mormon says. . .
"And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth" (1 Nephi 14:10).
"And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose foundation is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence. . ." (1 Nephi. 14:17).
The Doctrine and Covenants says . . .
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become corrupt before my face" (Doctrine and Covenants, 112:23).
When the Mormon missionaries come to the door and do their "gospel" presentation, they mention an apostasy and the need for a prophet, their prophet, to restore the true Teachings of Jesus. Of course, these 'restored' teachings are completely false.
Nevertheless, the Mormon church clearly condemns other religious systems. Those Mormons who complain about poor treatment should familiarize themselves with their teachers' words. (http://www.carm.org/mormon.htm)
Don't forget they boast they are the only true church! I believe if you have to boast all the time, then you are trying to convince people.....if it is so true why do they work so hard convincing, perhaps they are trying to convince themselves?
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