Mormon secrets and rituals exposed secret societies exposed. The founder of mormonism, joseph smith, was himself a dedicated freemason who was able to lure many fellow masons into his newfound body. Gentiles to awake to awful situation because of secret combination, ether 8. In the text, we read about these secret and wicked organizations that seek power and sin. Lest ye become as the nephites of old religious studies. Fears about the organization of secret societies did not wane in the decades after the french revolution, but worsened in the last half of the 1820s when a freemason, william morgan, disappeared under mysterious circumstances in connection to an expose of masonry he had written. As ray hillam described, secret combinations have existed since the days of cain moses 5. Most antimasonic writing was florid even by the standards of the time and formed an odd contrast to the lean vocabulary and spare narrative style of the book of mormon. I am the governor of this the secret society of gadianton. Also, the mormon temple ceremony has so much in common with the freemason ceremony that it could be classified as a secret society as well only the temple ceremonies of the mormon church. For the secret combinations in the book of mormon, the patterning consists in a set.
The mormon leaders find themselves faced with several embarrassing questions regarding the temple ritual and masonry. The book of mormon records the visit of jesus christ to people in the americas following his resurrection. These groups were led by prophets who recorded their religious and secular histories on metal plates. Despite the fact that the book of mormon which smith said he translated by the power of god denounces polygamy. Oct 25, 2016 according to hugh nibley, the father of contemporary mormon scriptural and theological scholarship, the book of mormon can and should be tested.
Exmormon shares secrets from the church of latterday saints. Ordo templi orientis is a mystic organization that. An lds perspective on conspiracy may 8, 2011 darren andrews 94 comments most of us seem content to accept the world largely in the way it is presented to us by what passes as the mainstream of society. This is kind of interesting in reference to the mentioning secret societies in the book of mormon.
Secret combinations general discussions mormon dialogue. The word sacred is often used instead of secret in an lds context to stop people. Members of these satanic combinations are bound by secret oaths and covenants. Secret combinations is the term used in the book of mormon for the secret societies. This, i believe, is the better question because it elevates this intriguing and riveting book past its banal particulars to far more valuable universal questions. In the book of mormon, several secret combinations challenged governments ruled by the voice of the people or by righteous kings. In ether, moroni gives a sobering warning to latterday gentiles regarding secret combinations. Some have argued, though, that the secret societies in the book of mormon are merely fictional and were inspired by a wellknown fraternity called freemasons or masons. Herein is seen, the dangerous tendency of secret societies in a community.
The book of mormon warns that in the latterdays, the same secret combination which destroyed the nephites, shall. Whenever individuals commit wrong, they naturally dont want to be exposed and have to face the consequences of their actions. Book of mormon, criticism, interpretation, mafia, secret societies. The book of mormon has been explained by some as a. However, they work together not for love of god or man but from a fear precipitated by secret oaths helaman 6. As complex as this metatheme is in the book of mormon, it is expanded by yet one more metatheme that mormon saw, or at least hoped for. The initiation ceremony into temple mormonism was derived directly from freemasonry. This page is a continuation of book of mormon evidences, part one and part two. Secret combinations are a concept which the ancient prophet mormon went to great lengths to explain and warn future generations about in his recording of the book of mormon. Many members of the church wonder how they can believe in a secret temple ritual, when the book of mormon condemns all secret societies, bands and oaths.
May 26, 2008 when all of the trappings of propaganda and pretense have been pulled aside, the exposed hardcore structure of modern communism is amazingly similar to the ancient book of mormon record of secret societies such as the gadiantons. Inside the real book of mormon by stella basconi december 4, 2016 it has been mocked on the television show south park and even made into a musical by the creators of south park. Captain morgan and the masonic influence in mormonism. And secret these minute books remained for more than a century and a half.
Advocates of this thesis have argued that the phrase secret combinations is a reference to freemasonry, and reflect josephs preoccupation with this fraternity during the book of mormon s compositi. In 1844, the mormon prophet joseph smith surrendered himself to state. Whatever one concludes about the varied hints of scattered early associations with hermeticism, joseph smith had welldocumented connections with one of the traditions major legacies, masonry. Jun 16, 20 its an ongoing cycle all throughout the book of mormon. The book of mormon is a religious record of three groups of people who migrated from the old world to the american continents. Truly i am mahan, the master of this great secret, that i may murder and get gain. The gadianton robbers in mormons theological history.
Some have suggested that during joseph smiths day, secret combinations exclusively referred to a wellknown fraternity called the freemasons or masons, and that this fact supports the theory that the book of mormon. It was in utah, however, that the church began to speak out against oath bound organizations or secret societies. Secret combinations were first discussed in the book of mormon, which was published in 1830 by joseph smith. The devil proclaims, initiates, and sustains these combinations and their conspiratorial practices moses 5. Latterday saints exposing secret combinations facebook. The lds churchs account of how the book of mormon came into being are also filled with numerous examples. Latterday saints portal master mahan mormon folklore mormonism and freemasonry secret societies in popular culture. The book of mormons secret combinations are always subversive of political and social order. The secret combinations the prophet moroni of the book of mormon warns us about are very realand they are among us today. But keep in mind that horses in the book of mormon are one of the biggest weaknesses in a book abounding with strengths. Secret societies are everywhere throughout the world.
For book of mormon references dealing with the negative implications of. Secret combinations lds last days signs of the last days. Latterday saints exposing secret combinations home. Go behind closed doors as we examine the 10 most elite secret societies in history. Book of mormon evidences, part 3 presents further evidence supporting the book of mormon as an ancient document. The letter is reproduced in the book of mormon and provides a rare look at the gadianton robbers, as seen by themselves. A biblical scholar looks at the book of mormon mormons in. In reality, the utah masonic lodges forbade mormons from participating in their lodges. A secret combination, in the latter day saint movement, is a term found in the book of mormon that describes a malignant secret society of people bound together by oaths to carry out the evil purposes of the group. Why does the book of mormon use the phrase secret combinations. Throughout the book of mormon, the phrase secret combinations is used to describe the evil activities of secret, oathbound societies like the gadianton robbers. The book of mormon refers to them as robbers over fifty times, which.
Still, all book of mormon prophets see the secret so. Inside the real book of mormon by stella basconi december 4, 2016 it has been mocked on the television show south park and even made into a. An organization of people bound together by oaths to carry out the evil purposes of the group. This book by arthur goldwag entitled cults, conspiracies, secret societies is a compilation of the names and identities of world societies and organizations with brief descriptions of their origins, functions and main characters. Secret combinations the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Update on horses in the book of mormon mormanity a mormon. Advocates of this thesis have argued that the phrase secret combinations is a reference to freemasonry, and reflects josephs preoccupation with this fraternity during the book of mormons composition in 182829. The founder of the religion, joseph smith, began claiming he had been commanded by god to take additional wives after his first wife caught him having sex with their teenage maid in the barn.
The list includes over 200 chapters grouped under five different categories. Not only is the presence of secret societies repetitive and predictive, mormon likely saw the aftermath of the secret societies as repetitive and predictive. In the 1820s and 1830s for a limited time there was a large antisecret society movement in the u. This proscription against the saints persisted until 1984. A secret combination, in the latter day saint movement, is a term found in the book of mormon. Contrary to the claims of our critics, there are impressive findings that make it difficult to explain away the book of mormon as a nineteenthcentury. Verse 81,behold, is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory. A christian professor and evangelist said that after 30 years in the mormon church, she came to a unique realization the bible is more accurate than the book of mormon, and god is bigger than the transcendent man worshipped by the latter day saints lds. Sep 15, 2017 one of the main themes in the book of mormon is secret combinations. As the mormon church began to develop, it was not long until the controversial practice of plural marriages or polygamy was adopted, around 1835. From the 1971 edition of the encyclopedia britannica the book of mormon has a lot to say about secret combinations and organized murder to get gain and power.
Throughout the book of mormon, the phrase secret combinations is used to describe the evil activities of secret, oathbound societies like the. The father of lies stirreth up the children of men unto secret. Oathbound organizations by common consent, a mormon blog. Dec 17, 20 since the workings of these types of societies was largely kept secret it is highly unlikely that we will ever be able to obtain much more information on their history and practices but when looked at as a larger picture it seems that mormon s view of secret organizations have a lot of correlations with mesoamerican secretive structures and. If the book is true, as i believe it is, it should hardly be surprising that serious unresolved questions marks persist in some areas. Secret combinations mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Book of mormon strongly condemns secret oaths, secret works, secret societies. Secret combinations have caused the destruction of three previous civilizations that have. Feb 05, 2018 none of this will satisfy the critics. They were a continuing threat to the jaredites, who succumbed eventually to their power. Secret combination the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
Jul 02, 2007 the book of mormon talks about how bad secret combinations secret societies are. The book of mormon has been explained by some as a product of joseph smith s 19th century environment. The book of mormon has been explained by some as a product of joseph smiths 19th century environment. Oct 31, 2017 throughout the book of mormon, the phrase secret combinations is used to describe the evil activities of secret, oathbound societies like the gadianton robbers.
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