Excerpt from the February 8, 2020 Wall Street Journal article, ’The Mormon Church Amassed $100 Billion. It Was the Best-Kept Secret in the Investment World.’: 1 For more than half a century, the Mormon Church quietly built one of the world’s largest investment funds. Almost no one outside the church knew about it. Some of … Read more
In Mormonism, the oath of vengeance (or law of vengeance) was an oath that was made by participants in the endowment ritual of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) between about 1845 and the early 1930s, in which participants vowed to pray that God would avenge the blood of the prophets … Read more
On June 1, 1980 Apostle Bruce R. McConkie gave an address at BYU entitled ‘The Seven Deadly Heresies’. The text version of this talk was drastically altered from the original audio address. 1 Below is a comparison of the two versions. Printed version Audio version I have sought and do now seek that guidance … Read more
On June 1, 1980 Apostle Bruce R. McConkie gave an address at BYU entitled ‘The Seven Deadly Heresies’. The text version of this talk was drastically altered from the original audio address. 1 Below is a comparison of the two versions. Printed version Audio version I have sought and do now seek that guidance … Read more
Excerpt from a lecture ‘Latter-day Saints and Freemasonry’ (2005): 1 Q: Wouldn’t it be more correct to say that Masonry came out of the endowment? KEARNEY: It would be if you believed that Freemasonry has a continuous historical line from King Solomon’s Temple to the current. Unfortunately, there is no historical evidence to support a … Read more
Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 4 Pg. 550 (March 15, 1842): 1 “In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge assembled in my general business office” Excerpt from History of the Church, Vol. 4 Pg. 552 (March 16, 1842): 2 “Wednesday, March 16.—I was with the … Read more
Helaman 6:22, the Book of Mormon: 1 “22 And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be injured by his … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS ‘For the Strength of Youth’ (2011): 1 “A tithe is one-tenth of your income. In order to enter the temple, you must be a full-tithe payer.” Question 10 from the LDS Temple recommend interview questions: 2 “10 Are you a full-tithe payer?” Excerpt from the LDS endowment ceremony performed in the … Read more
LDS Official Declaration 1, October 6 1890, Wilford Woodruff: LDS Official Declaration 1 – https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/od/1?lang=eng To Whom It May Concern: Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that … Read more
September 11th marks the anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. A five day siege that culminated in the slaughter of some 120 California-bound immigrants in 1857, at the hands of Mormon militiamen (reinstated Nauvoo Legion) from Parowan, Utah.1 A month before the emigrants departed Arkansas on their journey west, Parley P. Pratt (LDS Apostle) was … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS temple ceremony (pre-1990). Voice of Elohim, God:1 “Eve, because thou hast hearkened to the voice of Satan and hast partaken of the forbidden fruit, and given unto Adam, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children. Nevertheless, thou mayest be preserved in child-bearing. … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS temple ceremony, ‘Five Points of Fellowship’ (pre-1990):1 LORD: You shall receive it upon the Five Points of Fellowship, through the Veil.(The officiator demonstrates the Five Points of Fellowship through the Veil with the temple worker who represents the Lord, as each point is mentioned.)PETER: The Five Points of Fellowship are “inside … Read more
Excerpt from the pre-1990 LDS Temple Endowment ceremony:1 ELOHIM: Eve, because thou hast hearkened to the voice of Satan and hast partaken of the forbidden fruit, and given unto Adam, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children. Nevertheless, thou mayest be preserved in child-bearing. Thy desire … Read more
Excerpt from the pre-1990 LDS Temple Endowment ceremony:1 ELOHIM: We will put the sisters under covenant to obey the law of their husbands. Sisters, arise. (Female patrons stand as instructed.) ELOHIM: Each of you bring your right arm to the square. You and each of you solemnly covenant and promise before God, angels, and these … Read more
Image: Portrait of Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith Jr. *Post with commentary* The polygamy revelation in D&C 132 1 has been a ‘hot potato’ the LDS church has had to constantly juggle. Discard it—you lose a pillar of celestial marriage doctrine. Keep it—you canonize an abusive practice. This year’s (2017) official Sunday School lesson … Read more
Image: LDS Temple sealing room Excerpt from the LDS temple marriage ceremony (sealing of spouses). 1 [The sealer sits at the head of the altar with two witnesses, one seated at his right and the other at his left. The bride and groom kneel at opposite sides of the altar, facing one another, clothed in … Read more
Image: Nauvoo Illinois, LDS Temple. Masonic First Degree, Duegard of a fellow craft mason:1 The left arm, as far as the elbow, should be held in a horizontal position, and the rest of the arm in a vertical position, forming a square. The right hand detached from the stomach, fingers extending outward. PENALTY Draw the right … Read more
Image: Salt Lake City LDS Temple To anyone who has knowledge of both the LDS Temple Ceremony (especially the pre-1990 temple ceremony) and Mason Rites it is very apparent that they have many similarities. Many things are exactly the same. Even knowledgeable Mormons admit that the endowment ceremony (especially in its earlier versions) contains many … Read more
Excerpt from the pre-1930 endowment ceremony:1 ADAM : “We, and each of us, covenant and promise that we will not reveal any of the secrets of this, the first token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our throats be cut from ear to … Read more