The Mormon Plan of Eternal Progression

"The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead." (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, p. 146).

Not only do Mormons seek after their dead, the dead also seek after them: Wilford Woodruff, the fourth president of the Church, stated the following:

"The dead will be after you, they will seek after you as they have after us in St. George [temple]. They called upon us, knowing that we held the keys and power to redeem them. I will here say before closing, that two weeks before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, p. 229). In Mormon folk lore, it is common to hear stories about the dead coming to the living, and 'spirit beings' being seen in the temples. Stories such as auras and lights around speakers and melodic music, are circulated.

The Bible, however, clearly condems contact with familiar spirits (Deut. 18:9-12), the dead do not return to have contact with the living (Luke 16:19-31), and once a person dies, they face judgement:

From the article: "The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead." (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, p. 146).

This actually was from Joseph Fielding Smith, a much later "prophet" in the Mormon church than Joseph Smith. But Joseph Smith said the same thing, almost word-for-word:

Joseph Smith: “The GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS WORLD that God has placed upon us is to seek after our dead.” (Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 356)

Mormons are you obeying this? Will you be doing three-year missions to the dead to outdo your two- year missions to the living?

Notice the quotes in the article showing the two-way seeking of the dead and the dead seeking of Mormons...a two-way street of commerce with the dead: Mormons are obsessed with (genealogy) in "seeking after their dead"; and history shows either dead spirits -- or demons masquerading as such, "will seek after you as they have after us in St. George." so said 4th Lds "prophet" Wilford Woodruff.

As this article mentions the Deuteronomy passage from the 18th chapter where we are to avoid all forms of contact with the dead (it's a command).

The Haunting of Manti Temple:

April, 1877: Mormon writer Joseph Hienerman likewise described such things as personages of light, auras of light around some of the speakers, strange music, and other manifestations during the dedication of the Mormon temple in Manti, Utah.(50)
Source: GOD-MEN AND SPIRITUAL VEGETABLES: The Occult Worldview of Mormonism Greg Loren Durand 1995-2005 Crown Rights Book Company, citing Joseph Heinerman, Spirit World Manifestations: Accounts of Divine Aid in Genealogical and Temple Work and Other Assistance to Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City, Utah: Joseph Lyon and Associates, 1986), pages 94-97.

Someone might say, "Well, that was 133 years ago." Well apparently, if you want to believe anecdotal ghost stories that BYU professors feel is worth including in their class student syllabus, in the 1960s, or 1970, Charles R. Woodbury noted during one of the "fast food" baptisms for the dead that Mormons were doing in Manti that day (300 of them), he noted the following:

...let us review a journal entry written by Charles R. Woodbury after he had “witnessed 300 baptisms one day” in the Manti Temple: As a name was called out for baptism, a voice said to me, “This person has had the Gospel taught them and is converted and is ready for baptism.” Another name would be called out, “This person’s never heard the Gospel yet.” Another name would be called, “This person’s heard the Gospel and is not converted.” I sat there in that condition and witnessed 300 baptisms. I knew everyone of them that had accepted it and those that didn’t…25 out of the 300 weren’t ready for it. They weren’t converted and ready for the work. The rest of them, the other 275 were prepared and rejoiced that their work was being done. This is the testimony that I have to show people that the departed spirits know and appreciate when their work is done in the Temple, so they can enjoy the blessings of the Gospel (Woodbury, 1970, p. 19). Source: Religious Education C261 Intro to LDS Family History (Genealogy) p. 57

The Haunting of St. George Temple:

1870s (Last two weeks before eventual Lds "prophet" Woodruff left the temple):

Account #1: The following account of Wilford Woodruff helps demonstrate the importance of this work to those who are on the other side of the veil. I am going to bear my testimony to this assembly, if I never do it again in my life, that those men who laid the foundation of this American Government and signed the Declaration of Independence were the best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits, not wicked men. George Washington and all the men that labored for the purpose were inspired of the Lord. Another thing I am going to say here, because I have a right to say it. Every one of those men that signed the Declaration of Independence with General Washington called upon me, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple at St. George two consecutive nights, and demanded at my hands that I should go forth and attend to the ordinances of the house of God for them. Men are here, I believe, that know of this—Brothers J. D. T. McAllister, David H. Cannon and James C. Bleak. Brother McAllister baptized me for all these men, and I then told these brethren that it was their duty to go into the Temple and labor until they got endowments for all of them. They did it. Would those spirits have called upon me, as an Elder in Israel, to perform that work if they had not been noble spirits before God? They would not. I bear this testimony because it is true. The spirit of God bore record to myself and the brethren while we were laboring in that way (Lundwall, 1947, p. 87). Original Source: Journal of Discourses, vol. 19, pp. 229-231, Sept. 16, 1877. Secondary source: Religious Education C261 Intro to LDS Family History (Genealogy)

Account #2: Temple and witnessed the appearance of the Spirits of the Signers... the spirits of the Presidents...And also others, such as Martin Luther and John Wesley...Who came to Wilford Woodruff and demanded that their baptism and endowments be done. Wilford Woodruff was baptized for all of them. While I and Brothers J.D.T. McAllister and David H Cannon (who were witnesses to the request) were endowed for them. These men.. ..laid the foundation of this American Gov., and signed the Declaration of Independence and were the best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth to perform this work. Martin Luther and John Wesley helped to release the people from religious bondage that held them during the dark ages. They also prepared the peoples hearts so they would be ready to receive the restored gospel when the Lord sent it again to men on the earth.” (Personal journal of James Godson Bleak-Chief Recorder of the St. George Temple) Source: p. 2 of this pdf: http://chapmanresearch.org/PDF/Vision%20of%20Former%20Eminent%20Men%20in%20The%20St%20George%20Temple.pdf Glen W. Chapman, Jan, 2002, "Vision of Former Eminent Men in The St. George Temple"

Account #3: Explain that for a period of time, President Woodruff served as president of the temple in St. George, Utah. It was in that temple that endowments for the dead were performed for the first time in this dispensation (see Doctrines of Salvation, 2:171). While serving there, President Woodruff was visited by the spirits of many “eminent men” who had died. Invite a class member to share the following account by President Woodruff: “The spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, ‘You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we … remained true to it and were faithful to God.’ These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence [of the United States of America], and they waited on me for two days and two nights. … I straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon Brother McAllister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and fifty other eminent men, making one hundred in all, including John Wesley, Columbus, and others” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham [1946], 160–61). • What can we learn from these two stories? (Answers could include that those who are dead are anxious for us to perform ordinances for them and that we should be diligent in our efforts to redeem the dead.) (Lds Sunday School lesson from "Doctrine and Covenants and Church History," "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn to Their Fathers," p. 3)
Source: LDS Sunday School Lesson

So, here we have the same Lds "prophet" who eventually curtailed polygamy...saying that Martin Luther, John Wesley, and all the signers of the declaration, including Presbyterian pastor John Witherspoon, appeared to him and appealed to him to baptize them by proxy!!!

Well, this is mainstream Mormonism. They teach this in BYU genealogical classes (account #1) and Lds Sunday School lessons (account #3).

It makes you wonder if any Mormons have ever seen the movie "The Wizard of Oz." At first, the "great and all-powerful Oz" was seen as a to-be-feared wizard. But as it turns out, he was only a man.

Likewise, not every spirit-ghost appearing to people is a ghost. Demons also know how to masquerade as ghosts.

The Lds church has been prepping its members to receive ghostly visitations from the dead or the ether world out there:

* Prior to the dedication of the San Diego temple in 1993, local Mormon families were given a packet entitled Family Temple Preparation Material. Included in this written material were about seven pages devoted to "true stories" of temple patrons who were visited by the dead. Source: They see dead people?

* Mormon author Joseph Heinerman: "The inhabitants of the spirit world have received special permission to visit their mortal descendants and assist them and impress upon their minds the primary importance of assimilating genealogical information and performing vicarious ordinance work in the temples." (Source: Preface to Heinerman's book, Spirit World Manifestations)

* John Weldon and John Ankerberg, in their book, The Facts on the Mormon Church by Harvest House, 1991/2009, pp. 69-70, noted:

A sermon delivered by Elder Parley Pratt in 1853 (five years after the celebrated spiritist movement began in America) indicates early Mormon acceptance of Joseph Smith as a 'divine' medium. Jesus Christ was given the role of a spiritistic mediator, and spiritism was to be practiced in the Mormon temple. Pratt gloried in Joseph Smith's role in receiving the Book of Mormon from a spirit:

* Was this teaching peculiar among Lds "apostles" only to Pratt? Not at all. Consider Lds "apostle" Charles W. Penrose, 1888:

"Knowledge that is needful concerning the spiritual sphere will come through an appointed channel and in the appointed place. The temple where the ordinances can be administered for the dead, is the place to hear from the dead. The Priesthood in the flesh, when it is necessary, will receive communications from the priesthood behind the veil." Lds apostle Charles W. Penrose, Mormon Doctrine, 1888, published through the Juvenile Instructor's office, SLC, pp. 40-41

Read this yesterday on http://www.paranormalhaze.com/4-strange-cults/

While I would not have grouped them all together, never the less it is an apt description.

Mormomism

Focused on a God who came from another planet, and now lives in heaven with his goddess wife, continuously birthing all souls, the first of which was Jesus and the second the devil, Mormonism began in the 1820 with founder Joseph Smith Jr.’s writing of the Book of Mormon.

Ignoring the evolution of Christian doctrine, Mormonism retreats back to primitive Christian beliefs, considering other factions as corrupted from the real ‘truth”.

Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers, who both proposed a plan for saving humanity. Jesus won out, but was unable to completely cleanse all sins, so it is still necessary to prove yourself to get into heaven, Each member of the church is given a special piece of underwear, a “garment” that he or she must wear at all times, representing the “religious conviction” of the wearer.

The church leaders are considered as receiving direct communication from God (which comes in handy when LDS philosophy becomes outmoded, such as the outlawing of polygamy in the late 19th century and the admission of African American members in 1978).

All people carry a memory of everything they have ever done in their bodies, and this will be used by God to judge which level of heaven they will enter. Each male member may eventually, through “good” behavior, such as tithing, not drinking coffee or alcohol, not eating a lot of chicken, and having a bunch of babies, become a god himself.

Women are allowed the dubious honor of bearing their husband’s spirit children forever.

I don't get it. How can there be spirits visiting anyone?

Mormon author Joseph Heinerman: "The inhabitants of the spirit world have received special permission to visit their mortal descendants and assist them and impress upon their minds the primary importance of assimilating genealogical information and performing vicarious ordinance work in the temples." (Source: Preface to Heinerman's book, Spirit World Manifestations)

Liar - Deceiver - Fraud

Luke 16:19-31 (King James Version)

¹⁹There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

²⁰And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

²¹And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

²²And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

²⁴And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

²⁵But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

²⁶And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

²⁷Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

²⁸For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

²⁹Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

³⁰And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

³¹And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Undecided readers,

If you peruse the Free Republic religion forums you will notice a pattern. There’s an anti-Mormon group of people here that spends a great deal of their time attacking the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They post regurgitated propaganda on an almost daily basis.

They have a misguided obsession. You can witness many different tactics employed that you might find quite interesting. The straw man argument is a big favorite and is frequently preceded by cherry-picking quotes or other material. After the “quotation” the attacker will misrepresent what has been said or what was meant and then attack their own interpretation.

Another favorite is posting scripture or statements which on their own really present no dilemma. They make something out of nothing while never bringing up a single objection that hasn’t been addressed a hundred times before.

Sometimes they cruise the headlines of the day seeking any story that might be twisted into making the Church look bad. Anything will do, just watch the progression of posts following it and see what I mean.

After reading their posts, I invite you to seek the truth about whatever “issue” they seem to be “revealing” or “exposing”. I promise that if you do so with honest intent, the “ahah” moments you will have will be many and frequent. You will start to recognize the tactics employed to cleverly twist and attack and will likely chuckle the more you see. In actuality, there’s nothing new here. It’s all been addressed many times before.

Here’s a few links to get your started from a different viewpoint. I have found that the vast majority of the “issues” brought up can be found and addressed at http://www.fairlds.org/ but here’s more:

http://scriptures.lds.org/
http://www.lds.org
http://www.fairlds.org/
http://www.mormonapologetics.org/
http://www.mormonwiki.com/Main_Page
http://www.lightplanet.com/response/index.html
http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDS_Intro.shtml
http://www.answeringantimormons.com/index.htm
http://promormon.blogspot.com/

Now you will likely notice the “you never address our points” posts pop up as usual. All after providing the answers just as you have here. Will you wear blinders too? Seek truth. Find out for yourself.

Readers,
Typical of prosletizing efforts, the car salesman tries to get you to rely ONLY upon the car company sources for information regarding the car they are trying to SELL to you. Their only standard of proof of excellence - an appeal to feelings and emotions. They never put the rubber to the road.

Sure, look at his ‘fliers’ then really investigate the car - seek independent informations sources that are not invested in selling you the car. Some of these are:

http://mrm.org/
http://www.mormonthink.com/
http://www.i4m.com/think/intro/
http://www.utlm.org/
http://www.4witness.org/index.php

And watch for the shrill bleat from the car salesman about checking out these other independent sources on the ‘car’.

And for those of you who, after checking, have realized you have been sold a lemon - there are lemon laws and you can get out of your contract as many other ex-owners have. Feel free to ask how anytime.

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