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Responding To People Who Say Mormonism Is Satanic


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Several times these past few years I have come across stories of people who claimed that they felt evil feelings while studying Mormonism, or that God "delivered" them out of Mormonism, and had to have a major battle with Satan who they felt wanted them to stay in Mormonism. Granted it is the internet and we can't always verify things, however I am curious as to why people would claim to have these experiences. Because on the other spectrum we have many stories from our faith tradition where people were praying for guidance and help before they even knew about the church and were guided to the church. I think the most well known story would be that of F. Enzio Busche. Anyways, is it a new thing for people to claim this? That when they studied Mormonism they were attracting demons? I have been curious about this because sometimes it's difficult to separate fact from fiction, and it has been rather faith demoting to have people claim that my belief system is demonic in nature and share their personal experience to verify it.

 

What are your thoughts and opinions?  

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I have said this before - I don't think they felt "Satanic" or "evil forces" when dealing with Mormonism.  I think the "happy" feelings they felt moving away from Mormonism was relief that they didn't have to be accountable to the high demands of Mormonism.

 

It's easy to feel happy when you have no expectations put upon you.  It's easy to feel dark or depressed when you are being tried to your upmost.

The Savior probably felt as many "evil feelings" as ever there were in Gethsemane.  The early Christians being martyred.  Read Joseph Smith's feelings in Liberty Jail BEFORE the Lord granted him peace.

 

I know many disagree with this idea but I have seen it SO many times in my life and the lives of my friends and family that I am positive it is frequently the case.

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They might go into their study of Mormonism with an already established bias against the religion and/or it is so different from the faith they already belong to they perceive that feeling of it being so different as evidence of a satanic influence.

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They don't realize that it all comes down to testimony.

 

Those horrible feelings are coming from somewhere just as much as your good feelings are coming from somewhere.

 

So who's "right"?

 

Repeat until they realize that their argument doesn't work

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I see 2 possibile explanations, which could be going on at the same time.

1. The more we try to get closer to God, the more we feel Satan (and his ilk) trying to keep us away or confused or in doubt.

2. Some people sometimes confuse Satan with God, thinking something that is good is evil, and vice versa.

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Thanks for the responses so far.....I guess where I'm also coming from reading some Charismatic/Pentecostal Christians claiming that they have cast out demons identifying themselves as "Mormon demons" or things like that, which is part of what they call spiritual warfare. I haven't purposefully sought this out too much, but some do claim this. 

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I guess where I'm also coming from reading some Charismatic/Pentecostal Christians claiming that they have cast out demons identifying themselves as "Mormon demons"

 

Oh that's just 100% bullpuckey.  Satan will do anything to lead people in the wrong direction.

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Anyways, is it a new thing for people to claim this? That when they studied Mormonism they were attracting demons?

It has been around for quite sometime, at least since the 'countercult' ministries got going.

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Several times these past few years I have come across stories of people who claimed that they felt evil feelings while studying Mormonism, or that God "delivered" them out of Mormonism, and had to have a major battle with Satan who they felt wanted them to stay in Mormonism. Granted it is the internet and we can't always verify things, however I am curious as to why people would claim to have these experiences. Because on the other spectrum we have many stories from our faith tradition where people were praying for guidance and help before they even knew about the church and were guided to the church. I think the most well known story would be that of F. Enzio Busche. Anyways, is it a new thing for people to claim this? That when they studied Mormonism they were attracting demons? I have been curious about this because sometimes it's difficult to separate fact from fiction, and it has been rather faith demoting to have people claim that my belief system is demonic in nature and share their personal experience to verify it.

 

What are your thoughts and opinions?  

I enjoy it when people suggest that Moroni did exist but he was a demon.  They neglect the passage in 1  John

 

1 John 4:2-3: "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God"

 

Moroni clearly testified and believed that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.  And the passage suggest that if that be the case that Moroni can't be a demon but was send from God.  But perhaps John was wrong but I don't think the people who claim Moroni is a demon believe John was wrong.

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What was the motivating spiritual feeling like?

They received a spiritual feeling that prompted them to act in a certain way.

It wasn't a feeling of light and peace that caused them to reject Christ's Church.

It wasn't love and understanding that caused them to label the Saints as evil.

It wasn't feeling God's presence that pulled them away from God's truth.

They acted upon fear. 

 

Compare to the experiences of Joseph in the Grove and also Moses when he cast out Satan.

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Thanks for the responses so far.....I guess where I'm also coming from reading some Charismatic/Pentecostal Christians claiming that they have cast out demons identifying themselves as "Mormon demons" or things like that, which is part of what they call spiritual warfare. I haven't purposefully sought this out too much, but some do claim this. 

 

They were actually exorcising the Holy Ghost.

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Not new. Heard this quite often in the south on my mission in 89-90. People had been saying those things sometime before that.

What we responded depended on the situation. Often there was really nothing we could say because they refused to listen.

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I enjoy it when people suggest that Moroni did exist but he was a demon.  They neglect the passage in 1  John

 

1 John 4:2-3: "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God"

 

Moroni clearly testified and believed that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.  And the passage suggest that if that be the case that Moroni can't be a demon but was send from God.  But perhaps John was wrong but I don't think the people who claim Moroni is a demon believe John was wrong.

Or, when people suggest that the beings whose brightness was above that of the sun at noonday actually were the malevolent beings in the grove, while the one which shrouded himself in thick darkness and bound Joseph's tongue was actually a benevolent being. It's as though Joseph should have said, "Whew!   :o Thanks for binding my tongue, there!  That was a close one!"  ;):D

 

Not that anyone who believes that would be convinced by a scripture from the Book of Mormon, but see 2 Nephi 32:8.

Edited by Kenngo1969
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Several times these past few years I have come across stories of people who claimed that they felt evil feelings while studying Mormonism, or that God "delivered" them out of Mormonism, and had to have a major battle with Satan who they felt wanted them to stay in Mormonism. Granted it is the internet and we can't always verify things, however I am curious as to why people would claim to have these experiences. Because on the other spectrum we have many stories from our faith tradition where people were praying for guidance and help before they even knew about the church and were guided to the church. I think the most well known story would be that of F. Enzio Busche. Anyways, is it a new thing for people to claim this? That when they studied Mormonism they were attracting demons? I have been curious about this because sometimes it's difficult to separate fact from fiction, and it has been rather faith demoting to have people claim that my belief system is demonic in nature and share their personal experience to verify it.

What are your thoughts and opinions?

Simple. In response I would say a religion that professes belief in a God who appears to be as cruel, unmerciful, callous and devoid of compassion and empathy as the devil himself is satanic.

Edited by Bobbieaware
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They probably tie in LDS with Masonry, on the web some Satanists have adopted Masonry, so some people might end up on these sites that acquaint Masonry with Satanism.  And there is the problem with Satan wanting to be God, that is what's bothering them, and the LDS believing they can become a God.  That is always a problem until it's explained properly.  I kind of got caught up in that malarkey and it probably didn't help my faith crisis journey at all!

 

People need to educate and just get to know the LDS better, then they wouldn't get all these ideas, just be around them to know, the feelings are there, the good feelings.  And I'm sure we've felt the evil feelings too, but in my experience not when I'm around your average LDS person. 

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They probably tie in LDS with Masonry, on the web some Satanists have adopted Masonry, so some people might end up on these sites that acquaint Masonry with Satanism.  And there is the problem with Satan wanting to be God, that is what's bothering them, and the LDS believing they can become a God.  That is always a problem until it's explained properly.  I kind of got caught up in that malarkey and it probably didn't help my faith crisis journey at all!

 

People need to educate and just get to know the LDS better, then they wouldn't get all these ideas, just be around them to know, the feelings are there, the good feelings.  And I'm sure we've felt the evil feelings too, but in my experience not when I'm around your average LDS person.

Actually this mostly comes from the cult scares that Christians dreamed up about Satanists eating babies and performing foul rituals. Many of them eat the stuff up though there is nothing to it. They want to believe that somewhere out there are evil Satanists led by Devils opposed to them and doing unambiguously evil things as it casts them as heroes. It is a cheap form of heroism because it involves talking about how horrible the opposition is and requires no real virtue. It allows useless people to cast themselves as heroes in a great struggle without having to struggle.

It is also evil. Wanting people to be worse then they are and perceiving them as such is how Devils are made. The LDS are not immune to this tendency though they are usually not as prone to it as others.

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Because they did. That is their experience. Their testimony.

would you care to expand? Seeing as how you are an Evangelical, do you believe Mormonism is evil, and inspired by Satan? I don't get that impression from reading your posts, but I know you disagree quite a bit with us. What do you make of LDS spiritual experiences?

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Or, when people suggest that the beings whose brightness was above that of the sun at noonday actually were the malevolent beings in the grove, while the one which shrouded himself in thick darkness and bound Joseph's tongue was actually a benevolent being. It's as though Joseph should have said, "Whew!   :o Thanks for binding my tongue, there!  That was a close one!"  ;):D

 

Not that anyone who believes that would be convinced by a scripture from the Book of Mormon, but see 2 Nephi 32:8.

Yeah that never made sense to me either. I know the reasoning from those kind of folks would be that Joseph engaged in folk magic, so therefore he was opening himself up for evil. But if you're seeking truth wouldn't God help?

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Yeah that never made sense to me either. I know the reasoning from those kind of folks would be that Joseph engaged in folk magic, so therefore he was opening himself up for evil. But if you're seeking truth wouldn't God help?

Yes and no. God gives us a specific method of seeking for truth. That method is prayer. So, in my opinion, Joseph was totally fine, because both the First Vision and the vision of Moroni occurred when he followed the correct method: He was praying. But if someone uses a different method of discovering truth, like a ouija board or something like that, then they probably aren't seeking communion with God. They are seeking the help of other spirits/beings.

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Yes and no. God gives us a specific method of seeking for truth. That method is prayer. So, in my opinion, Joseph was totally fine, because both the First Vision and the vision of Moroni occurred when he followed the correct method: He was praying. But if someone uses a different method of discovering truth, like a ouija board or something like that, then they probably aren't seeking communion with God. They are seeking the help of other spirits/beings.

What about seeking truth with a seer stone, or a divining rod?

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