Uptick in LDS arson fires?

[provoman]

3 minutes ago, poptart said:

What?

The Congressional Medal of Honor - the highest military honor in the United States - is an inverted pentagram. 

[clarkgoble]

2 hours ago, poptart said:

I always thought the star thing in the earlier temples were influenced from the masonic ties Joseph Smith and Brigham Young had.  The order of eastern stars symbol is an inverted pentacle/pentagram.  Never understood why people hate the symbol, besides the west China has used it for a long time.  Good old ignorance. 

It was from Masonry, although Mormons tied it to the Aaronic Priesthood as opposed to the Melchizedek Priesthood (which was the eight sided star). That use actual arose with Nibley out of this diagram. 

There is dispute about how significant it is though. (See the  "The Seal of Melchizedek") The eight sided star in early Christianity typically represented the resurrection. You find it more in gnosticism or in magic oriented amulets or papyri. (Commonly in late antiquity papyri containing diagrams or scripture were folded and worn as amulets) Within Masonry there are various other stars such as the nine sided star. 

The five sided start in Masonry is point up as in early Mormonism unlike within purported Satanism where it is point down (supposedly representing the chin or beard of the devil).The platonism Iamblichus, writing at the end of antiquity, saw it as a sacred symbol out of pythagorean mysticism representing health, wholeness and blessings as well as being a token of recognition. You find it on health oriented amulets of the era. Gnostic amulets typically had the name YHWH within the star. Often Moses or Solomon were there because they were reportedly magic workers.

Once you move out of antiquity into the medieval period these things pop up in mystic Judaism. Then in the Renaissance, partially due to texts brought by refugees out of Constantinople and partially by engagement with esoteric Judaism they become popular again. It also pops up in the medieval era on Templar graves, although I'm not sure we should accept the more conspiracy minded implications of that. Masonry takes it up largely due to its Renaissance use and the earlier Rosicrucian (rosy cross) use. It's supposed to represent health and safety and duty to other masons. Once you get into later Masonry, particular French speculation, it comes to have lots of other connotations. It's not clear if early Mormons would have been aware of any of those. Although there's circumstantial evidence Joseph might have been exposed to translations of Iamblichus.

 

Not to go too far down a tangent. Since I derailed an other thread, I'll hold off saying anymore in this thread.

Edited August 13, 2019 by clarkgoble

[helix]

Here is a summarized link for 8 incidents for this year:  https://www.reddit.com/r/latterdaysaints/comments/cdru1q/eight_lds_meetinghouses_have_been_targeted_with/

The Layton incident makes 9. 

[bsjkki]

Here is a Salt Lake Tribune article detailing arson fires at church buildings. They list a few attempts not previously discussed. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/09/14/arson-attacks-latter-day/

Edited September 14, 2019 by bsjkki

[Bernard Gui]

Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Halls are being targeted in our area.

https://patch.com/washington/puyallup/suspicious-fire-hits-puyallup-jehovahs-witnesses-kingdom-hall

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jehovahs-witnesses-attacks-arson_n_5d767382e4b0fde50c2ac3fc

 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Bernard Gui

[carbon dioxide]

Perhaps the Church should invest more money in sprinkler systems and perhaps HD cameras in and outside the property.  Yes its an expense but at some point is might be worth the investment.