Facts About Mormons That Will Positively Fascinate You

[pogi]

You know those click-bait links at the end of web-pages that make your click through a set of slides to read the entire message?  Well, I just came across one with the same title as this thread.  I couldn't resist.  I thought I'd share for your entertainment and discussion.  Every paragraph was a new slide (one of the longer ones I have seen).  It is fascinating to see how we are often perceived looking from the outside in. 

Quote

 

Facts About Mormons That Will Positively Fascinate You

First things first, let’s break down the basics of Mormonism: In the 1820s, Joseph Smith (pictured), a farmer in the state of New York, received a revelation from God when he prayed asking which sect of Christianity was the “correct” one. Throughout the decade, Smith was visited by an angel named Moroni who revealed to him that in fact none of them were correct, and that Smith was to start his own religion of which God would make him a prophet. Thus, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was officially founded in 1830.

Every year in July before the COVID-19 pandemic, 100,000 Mormons convened in Palmyra, New York, to attend a grand production called the Hill Cumorah Pageant. The pageant, which featured a cast of more than 700 and a 10-level stage, depicts Joseph Smith encountering the Golden Plates and some of the subsequent events that took place. Apparently the performance is so moving that it’s influenced many to convert to Mormonism.

Like many of us, Mormons believe that we humans aren’t alone in the universe, but it’s probably a little different than what you were thinking. They believe God created several planets that he inhabited with human-like beings who also learn about his plan of salvation on our earth through prophets.

Mormons famously have a special (and apparently very uncomfortable) underwear, called a “temple garment” that includes symbols and covers up a large portion of the body. You may not have known that one is only allowed to continue wearing said underwear if they keep passing worthiness interviews.

Mormons have a holy endowment ceremony (similar to a confirmation in other sects of Christianity) that takes place in the Temple where members learn key phrases and handshakes that will allow them into heaven.

Mormons believe that Satan controls bodies of water, including oceans, rivers, and lakes. Because of this, most will avoid water-related activities, as they believe that if they are near or in the water, they are away from God’s protection.

One of the most central beliefs in Mormonism is that Jesus visited the American continent, what they believe to be the promised land, after his resurrection. While there, he performed miracles before returning to Jerusalem.

Just as he visited the Americas after his resurrection, Mormons believe that Jesus will return to America once again, this time reigning over the kingdom of earth from his headquarters at the Mormon Temple in Jackson County, Missouri.

According to Mormonism, God hasn’t always existed solely up in the sky; he was once an ordinary man walking around on earth, just like any of us. This is because God’s eternal plan of happiness in Mormonism includes a path for any man to become a god himself.

Just as any man can aspire to become a god, the current God isn’t the only god who has ever existed. In fact, because the current God was once a man walking around on earth, there was a God before him, and so on and so forth. Mormons believe that this cycle has gone on for reverse eternity (meaning that there was no “beginning” to it).

Some Mormons believe that as a part of God’s Eternal Plan, the earth will inevitably be baptized by fire, turning it into a giant crystal that will be ruled by Jesus Christ himself. Additionally, those who live on this crystal earth will be given magic powers.

In Mormonism, there isn’t just one heaven that all good people go to after they die, rather there are three: the Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, and the Telestial Kingdom. The first is where God himself lives; the Terrestrial Kingdom is for those who followed the law of Moses but not Joseph Smith; and the Telestial Kingdom is reserved for those who followed “carnal” morals and were otherwise good people.

It’s true, Mormons get recruited more often by the CIA and FBI than the rest of America’s demographics. This is because their strict sense of morals and abstinence from all potentially harmful substances make them ideal candidates for careers in law enforcement. As is such, these institutions have set up special Mormon recruitment programs.

Despite the number of Mormons living in Utah (68% of the state’s population), it’s Missouri and not Utah that’s actually the hub for Mormonism. They even believe that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri. In 1831, Joseph Smith declared that the righteous would convene in Independence, Missouri during the second coming of Jesus Christ. However, the people of Missouri weren’t thrilled about this idea, and thus, the Mormons were ordered to leave, so they packed up and moved to Utah.

Mormons believe that if someone was not baptized in the Mormon church in their lifetime, they will go to a Spirit Prison where they will learn the Mormon gospel until a living person is baptized on their behalf. Because of this belief, the church has baptized many deceased non-Mormon historical figures.

Contrary to popular belief, most Mormons today do not support polygamy (the practice of a man taking multiple wives). In fact, it was banned from the church in the early 1900s.

Like other sects of Christianity, Mormons take part in “tithing,” or giving money to the church. In order to be allowed to pray in the Temple, they’re required to give one-tenth of their annual income to the church. Because of this, the Mormon church reportedly receives around $5 billion in tithing money every year.

The Mormon church today actually prefers to be referred to by their official title, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or LDS for short.

They Have Beef With Fundamentalist Christians. It all started in the ‘90s, when the Southern Baptist Church held its annual convention in Salt Lake City in the hopes that they could convert some of the Mormons there. As you can imagine, this did not go over well with the Mormon church.

Mormonism teaches that every person on earth lived a previous “spirit life” before being born into their flesh body. As is such, they believe that it is the duty of a married couple to have as many children as possible in order to provide earthly bodies for these spirit children.

If you can’t stand the thought of not having your morning coffee every day, then Mormonism may not be right for you. Mormons are not permitted to consume “hot drinks” other than herbal teas, because they are considered “harmful substances,” along with alcohol. Doctrine doesn’t say anything about hot chocolate, however.

The “Word of Wisdom” in Mormonism states that the human body is a sacred gift from God, and therefore Mormons take their health very seriously. In one study conducted at UCLA, it was found that Mormons die from cancer and cardiovascular diseases about half as often as non-Mormons, and they live between eight and eleven years longer on average.

Twilight author Stephanie Meyers is a Mormon herself and wrote the series based around the Mormon virtue of “celestial marriage,” which is the idea that a married couple is bound together forever, even into the afterlife. In the Twilight story’s case, Bella and Edward are bound together after Edward bites Bella.

If someone appears before you claiming that they have a message from God, Mormons believe that you must shake their hand. If the messenger is indeed an angel sent from God himself, you will feel their hand, whereas you will feel nothing if it is a demon pretending to be an angel.

It’s likely that you’ve walked down the street before and been approached by a couple friendly young Mormon men in black and white. This is because young Mormons between the ages of 18 and 25 are expected to go on a two-year-long mission overseas to spread the Gospel. Because of this, many of them become fluent in a foreign language, and many describe the missions as the best two years of their lives.

According to Mormon doctrine, God created everyone and everything in the universe, including good and evil. This means that God is the father of both Jesus, the “elder son,” and Satan, the “second son.”

On average, Americans tend to get married around age 27. The average age for Mormons, on the other hand, is 23. This is because Mormons believe that creating a family is essential to God’s plan and therefore should not be delayed by other life factors such as a career and education, whenever possible.

Mormonism currently has about six million members, making it the fourth-largest religion in America, and 14 million members worldwide. The church boasts adding one million new members every three years.

Mormons believe that after you die you either go to “Paradise” or “Spirit Prison,” the latter of which is reserved for those who have either not yet heard the Gospel, or those who have heard it but rejected it. Those who have rejected it have committed an unforgivable sin, and will go to the Outer Darkness (Hell) for eternity.

Mandatory or “heavily encouraged” family time, anyway. Generally, Monday nights are reserved for what’s referred to as “family home evening” where families play games, catch up, pray, or read scripture together.

According to some studies, Mormons can identify other mormons by the texture of their skin. Supposedly, this is due to the fact that the fact that Mormons don’t indulge in caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes – as well as making other lifestyle choices – keeps their skin looking better than their non-Mormon counterparts.

Black male Mormons weren’t allowed to enter the Church’s priesthood until 1978. As explained on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, “In June 1978, after “spending many hours in the Upper Room of the [Salt Lake] Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance,” Church President Spencer W. Kimball, his counselors in the First Presidency, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles received a revelation. “He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come,” the First Presidency announced on June 8. The First Presidency stated that they were “aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us” that “all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood.”21 The revelation rescinded the restriction on priesthood ordination. It also extended the blessings of the temple to all worthy Latter-day Saints, men and women. The First Presidency statement regarding the revelation was canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants as Official Declaration 2.”

After taking over from Joseph Smith, Brigham Young came up with a plan to establish a full Mormon state. In Young’s plan, the so-called State of Deseret would have reached from what is currently Idaho to southern California and from modern mid-Colorado to eastern California. That certainly would have changed the course of United States history.

According to Oliver B. Huntington’, Joseph Smith believed in life on the moon. According to Huntington, “As far back as 1837, I know that he [Joseph Smith] said the moon was inhabited by men and women the same as this earth, and that they lived to a greater age than we do — that they live generally to near the age of a 1,000 years. He described the men as averaging nearly six feet in height, and dressing quite uniformly in something near the Quaker style.”

I has to be noted that there is no direct evidence, or directly attributable quotes to Smith discussing the concept of life on the moon.

Using the justification that early sects of Christianity kept certain rituals and knowledge private, the Mormon church purposely kept certain things hidden. This includes Mormon temples generally being closed to the public, as well as church financial records being kept confidential.

in deference to their aforementioned belief that human bodies are gifts from god, the church generally frowns upon body modification. These include tattoos and body piercings, both of which are “advised against” by church elders.

Believe it or not, divorces actually are allowed in the Mormon church under some circumstances. If a couple wishes to split, they must obtain a legal divorce under the jurisdiction of where stye live. From there, a male member of the church does not need to have a prior marriage/sealing to a former wife canceled before he is sealed to a new wife, however female members must have any prior marriage/sealing canceled before they can be married and sealed to another man in the temple.

Mormons believe that children are born pure and without sin. In-turn, Mormon children aren’t baptized until 8-years-old – which is known as the “age of accountability” – when children are judged above to consent to the ritual

Mormon’s have several interesting beliefs around the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. Firstly, many believe that the couple lived without sickness or death before Eve tasted the forbidden fruit, and therefore had been essentially immortal, having lived for 7,000 years before their fall. Secondly, the fall of Adam and Eve isn’t seen as the “original sin” of other religions, but rather “an integral part of God’s plan.”

There are several variances in belief in dinosaurs throughout the Mormon church. Some Mormons believe humans and dinosaurs were on Earth at the same time, some, others believe dinosaurs lived before humankind, while a still smaller group believes dinosaurs were not native to Earth, never lived here,  and that their bones were transported here. On it’s official website, the church itself writes:

“The details of what happened on this planet before Adam and Eve aren’t a huge doctrinal concern of ours. The accounts of the Creation in the scriptures are not meant to provide a literal, scientific explanation of the specific processes, time periods, or events involved. What matters to us is that as part of His plan for us, God created the earth and then created Adam and Eve, who were our first parents and were instrumental in bringing about the Fall, which enabled us to be born on earth and participate in God’s plan.”

 

 

[MustardSeed]

Life on the moon- hm 🤔

no wonder people think we are so odd. 

[T-Shirt]

30 minutes ago, pogi said:

You know those click-bait links at the end of web-pages that make your click through a set of slides to read the entire message?  Well, I just came across one with the same title as this thread.  I couldn't resist.  I thought I'd share for your entertainment and discussion.  Every paragraph was a new slide (one of the longer ones I have seen).  It is fascinating to see how we are often perceived looking from the outside in. 

 

😂That's pretty funny.

Edited October 18, 2022 by T-Shirt

[blackstrap]

An example of how to get things correct and wrong at the same time. 🙃

[bluebell]

3 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

An example of how to get things correct and wrong at the same time. 🙃

I was thinking the same thing.  

[carbon dioxide]

I thought it is half right but hey its better than some others things I have read.   I did not know that most Mormons avoid water-related activities because we apparently believe Satan "controls" the waters.  Now for me I personally avoid most water related activities like swimming and boating because I am not a good swimmer.  Satan does not enter my mind when I choose to stay on land.

Edited October 19, 2022 by carbon dioxide

[Rain]

3 minutes ago, carbon dioxide said:

I thought a few paragraphs got it right.  I did not know that most Mormons avoid water-related activities because we apparently believe Satan "controls" the waters.  Now for me I personally avoid most water related activities like swimming and boating because I am not a good swimmer.  Satan does not enter my mind when I choose to stay on land.

I heard that a lot about missionaries when I was on my mission, but never for members in general.

[Rain]

4 hours ago, pogi said:

 

In Mormonism, there isn’t just one heaven that all good people go to after they die, rather there are three: the Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, and the Telestial Kingdom. The first is where God himself lives; the Terrestrial Kingdom is for those who followed the law of Moses but not Joseph Smith; and the Telestial Kingdom is reserved for those who followed “carnal” morals and were otherwise good people.

 

 

•  

 

I get where many of these come from, but what about this one?  The law of Moses I think I get.  It's the connect Joseph with the law of Moses and then saying it doesn't include him that I don't get. 

 

 

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by Rain

[Peacefully]

3 hours ago, pogi said:

If someone appears before you claiming that they have a message from God, Mormons believe that you must shake their hand. If the messenger is indeed an angel sent from God himself, you will feel their hand, whereas you will feel nothing if it is a demon pretending to be an angel.

Has anyone heard this before? If so, do you know the origin? 
 

 

[PeaceKeeper]

13 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

Has anyone heard this before? If so, do you know the origin? 
 

 

D&C 129

There are two kinds of beings in ^aheaven, namely: ^bAngels, who are ^cresurrected personages, having ^dbodies of flesh and bones—

2 For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not ^aflesh and bones, as ye see me have.

3 Secondly: the ^aspirits of ^bjust men made ^cperfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory.

4 When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.

5 If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.

6 If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear—

7 Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the ^aorder of heaven for a just man to ^bdeceive; but he will still deliver his message.

8 If it be the ^adevil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not ^bfeel anything; you may therefore detect him.

9 These are three grand ^akeys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.

[PeaceKeeper]

17 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

Has anyone heard this before? If so, do you know the origin? 
 

 

From "Revelations in Context" study manual

“Our Hearts Rejoiced to Hear Him Speak”

D&C 129, 130, 131

Matthew McBride

William Clayton walked the last nine miles to Nauvoo. The boat he and his company had taken down the Mississippi toward their new home had stopped short of Nauvoo for the night. But after an 11-week, 5,000-mile journey from his home in Penwortham, England, William could wait no longer. He and a few friends trudged through the wintry early morning and arrived on foot just before noon, November 24, 1840. A convert of three years, William had testified of Joseph Smith’s prophetic call in his homeland. Now he was eager to meet the Prophet in person.

He soon met Joseph Smith and shared some of his early impressions in letters to his friends back in England. “Last night many of us were in company with Brother Joseph, [and] our hearts rejoiced to hear him speak of the things of the Kingdom,” he wrote. “If I had come from England purposely to converse with him a few days I should have considered myself well paid for my trouble,” he wrote on another occasion.

William set about to make a life and a home for himself and his wife Ruth, who was expecting their second child at the time they arrived. The Claytons’ first year in their new home proved difficult, however. They purchased land on the west side of the Mississippi River, opposite Nauvoo, where they attempted to make a living as farmers. William had been a factory bookkeeper in an industrial English town and had neither the skill nor the physical makeup of a farmer. His efforts were soon toppled by a crop failure and a long bout with malaria.

Brought low by this turn of events, William took the advice of the missionary who had converted him, Heber C. Kimball, and moved his family back across the river to Nauvoo in December 1841. William’s former fellow counselor in the British Mission presidency, Willard Richards, was serving as Joseph Smith’s secretary and needed an assistant he could trust. Heber soon came to William asking him to report to Joseph Smith’s office. There, on February 9, 1842, William agreed to become a secretary and scribe to the Prophet.

Secretary and Scribe

Over the next two and a half years, William Clayton had a closer view of Joseph Smith’s personal and public life than almost anyone. He was with Joseph almost every day and was deeply involved in Joseph’s business, political, and religious affairs. Their friendship gave William a unique opportunity to assess Joseph’s character up close, including his faults. He knew as well as anyone that Joseph was just a man, but for William, Joseph’s shortcomings were unimportant when weighed against the soul-expanding teachings the Lord delivered through His prophet. Through their association in Nauvoo, William became a stubborn lifelong defender of Joseph Smith.

In his work as secretary, William Clayton recorded the most significant revelations, teachings, and sermons given by Joseph Smith during the eventful final two years of the Prophet’s life. He recorded Joseph’s instructions on baptisms for the dead and the revelation on eternal and plural marriage, both of which later became part of the Latter-day Saint scriptures. He was also one of the scribes who kept an account of Joseph’s most well-known sermon, the King Follett discourse. He valued these teachings beyond price and seemed to sense the importance of preserving them.

Joseph Smith felt a growing urgency to communicate spiritual knowledge to the Saints. During his time in Nauvoo he gave one powerful public sermon after another and shared equally powerful teachings and ordinances in private councils with his trusted friends. Joseph Smith did not deliver these teachings as formal revelations the way he often had earlier in his ministry, but William Clayton hung on every word. He recorded the Prophet’s sayings in his own diary or in the journal he kept for Joseph, and these entries were later used as the basis for several sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Precious Teachings

William was present when Joseph Smith met with Parley P. Pratt on February 9, 1843, and shared with him knowledge about how to discern heavenly messengers from Satan and his angels. These instructions related to temple teachings that Joseph had shared with members of his trusted circle while Parley had been away in England. William recorded the instructions in Joseph’s journal, and they were later canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 129.

On April 2, 1843, Joseph visited a stake conference in Ramus, Illinois, 20 miles east of Nauvoo. An American religious leader named William Miller had predicted that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would occur the following day. Joseph took this occasion to assure the Saints in Ramus that the Lord had not revealed the time of His coming. Joseph also taught that God was an embodied personage; that all things past, present, and future are present before Him; and that our social relationships will endure in the eternities. William Clayton’s record of these gems in his personal journal became the basis for the text of Doctrine and Covenants 130.

Doctrine and Covenants 131 is composed largely of several short journal entries kept by William during May 1843. Among these were teachings regarding eternal marriage given in Ramus at the home of Benjamin and Melissa Johnson on May 16. The Johnsons had been married since Christmas Day 1841, but Joseph told them he intended to marry them according to the law of the Lord. Benjamin jokingly said he would not marry Melissa again unless she courted him. But Joseph was in earnest. He taught that men and women needed to enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in order to obtain God’s highest blessings. He then sealed Benjamin and Melissa for eternity.

For William, recording these prophetic utterances was more than a duty; it was one of the great privileges of his life. He thrilled at the way Joseph Smith collapsed the distance between this world and the next and made the things of eternity feel tangible and real. When the Nauvoo Saints listened to Joseph speak, the many hardships they faced—death, sickness, poverty, and hunger—were swallowed up in anticipation of a millennial future and the promise that ties of family and friendship would outlast this life. William Clayton’s delight in recording the words of Joseph Smith has had a lasting influence on Church teachings and continues to bless Latter-day Saints today.

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

I heard that a lot about missionaries when I was on my mission, but never for members in general.

Yes, I heard the same.  Always in regards to missionaries (though it always came off as more myth than doctrine) and never for members in general.

[Zosimus]

2 hours ago, carbon dioxide said:

I thought it is half right but hey its better than some others things I have read.   I did not know that most Mormons avoid water-related activities because we apparently believe Satan "controls" the waters.  Now for me I personally avoid most water related activities like swimming and boating because I am not a good swimmer.  Satan does not enter my mind when I choose to stay on land.

I don't know if there is a relationship, but there's something similar in Islam. For example this passage from the 10th-12th century Akhbar al-zaman:

Iblis (the Devil) is a djinn. He has many names, varying with languages; his name in Arabic is al-Harit, and his nickname, Abu Murrah (Father of Bitterness). He was a very powerful creature; he ascended into heaven, stood in the middle of the angelic orders and served God with great zeal. When discord broke out among the djinn and these wars took place among them, he came down to earth with an army of angels and defeated and massacred the djinn; then he established his empire on earth. But he swelled with pride and prevarication. One of his sins was his refusal to prostrate himself before Adam, as God tells us in his book. His form was changed into a hideous one, a figure of great repulsiveness, and all the tribes of djinn disowned him and moved away from him in horror. Seeing this, he fixed his abode on the sea. God made him raise a throne on the water.

[InCognitus]

4 hours ago, pogi said:

It’s likely that you’ve walked down the street before and been approached by a couple friendly young Mormon men in black and white.

We're so old fashioned.

[Peacefully]

58 minutes ago, PeaceKeeper said:

D&C 129

There are two kinds of beings in ^aheaven, namely: ^bAngels, who are ^cresurrected personages, having ^dbodies of flesh and bones—

2 For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not ^aflesh and bones, as ye see me have.

3 Secondly: the ^aspirits of ^bjust men made ^cperfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory.

4 When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.

5 If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.

6 If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear—

7 Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the ^aorder of heaven for a just man to ^bdeceive; but he will still deliver his message.

8 If it be the ^adevil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not ^bfeel anything; you may therefore detect him.

9 These are three grand ^akeys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.

Thank you! I don’t remember reading this passage or hearing about it. Very interesting. I’ve never had someone come to me with a message from God, but it does seem kind of a strange way to know if they are legit. Is this still taught? Maybe this is common knowledge for most members and I just need to study the D&C more. 

[PeaceKeeper]

10 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

Thank you! I don’t remember reading this passage or hearing about it. Very interesting. I’ve never had someone come to me with a message from God, but it does seem kind of a strange way to know if they are legit. Is this still taught? Maybe this is common knowledge for most members and I just need to study the D&C more. 

Not strange, just a test. Also, it is in harmony with biblical teachings. A messenger of God cannot/will not deceive.  A devil in counterfeit is meant to deceive. The messenger will pass the test and the devil will fail, always. 

"These are three grand keys" footnote is...

1 JOHN - CHAPTER 4

Try the spirits...

1 Beloved, believe not every ^aspirit, but ^btry the ^cspirits whether they are of God: because many ^dfalse prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby ^aknow ye the ^bSpirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the ^cflesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is ^anot of God: and this is that spirit of ^bantichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5 They are of the ^aworld: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God ^aheareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby ^bknow we the ^cspirit of truth, and the spirit of ^derror.

[Peacefully]

48 minutes ago, PeaceKeeper said:

Not strange, just a test. Also, it is in harmony with biblical teachings. A messenger of God cannot/will not deceive.  A devil in counterfeit is meant to deceive. The messenger will pass the test and the devil will fail, always. 

"These are three grand keys" footnote is...

1 JOHN - CHAPTER 4

Try the spirits...

1 Beloved, believe not every ^aspirit, but ^btry the ^cspirits whether they are of God: because many ^dfalse prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby ^aknow ye the ^bSpirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the ^cflesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is ^anot of God: and this is that spirit of ^bantichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5 They are of the ^aworld: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God ^aheareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby ^bknow we the ^cspirit of truth, and the spirit of ^derror.

Thanks again for the explanation. 

[manol]

6 hours ago, pogi said:

Mormons believe that Satan controls bodies of water, including oceans, rivers, and lakes. Because of this, most will avoid water-related activities, as they believe that if they are near or in the water, they are away from God’s protection.

Ever since I was a kid I've really enjoyed the water.  I love to swim underwater for as long as I can possibly hold my breath, and I'll hyperventilate for several minutes just to gain another fifteen or twenty seconds seconds of weightless underwater slow-motion flying.  I used to sail and loved it.  Used to jump in my pirogue and go exploring the backwaters in bayou country.  I don't surf but I love being in the surf, letting it crash on me and tumble me every which way.

So the water is Satan's domain, and I love it?   Hmmm.  Well, that may be all you need to know about me...

Actually I recognized just about everything on the list, to some extent; a few things were new to me.  Yeah they got a lot of stuff skewed if not wrong, but I've sure seen worse.

[JLHPROF]

12 hours ago, bluebell said:

Yes, I heard the same.  Always in regards to missionaries (though it always came off as more myth than doctrine) and never for members in general.

It's a folk doctrine based on D&C 61.

D&C 61:4 Nevertheless, I suffered it that ye might bear record; behold, there are many dangers upon the waters, and more especially hereafter;
5 For I, the Lord, have decreed in mine anger many destructions upon the waters; yea, and especially upon these waters.
6 Nevertheless, all flesh is in mine hand, and he that is faithful among you shall not perish by the waters.

14 Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the waters; but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters.
15 Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters.
16 And it shall be said in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of Zion upon the waters, but he that is upright in heart.

18 And now I give unto you a commandment that what I say unto one I say unto all, that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters, that they come not in journeying upon them, lest their faith fail and they are caught in snares;
19 I, the Lord, have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree.

That revelation came after a vision:

"after we had encamped upon the bank of the river, at McIlwaine’s Bend, Brother Phelps, in open vision by daylight, saw the destroyer in his most horrible power, ride upon the face of the waters; others heard the noise, but saw not the vision" (History of the Church 1:202–3)

Edited October 19, 2022 by JLHPROF

[JLHPROF]

13 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

Life on the moon- hm 🤔

no wonder people think we are so odd. 

Even the article said "It has to be noted that there is no direct evidence, or directly attributable quotes to Smith discussing the concept of life on the moon".

The origin for that quote is third hand hearsay about 50 years after Joseph died.

[rpn]

11 hours ago, Peacefully said:

Has anyone heard this before? If so, do you know the origin? 
 

 

It's in the D&c, though it is not a "must" just a way to determine whether they are who they claim to be:  A resurrected person  all of them will be able to shake hands with mortals.   And spirits, know they won't be able to so won't agree to do so.   It is those who claim to be resurrected or someone who has been resurrected when they aren't that have to be Satan's minions.   Obviously anyone having this conversation would want to know which.

 

[BlueDreams]

10 hours ago, Peacefully said:

Thank you! I don’t remember reading this passage or hearing about it. Very interesting. I’ve never had someone come to me with a message from God, but it does seem kind of a strange way to know if they are legit. Is this still taught? Maybe this is common knowledge for most members and I just need to study the D&C more. 

FWIW, I knew about it from reading the section, but namely mark it off as one of the weirder passages from all the books that doesn’t hold much relevancy to me anyways since my angelic visitations have been pretty minimal. It could have also been specific advice that made more sense of JS and some others. But it’s by now means the only way people have “tested” the spirits/angels. Moses noted the difference by just the contrast in experience with being in the presence of God v the presence of Satan, for example. 
 

With luv, 

BD 

[jkwilliams]

12 hours ago, Rain said:

I heard that a lot about missionaries when I was on my mission, but never for members in general.

One P-day in my mission, our zone rented a bus to take us to the Tiwanaku ruins and Lake Titicaca. Part of the trip involved putting the bus on a ferry barge to cross maybe 1/2 mile of water. There were serious concerns that we were putting ourselves in peril because of Satan's control of the waters. 

[jkwilliams]

18 minutes ago, rpn said:

It's in the D&c, though it is not a "must" just a way to determine whether they are who they claim to be:  A resurrected person  all of them will be able to shake hands with mortals.   And spirits, know they won't be able to so won't agree to do so.   It is those who claim to be resurrected or someone who has been resurrected when they aren't that have to be Satan's minions.   Obviously anyone having this conversation would want to know which.

 

In the 1981 version of the triple combination, if you look up how to distinguish a spirit from a resurrected being (the hand-shaking thing), it took you to section 124 (IIRC) and a verse about getting together a committee to decide these things. When I worked for the church, we fixed this erroneous reference in the translator's edition of the triple.

[pogi]

This one amused me:

Quote

According to some studies, Mormons can identify other mormons by the texture of their skin. Supposedly, this is due to the fact that the fact that Mormons don’t indulge in caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes – as well as making other lifestyle choices – keeps their skin looking better than their non-Mormon counterparts.

So, who is funding these studies anyway?  The fact that it sounds like there are potentially multiple studies on this...weird!  Sounds like a good candidate for the ignoble award to me.  Highly questionable results if true.  

It is more likely that the Mormons are identified through other means...  Even without the instantly identifiable Mormon face, it's not hard to pick out some Mormons, and no we are not looking at the skin. 

Edited October 19, 2022 by pogi