How the Mormon Church Now Explains the Translation of the Book of Mormon

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Don’t you think that anyone who is contemplating becoming Mormon should know everything before joining? I knew a woman at work years ago who left the Catholic Church to become Mormon. She admitted that she knew absolutely nothing about Mormon doctrine before joining. At the time, I didn’t know anything either, so I did some research and then presented the findings to her.

She looked horrified and sputtered out, “Why, that sounds demonic!” She had no idea this is what Mormons profess! I think these undercover videos are very valuable in exposing what they keep secret. If they want to proselytize people away from Christianity and into their organization, they need to be upfront with their beliefs. Keeping secrets is deception.

David Daleiden exposed Planned Parenthood’s selling of baby body parts in several undercover videos. Do you think that Planned Parenthood should have also been given the right to privacy?
 
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What planned parenthood was doing was illegal. They also operate on tax dollars and are responsible to account for the use of their money. I don’t see even a close comparison to what a private organization does in private and with the consent of those involved. If you want to view the temple videos online, and there are many, then be my guest. For me, those who take those videos have no class.
 
I totally agree that PP was doing something illegal. I’m just talking about a person’s need to be informed. If I hadn’t seen those PP videos, I would not have known that they were selling dead babies’ heads, etc. But with the Mormons, there is a kind of similarity. They are going to mostly Catholic countries and proselytizing people who have no idea what the LDS believe, because the missionaries don’t disclose these things. Look at my friend. If she had known up front what they believe, she would not have joined them. If these videos get them to be honest and forthright about their beliefs, all the better. Then you can make a truly informed decision before you sign on the dotted line.
 
It just boils down to one’s personal feelings. I have strong negative feelings towards the LDS church but they are a private organization and participation in their services is totally voluntary. They aren’t doing anything illegal. The temple is just strange is all. I believe strongly in the right to privacy and their right to privacy trumps my right to know what they do behind closed doors. As far as signing on the dotted line goes, if you’re not comfortable about the unknown then don’t do it. My wife took the missionary lessons and the temple was the issue that stopped her and I had nothing to do with it. But she’s a wise woman and sensitive to the Spirit and she knew the LDS church was not of God.
 
And yet, this is how the truth about their “secret ceremonies” is revealed to the public. I don’t know who recorded it. But the person must’ve been an insider. I wonder if that person is now an ex-Mormon?
 
Yes, the number of videos on YouTube about Mormon beliefs and their “secret ceremonies” is astounding.
 
TOmNossor said:
I have read volumes of such stories. I was not speaking of specific people with whom I have interacted, I was speaking in generalities concerning trends I have seen.
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The Mormon Stories website has many podcasts about Mormonism. I’ve listened to men and women talk about the pain they feel after they discover the Mormon Church is not true. It can be hard to listen to. A common Mormon Church response when they have questions about the Mormon Church is to claim they have already heard about it; just like you do here. Another common response to accuse them of sinning, never being serious (like you did), or wanting to sin. A common refrain from the interviewer is, it is almost impossible to leave Mormonism with your dignity intact.
TOmNossor said:
My experience of anti-Mormon and pro-Mormon arguments is that there are problems, but critics cannot explain the existence of the BOM and LDS can explain the problems well enough.
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Mormonism has changed its beliefs about the Book of Mormon, so they can still say it is true. There are Mormons now claiming it is an allegory so they can “feel” it is true. They are hungry for a way to stay Mormon, so they can avoid the ridicule and pain of leaving.
 
Well no doubt he’s at least a doubting Mormon. No faithful Mormon would film the endowment ceremony.
 
I can understand your feelings about this, but I’m glad those videos are out there because I think getting the truth out there is more important than protecting privacy in this case. I do, however, think that individual faces should be blurred out to protect personal privacy, but people need to know what they are getting into when they consider becoming a Mormon, and the only way to do that is to expose the secrets.
 
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Gertabelle said:
Does making these things public help draw people closer to God? Makes me wonder…
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That’s not the point. What it does is reveal the truth of what goes on in the temple. The videos should blur out specific individual faces for personal privacy, but it’s good that the temple ceremonies have been exposed. There shouldn’t be secret ceremonies to begin with, and prospective converts have the right to go in knowing what they are getting into.
 
Lemuel said:
All I am saying is that I hold out the POSSIBILITY that both the Mormon endowment ceremony and the Masonic ceremony, whatever you call it, may have come from the same source. Not likely, but possible.
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The freemason claim of Templar origin is nonsense.

That said, they were well established by the late 18th century. I really don’t see how Smith could have hit the same sources as were used more than a century earlier.

hawk
 
Any legitimate church that professes to possess the “Truth” would/should never keep it a secret. My criteria for a false religion:
  1. Has secret ceremonies
  2. Promises ‘nookie’ in heaven
  3. Will kill/persecute/shun you if you try to leave
Mormonism has the first two of these. I’m not sure about the third one.
 
BoomerangToo said:
Has secret ceremonies
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Uhm . . . the early Church ejected the non-baptized before the eucharistic. You can even see the remnants in many Eastern liturgies–this is why the deacon calls, “The doors!” at that point.

hawk
 
That’s not a secret! Everyone knows what they do, they just can’t participate. Closed communion is not the same as a secret ceremony.
 
BoomerangToo said:
Any legitimate church that professes to possess the “Truth” would/should never keep it a secret. My criteria for a false religion:
  1. Has secret ceremonies
  2. Promises ‘nookie’ in heaven
  3. Will kill/persecute/shun you if you try to leave
Mormonism has the first two of these. I’m not sure about the third one.
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Refusing to leave a member alone who wants to leave is a form of persecution. And they have a form of shunning alto they will deny it. (The Mormons on Amazon denied it and in later posts admitted it after another poster gave undeniable proof.)

So yes, they qualify under all 3 of your criteria.
 
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I remember being in what Mormons call “stake priesthood meeting.” One of the stake counselors was talking about going to the Celestial Kingdom (the highest degree of heavenly glory). He said that besides all of the wonderful things there, one of the best rewards of going to the Celestial Kingdom is that you get to have “incredible sex”. Everyone laughed, but he was serious. Mormons do believe in GREAT ‘nookie’ in heaven.

The secret ceremonies, we all know exist. They claim that they are not secret, but sacred. They say anyone can access the temple and learn all there is about it. Join the church, wait a year, pay 10% of your gross income, attend your meetings, have a testimony of the living prophets, don’t commit any major sin, etc., and you can get a recommend allowing you to go inside. And of course you can just lie to get the special card that lets you in, and that happens a lot.

Regarding criteria 3, I have never heard of the threat of killing anyone who tried to leave. I left and I have never been shunned or persecuted. I have had a lot of reaching out to me, often to the point of annoyance. Maybe that’s what Lily is referring to. It’s kind of funny, though . . . they might not want you to leave, but they have no problem kicking you to the curb if you admit to doing anything seriously wrong. I’ve known members who have been excommunicated for various things from adultery, abortion, racketeering, murder, sex change, embezzlement of church funds, and the really bad one . . . asking questions about the church’s history. Don’t question the church’s history. That falls under the category of apostasy. Apostates not only get cut off, but their family becomes suspect as well. The Emperor is naked and heaven help anyone who notices it.
 
BoomerangToo said:
That’s not a secret! Everyone knows what they do, they just can’t participate. Closed communion is not the same as a secret ceremony.
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“closed communion” is not communing those not of the church.

The early church would not allow the un-initiated to be in the church or to observe the consecration. Even today, “I will not reveal Your mysteries to Your enemies” remains in the eastern communion prayer.

hawk
 
dochawk said:
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BoomerangToo:
Has secret ceremonies
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Uhm . . . the early Church ejected the non-baptized before the eucharistic. You can even see the remnants in many Eastern liturgies–this is why the deacon calls, “The doors!” at that point.

hawk
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My understanding is, there was a protection going on of Christians, who suspected that not all converts had good intent. This during the time of the early Christian persecutions.

Also, the catechumens were taught then and now the Sacraments, including the Sacraments of inititiaion, before they were baptized.

LDS keep their temple ceremonies secret from everyone who has not been through their temples, including their own baptized members. Myself, as a Mormon teen, asked for more info about what goes on in Mormon temples and was told no one could tell me.

This has never been the way that catechumens are treated.

The ECF described the Sacraments in writing, including explaing them in writing to a pagan Roman Emperor. Try finding any LDS sourced teaching in writing that explain their temple ceremonies. They don’t exist.
 
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BoomerangToo said:
They used to be secret. But thanks to the miracle of hidden cameras:


There are videos all over YouTube for your enjoyment.
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How is posting this anything less that a violation of the Catholic Catechism?

CCC 2104 “All men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and his Church, and to embrace it and hold on to it as they come to know it." This duty derives from “the very dignity of the human person.” It does not contradict a “sincere respect” for different religions which frequently “reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men,” nor the requirement of charity, which urges Christians "to treat with love, prudence and patience those who are in error or ignorance with regard to the faith.”
 
Perhaps you should take that up with the person who shot the video. I was just answering a question. Mormon secrets are secret no more. Do these videos shock you? If LDS beliefs are of God, why are they a secret?
 
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