----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 6:51
AM
Subject: [TruthTalk] Mormon Rituals
Is this right DAVEH and
Blaine?
This is a mixture of truth and what
appears to be deliberate misrepresentation--recall what I once said about
Satan's favorite trick--to pair truth with untruth? Since I am
not at liberty to discuss many of the details of what has been said, I suggest
you either join the LDS Church, go to a temple, and find out for yourselves,
or continue second-guessing as you have done heretofore...
(:>)
Blaine (see below
also) Mormon Rituals
Hi David,
Although I was raised Catholic, I did join
the LDS (Mormon) church in the mid-70's but left it in the late 70's after
looking deeply into the religion, beyond the surface, outward hype. Before I
left, I had been initiated (endowment) in the temple and had gone through the
ceremony several times after that. I also graduated from Brigham Young
University in 80, although I had left the church by that time.
The
temple ceremony includes oaths and you're told several ways in which 'god' may
"take your life" if you reveal the secrets of the temple. Each member at these
ceremonies repeats the hand gestures of god's potential wrath. These include
having your throat cut and disembowelment. The participant extends his/her
right arm with hand open and thumb extended, then move the extended thumb to
just below his/her left ear. Next, in one motion, the extended thumb is drawn
across the throat to the right ear "demonstrating how 'god' may take your life
if you reveal the first token of the Aaronic priesthood". There are 2 more
penalties, for the second token of the Aaronic priesthood and the first token
of the Melchizedek priesthood. No penalty is given for the second token of the
Melchizedek priesthood, but a warning of it's 'sacredness' is
given.
After the endowment ceremony, which includes anointing with oil
and the giving of a secret name (mine was Enoch, which I find very interesting
these days) when one goes through the first time, the initiate wears a one
piece underclothing called the garment. It has short sleeves, you step in
through the neck, and it goes down to the knees. There are symbols on the
garment, a compass and a square (one over each nipple of the chest), a small
(1/4") slit over the navel and another over the knee. This, you're told, is
your protection and all kinds of mythical rumors surround wearing these. This
is worn by both men and women.
In the Mormon temple wedding ceremony,
the man and the woman are joined "for time and eternity". The woman, during
the ceremony, must tell the man what her temple secret name is. He does not
tell her his. It is by this name, according to the Mormons, that the man will
resurrect her IF she's faithful. In Mormon heaven #1, men will have multiple
wives and create worlds. These wives will make spirit children and work in the
heavenly kitchens under their husband's direction (he is 'god' after all!). In
the endowment ceremony, the men sit on one side and the women sit on the other
side (of the room). The first oath is for the women to stand and take an oath
to obey their husbands. Next the men stand and take an oath to obey 'god'.
You'd love the film they show in the temple for this ceremony. It's of their
version of the creation, Adam & Eve who are visited by Satan and also by 3
apostles led by Peter. I'll never forget Satan looking at the audience while
the picture darkens except around his eyes. Satan says, "If these people don't
live up to the promises made here today, they'll be in my power." Quite
dramatic.
They DO use the bee both in temples (I've been to several
temples) and it is found at Brigham Young University as well. Also the state
police have the beehive on the doors of all their cars. Beehives/bees are
found on the doorknobs of temple doors in Salt Lake.
Blaine: I can discuss this part , so will show you what I meant
above. The writer means "Beehive." The only bee symbols I have
seen were on the old SL City baseball team called the Salt Lake Bees. (I
have lived in or near Salt Lake City for many years.)
The beehive symbolizes industry and activity, as beehives are busy
places. The beehive is used on the shoulder insignias of the Utah State
troopers, and I have seen it a few other places. It is not found in the
temples that I have ever seen., or on Mormon churches . The
word came from a group of people discussed in the Book of
Mormon, called Jaredites, who came from the Tower of Babel, and brought
honeybees with them to this continent, called the honeybees
"deseret," a word that has since come to signify the state of Utah--in
fact the word was once proposed to be the name of the state. Congress
would not approve it, and decided on "Utah" instead. This was
unintentionally a fulfillment of prophecy, for the word "Utah" means "Tops of
the Mountains." See Isaiah 2:2-- "And it shall come to pass in the last
days, the Mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains . . ." The "mountain of the Lord's
house" refers to a high place, or a place or revelation--The LDS Temple in
Salt Lake City, where the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve meet
weekly to receive revelation for the Church...
, Mormons will pale horrified if they've been through the
temple and you tell them what I told you in the second paragraph
above.
With warm regards,
Enigma
Blaine: This writing seems
laden with attempts to endear him/her/self to TTr's. I would say about
half is deliberately misleading, and even that which is accurate is written in
a sneery manner. I don't think this man/woman deserves the trust or
respect of TTr's.
