Hi Everyone,

The main issue that started my journey into the rabbit hole of discovering the true history of mormonism was my interest in the connection between the LDS temple and masonry. I have visited the Temple president in Denver, and have met with an emeritus general authority of the seventy, and tried to ask them questions about this connection. In both cases, the answer was "Stop looking at this material and pray about it". I came away from both meetings feeling treated like a child, and felt that my questions were not even really entertained.

Since I couldn't get any answers from the direct lines of authority in the LDS church, I have been looking for them in books and the internet. Just to clarify. I have read most of the material on FAIR and MormonThink on the subject, as well as William Morgans 1800s expose on freemasonry, and David John Buerger's book "Mysteries of Godliness". At this point you may be wondering.. "What other proof do you need?". I guess I'm just trying to make sure I've heard every perspective that has been published as to how the LDS temple ceremonies and freemasonry can coexist without the former being tossed out as an obvious plagiarism?

I have read the appendix in Matthew B. Brown's previous book "The Gate of Heaven" in which he addresses freemasonry, but have considered reading his new book to get a deeper perspective of this issue from a TBM standpoint. Has anyone read it? Do you have any thoughts?

Hi movingon29. Great research you are doing. I haven't read the specific books you are talking about, but I do have a comment. You are surprised that Mormons just don't rise up and say, "Throw the bums out- that ceremony is stolen!"

The usual apologetic answer, which you may have already encountered is, "God says the same thing to sincere seekers at any age and time." Of course this contradicts their other pronouncements that God changes according to the times and the modern prophet is the only one who "counts," but let's leave that for the time being.

The great mythologies of the human race are present in religions all over the world. They have been shared, not stolen. Each group or religion attributes the same qualities to their "unique" diety, and some claim competing dieties represent Satan, etc. All over the world.

Recently I have been viewing the Mahabarata on television. This is one of several Hindu holy books. I am on episode 15 of 30. There have been 4 virgin births so far, complete with virgins pleading, "But Lord, how can I conceive when I am a virgin and unsullied" and they were overcome by a ray of power from the God and bingo, baby in their lap. The gods can be identified by their ability to walk on water. The parents of Krishna were freed from prison by their chains falling away and the guards falling asleep as they walked out of the prison to switch their baby boy for a girl baby so the evil king wouldn't kill him.

The enraged king ordered all the male infants the same age in the land killed and a special messenger went around poisoning their milk. A demon grabbed the baby Krishna and tried to harm him, but was unable. Deer, cows and other animals recognized Krishna and gathered. Even fish. He had the power to command the elements of wind, water and when something momentous happened, there was thunder and lightening in the sky.

You get the idea. The Christian Jesus story represents the same mythology as the Hindu story. How did that happen? Well, we see mythology being developed under our very noses. Spencer W. Kimball decided to free the slaves--oops, I mean, give the blacks the priesthood because there were more than 50 civil rights lawsuits pending against the church. He refused to allow them (the church GA's) to call this change a "revelation." He made them call it an "announcement" and my triple combination has the announcement page right in it.

After his death, the story of a revelation in the temple came out. Details were added by "witnesses." Ten years later, the revelation is being touted as proof that God changes his mind and how this is why we need modern revelation and a prophet for our time. Ten years in the future, we will have prophecies uncovered written in journals, that predict this revelation would come "in the latter days." More details will be added and there you have it. A book coming out "Modern Day Miracles of Communication with God."

Good luck with your research. It is an interesting area. Search on this board for "blood" with "garments" and you'll see some historical information about the early transfers of the Mason cutting of the symbols into the skin and the refusal of Emma Smith to go along with having her breast cut, hence the symbols on the garments were born.

Best

ANagrammy

Ziller has not read that book – but here is a link to a paper (dated 1962) concerning the Mormon / Masonic connection from a Masonic perspective:

http://www.masonicmoroni.com/Philalethes/masonry_in_mormonism.htm

ziller

My tabular summary of similarities between the LDS endowment and the Masonic rituals of the 1820s, at http://packham.n4m.org/mason-endow.htm