Oct 24, 2012
Hidden camera footage of Mormon temple rituals
An odd mix of creepy and boring…
(via meme meme)
* * * * *
© 2013 Abuyo. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy
Oct 24, 2012
An odd mix of creepy and boring…
(via meme meme)
* * * * *
Please remove this crap ASAP. I love your site/page, but this is a bunch of half truths and out-of-context BS.
Can you explain what is out of context for those of us who are interested?
I would.. but, honestly there is SOOOO much I would need to write a book. Ask an active Mormon friend.
Try.
Ok.. here are some tid-bits and the last I’ll post on this
The Trinity-
It’s no secret that we believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and The Holy Ghost. One of the main reasons that many Christians believe contrary is due to the Athanasian Creed which was an agreement by a group of MEN that the three are one.
Elohim- It’s a Hebrew name for “God”… ohes noes!
“God from another planet” – Um.. all Christians believe that God created THIS planet, so.. He came from somewhere, or nowhere… but He is, obviously, not from THIS planet… common sense people…
Baptism for the Dead-
We believe, as most Christians, that you must be baptized to get to Heaven. So, we do baptize in proxy. WE ALSO BELIEVE that those that the baptisms are performed for CHOOSE whether or not to ACCEPT it or not. We don’t believe that we are “turning them Mormon” against their will AND it IS done with family permission… that’s where the names come from.. their families… We are just performing the ordnance that Jesus taught must be done to get to Heaven. The “kids are taken to the basement” crap really made me LOL. Baptism by immersion is symbolic of being buried (in the ground) and risen again. Hence, the top of the font being at ground level… AKA “the scary basement!” The Oxen are symbolic also. There are 12 and symbolize the 12 tribes of Israel ect.. ect.
ALL of it! Mormons believe exactly the same as any other Christian based religion. They believe in ONE God, that Jesus is the Son of God and they believe in the Trinity.
I have no idea where they got all that nonsense, but it has NOTHING to do with the Mormon faith. I didn’t find a single true statement or representation in the entire film.
Are you kidding? How about the Book of Mormon? Mormons and non-Mormon Christians believe it “exactly the same”? Really?
This is the genuine article. I was a Mormon for 30 years and worked in the Temple for 10 years as a member of staff. This is 100% real. Well done to Newnamenoah who had the courage to film the hidden secrets of Mormonism.
“out of context”
You keep using those words…. I do not think they mean what you think they mean..
I do… as you can see in my explanation of only a few of the “half truths and out-of-context BS”
But you don’t actually. The only piece that is factual in your correction is that Elohim is Hebrew for god, and when used in the context of the scriptures it refers to the ONE true God.
1. You don’t believe in the trinity. Atleast not any Christian sense of the Trinity. They are one God, not three separate God’s. That is not Christianity.
2. We do believe that God made this world, but not that he came from some other world and lives on another planet currently. He exists outside of the need for a physical location. Again, you are twisting words to make a point, but it fails miserably when actual research is done.
3. Baptism for the dead is one of the craziest most ridiculous things ever. There is no resemblance to anything remotely Christian in the practice. There is no reference or model or a proxy baptism anywhere in the New Testament. It is a sinister practice that only gives hope to those still living, as it has no effect on those who are dead.
1. It’s no secret that we believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and The Holy Ghost. One of the main reasons that many Christians believe contrary is due to the Athanasian Creed which was an agreement by a group of MEN that the three are one. Christ referenced His Father in Heaven multiple times in the New Testament. He also prayed to His Father (or himself, I suppose if you believe they are the same person) on multiple occasions. As far as the references that they are “one” we believe they are one in purpose. If you read any of those reference with that understanding, they make perfect sense. Give John 17 a good read. Jesus is either praying to Himself about wanting the people to be the same person, or He is praying to God the Father (a different person) and saying that the people should be one in purpose as They are.
2. I’ve posted about this soooo many times. Just read my comments.
3. “29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” 1 Corinthians 15. Read the entire chapter for context. Paul uses baptism for the dead to make a point about how resurrection is a real thing. He says it as if it’s common knowledge and common practice. He doesn’t seem to think it’s “one of the craziest most ridiculous things ever.” If you believe that baptism is required to get to heaven, as it says in multiple places in the New Testament, then it’s hard to believe that people don’t believe in baptism for the dead.
Stephen the word you are misusing is ‘Context’… nothing is out of context in the video in point of fact they went to great lengths to add the context in the comments below each scene.
Unless of course the context you are referring to is that of being one of the ‘faithful’ who doesn’t have a critical eye towards the actions that they are taking in the name of the church for fear of censure and exile by their family and loved ones in the name of conformity.
I’ll back Stephen up on this one.
This is SACRED not SECRET. I request that you remove thi post
freedom of speech Nora..request denied
Just because we have the freedom of speech doesn’t mean we don’t have the ability to exercise restraint. Note the word “request” in Nora’s post. I find this offensive. I don’t think there’s really anything to hide except that it’s something really special for me portrayed in a vulgar, non-contemplative light. We’re asking for sensitivity and kindness, not to control you.
I have been coming to this sight for a few years to view interstig, insightful ,fun and thought provoking posts. This post is distastful and offensive. Please, out of respect for people of this faith, remove it.
why is it disrespectful? (i am not trying to pick a fight)
zachl,
Thank you for your question. It’s disrespectful because these rituals are sacred to us. You have to be a committed member to even participate in them. The person who filmed these either lied through the interview process, or was committed at one time, but then lost faith and decided to “expose” us. This isn’t the first time cameras have been inside the temple, nor will it be the last, but it’s not respectful to take things that we consider sacred and share them across the internet, especially with text that seems to be committed to making us sound crazy/cultish. As far as seeing shocking things… everything from the temple ceremony is symbolic, and taken from the scriptures. You won’t see anything too bizarre; no public nudity, no dancing around an altar, no blood sacrifices. In fact, I’ve heard that it’s fairly similar to what happens at a Masonic temple ceremony. But there are sacred parts to most religions, and to see some very personal parts taken apart and publicly desecrated is pretty painful. I understand freedom of speech, but this is an invasion of privacy.
Thanks for taking the time to ask :-)
i wonder what this guy did to get such access.
I find it amusing that four out of the first six comments on this video are all “We’re Mormons! Remove this! We can’t say why, just do it!”
As a Catholic, I find this ass-blastingly hilarious.
We do clarify why. It’s much like someone taking one of the images from a cathedral and picking them apart and calling them tacky and meaningless. I am as offended by disrespectful portrayals of others’ faith as I am by disrespectful portrayals of my own faith.
Five bucks says everyone’s getting upset because of Romney, not because of any real concern over this being disrespectful.
And five bucks says that the only reason everyone else is saying to leave it up–and that the reason it was posted in the first place–is to take a jab at Romney and his supporters.
You understand that not everything revolves around which corporate sponsored leader is going to be in power next year, right?
*”like” button pushed here*
Uh, look at the comment histories of a bunch of the “leave it up!” posters. They’re Romney supporters. They just ALSO happen to believe that anything that isn’t Southern Baptist is satanic lies.
I’ll send you my pay-pall info to receive the $5. :-)
My name is Barack Obama and I approve this video.
if it is true I think it should stay
I’ve always enjoyed this website but this is even too much for me. If people find this ‘ comical’ or entertaining it’s just more proof people in the world today are losing respect for others and have no morals.
Five bucks says Garrett knows nothing about how Mormonism came to be and would probably feel a little stupid for defending it if he did.
Dear Inky,
We are not stupid. Stop hating.
Sincerely,
People who deserve respect
Wow. Kinda creepy. I watched a documentary a while ago about Fundamentalist Mormons. It showed a bunch of people who had grown up in it. It was so heartbreaking. Like the video said, polygamy is still practiced and girls as young as 16 are married off to older men. Here’s the link in case anyone would like to see it: http://youtu.be/FR1gKJHtl8s
THESE ARE NOT LDS PEOPLE IN ANY WAY. It’s like pointing to the Crusades and saying all Christians are warmongering killers.
Oh, I know. I am guessing the Mormons in this video our Mainstream. Mainstream Mormons are different from the Funndamentalists. Since the topic of Mormons up, I thought people might like to learn about the Fundamentalists :)
Learn more about the Crusades and the way Europe as a whole embraced them and the crusaders before you make historical comparisons. Also, if the Mountain Meadow Massacre was in my church history, I wouldn’t use the term “warmongering killers”
Ever watched a doco about fundamentalist muslims?
Fundamentalist Mormons, Fundamentalist Baptists, Fundamentalist Jews, Fundamentalist Muslims…. you could watch a documentary on ANY of them and come away with the entirely justified reaction of “those people are NUTS”.
Hint: It’s not the religious choice that matters, it’s the “fundamentalist” part.
Thanks for posting this. I don’t really have a problem with Mormonism. I was raised as Catholic, and we all know Catholics have weird rituals, too.
I am no longer religious, but I still find modern religion fascinating. I guess I view religion anthropologically, or through the lens of sociology? Whatever it is, I can’t get enough of it. Humans are weird and fascinating.
This is the creepiest thing I have ever seen. So ridiculous. Who ever made up this man-made religion was an idiot!! This belongs to the SY Fy channel.
Redundant statement all religions are (hu)man made.
Personally I like to believe if there truly was a higher powered being in control of everything they would have enough self confidence not to be upset over things like this.
This was about as tasteful as posting a child’s autopsy online without the familys consent.
That is a ridiculous comparison.
You discount how strongly we feel about this. To be really honest, the whole thing in general symbolizes God’s love for us and what Jesus Christ has done for us, and the process of getting back to Him. That’s why this hurts.
Wow, really?
Now *that* is creepy. I believe Jenny here wins the prize for the most outlandish, icky simile ever.
Watch out Abraham, if mormons attack an embassy abroad, the entire government will blame it on you.
This comment needs more attention.
Abraham, if you come across any secret videos from Baptists, feel free to post them. Free Speech exists to protect speech we don’t like, not speech we do.
Secret videos of Baptists? If you know anything about Baptists, we’re not secret at all. Our only secret is using the drive through at the liquor store, while the methodists and catholics can freely walk in and out.
I’m a Baptist, so I know all about our “secrets”! I’m envious, they get to peruse the store, we have to choose from what we can see in the window!
Hahahaha! I was raised in a Baptist church, and this is hilarious! So true!
Bwahahahahahahaha!
I’d really like to see a video of snake handling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUdc5h10zTo
Baptists don’t have any secrets. It’s the secrecy, in part, that makes Mormonism creepy.
Agreed
And cultish. Cults keep secret rituals for members only. You can walk into any Baptist, Methodist, Catholic or Jewish house of worship and view the process. Cults keep you out.
EXACTLY. If they believe these things so strongly, what do they have to hide?
It’s called respect. We want things respected and to know that people are sincere and won’t ridicule it because it is very special. “Sacred” is the operating word here. Please don’t generalize and call every member of the LDS Church creepy and cult-like. There are actually wonderful things in this world that take longer than a Youtube video to understand.
This is fratty. FAF (you know what i’m talkin bout)
REMOVE THIS. THIS IS SACRED TO SO MANY PEOPLE. THIS IS AN ENTERTAINMENT SITE NOT AN ANTI RELIGION SITE, I PROMISE I WONT BE BACK IF YOU DON’T REMOVE THIS.
Says someone who probably hasn’t been here before.
LOL
Abraham! He promised! Keep the video up!
Stop being intolerant.
Nice knowing you mckay :)
I think it is a good thing to get these videos out, and while they may be offensive to Mormons, I do not think they are offensive to believers in general.
The difference I feel is that Christianity has nothing to hide—there are no secret doctrines that are harmful and you don’t discover until you have been in the church for years or decades. I think it is great that we live in this age where “you can’t stop the signal” and all hidden information will come out in the end because Christianity has nothing to hide.
On the other hand, I truly think Mormonism is very harmful because the whole thing is built on this bait and switch and I would much prefer these secret beliefs be outed so that anyone who is truly interested in their religion has a fair opportunity to see what they truly believe before they get into it.
The Mormons can claim to be disrespected by this, but I think in actuality they are just ashamed of their beliefs about becoming gods and plural marriages and spirit babies, etc. They need to be honest and openly embrace what they actually believe just like Christianity and not try to hide what they believe like Scientology does with all the Lord Xenu stuff.
Right on!
Oh… Robb, You poor thing. Christianity is nothing but secrets and lies. You just pick and choose which ones you choose to believe and accept as fact. Then, you toss out the rest as a “story” or some such nonsense, or you don’t even know such information exists!
Many Christians never actually read the bible, they skim it, if that. It’s more likely, they’re given reading material and follow it. Or are taught children’s versions and feel they know the bible already. After all, how does one justify the rampant slavery, genocide, and human sacrifice, and contradiction in the bible?
Just because the information is available doesn’t mean people are given it by those that should be their teachers and guides. I think if you’re Religious, you should be able to defend your religions short comings, but Christianity fails to do so because so many of it’s followers are simply uneducated in the actual stories of the bible. I’m not even touching science vs religion here. Christians are hidden from their own religion’s holy books teachings, just as the “average” Mormon is blind to the secret practices of the higher ups.
Rampant slavery? Yes, slavery has been very common throughout history. The Mosaic code provided a series of limitations on how a slave could be treated, and prescribed conditions under which the slave had to be freed, including for harsh treatment.
Genocide? If you understood the nature of Ancient Near Eastern hyperbolic language, you’d know that the “genocide” village atheists accuse the Hebrews of never happened.
Human Sacrifice? Yes, the Bible describes the religious practises of those who rebelled against God and condemned them for it. The one occasion that a professed follower of God may have also done so is in the context of a book where, “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”
Contradiction? Even if a real contradiction was found (instead of being the result of pulling two separate writers out of context which is the usual way contradictions are created) it wouldn’t be a problem given that we have similar problems with secular histories. Go grab two biographies of Abraham Lincoln and see how many apparent contradictions you can find if you read them in a woodenly literal and uncharitable way.
If your first paragraph is a reference to the later (as in centuries later) pseudographical gospels, then you should go read them to find out why they weren’t accepted by any generation of Christians.
That some Christians are ignorant of the historical and social context of the Bible does not mean all are. As easily demonstrated here, internet atheists are equally illiterate.
Well done.
you are talking rubbish robb all people have a chance to investigate the lds church and after if they want they make up there own mind to be come a member or not
Bigot. YOU DON’T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND WHAT I BELIEVE. I don’t pretend to know you, so why do you think you know who I am and have a right to judge me?
It’s certainly curious, comical and crazy.
I find this super interesting, actually. Great post!
this is so inappropriate. when do we decide to let people worship how they believe. these people hold sacred what they practice. please remove this now.
Am I the only one who thought about Unitologists while watching this? Haha.
Creepy, but not boring. It is very interesting to see what the Mormon cult is like on the inside.
Thank you for posting this, Abraham.
To Stephen: You didn’t deny what was shown, you confirmed it. You argued for God’s residence on another planet, you argued for the baptism for the dead, etc. That’s fine–that’s what you believe, you should argue for it–but that’s also exactly what the video was showing. It was allowing your church to speak for itself on these things without allowing your church leadership to filter it in the way that they think will best appeal to those outside the church.
To Nora, Emily, Jenny, McKay, and other offended Mormons: This is like posting a video of a day-in-the-life of a soldier, or a video of what life is like in the Peace Corps. Mormon missionaries are actively recruiting folks for the Mormon church, and those recruits are not being told what such a commitment involves. This is deceptive, and it’s sad. If Mormonism is true, it can stand up to scrutiny.
To Zachl: The person who made the video stated in a comment that he/she is an ex-Mormon who was given access by a friend at the “recommend table.” I’m not sure what that is or if that claim makes sense, but it was his/her answer to the question as to how they gained access.
“You argued for God’s residence on another planet” – no I showed how absurd it is to point that out because, unless you have no common sense, every Christian believes it. (if this confuses you, scroll up)
“but that’s also exactly what the video was showing. It was allowing your church to speak for itself on these things without allowing your church leadership to filter it in the way that they think will best appeal to those outside the church.” – no, it’s a video of actual things overlaid with inaccurate and out-of-context half-truths.
If someone were to make a video LIKE THIS ONE about what “Christians believe” they’d show a video of Christ’s resurrection and say “Christians believe in a demigod that is now a zombie that will save them from their sins!” It sounds ridiculous and it’s exactly what’s been done here.
It doesn’t confuse me; I just disagree with you. Protestant & Catholic Christians do not believe that God lives on another planet. Protestant and Catholic Christians believe God exists, that he is and always has been, and that his existence is independent of (or it transcends) all created things. At a few points in the New Testament–John 1, Hebrews 1-2–the authors state that if something exists, God created it.
Mormons don’t believe He lives on another planet either… that has been my point. I don’t know how I can be any clearer. The video is basically saying that Mormons believe God is from a different planet because they don’t believe He is from This planet. Just like you just explained about Protestant and Catholic Christians. Perhaps you should scroll up like I suggested and read my original comment on it (It’s the big post).
I’ll happily accept that you mean what you say in this post. What is Kolob, and what did Joseph Smith mean when he made mention of it in the Book of Abraham? What does the LDS hymn, “If You Could Hie to Kolob” mean in referencing this place?
Also, what does it mean, in the first verse, in referring to “Gods”?
Quote: If you could hie to Kolob In the twinkling of an eye,
And then continue onward With that same speed to fly,
Do you think that you could ever, Through all eternity,
Find out the generation Where Gods began to be?
Dan, replying to my own because this forum only allows replies so deep.
Everything Kolob: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/abr/3?lang=eng
All we know is that Kolob is “set nigh unto the throne of God.” Whether it is in this dimension, somewhere in the galaxy as we know it, or the the universe.. who knows, I guess it COULD be a planet or a star or something. It’s a point of reference that God tells Abraham about.
As far as the Hymn goes and reference to “Gods” as I’ve stated before about the nature of the Godhead (the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost). If Kolob is the closest to the throne of God (again, whatever/wherever that is), then it only stands to reason that is where they “began to be”
This is such an old song. Many people were obsessed at the time when the book of Abraham was translated and released with Kolob. This song in it’s entirety goes on and on and on about the eternal nature of things. If it were written in main-stream Christian terms it would be like a song going on and on about the eternal and explainable nature of God (which many here have mentioned) and Heaven.
Thank you for the helpful response, Stephen!
I suppose two core points of difference between us would be the understanding of the Godhead as three individuals, and as having a point in time when they “began to be.” Traditional Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish doctrine holds that God has no temporal beginning.
I just don’t think this is very respectful. Its not a secret thing, but it is sacred, and the person who created the video did it in order to tear down other people’s beliefs.
Sure, it’s sacred, but it kind of also is secret. These temple ceremonies are not publicized, or open to public consideration. If someone was considering converting to Mormonism, they would be allowed in the Visitor’s Center, but not in a Temple service. If someone was considering becoming Pentecostal, or joining a Methodist church, or if someone was considering converting to Judaism or Islam, they could easily visit their services any time. The members are not forbidden from talking about these services or what takes place in their sacred practices (communion, baptism, bar mitzvah, Ramadan, etc).
I Used to love your site, until today. I don’t think you realize that how cruel you are being to people who have a different belief system than you. The people who made this video are a hate group, how can you support them. These people are worshiping how they want. For you to post, them to make fun and be cruel is horrible. As you can see this post has gotten more comments than any other video you have posted, it is because you are perpetuating abuse and mistreatment of a certain religion. Uncalled for on a site where I come for entertainment. I will be unliking you on facebook so I not longer get your posts and asks that all who feel the same way as I do, do so was well.
Overreaction much? This video is either true or false, but it is NOT making fun of anyone. I don’t see how Abraham is being cruel or how he is supporting a hate group by posting this to start a discussion. Also, you must be new to the site because I can think of a handful of other posts that have gotten 100s of comments, this post doesn’t even have 50 yet so no he is not “perpetuating abuse”. Nobody is being mistreated so please, calm down and come back and join the discussion.
As a woman who grew up Catholic, I find it fascinating to learn about other religions and practices. This video only makes me more curious to learn more about the practices of this religion, other than knowing about the sacred undergarments the followers wear. I enjoy learning about other religions and do not understand how anyone can get their “undergarments into a ball” when others just want to learn more, understand more and who knows – maybe you’ll gather a new follower into your religion. People are curious; we all want to know how things work, what makes the world go around and what others think. I thank you for posting this and I look forward to more interesting videos on religion, politics, art and kitty cats.
“If Mormonism is true, it can stand up to scrutiny.”
Noone likes being scrutinized. Especially about things that are precious and beloved and sacred to them.
But just because we don’t like it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t happen. It is important, for those in and outside of whatever community (religious or otherwise) to examine and, yes, scrutinize, with a critical eye, in order to further understand and communicate about that community.
I’m not saying this is a kind video. It’s bias is clear. But it still has value. If these are real things that happen, and there’s nothing really wrong or crazy about them, then they can stand up to scrutiny. Even if it makes people uncomfortable.
Whoever likened the Mormons who have flooded 22 Words because of this video to Scientologists has it right on the money. Now all we need are some legal threats.
These are things very close and very sacred to people of the LDS faith, and it’s highly disrespectful to publish them with these misconstrued explanations. Please take down the post.
This whole “secret” vs “sacred” distinction is something Mormons are taught to respond with when a member of the public asks too many questions about the temple rituals. All of you bringing up that these things are sacred are outing yourselves as Mormons even if you don’t explicitly say so.
A-ha! Thanks for that tidbit of information RJ. The comments were a bit too organized and lockstep for all these disparate people to be coming up with the same terminology on their own – I had an inkling the responses were an institutional thing.
LOL… no it’s because all Mormons have to deal with this same crap all of the time. After time and time again of people calling something that you hold sacred “secret” in order to defame it, you get to the point that explaining it is pointless. The whole “don’t cast your pearls before swine” idea.
You don’t understand the difference between those words I think….
I’m pagan. I’ve been pagan for YEARS. My rituals and practices are completely sacred to me, but they are not secrets. The only thing in my religion that is even remotely secret is my Book of Shadows. The only reason it is secret is that it is more than my Spells, Rituals, Recipes, and Workings in the craft, it is my personal, emotional, magical, and religious journal and diary. And even then, the information there in is not secret because it is information I have gathered from other sources. It is not a text given to me, it is one I’ve created through learning about my path.
I have no qualms with sharing my rituals, even as sacred to my as they are. You’re argument is not only invalid, but it’s condescending to everyone around you, Mormon or otherwise. “Pearls before swine”? I think you’re misinterpreting that saying. Unless, that is, you consider everyone outside of, and even of low rank in your religion to be lower than pigs. Your rituals are nothing but HOW you practice your religion. Your ‘pearls’, Stephen, are the words and feelings you share with your god.
First of all, we Christians do not believe God lives on another planet. He occupies and entirely different dimension which is why can exist outside of time and space and the four dimensions we exist in AND was able to create our world. Also, most Christians DO NOT believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. (Not even technically) Catholics. All that is required for salvation is belief, period. No ceremonies, nothing else. We disagree a little about what happens before and after that, but we all pretty much agree on that. You are extremely misinformed about Christian beliefs, sir. I can’t believe no one else here addressed these blatant misconceptions about Christianity.
“First of all, we Christians do not believe God lives on another planet.”
I didn’t say Christians do. I said that Christians can’t believe that God is from THIS planet if he created it.
“He occupies and entirely different dimension which is why can exist outside of time and space and the four dimensions we exist in AND was able to create our world.” That’s basically what Mormons believe.. do you realize how ridiculous this sounds? Where is this dimension? Is it Heaven? Is Heaven a planet? See, this is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. I could quote this statement and say “Christians believe God is from another dimension”
“Also, most Christians DO NOT believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. (Not even technically)” – “most” which means some DO..
“All that is required for salvation is belief, period. No ceremonies, nothing else. We disagree a little about what happens before and after that, but we all pretty much agree on that. You are extremely misinformed about Christian beliefs, sir.”
You don’t know me. I am quite versed on Christianity and the history of Christianity and how many of the beliefs you just mentioned have changed through time while, at the same time, not believing prophets exist (how does that make sense?)
“I can’t believe no one else here addressed these blatant misconceptions about Christianity.”
Perhaps because this is exactly the problem that Mormons have with this video… “these blatant misconceptions about”… Mormons
Yes, some people do believe baptism is a requirement, but they are wrong. The Bible does not teach that. Stephen, you believe in a whole other god. You believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers. That is not in the Bible. Mormons believe we can become gods. That is not in the Bible. Like the video said, Mormons don’t believe God is all-knowing, but He is! He is all-knowing and is sovereign over everything. All these rituals and passwords and secrets are pointless. I do not mean to be rude and don’t want to bash you, but I do hope you will read this and consider it. Have you read the any of the Gospels? John is an amazing book, if you don’t own a Bible you can read it online at Bible Gateway.com
“Yes, some people do believe baptism is a requirement, but they are wrong. The Bible does not teach that. Stephen”- John 3 particularly verse 5. If some people don’t believe in that scripture, that is up to them. But Mormons, and other Christian sects do.
“you believe in a whole other god.”- I like how you can tell me what I believe. I believe the the same God just as it is perfectly acceptable to say that ANY Christian sect (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, ect, ect,) does, yet believe differently enough to have the different sects in the first place.
“You believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.”
Well, we believe that we are ALL brothers and sisters (yes, including Jesus and Lucifer before he fell) and that God the Father created us all. We believe that there was a war in Heaven because Lucifer was against the plan put forth by Jesus and fell and became Satan (as referenced in Rev. 12). And before anyone says it, no, we don’t believe that God created evil, just like we don’t believe God created the evil (murderers, ect.)that we see every day. It’s a choice just like everything else.
“Mormons believe we can become gods.” – We believe that the purpose of this life is to learn and become more like our Father in Heaven.
“Like the video said, Mormons don’t believe God is all-knowing, but He is!” That’s a lie.. we DO believe that God is all-knowing.
” All these rituals and passwords and secrets are pointless.” Perhaps to you, but they are sacred to me.
“Have you read the any of the Gospels?” LOL yes, of course! Mormons believe that the Bible is the word of God. No offense, but this statement alone shows that you have no idea what Mormons believe. It sounds like you only know what you’ve been told by people preaching against Mormons.
I’m not a Mormon, but my friend is a Mormon. So, in his defense, Mormon’s ARE considered Christians. Furthermore, there are many different types of Christians, each with their own beliefs. Baptists, Mormons, Lutherans, etc. Personally, I have a lot of my OWN beliefs that I may not share with a person of my same faith (I’m a Baptist… I think), such as having really strict guidelines for how I dress. You could say I have a religion all my own falling under the category of Christianity. As long as I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and I accept his sacrifice, I know I’m a Christian, and I will go to heaven. It’s very simple.
“As long as I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and I accept his sacrifice, I know I’m a Christian, and I will go to heaven. It’s very simple.” What if it is a different Jesus? The Mormon Jesus is a created bean. He is the firstborn of the Spirit Children of Elohim. Compared to the Christian Jesus who is God, and is eternal. So, they are not the same. Moreover, Mormons deny all the core Christian Doctrines. Here is a comparison: “http://carm.org/comparison-between-christian-doctrine-and-mormon-doctrine”
“What if it is a different Jesus?”
-It’s not, we BELIEVE we have a better understanding of who Jesus is. Besides, it’s not up to you to decide what other people believe. What if I were the one claiming that YOU don’t believe in the real Jesus? How would I know? What if you just have a different understanding of Him than I do?
“The Mormon Jesus is a created bean(being?)… Compared to the Christian Jesus who is God, and is eternal.” – It’s no secret that we believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and The Holy Ghost. One of the main reasons that many Christians believe contrary is due to the Athanasian Creed which was an agreement by a group of MEN that the three are one. Christ referenced His Father in Heaven multiple times in the New Testament. He also prayed to His Father (or himself, I suppose if you believe they are the same person) on multiple occasions. As far as the references that they are “one” we believe they are one in purpose. If you read any of those reference with that understanding, they make perfect sense. Give John 17 a good read. Jesus is either praying to Himself about wanting the people to be the same person, or He is praying to God the Father (a different person) and saying that the people should be one in purpose as they are.
“He is the firstborn of the Spirit Children of Elohim.” – Elohim is a Hebrew word for God. So.. yes, we believe that Jesus was the first “born” (whatever that means in a spiritual sense, we don’t claim to know) aka created.
As far as that website goes, some are true, some are out-of-context, some are twists, some are theory and NOT doctrine.
I feel guilty for just watching this. I shouldn’t have. So many people have asked you to take it down but you leave it up. You used to be one of my favorite pages. But now you’ve lost all my respect. How wrong of you to do this to innocent people who just happen to be wonderful human beings and are there for people of all walks of life!! Not just people from the church. Shame on you.
The Mormons have spoken! MISTER ABRAHAM! TEAR DOWN THIS VIDEO!
Wait, what? The Mormons demand and therefore it must be? F that noise. The internets do not belong to you.
Wow – these comments are as creepy as the footage. Thanks for sharing the video, Abraham.
I’m also disappointed to see that you have posted and left this up. As many people have said, these things are sacred. Would you tear off a Muslim woman’s hijab and post pictures of her “secret” hair? I am sad that Mormons to not garner the same respect in your eyes. I will not be visiting your site anymore.
“Oh EM GEE someone on the internet offended me even though I thought they were ‘safe’ and they made fun of my religion and twisted it’s tenets. I’m going to stomp my foot and leave, but only after commenting and checking back to see if anyone replied!”
lol
Since some people seem to be skirting around it, I’ll be up front. I’m LDS, aka Mormon, and very proud of that fact. I served a full-time mission preaching what we believe, and I have gone through the temple many times. I know that our rights to free speech/free press, and all the other freedoms we have in this country are what make it such a beautiful place. I don’t know why this video was posted, but I do know that to me, what was shown is something very special. While you have every right to post it, I would like to say that the text was very bias and doesn’t give the whole truth. I know people might pick my post apart, so I’m just going to end with an invitation to all those who would truly like to learn more about what they’ve seen. You are more than welcome to go to mormon.org and talk with LDS missionaries. They can answer any question you may have and if they don’t know the answer, they will do all they can to get it for you.
Hi Roxanne–thank you for your comment. I understand the text in the video was written by someone who does not believe the Mormon doctrines. I don’t know if that constitutes bias any more than if it had been written by someone who does believe these doctrines. In any case, if you don’t mind clarifying what was untrue about the text on the video, that would be helpful for the discussion. In my experience, the LDS missionaries on mormon.org have not been very forthcoming, and a few times, they have outright contradicted each other about what the church believes about God, Christ, and salvation.
Dan-I’m going to start out by saying once again that these things are sacred to me, so if I feel that the answer to what you’re asking is too spiritual, I’m going to decline answering. Please don’t take offence to that, nor assume I’m hiding something I’m not. Being a member of this faith my entire life, I personally don’t realize what people not of my faith don’t understand because I’ve grown up in it. Words and phrases like “priesthood” and “baptisms for the dead” are things I’ve heard in my home since childhood. Because of that, I’d ask you to explain specifically what you don’t understand. Like I said, I would love to clarify, and will as much as I personally can, seeing as I don’t know everything, nor feel this the domain in which to share everything. I would hope that other members of the LDS faith, seeing as there seem to be many on here, would help me in answering any questions. Before answering though, I also want to clarify that I am not speaking for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Sorry if I seem to repeating myself, I just want to be very clear. :) So please, tell me which parts you didn’t understand and I’ll see if I can point out the parts that were un-true or not whole truths.
This is said in all kindness (because typing just isn’t the same as voice tone), but I just have no idea why something can be “too spiritual”, so you can’t answer it … and if something in the video is untrue, why you couldn’t lay out exactly what those are. If you grew up in the LDS church and know about your faith … couldn’t you explain it? Why do we have to ask what part we don’t understand for you to explain it? Aren’t the innaccuracies in the video clear?
Brooke-I don’t just explain it all because I think that would be explaining a lot. Like someone said earlier, I could write a book. I asked that Dan tell me his questions because having the knowledge I have makes me notice things that are incorrect on a different level. I want to set a foundation to build upon. I have no idea what spiritual knowledge anyone on this site has, so I want to start on their level which may also be more knowledgeable than me. I don’t plan on explaining in specifics everything seen in this video, but I am more than wiling to try and explain why I do it and what it means to me.
And in reference to the being “too spiritual”, if one saw Jesus Christ, which I am in no way saying I have, they wouldn’t go making that public knowledge anywhere. It would be something special and dear I would keep close to my heart.
For some reason, there is no reply button on Roxanne’s comments so I’ll just reply like this.
Paul saw Jesus and he believed. God regenerated him and Paul went and told everyone he could. Because the gospel is supposed to be told. Paul went on to write what makes up a good portion of the New Testament.
Tristan, you make a good point. And when Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his soon, Jesus Christ he did tell people what he had seen. He followed as he’d been instructed and after a number of years of learning and growth he received the priesthood authority to act in Christ’s name through the laying on of hands. Because he told what he saw Christ’s church was restored to the earth. That I know with all my heart. Not because I’ve seen angels or received a special witness, but because I’ve prayed and asked my Heavenly Father if it’s true. I can say with certainty that I received an answer by how I felt I’m my heart, through the power of the holy spirit. I love my religion, I thank God for it in my life on a regular basis. I can only testify to what I know, and that’s what I know. Like I said in the beginning, I’m willing to answer questions you might have, and if I can’t I’d like to refer you to meet with the missionaries, if not on mormon.org, then in your home. They can answer questions and teach anyone who’s interested more about the LDS religion. Thanks again for your comment, Tristan.
Listen, I appreciate the kindness in which you have responded thus far, you are far more level headed than most of the people who don’t want the video posted. But you said you would decline to answer if a question was too spiritual. THAT is why the video is posted, because Mormons aren’t transparent about their faith. Only to a point, and then they stop sharing pieces of it. If you want Mormonism to be taken seriously, you cant be secretive about it. Thats why people say it’s a cult (among other reasons).
Own the beliefs of your faith, don’t white wash them to try and attempt a bait and switch with people.
“Paul saw Jesus and he believed. God regenerated him and Paul went and told everyone he could. Because the gospel is supposed to be told. Paul went on to write what makes up a good portion of the New Testament.”
To add to Roxanne’s response here. This is similar to what happened to Joseph Smith. Read what happened to Paul, to Jesus because of their “crazy” beliefs. They were not accepted except by the disciples. Only those who listened to Christ and His apostles and received a witness that what they were saying is true became believers. Those believers were a SMALL group of people compared to the population and EVERYONE else thought they were crazy. If this happened in our time there would be a video about how this crazy group of people believe that their leader died, became a zombie, and now he can save them from their sins.
Jacob, like I stated before, I’m not hiding it. Many LDS people would love to have a meaningful conversation about our temples. But like I stated earlier, this is not the place for it. If you have an LDS friend, ask them. If they don’t want to answer, ask if you can meet with their Bishop, he’s like a father in the Catholic faith, he, I know, would be more than willing to answer any question. If you don’t know any LDS people let me know in a not so public forum, like an email ([email protected]) and I’d love to direct you to someone with more knowledge than me who can truly answer your questions.
Hi Roxanne,
Thank you for your offer. If you’ll notice, I didn’t say I was confused about anything. I’m only asking what it was in the video that struck you as particularly inaccurate.
Mormon Beliefs documented
Please note that these teachings are documented from Mormon writers, not anti-Mormon writers:
Book of Mormon
The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461.)
Devil, the
The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus “in the morning of pre-existence,” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192.)
Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163.)
God
God used to be a man on another planet (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321; Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 613-614; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 345; Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 333).
“The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as mans…” (D&C 130:22).
God, becoming a god
After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345-347, 354).
“Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them,” (DC 132:20).
God, many gods
There are many gods (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163).
“And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light,” (Book of Abraham 4:3).
God, mother goddess
There is a mother god (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443).
God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516).
God, Trinity
The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. “That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man,” (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35).
Heaven
There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348).
Holy Ghost, the
The Holy Ghost is a male personage (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Le Grand Richards, Salt Lake City, 1956, p. 118; Journal of Discources, vol. 5, p. 179).
Jesus
“Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones,” (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).
“The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood – was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers,” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115).
“Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh …” (First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, 1916, God the Father, compiled by Gordon Allred, p. 150).
Joseph Smith
If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation [the context is the full gospel including exaltation to Godhood] outside the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670).
Pre-existence
We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth (Journal of Discourse, vol. 4, p. 218).
The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus (Mormon Doctrine, p. 129).
The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus “in the morning of pre-existence,” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192).
Salvation
“One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation,” (Miracle of Forgiveness, by Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206).
A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the Father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus’ plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to “deny men their agency and to dethrone god,” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 8).
Jesus’ sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, 1856, p. 247).
Good works are necessary for salvation (Articles of Faith, p. 92).
There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 188).
“The first effect [of the atonement] is to secure to all mankind alike, exemption from the penalty of the fall, thus providing a plan of General Salvation. The second effect is to open a way for Individual Salvation whereby mankind may secure remission of personal sins (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 78-79).
“As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements — ‘obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,’” (Articles of Faith, p. 79).
“This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts,” (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697).
“We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do,” (2 Nephi 25:23).
Trinity, the
The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. “That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man,” (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35).
Well… That just about settles it. ^
Excellent. You even included the sources. This page is now bookmark worthy.
I would like to see Stephen or another Mormon Apologist respond to these doctrines. Otherwise, all the claims to take the video down seem to be pretty much worthless (if they weren’t already).
Ok.
Half of what is reference like “Mormon Doctrine” is in fact, not doctrine. It’s theory. It’s like siteing anything that has been said by Jeremiah Write, Joel Osteen, or Billy Graham, whether they were preaching at the time or not, is absolute Christian doctrine.
And the other half? Don’t play shadow games with me.
Some of the other half I’ve addressed in other replies. I’m not going to go line by line, I have better things to do. If you have specific questions, seek out a source that isn’t trying to destroy people’s faith like the Pharisees and Sadducees.
What’s interesting to me is Abraham is NOT picking on Mormons. I’ve seen comic strips poking fun at Christian beliefs in favor of evolution. I’ve seen videos making fun of an individual. I’ve seen footage of a man/woman/child doing idiotic things. He puts edgier things up now and again for the reason of debate and interest. What I can encourage or understand is fixing THE TRUTH of what a mormon feels is wrong. If it’s because a secret/something sacred got out, that doesn’t do it for me. What’s there to hide?
Nice work on the controversial post, Abraham. The comments turned out to be far more interesting to read than the video even.
push “wink” button here
Hmmm…
11 days til elections…
Video associating candidate with what looks to be some kind of cult…
Must be true and 100% uncoincidental..
I vote Obama!
Religion and Politics should never be mixed.
The US extreme right-wing party (aka the republicans) is currently polluted by evangelical fundamentalists – the last thing we need is another religious nut (whether mormon or christian) becoming president.
Dog Bless America.
i couldn’t read this post because there was a big stereotype in the way.
Gee, this “I’m a Mormon” ad is really long….but that celestial room is dope
http://youtu.be/_riamLAbuTQ
The cartoon that no Mormon wants you to see. It tells the truth about their heretical and blasphemous doctrines.
That crap is scary! And racist!
unrelated comment.
Wow. Fascinating. But I’m torn – one part of me does feel that this is a violation of privacy but another part says that this secrecy is the problem with Mormonism in the first place. I have to agree with other posters who pointed out that people are free to observe a Christian/Jewish/Muslim ritual whenever they like and are subject to no – or very few – restrictions (eg. non-Catholics are not allowed to take communion, but what they’re doing is no secret) As far as faiths go, Mormonism demands believers jump through some pretty crazy hoops – that’s not necessarily different to other beliefs, but, on balance, I can’t see Mormons as Christians. Their beliefs are too divorced from Christian origin. I’m reminded of a theologian I saw interviewed once who said that “early Christians didn’t think they were a new religion. They thought they were being better Jews. It was only later that they realized they had become something new.” Much the same case with Mormons, I think. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, Mormons shouldn’t have to make excuses for not being “Christian”. That said, secrecy is not good for religion. It’s one of the defining differences between a religion and a cult and as Mormonism moves into the 21st century and the communications era it is going to have incredible challenges in keeping these kinds of secrets. It might be that hidden cameras and the internet become the impetus Mormonism needs to shed its obsessive secrecy and become a proper religion.
PS. Stephen: Christians DO NOT believe god exists on another planet. This is not “common sense”. They believe god is incorporeal. Therefore it is profoundly ILLOGICAL and against common sense to believe he physically lives anywhere.
This is highly offensive none of these comments are true, I am a mormon we don’t believe God exists on another planet. What we do in our temples isn’t secret, it is sacred and not something to be posted on youtube. We are Christians, we believe in Christ. If you have questions go to mormon.org. If we follow our rules we are very nice people who would never criticize, mock, or disturb something any other religion considers sacred. I ask with the highest form of respect, to please remove this video it.
thats the problem with mormons they dont know what christianity is because they put the book of mormon over the bible. im not mormon or christian but im educated enough to see that they are different in several ways.. christianity is already hard enough to believe on its own, throw in your book of mormon on top of it and its just insanity because it makes even less sense… ive been to mormon.org and its not straight forward… sorry MORmON buddy, guess you’re not gonna get to be god of your own planet…
Do you believe in the ten commandments? If so, then you are violating the first one by trying to become a god of your own planet.
Secondly, there is lots of word play within your church. “Secret” is now sacred. “Elders” are 18 year old kids who serving missions.
A couple of two or three points, probably already covered, but honestly, I don’t have time to read ‘em all(which means I am a functional illiterate):
1. If Abraham were to take down all the posts that are offensive to Christians, the site would probably implode.
2. There are many video posts on this site that don’t work at all; the site of origin (usually Youtube) has discontinued the video for a wide variety of reasons. If you anti-”anti-Mormon!!” protesters pester Youtube long enough, the video will stop working on this site, and someone would have to scroll alllll the way through the comments to find another posting of the same video, and your hard work would have to start all over again.
3. The sacred vs. secret issue: Is it secret because it is sacred, or is it sacred because it is secret? If it is the former, then it is not Biblical Christianity, because all that is sacred in Biblical Christianity can be found in the Bible. Rightly or wrongly interpreted, there it is. If it is the latter, then it should be suspect before one should consider it ‘sacred’; recent history (the last 2000 year or so) convinces me that if someone is hiding something, it is not necessarily good news for the rest of the world.
leave this up, dont listen to the mormons and/or idiots asking to take it down…
Leave it up! Enjoyed the video very much, very informative. Jesus said the truth will set you free. He also said to study the scriptures, aka the Holy Bible, (and nothing else) to know the truth. Also, God does nothing in secret. Sorry mormons, but calling something sacred doesn’t cut it. Anything secret particularly in religion or beliefs is never good and never from God.
Thank you for posting this informative video. I really appreciated it. As a non-denominational Christian, I can assure you that you would be welcome to record and post any of our sacred rituals. Why? Because they are not secret!
Simply stated….you’re an idiot.
I apologize for calling you an idiot. I’m curious why you posted this. Did you feel the need to expose the “secrets” of the Mormons? It was interesting the parts of the entire endowment session and baptisms you selected, even your choice of music to put with it. You definitely cast a bizarre light on it.
If you had a young child who was very curious about sex, would you show him/her a video discreetly taken of a couple engaged in being intimate? I don’t think you would. The covenants we make in the temple really are sacred, and not secret. If you haven’t learned how to add or subtract numbers, you won’t be ready to move on to multiplication. Likewise, the temple is set apart for members who are ready for a higher level of committment to Heavenly Father.
Did you know that plural marriages were practiced by only a select few? That no one volunteered or happily took it on? In fact, no one wanted to but they did it out of obedience and faith. Do you know why many fled to Mexico and Canada when it was no longer a commandment but still illegal? Because they didn’t want to just suddenly abandon those women and any children they fathered. In fact, many men went to jail for refusing to do so. You can read many of these stories in the diaries of such people.
As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I am extremely offended by the fact that anyone would go inside one of our temples a take secret footage. This is very sacred to me and I really hope you will take our feelings into consideration and take this down. Many people have also been wanting to know why we use the word sacred when things seem secret. This is the best way I can explain it. In the bible when Jesus heals the young girl he has everyone except for the parents leave before he performs the miracle. This is because it was a very special personal experience for their family and the other people who were present didn’t really feel the same way. It is the same way with the temple. Things that are very special and personal to us happen in the temple and so it’s not really something you share with the whole world. If any of you have any further questions about the lds church I encourage you to go to Mormon.org and speak with the missionaries or if you know anyone who is a member of the church I am sure they would be happy to help.