Brothers and Sisters I recently received the following letter from a man who lives in Las Vegas, which is in America:
President Paternoster,
President Paternoster,
May I first express my deepest appreciation for your blog. The way you and the commenter's defend the Church is second to none and I want you to know that as a High Priest Group Leader I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
I must admit however that I have recently been struggling with my testimony due to some things I have researched about Freemasonry. If I understand correctly soon after joining the Freemasons the prophet Joseph introduced the temple ‘endowment’ ceremony which included many symbolic elements that were, for all intents and purposes, identical to those found within Freemasonry.
The evidence seems to indicate that Joseph took the symbols, signs, words, clothing, handshakes etc and used them in the temple endowment. I would not be exaggerating if I were to state that I have learned more about the temple endowment and its meaning in the last two weeks of studying Freemasonry than I have in the last 46 years of attending the temple twice a week. I had always thought of the endowment as being revealed to the prophet from the Lord rather than simply borrowed from another group of people and then partially altered. Could you please clarify this for me?
The evidence seems to indicate that Joseph took the symbols, signs, words, clothing, handshakes etc and used them in the temple endowment. I would not be exaggerating if I were to state that I have learned more about the temple endowment and its meaning in the last two weeks of studying Freemasonry than I have in the last 46 years of attending the temple twice a week. I had always thought of the endowment as being revealed to the prophet from the Lord rather than simply borrowed from another group of people and then partially altered. Could you please clarify this for me?
Sincerely,
Kenneth Dalgleish
p.s. You are welcome to post this letter on your blog, but I have noticed that those with doubts are often looked down on by the loving members of my ward and stake so would request that if you respond you please change my name to Brother Jones.
Below is my response:
Dear Brother Jones,
Thank you for your letter and words of encouragement. Your question is a valid one that comes up quite often. It is important to understand that if Joseph simply took the things he had learned from Freemasonry and used them to create the endowment ceremony, then all of the endowment work that has been done for both the living and dead since the beginning of the Church would be based on plagiarism; and if that were so then all of those countless hours you have spent in the temple would have been for naught and you would have been better off spending the time with your family. Plagiarism is a form of theft and the scriptures strongly oppose theft in any form. Since Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God we can safely conclude that this is not how the endowment ceremony came to be.
One must understand Brother Jones that the fullness of the gospel was originally given to Adam. This included the temple ordinances, signs, words, clothing etc to which you referred in your letter. As Adam passed this knowledge down through the generations it gradually became corrupted. Nowadays we see fragments of our temple worship in all parts of the world including within Freemasonry. If anyone is guilty of plagiarism it is those whose ceremonies resemble ours and not the other way around.
This is all perfectly explained in the ensign article entitled *“Why Symbols?” where it asks “Did Joseph Smith reinvent the temple by putting all the fragments—Jewish, Orthodox, Masonic, Gnostic, Hindu, Egyptian, and so forth—together again? No, that is not how it is done. Very few of the fragments were available in his day…..The temple is not to be derived from them, but the other way around.…That anything of such fullness, consistency, ingenuity, and perfection could have been brought forth at a single time and place—overnight, as it were—is quite adequate proof of a special dispensation."
With this adequate proof Brother Jones you can rest assured that it is quite simply a coincidence that the coming forth of the temple ceremony occurred right after Joseph Smith became a Freemason.
May the Lord bless you and your posterity with a greater devotion to temple service,
Your fellow servant in the Lord,
President Paternoster
58 comments:
Once again, dear president, you show how brilliant you are. :-D
This letter by Brother Kenneth Dalgleish, er I mean "Brother Jones" has special significance for me, as my grandfather was a Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret in the Scottish Rite of freemasonry.
He refused to grant my grandmother her one wish, namely, for him to convert to the true Church of Jesus Christ and be sealed to her and their family for time and all eternity.
The reason for his refusal? He thought the mormons stole the secret symbols and rites of freemasonry.
No amount of testimony-bearing, reasoning, or pleading would ever change his mind.
I'm happy to report, however, that one year to the day after he blew his brains out in the middle of the night my grandmother went to the Holy Temple of our God and was sealed to him for time and all eternity.
Let us not waste our efforts in trying to convince freemasons that we didn't steal the endowment ceremony from them. Instead, let us simply take their names, do their genealogy, and baptise 12 year olds for them in the temple after they die.
I bear my testimony that this is the simplest and most effective way of fighting such disinformation about the church.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Given that the temple ceremony was not plagarized by Joseph Smith, and it was through revelation that he received it...
Does this mean we are to take the events of the temple literally? Did, for example, Satan and Adam have discussions? Did Peter and his partners visit Eve and rebuke Satan? Is the ordering of the creation events the true order the universe/earth was created?
I am not so concerned about the Freemasonry in the temple that made me lose my testimony; it is all of the Hindu stuff I can't deal with. President, could you please comfort us in this community with not feeling so anti-Hindu?
I can understand this brother's confusion. It is easily explained by the fact that The Prophet Joseph restored the true order or "celestial" masonry.
Masonry has been the way in which God has chosen to teach his children the signs and tokens that are needed to pass angels standing as guards on our way back to The Father. In the words of our beloved leader Brigham Young,
"Your endowment is to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell." (Brigham Young, J. D. 2:31.)
Surely you can then see that the masonry practiced by masons today is a corruptive version of the practice taught to the man Adam in the Garden of Eden near Kansas City? Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah for restoring to us celestial masonry so that we may know the secret signs and handshake needed to enter in the presence of our beloved Father in Heaven.
It's unfortunate that the Masons were confused. From their perspective Joseph Smith took blood oaths where he proclaimed his life forfeit if he revealed certain signs and tokens of the Masonic rituals. Then he established Masonic lodges in Nauvoo. Then he incorporated certain signs and tokens that he vowed not to reveal into the temple ceremony. Then the Grand Master ordered the Nauvoo lodges closed.
According to Joseph Smith's OWN OATHS, the Masons would be fully entitled and perhaps even obligated to kill Joseph.
In addition, Joseph Smith defrauded many members of their life savings in the "Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company".
Joseph Smith also stole and married other men's wives. I'd say that the fathers, brothers, and cousins of these women had a motive to kill.
The Mormon militia, burned non-Mormon homes and forced non-Mormons to flee the area (and also led to the Haun's Mill massacre).
Also, Joseph Smith declared war on the State of Illinois.
With so many groups with motives for vengeance, is it any wonder that Joseph Smith employed body guards? Is it any wonder that he was killed?
The only question that remains is whether members of the mob comprised all, some, or just one of these groups. I'm guessing it probably wasn't the Masons, since I'm sure President Paternoster's great-great-great-great-grandfather explained to the Masons that the temple ceremony (established 6,000 years ago near Jackson County, Missouri) was actually what the Masons' ceremony was derived from, and not the other way around.
It's just unfortunate that Joseph Smith's mind was so polluted with Masonic blood oaths that he incorrectly incorporated them into the Endowment Ceremony, an error that wasn't corrected until 1990. We can all rest assured that finally, 150 years later, the Endowment Ceremony has been revealed correctly.
Oh Pres. hear the words of my mouth. We will go down and teach these truths to those of the world who are beneath us. It is a sign and token of the priesthood of The Son to be able to do so.
Oh Pres. hear the words of my mouth. If they do not live up to the covenants they made this day they will be in His power, even Lucifer the Father of Sex, Lies and YouTube video tapes.
Oh Pres. HEAR the words of my mouth while I take of my shoes and move my robe to the left shoulder and toss my disemboweled intestines over the other. The world will never understand how much better we are as kings and queens, priests and priestesses on high.
I even bowed my head and said yes.
In the sacred and holy name of EVEN Michael and Jehovah, and Peter James and John (who I suspect may be guilty of inappropriate activities with Eve in the lone and dreary wilderness).
Amen
Mantaraya,
How easily you have been deceived by the adversary until there is no light left inside of you. Swimming in darkness you've been drawn to President Paternoster's blog like a moth to flame. Prepared to be burned.
Whatever oaths the now exalted Joseph Smith may have made with the masons were of no efficacy because he ever-so-cooly crossed his fingers in his mind while repeating the required oaths. This is no different than the Lord commanding Nephi to kill Laban, contrary to the ten commandments.
Brother Joseph did not "defraud" many members of the church in the so-called Kirtland bank scheme. That money never belonged to those faithful brethren. It belonged to the Lord, and therefore to Joseph Smith. "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." - God
Joseph didn't steal other men's wives. Those men were simply safeguarding those women until such time as the law of plural marriage could be restored. Much the same as Joseph safeguarding Mary until she could come together with our Heavenly Father in the holy of holies to conceive the body of our Lord and Saviour, even Jesus the Christ.
The mormon militia may have gotten a little crazy. I'll give you that one. But that just goes to show you that we are imperfect people working toward perfection with a little help from the atonement. That's nothing to be ashamed of. And who really cares about illinois? Too many mosquitos for my taste.
I can't speak to any changes in the Temple ceremony as they are too sacred to talk about, but I will say that just because certain elements may have been taken out, that doesn't mean the we have "changed the oridances" or "broken the covenant." Even Joseph Smith himself said that the ordinances of the Temple could never be changed. So there you have it! They haven't!
I bear you my testimony that if you will read the book of mormon with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and ask Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus if it's true, He will tell you that it is. If you don't get an answer that means you're not sincere and you need to pray harder.
In the name of Jesus, even the Christ. Amen.
This further confirms God's Law:
"Anything appearing to be really similar to The One True Church but is done by some other church or group is an imitation of Satan."
This applies to temple ceremonies, mind control techniques, View of the Hebrews, pornography, Swedenborg, and Priestcraft.
When I first learned about the similarities between the temple and Free Masonry I was a bit shaken but thankfully I had a hometeacher who was more knowlegable on the subject then me. His explanation was very similar to yours.
Sometimes we fear what we do not know or what we do not understand and all we need is someone kind enough to take the time to explain things to us. Thank-you for do this. It is times like these when I feel my testimony being straightened that I know I've made the right choice in continuing to read your blog.
What is wanted is further light and knowledge. Because of this Joseph became a mason, opened a bar in his home, drank beer at 'Mossers' and took 11 mens wives as his own.
He was just doing homework so he could return and report to the Lord.
Manatee said;
"It's just unfortunate that Joseph Smith's mind was so polluted with Masonic blood oaths that he incorrectly incorporated them into the Endowment Ceremony, an error that wasn't corrected until 1990.”
I would indeed be ungrateful if I did not stand before you today (in a figurative, non literal sense…like God figuratively creating Eve from Adams rib.) (Though I do wonder why they took out of the Temple Ceremony the words “figurative sense” when referring to Adam and Eve) and bare you my testimony of the truthfulness of the Temple Ceremony.
I must confess that significant changes in the Temple Ceremony caused myself, even Monson the Younger, one of the Lords' elect in these later days to question God's wisdom in this matter.
I thought, how can it be that Joseph Smith (the Younger )could incorporate Blood Oaths from the Masonic ritual into the Temple Ceremony? Oaths that would need to be removed by a more modern and inspired prophet of the latter days? Obviously, if these disturbing oaths belonged in the one true Temple Ceremony, they would not need to be removed. How could it be that God would have Joseph the Younger put extraneous Blood Oaths, borrowed from the uninspired, corrupted, gentile, non religious, Masonic ritual in the one true Temple Ceremony, even that which was revealed to Adam 6000 years ago in Missouri? If it didn't belong in the Temple Ceremony, why did all the prophets up until 1990 leave it in? Why would God change his sacred ceremony in response to a Church survey of members which sought to determine why many members were not choosing to attend the Temple?
The answer has been revealed to me through the power of the eternal and unchanging God in heaven, even Elohim the Younger. (Though we do not know if he was the last of an infinite number of Elohim Youngers or the first in an infinite number of Youngers) As I studied and pondered in much earnestness, the Holy Spirit spoke peace to my soul and I was blessed with a warm feeling inside which testified to me that God himself was answering my prayer. I clearly heard in my mind God speaking to my heart saying "Be not troubled my son, thou faithful and obedient servant, who knows better than to question the ways of the Lord...what mattereth it to thee if I have provided another test of my people in these last days?
I did not catch the next several sentences that God spoke to me, it was either gibberish or it was the pure Adamic language in which I am not proficient. The only words I know of that language being PaLe Ale which I learned in the Temple before it was taken out of the ceremony. (Rumored to be due to its similarity to a popular beer by the same name) Then God clearly said; This is truly a small correction in my eternal and unchanging Gospel compared with giving the accursed offspring of Cain the Holy Priesthood or abandoning the essential and eternal (eternal meaning one of the names of God, not meaning in any way to imply FOREVER) doctrine of Celestial Marriage (by which I used to mean polygamy, but by which I now mean in these more enlightened latter days “Temple Marriage” between one straight man and one straight woman) ((the exception being one gay man and one straight woman when the marriage is carried out for the purpose of changing the sexual orientation of the man)) At this point I became distracted by the run on sentences and multiple parenthetic sentences, worried that I would not be able to remember it 20 years later if I decided to record it for my posterity. Thereby did I miss whatever it was that God said next.
In any case I came to understand as a result of the good feeling inside my bosoms (though to be frank it seemed to come more from my upper abdomen than my breasts, ((though being somewhat large in stature I will admit to having larger than average "man boobs")) that this was done in God’s infinite (in this case meaning infinite) wisdom to test the faith of his chosen people in the latter days.
God placed the idea in my head of which I became absolutely certain and unshakable. God knew it and I knew it and I could not deny it. This is but one ( and a very minor one at that ) of a long series of contradictions, problems, and changes in the one true and eternal ((in this case not a name but meaning forever)) gospel of the one true God.) One God in the sense that out of infinite number of Gods, the three separate and distinct God’s of OUR universe who are separate and distinct but one in purpose.
If God tested our faith by planting evidence of evolution over billions of years to weed out those of weak faith... Those who place more confidence in overwhelming physical evidence than in the words of Joseph Smith and Nephi... Those who refuse to believe that death came into the world 6000 years ago... Doesn’t it just make sense that God would throw in a few minor issues to trip up other defective intelligences who are undeserving of Godhood and eternal and blissful procreation? I should think so.
Don’t ever question God or his spokesmen on the Earth and your lamp will be full of oil when the bridegroom comes and your wick will be well oiled.
With more humility than I can possibly express in words, in the sacred name of the only (truly) resurrected God out of the multitude of resurrected Gods described by ancient (and barely literate) civilizations, even Jesus of Nazareth (I mean Bethlehem)
Sincerely yours, and with real intent, EVEN
Monson the Younger
Did I understand correctly? Maybe you can verify this. I once heard that the Church had to quit using "pay lay ale" in the temple because some craft brewer stole the phrase and got legal use of it as the name of one of their beer products. Satan always tries to interfere with the temple, and I think that this, above all, is evidence that the Church is true.
Lies and rumors about Joseph Smith have abounded ever since Satan and his followers began to tremble at the Restoration of the Only True and Living Church. But we know our dear Prophet Joseph is trustworthy and can be taken at His word. As just one of many examples, Joseph was plagued by rumors that he was secretly practicing polygamy. He put those vile rumors to rest in Nauvoo when he gave a sermon to his faithful followers stating once and for all that He had only one wife. Anyone can look it up in Volume 6 of the History of the Church. If we can trust Brother Joseph to set the record straight about the slanderous rumors about his polygamy, we can safely trust that He told us the Truth about the True origins of the Temple ceremony and, indeed, all things.
Oh Lord my God, is there no help for the widows son? Why do people lose faith over a simple matter like this one? One of the great lessons of Joseph's life is that he had to learn line upon line yada, yada, yada.
For example:
First Vision. Did Joseph get that right the first time? NO! It took many revisions and many years to remember exactly who it was that visited him that glorious day in the spring of 1820. Or was it 1817? Maybe 1824? No matter. He finally got it right after learning many divine truths like the fact that the Lutherans were too good for him and didn't want him.
The Book of Mormon. Did Joseph simply stick a stone in a hat and have it all revealed to him? NO! He had to draw from many sources. From Swedenborg to Shakespeare, From Smith (Ethan) to Smith (Joseph Sr.) whose dream little Joseph recognized as being Lehi's dream. But Joseph had the spirit to tell him it was a truth that the world needed to hear.
What about Zelph? Did Joseph learn about this great white lamanite general from the BoM? NO! He had to find some bones that were still fresh after 1,800 years to have the spirit tell him about this great BoM hero. ANother source leading to further light and knowledge.
And how did Joseph learn which one of his 33 wives would be the hottest little slut in bed? Was it revealed to him? NO! He had to go through trial and error just like the rest of us. Much trial. And more trial. Finally it came and he had a certainty in his bosom (probably in her bosom too) about which wife gave him the greatest pleasure and he was able to testify with certainty to the brethren which was the best.
So we learn that even a prophet has to search in all quarters for truths. Joseph even had to tell Brigham that he would have to finish the temple ceremony since it was far from perfect. So Brigham introduced Peter, James and John to the temple ceremony. And also those satanic protestant preachers. Oh yeah, and also the blood oath of vengeance. So we can see that the temple not so important that the Lord wants to make it easy even for the prophet.
So if Joseph had to "borrow" a few truths from the Masons, what does it matter? All truths will be revealed to those who endure to the end. The burning in my bosoms tells me so. It is the same spirit that Monson the Younger feels for it tells me the same thing.
Thank you again President Paternoster. It shows that the Lord in his infinite wisdom inspired you to change the name of the brother who wrote you the letter to protect his identity. Imagine if everyone who comes to this blog knows that his name is Kenneth Dalgleish?... so to protect his identity and that we not know that his real name is Kenneth Dalgleish you changed it to Brother Jones. So even if we try very hard to find his real name we will never know that it is Kenneth Dalgleish, we will actually think that it is brother Jones. I admire your knowledge in Christ Jesus Lord of ours. and I say it in his name, Amen.
Of greatest importance is the fact, which I didn't know, that Kenny Dalgliesh, manager of Liverpool Football Club (that's soccer folks) the most successful club in England footballing history, is indeed a member of the church. How did Kenny, oops, I mean Brother Jones, keep that a secret for so long? Since the Tabernacle Choir recorded 'You'll never walk alone' which is Liverpool's theme tune, I always thought there must have been some connection
It is utter blasphemy to think that the endowment ceremony was borrowed from Freemasonry. The story depicted in the endowment movie is based on the inspired translation of ancient papyri, even the Book of Abraham. This means that if the Book of Abraham is not true, then the endowment is not true. This simply cannot be the case! The boy Joseph was simply RE-claiming what is rightfully the Lords ceremony.
Get thee behind me Satan!
Shame on you people for making light of sacred matters. It is no wonder that we are still waiting for the translation of the Book of Joseph!
If God had not promised Noah that he would never again wipe out all of mankind for disbelief, you people would be in real trouble!
Delbert F Uckdorf
Delbert F.Uckdorf
That many people may be struggling with this has caused me great consternation. There is an important distinction to make between the masonic rituals and the endowment. While it has been proven that the masonic rites and rituals have constantly changed throughout time, the temple ceremony has remained unchanged from the time Joseph learned these important truths from the Father himself.
Also, while masonic clothing has changed since it's inception in the Garden of Eden, the temple garments have remained unchanged since the original pattern was given to Joseph from heaven.
God is unchanging today, tomorrow and forever.
Dear President: While the word "seer" is usually understood to mean one who can see the future, it can also mean one who looks behind. Thus Joseph Smith, the Seer, while admittedly not able to see forward very well or find buried treasure with his seer stone, could gaze into the past clearly. His rearward vision extended to the discovery of America, the birth of Jesus, the Egypt of his namesake and clear back to the first man to ever live upon this earth, even Adam, our father and god. With the stone and his hat (also known as the urim and thummim) he saw Adam's garden near Kansas City and the altar upon which he repeatedly uttered his immortal three word prayer. Since Adam had the fulness of the gospel, he had a temple which Joseph saw and the temple endowment. Joseph was able to view the various handshakes, signs, tokens, passwords and penalties. He saw the robe worn - right shoulder, then left. The bakers hat with the string tied to the robe, the apron. He learned about the five points of fellowship, and even the navel health verse. He saw the markings in Adam's garments, probably Eve's too. He also demonstrated the meaning of the three big words: PAY-tithing or everything with which the Lord has blessed you, LAY-with a multiplicity of wives, ALE-a favorite of Joseph Senior. The Masons were someway able to come up with a ceremony that was astonishingly similar, but, lacking the stone and the hat they didn't get it all, missing completely the gold-plated Moroni statue for instance. How blessed we are to have all these things restored in our day which are needed to pass through the veil and can only be obtained in the holy temple or online. I can only repeat the phrase, "Praise to the Man..."
Really everyone, does this little blip actually bother you? President Hinkley one of our beloved prophets of God said that Blacks being denied the priesthood and the practice of polygamy and polyandry are more of those little blips of history that we should not be concerned about. It is not important for our Eternal Salvation.
It dosen't even matter where the temple ceremony came from in the first place. All that matters is that it was revealed to Joseph's Myth and it is used in the temple today. What we should concentrate on is that Holy Spirit we feel when inside the temple that tells us that it is a true holy place of our Heavenly Father. Through the Holy Ghost is the only sure way to find the truth of all things. This is why the BYU science research department has excelled beyond all other university reasearch programs. Truth revealed thrugh the Holy Ghost surely is more true that that obtained by the scientific method.
Oops! I meant "Joseph Smith"
lol!
Please Pardon my paucity of punctuality, President Paternoster, in posting this period. I was preoccupied with my purchases for the pending periodic party that proclaims the parturition of a praiseworthy person of our people.
The prime point of this posting is the prototypical polemic - which proceeded - the poultry or the protoplasm?
Presently it is patently perceivable that the pagan practitioners of freemasonry plagiarized its procedures and precepts from our patient and peaceful Prophet who pretended to participate with them in order to pronounce to them how penetrating their plagiarism had progressed over time and to proselyte to them.
And presently the progeny of perdition pronounces that our praiseworthy prophet is the plagiarist. This is pathetic.
In the same way that women need not study physics or astronomy, all of us need not question the origins of our holy temple ceremony. We all know the truth already from the spirit - that the temple ceremony is of ancient origin, is substantially unchanging*, and is indeed the very same ceremony that Solomon instituted.
Just like our holy mothers need not know about astronomy to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to our little ones, so do we not need to know all of the gory details to sing "I Love to See The Temple" to them.
Just as another Freemason, Jerry Garcia, penned the song, "Mason's Children," they are not pondering how they plagiarized their ceremony from Solomon - because they indeed built the ancient temples. However, just like all of the other religions, their ceremony was polluted and was not fully restored until Joseph Smith.
All this I know to be true in the name of Church Education Service. Amen.
*There will undoubtedly be apostates who argue that there indeed have been changes to the ceremony, but these are simply minor alterations to increase understanding and clarify meaning.
**This posting has been officially correlated by the Worldwide Priesthood Correlation Program.
President, you've done it yet again! Once more you prove that there is no loophole in logic too small for God to fit through.
I am ever grateful to your wisdom. Your explanations, which are plain and precious, get to the heart of the matter to me, even the least of this his brethren, to understand and contemplate the infinite love of our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ, along with his father, to try and test us even until we feel we can bear no more.
Faith, yea faith is all that is necessary. Yet here we even have proof. How great is the love of the Master.
I humbly bow my head in reverence, in the name of his beloved son, yeah even him of Gethsamane, our Lord and Master forever, the great Jehovah even Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Dear Sir,
This site fraudulently uses the image of Mr Edward Madden, Barrister-at-Law, in your profile photo. This violation has been reported to Blogger. Your Facebook page also uses Mr Madden's image and I have reported this abuse to Facebook also.
As I mentioned, Mr Madden is a well-respected Barrister-at-Law and you have misappropriated his image from my company's website, www.imt.ie. I insist that you remove Mr Madden's image from all of your sites immediately. I will revert if this action is not taken at once.
Mary Anne Kenny,
Deputy Editor,
Irish Medical Times
Mary Anne,
Maybe President Paternoster just looks incredibly like Mr. Madden. He wouldn't be able to help that would he? Would you persue legal action if he does not alter his face with cosmetic surgery? How can you be sure about your claims?
Mary Anne,
If you will open your heart to the Spirit of our Heavenly Father, you will learn that we are all created in the image of God.
It may be that both President Paternoster and Mr. Madden were both created as perfect exemplars of Elohim's holy visage.
We know of a surety that God is white, has white hair, and is full of joy. This certainly matches dear President Paternoster's picture to a T!
What are you going to report? That President Paternoster is a child of God?
Mary Anne,
Silence, ye being of the infernal pit! I shall not live and stand to hear such language directed at our dear President. I rebuke you in the name even him who appeared to Joseph Smith, and shake the dust of my shoes upon your head.
Satan himself has a hold of your heart Mary Anne, and even now is dragging you down to outer darkness where you shall dwell with Cain, Judas, and Steve Benson. As second counselor in a bishopbric, I caution you to repent now and change your ways! Come listen to a prophet's voice, and cease your evil work against the true church.
Henceforth and forever, amen and amen.
A precedent for the current controversy was set over 150 years ago, when Brigham Young temporarily took on the appearance of Joseph Smith Jr. Obviously, President Paternoster is a great man, with immense spiritual power. The Mr Madden of whom you speak must also be a righteous man, maybe even LDS? In all likelihood, it is not President Paternoster that looks like Mr Madden, but, due to the righteousness of Mr Madden, he has taken on the appearance of President Paternoster. Have no fear Mary Anne, for in time, Mr Madden will return to his original appearance, leaving only our dear President looking like the man in the photo.
Mary Anne,
Have you considered the possibility that just like the Freemasons derived their ceremonies from the temple endowment ceremony that was revealed to our beloved prophet Joseph Smith instead of Joseph Smith plagiarizing the Freemason's ceremonies, perhaps it's Mr. Madden who is fraudulently using President Paternoster's image and not the other way around?.
Just like Joseph Smith was incapable of lying, deceiving, infiltrating the Freemasons in order to steal, er- borrow their ceremonial rituals, and leading people astray, President Paternoster is also incapable of impersonating someone else, using satire in order to expose the lies of the church, or otherwise saying anything that is not 100% true.
Please repent and retract your accusations against a man of God and even probably future General Authority.
I would also urge you to 1. read President Paternoster's blog posts, and 2. pray with a sincere heart and real intent if he is a true man of God. A burning in your bosom will confirm this as true.
Should you not feel this, please repeat step #2 above until you do.
Sincerely,
Catherine
A sister in Zion
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One must remember that Joseph and his father were Masons first and had gone though the ritual work before the church was discovered. So this shows where some of the ritual work came from for the LDS temple. I'm a Mason and a LDS Temple goer so I speak from first hand knowledge from seeing both rituals.
You're all full of it. Joesph Smith betrayed his masonic oath and used the ceremonies and symbols to create a false religion for profit. Thus why the Masons killed him.
I love the book of Mormon. There is no doubt in my mind that it contains the fullness of the gospel. Through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance and baptism we we can be saved. That being said, freemasonry is just one of the several secret combinations we are warned about in ether 8. And the fact that Joseph smith incorporated the secret oaths and ceremonies into the Mormon church is sickening. God does nothing in secret, symbols and secrets are of the devil. And mormon temples are painted in pagan symbols. Do you know the origin of the upside down pentagram on the slc temple? Look it up, it is not of god. And polygamy? Are you kidding, in Jacob 2:27 it reads for there shall not any a man among you have save it be one wife. The lord gladdens in the chastity of women. I find it sad but pretty funny that the biggest piece of "anti Mormon literature" is really the book of Mormon.
I am thankful that Joseph smith brought forth the book of Mormon, but unfortunately he hid it away from the world under the lds church. I believe Joseph was a blessed man but fell as david of old. I don't think god will suffer the book of Mormon to stay hidden for long though. Luckily in thus day and age we have access to the internet. It makes it really hard for the church and others to keep their origin a secret. Alot of people are waking up.
Sorry, ill probably offend many people. But maybe a few will be encouraged to do their own research. I also might add that i don't hate the Mormon church. I did for the first year or so after discovering much of the hidden history, but since ive had a humbled heart. The mormon church teaches great values, and with out those standards chances are i would not be on the same path of spiritual progression i am on today. I am grateful. Generally the people are good Christian people, it was very hard to let go. I know i am going to loose alot of friends. But it's harder to live a lie.
oh, dear president, how misled you are to false teachings of the church. do you think god has secrets? do you think he keeps things from some of his children,well, the more worthy ones? good luck using those handshakes to get you in the pearly gates. the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is false. joseph smith was nothing more than a conman.
This is the silliest commentary I've ever read - the Freemasons, who have been around at LEAST since the early 1700's, STOLE the endowment ceremony from Mormonism, which was founded in the 1800's? How can you possibly accuse the Freemasons of plagiarizing elements of rituals that were practiced long AFTER they began? What backwards logic, I had to laugh.
It is like saying I thought of that invention first, someone else came up with one almost the same, and somehow they stole my invention. Pretty lame arguement.
If it was sacred nobody would have had it prior. It would be 80% unique, at least. I just don't think - after 42 years in church- that Christ has secret ordinances. His true gospel is simple
I see no brilliance, only a spin doctor talking to ignorant people. Educate yourself and emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is not the truth!
President, You need to clean up this blog or delete it. it is full of sarcastic, satire against the Church and it is revealing information relating to the temple.
Thanks,
A Young Convert
It only shows ignorance to the truth. masonry following traditions dating to its foundation of anywhere from 1400-1780A.D. places masonic rituals at least 50 years before the foundation of the Mormon/LDS church. Either the founders of freemasonry were first instructed by God before Joseph smith, or more logically that Joseph Smith used Freemasonry as a Model for ceremonies. There is always a chance god gave a basic outline for the rituals to Smith with which he filled in portions with Masonic Ritual.
Modern scholars with knowledge of ancient languages have found the book of Abraham to have nothing to do with anything Mormons believe it to say. AKA they translated it, Joseph just made shit up.
This information isn't secret anymore. If you don't want to participate, then don't.
Freemasonry is Lucifarinism at the highest degree...read Albert Pike and other predominate authors. This is a religion! a house divided cannot stand. It is formally unknown why Joseph joined the Masons when the Book of Mormon is clearly an anti-Masonic document. However, Joseph had to hide plural wives from the membership of the church and the outside world; he also had high political ambitions, evidence of this in his run for the presidency and secretly being crowned king of the world by his secret of 50. They had plans to overtake the United States. Please learn your history!
The Book of Mormon forbids secret societies...
Either 8:18,19 (...from the BEGINNING OF MAN)
Jesus forbids oaths and does nothing in private
James 5:12
John 18:20 (read JESUS' words!)
Two documentaries on Freemasonry
Documentary on Secret Socities
http://youtu.be/0GnFwapMZqU
Freemason Ceremony
http://youtu.be/RBZkhxyx7M4
The LDS church is a cult!!! I was a member for 20 + yrs and the short time I went it is controlling and just a goofy excuse for a religion!! Joe Smith stole the Freemasons rituals and put them in the LDS Temple to make up his so-called religion!! I'm upset and angry at the church cuz they are nothing more than a billion $$$ corporation pretending to be a religion!What a bunch of BS!!!!!
ALL BULLSHIT... Joesph Smith was a mason. He stole OUR rituals and use them to create a crack pot religion for profit. He gave the "grand hailing sign" asking the Mob of Masons not kill him. However he went to far and as a result lost his life just as WE promised would happen should he ever reveal our secrets. "under no less penalty than that of having my throat cut, my tongue torn out by its roots, and my body buried in the rough sands of the sea, at low-water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows" He got what was coming to him. Piece of shit!!
Mormon blogging is counter productive for LDS. All BS
Lies, lies lies Paternoster. Everything about the temple is masonic. There is no worshiping in your temples and God does not dwell in them.
Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
Paternoster, may God have mercy on your soul for lying to the wonderful people of the Mormon church and leading them astray
I believe that the early masons were Israelites who not only helped to build king Solomon’s Temple, but were members who attended Temple worship in King Solomon’s temple.
In time the skilled Masons who were Israelites were taken Captive and taken to other Lands. Just as Other scriptures became parables to hide gospel truths it would not be surprising that the captive masons would have incorporated Things learned in king Solomons temple into their own
Order to preserve those things that were sacred and learned at the temple of King Solomon. They had to be members of the Tribes of Israel to be able to build the temple. The Israelites were not allowed to pray or worship and it would be a way to preserve the things they had been taught at King Solomon’s Temple to hide from their captors as they were not allowed to worship and by incorporating into their order sacred things of the temple, they were able to hide them as a craft of their trade.
Joseph Smith was the instrument in restoring the gospel in the latter days.
If Certain rituals were used in King Solomons Temple it would only be reasonable that the ordinances used in King Solomons temple would be the same used in Latter day temples.
If the Masons preserved these ordinances of king Solomon’s Temple in their order It would make sense that ordinances used in the restored Gospel would be the same as those in King Solomon’s Temple and the Masons would have learned them at the altars in King Solomon’s Temple.
1 Kings 5
13 ¶And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16 Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
Linda, you must remember, all true scripture was inspired by the only God in all eternity. The bible states that nothing sacred or secret about how we should worship him. There are many things that happen or were performed in the stories of the bible, but the bible clearly does not say that they are doctrines we should perform. Two of those are baptismal of the dead and Masonic rituals. God bless you.
This Church is in Great Err. The Bible says in Matthew 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: This is what the Mormon Church makes it's members do.
Using the Masonic rites and Rituals are demonic in nature and not of God. The higher you go the darker the rituals get. This show, and the Mormon church in using these rights and Rituals, Serving a White Jesus, and was the Cousin of Micheal Angelo, and taxing it's members, threats of extraction if they do pay tithes, and most of all the infamies gold scrolls that were delivered by an Angel and then taken back and a Lie straight from Satan himself. And to top it off, the early settles had slaves, and did allow Blacks, and other races to join until 1978. with over 100 Billion Dollars in holdings that are not recorded and hidden. SHAME ON YOU. If you Royal Kings and Priests of Satan himself.
Shame on the person to place judgement
Something seriously troubling is the fact that when people question such overwhelming evidence and speak to their leaders and family they are merely ignored and given half baked reasons for the "coincidences". It is really bad that the church fails to admit to this... Cognitive dissonance is a hard thing to manage. It usually ends up with the one who questions things to be shunned to a lesser or greater extent withing third families and church communities. Shameful and wrong... Did you ever consider the soul crushing consequences of the churches failure to allow any questions without danger of being called apostate? Well, I guess I am apostate, though I still go for sake of my family who claims I am breaking their heart. My heart is the one that is crushed by all this. It is the most soul crushing experience and I battle severe depression daily now. My wife and her family will reject me if I don't play along.this means I lose my three young children, and wonderful, but unlistening wife. It hurts when your coming concerns are turned back on you and you become a black sheep for asking g a simple and obvious question... One for which the church provides no solid or rational answer. I am upset to say the least.
Sincerely,
Raised to not question.
The Church as now stated that the Endowment is contemporary.
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lds.org%2Fstudy%2Fhistory%2Ftopics%2Fmasonry%3Flang%3Deng%26fbclid%3DIwAR3F1dB43KIBjc0Iyixd3R3c8ccHR49BsVKjgY4tXb7piJRlmzlqT5KVAQw&data=02%7C01%7C%7C911415381f62483d29fb08d713d4cbde%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636999676979412795&sdata=SLrlsIIN1LZKFaLjt7gXSIWsbmRi6C4gAn4VcbfZyag%3D&reserved=0
Which means that everything the stake president said was wrong.
I’m sorry but that response and explanation from the stake president is so pathetic I have no words to even express thoroughly. Wow
When king Solomon was having his temple built, the masons were called to work on his temple would have been worthy members of the church. THey would be familar with the temple ceremony as members of the church. . When the 12 tribes were taken captive, they preserved the truths and the ordinances and hid them from their captors. The scriptures were preserved in the same way. It would make sense that these memebers would have preserved things that would help them recognize other members of the tribes and members of their beliefs and preserved the things they had been taught when they met others of their faith through handshakes etc. The temple ordinance were in effect from the very begining from adam down to our present day. Joseph Smith would not have started new ordinances but restored ordinances from the past. The ordinances of the temple have been consistent from the very beginning and were reinstated at the restoration of the gospel at the time of the restoration. I am surprised that anyone would think Joseph Smith would have started the temple ordinances and symbols. They have been with man from the time of Adam and handed down through the generations of time and would not change at the restoration.
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