The Demons of Mormonism

My past experience and memory of my life as a Mormon has a shadow that hovers above it. As I have been doing an intense study of the gospel of Matthew, I have come into numerous accounts of demon possession of multitudes of people and Jesus and his disciples casting those unclean spirits out. The false priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is a work and an authority of Satan. My experience is that I have never heard of any Mormon priesthood power ever casting demons out. I have never heard of any man using their own “priesthood” power to expel an unclean spirit. I know that the physical evidence of cast a demon out is hard to prove.

My personal experience with the demonic oppression surrounding the Mormon faith started around age 12, which happens to be the age when Mormon boys receive the “lesser” priesthood. They included frequent nightmares. I have several memories of having shadowy figures surrounding my bed as a boy and was unsure if I was awake or sleeping. My extreme memories are similar to anyone that has watched the movie Ghost at the end when the dark figures grab whoever and drag them away. Family stress and uncertainty in my future during my late teen years forced me into a mental break down. I lost my connection to reality and did some really strange things. I spent at least one month in a mental hospital and almost completely missed a full year of high school because of it.

Some of the ideas and thoughts I had at the time were so foreign to me that my conclusion is that they were not my own, but whispered by malicious spirits seeking to add to my confusion and agony. Anyone that has heard an interview with Charles Mansion or has limited knowledge of his actions will probably agree that he was and probably still is under the direct influence of the Devil. Some of these whispered notions are not too far from some of the words and ideas I have heard from the leaders and members of many of the other splinter groups that continue to fall away and thrive outside the bulk of the Mormon church. The leaders and even members belong mostly to polygamist cults, etc. I never acted any of them out, but the thoughts were there and I can understand the mentality of the members of those splinter groups (a scary thought). It is a feeling that you have a special spiritual experience or revelation from God not unlike the experience that Joseph Smith claimed to have in his supposed first vision. A vision in all of his accounts that begins with darkness that then appears to leave. I suggest that it did not leave, but possessed him. A darkness telling him something that conscience is saying is wrong, but that there is a greater good that needs to be served, a hidden secret that only a few are given. All of these feelings and thoughts sprout from the Devil. Particularly the ones that Joseph Smith was deceived by that are all without Biblical foundation. They are the doctrines of men that bible warns us from.

Those same forces (principalities) of darkness move and fuel the Mormon church today and oppress many of its members including myself when I was a member. Blinding them from the truth. They have all been deceived. I have heard numerous stories of members of the church claiming to see their dead loved ones when they were in the temple, etc. The bible teaches that the dead do not return to witness to the living. [see Luke 16:19-31] I still believe that some in my immediate family are oppressed by these demons. It is a shame that there is little within the Christianity community that teach how to handle or deal with demonic forces and those oppressed or possessed by them. The only recourse I know of is to pray for them. There are instances within the gospels and even within Acts that Jesus and the apostles cast demons out of people. From Acts 16:16-18, I read and trust that the name of Jesus has the power to expel demons by faith in the name, authority and strength of Jesus, as the only Begotten Son of God, but from Matthew 12:43-44, I would be hesitant to expel any demon from someone without staying with them until they came to a saving faith of Jesus and were indwelt by Christ for fear of a worse fate for the person.

I still wonder how much of the world particularly those plagued with depression and other mental infirmities are directly caused by the oppression and possession of unclean spirits. I thank God that upon my conversion to Biblical Christianity, I have had no further paralyzing oppression or possession by the unclean spirits or the Demons of Mormonism.

A Sharp Rebuke

When traveling between Galilee and Judea with His disciples, Jesus teaches two of his apostles about His purpose in coming to the world and about the boundaries of their duties as His special and chosen servants.

Luke 9:51-56
Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”

But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
[New King James Version copyright 1982 Thomas Nelson, inc]

Indeed, Jesus came to save! but the rebuke was more than a call of mercy relenting on the judgment on the lost. It was a rebuke to James and John for taking upon themselves the authority and power of God. It was not their position as apostles to act with the authority and power of God to command judgment on others. Their position was to call others to Christ. Jesus alone is the judge. [John 5:22] They were not given power to condemn the world, but power to minister to the world. A false priesthood presumes to give power to men that only belongs to God. Men that sit as mediators forgiving sins, when God only has the power to forgive men of their sins. Men with false authority and teaching that blur the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Men that call us to earn our salvation through ceremony and tradition, when faith in God alone saves. Men that stand officiating in worthless ceremony. Such men are serving with a false authority and a corrupted priestcraft. Not under God, but instead of God.

The rest of this story can be found in Acts 8:4-8

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
[New King James Version copyright 1982 Thomas Nelson, inc]

Philip acted in his position as an apostle in preaching Christ and the people believed in Christ and through belief in Christ healing of spirit and body occurred. It was not by the power of the apostle; It was God, not man. Philip was not taking glory or honor for himself. He was giving glory and honor to God, who was working through him according to faith.**

**In Acts 6:5 Another early Christian named Philip was chosen along with Steven to go before the apostles to prepare the people. It is likely that the Philip from Acts chapter 8 may have been this Philip. Supported by the narrative in Acts 8:1 and 8:20, where the apostles seem to still be in Jerusalem in hiding from Saul after the matyrdom of Steven. Regardless, the Philip in Acts 8:4-8 acted according to proper authority. Pointing everyone to Christ and It was the faith of the people in God that brought about the miracles of healing and was the source of the great joy not any power that Philip had.

Priesthood-Part Two

Trying to unravel the tangled web of Mormonism is as simple as removing one card (a single false doctrine) from a house of cards (collective false teachings). Yet a complicated issue. Repeated debates distract from the real issue, simply stated, Got Jesus? Is Jesus Lord of your Life? Do you believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Everlasting? Born and lived a perfect sinless Life? Died to save man by His crucifixtion? Giving Salvation through faith in Him? Granting everlasting life through His resurrection? and His Truimphal return and victory over the enemy?

One card that needs to be removed from the Mormon house of cards is their false priesthood. I do not want to detail the complexity of the priesthood orders within the Mormon church, they are basically divided into two groups Aaronic, lesser priesthood, believed to officiate temporal or physical ordinances required for exaltation; and Melchizedek, greater priesthood, believed to officiate in spiritual ordinances required for exaltation. All are derived from unbroken lines of succession. Believed to have been restored by heavenly messengers to secure that line. Believed to be the power of God given to men to use according to the conscience of men. In essence it is a training of godly power in anticipation of future exalted activities, like creation of worlds, godhood.

As a Christian, I look to God’s word to define the priesthood. The Old Testament devotes several of the earliest books (Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) to the complicated work of the Law of sacrifices officiated by priests. This is the old covenant. I follow the new covenant issued by Jesus recorded in the New Testament.

The essence of the Book of Hebrews, the most comprehensive examination of the priesthood in the New Testament is that Jesus Christ is superior and His seven attributes (Chapter 1) prove that He alone is sufficient. Jesus Christ’s superior priesthood was not given him because of lineage or by ordination as others received their lesser priesthood, It comes from His nature. No one else is perfect and without sin and could ever qualify to hold this superior priesthood, order of Melchezidek. Once Jesus sacrificed Himself, the lesser priesthood, Aaronic or Levitical, was no longer necessary. He is superior to the prophets, who preached repentance and the coming of a future Messiah; to the angels, other messengers again that spoke of the coming Messiah; to priests, officiating the Law of sacrifices a shadow (Chapter 10) of the coming sacrifice of the Messiah; and that all believers must anchor their hope in Jesus alone (chapter 6), place their faith in Jesus alone (chapter 11), and demonstrate their hope and faith by loving God, through obedience to the law written in their hearts (Heb 10:16, Jer 31:31-34), and loving and serving their fellow man (chapter 12).

Any gospel, church, philosophy, or organization that teaches Jesus is not sufficient is false. Mormonism teaches Jesus plus human efforts are required for salvation (exaltation) including false priesthoods ordained by Joseph Smith, no man can take this honor unto himself. I am not denying good works or human efforts just the origin and intentions of those works including supposed priesthoods. Are these works to guarantee personal exaltation (Jesus plus human efforts) as taught by Mormonism? Selfish and self serving actions. Or do these works flow from your salvation found only in Jesus in service to God and your fellow man? Selfless and sacrificial actions.

Are there priests in the modern age? To answer that question explore why a priest is necessary. Are animals sacrifices necessary, given the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus? Is absolution of sin granted by men, or is repentance given by approaching the throne of grace? Are modern ordinances needed for salvation, or is faith in Jesus Christ alone sufficient? In other words, Is the work of God sufficient to save men, or does man need to add to it? All believers, male and female, become priests (Rev. 1:6) offering themselves as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). Each believer acting in submission to God on behalf of his or her personal relationship with God; Yet encouraging others in truth, bounded by God’s word, the Bible, inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit who continues to breathe life into the hearts of believers through its words; and love. Demonstrating their hope and faith in love by obedience to God and service to others.

Priesthood-Part One

Although many of the thoughts and questions in this narrative are not precisely the ones I had over a decade ago, they represent some of those seeds of contradiction and confusion about the Mormon Faith, I had at that time. They did play a role in me leaving that church and altered my own practice of using this priesthood while I was still a practicing member. One of these questions which lead me from the Mormon Faith and to God was the source of authority and power of God found in men. It came to me when sitting in my first institute class about the Book of Mormon and discussing a verse about the temple in America built by Nephi.

2 Nephi 5:16
(16) And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.

At the time, I began to process this new precept and the idea of temple worship made sense. These people were of the tribe of Israel and needed to continue in the Law until the Lord came to fulfill it. They need to practice the prepatory order found under the Aaronic priesthood. There arouse a need for these sacred and solemn sacrifices be made for the people. Obviously, since the Jews in Jerusalem did not even know about this branch of Israel something needed to be done. So God instructed the founder of this new branch of Israel to build a temple like Solomon’s to offer these burnt offerings to God as instructed by God. Instructions given in the Law that were so important that God had given him the exemption from murder and theft to get the Brass Plates that had the Law etched upon it. They need to preform the ceremonies themselves using the guildlines from those plates.

Then the problem presented itself. The descendants of Lehi and Ishmael would not have had access to the priesthood of the Levites. They would not be able to preform those solemn sacrifices after the order of the Aaronic priesthood. Questions started streaming through my head. How could this be? Was there a hole in God’s Plan of salvation for men? Did the men of the Book of Mormon have the authority to act as priests in God’s name? and if not then, Did that authority now reside in the restored gospel of Jesus as found in the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints? Or does that power residue some where else, in something else, or on Someone else? Did that the power of God given for men even exist?

This first part about the priesthood is meant to address this difficulty. The problem a tribe seperated from their only source of God at Solomon’s temple had. Their practice of offering countless sacrifices on a continent without the proper priesthood and its power and authority. This practice ultimately although begun with good intentions turned into a complete mockery of the Law of sacrifice. These verses can be found in the Book of Mormon one of the Standard Works considered scripture in the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. Please be reminded that although I follow the path this tribe took outlined in the Book of Mormon, I do not believe it to be an inspired work of God, but a mere story written by a young aspiring author.

This is a logical analysis of the Levitical or Aaronic priesthood as it relates to the Book of Mormon. Assuming that the assertions of the Book of Mormon are true the implications are:

1. The tribes found in the Book of Mormon, except the Jardites, are direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and are Jews and subject to following the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2. Lehi and Ishmael were not direct descendants of Levi or Aaron and had no claim of lineage to hold any priesthood whether levitical or Aaronic.
3. No priests were present on the American continent to preform sacrifices and other ceremonies necessary for following the Law of Sacrifices outlined within the Law so priestcrafts were substituted.
4. Any priesthood practices within the Book of Mormon would have been outside of the Law and against God’s Law of sacrifices.
5. The corruption of that priesthood because it was not from God.

There are several references found in the Book of Mormon about sacrifices and even one that implies the use of the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood without anyone on the Continent being able to preform such ceremony.

1 Ne. 5: 9
(9) And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.

1 Ne. 7: 22
(22) And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him.

These first two references are not troubling at all. There are several recorded uses of sacrifices before the Law of sacrifices was given to Moses. These sacrifices were given as an offering to demonstrate a covenant between man and God for various reasons. Even Job offered sacrifices to God on behalf of his children and even though he did not even belong to any tribe of Israel. These biblically recorded burnt offerings and sacrifices were never done under the Law of sacrifice and were never even implied to have had any relation to it. They were simply evidence of devotion to God.

2 Ne. 2: 7
(7) Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

Alma 26: 32
(32) For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even to take the life of their enemy; and they have buried their weapons of war deep in the earth, because of their love towards their brethren.

Again, there is no need for the Levitical Priesthood in either of these passages. The first is a reference to the coming Messiah being that perfect sacrifice for sin. The second a reference to a peaceful tribe that would not fight or raise arms against their brethern and rather chose to sacrifice themselves than fight against their enemies. Neither really pointing to the need to have a priesthood on America and no need to comform to the requirements of the Law of sacrifices outlined in the Pentateuch written by Moses.

Mosiah 2: 3
(3) And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses;

This is the offending verse. The offering of the firstlings of the flocks according to the law of Moses by priests. Now since this tribe had access to that Law–stolen brass plates–They should have known the danger of preforming such ceremony without the herditary of the Levites. However, it is examined the problem remains no one in America at this time was able to rightly preform these sacrifices and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses. They would have been as unacceptable as the offering of Cain. This lack of Godless priesthood eventually lead to even more aborant practices of priest craft. One of the most outrageous can be found near the end of the book.

Morm. 4: 14
(14) And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods.

This tribe’s drive to seek and offer sacrifices even without the proper lineage lead to both of these sacrifices from accounts written in the the books of Mosiah and Mormon. Each are an abomination to God, even though the first appears harmless and does not hurt anyone physically, It destroys the spirit of those that belief in these false sacrifices, preformed by unworthy priests, in a fascimile of a temple. The second actually visibly displays what is happening in both, Death. Physically in the second and spiritual in the first. Either way the result is the same.

Those in the bible that attempted to dishonestly join this priesthood without the proper genealogies were defiled and put out of the priesthood to their shame and subject to the divine judgements of God. [Ezra 2: 62, Neh. 7: 64]. Would God treat any other false priest even ones from another branch of His people, any different than these? Wouldn’t they too be subject to defilement by God and also recieve His divine judgements?