Joseph Smith and the Masons Part 2 - Nov 19, 2009 KUTV Channel 2 News Segment

http://www.youtube.com/user/FreemasonMovies
http://en.fairmormon.org/Temples/Endowment/Freemasonry -
Some critics of Mormonism see similarities between the rites of Freemasonry and LDS temple ceremonies and assume that since Joseph Smith was initiated as a Freemason shortly before he introduced the Nauvoo-style endowment he must have plagiarized elements of the Masonic rituals. This viewpoint leads them, in turn, to conclude that the LDS endowment is nothing but a variant form of Masonic initiation and therefore not from a divine source.

Joseph Smith was initiated as a Freemason on the 15th and 16th of March 1842. But previously, on the 19th of Janaury 1841, the Lord issued a revelation wherein He stated that He was going to "restore again," through Joseph Smith, the "lost" ordinances which had once been practiced in the Tabernacle built by Moses and the house built in the land of promise -- meaning the temple of Solomon (D&C 124:28, 38). The Lord also provided a list within this revealtion of many ritual elements that would eventually be practiced inside of the Nauvoo Temple. Some of the elements mentioned in this revelation are the same ones that Joseph Smith is accused of plagiarizing from the Freemasons.

A detailed look at LDS Church history before the 15th and 16th of March 1842 reveals that Joseph Smith and some of his collegues were well aware of a number of Nauvoo-style temple ritual items early on - including ideology, vestments, actions, forms, language, and architecture. Knowledge of many of these things even predated the revelation given on 19 January 1841 (D&C 124).
A careful look at the pre-1842 scriptural texts produced through Joseph Smith's instrumentality is also very instructive because they include a wealth of information connected with the rites that would be introduced among the Saints during the Nauvoo period.

Joseph Smith and other nineteenth century Mormons had a definite stance on why there were similarities between the initiation rituals of the respective groups. They taught that there was an original "Priesthood" source of divinely-determined ceremonies: the Masons derived their system from degenerated branches of this source while pristine material was restored to the Latter-day Saints.

One of the strongest evidences that Joseph Smith did not plagiarize Masonic sources in order to 'create' the LDS temple endowment is that 20th and 21st century scholarship has greatly clarified the picture of initiation rites in the biblical and early Christian periods. A comparison of this picture with Joseph Smith's model and the Masonic model shows that what the Prophet gave to the Saints is indeed a restoration, while the Freemasons only possess fragments of the God-given scheme.

Footage courtesy of KUTV News Channel 2
Reported by: Mark Koelbel
Thursday, Nov 19, 2009
Commentary added to the video and links provided by Josh Nelson.
For more information about the Masons, go to YouTube channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/FreemasonMovies

Find out what Masons think about Joseph Smith or the Mormons go to http://www.masonicinfo.com/mormons.htm
The Official Website for FreeMasonry http://freemasonry.org/
For an article about Joseph Smith and his involvement with the freemason's, click this link; http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Martyrdom/Masonic_cry_of_distress

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Tags:

• Mormons
• Masons
• Joseph
• Smith
• FreeMasons
• plagiarism
• Revelation
• Ritual
• Ceremonies
• Endowment
• LDS
• Temples
• Restoration

[Nepthu]

The fact that you believe all this text you add to the video is freaky. What a crackpot.

[THELDSLIFE]

@Nepthu - I can't believe that you don't. Maybe you think South Park is accurate too?

[Nepthu]

@THELDSLIFE I don't. All the songs were made up. The part about Joseph Smith looking into a hat to translate the Book of Mormon, though, is true.

[THELDSLIFE]

@Nepthu - what do you know about the O.T. What about it wasn't peculiar???

[soldatna]

Masons worship a god not the God. They believe they can become a God. Rightly dividing truth for them selfs. Because they are at the top they feel as though they can make and change reality. they believe in truth as long as it fits there own idea of truth. I believe it was the Masons that tarred and feathered Mr.

Smith and then went on to killed him. There was a mob of Masons out side the Jail and he gave the sign for help and no one came to his aid. I could go on..

[THELDSLIFE]

@soldatna - is there not the same difference between some men that were masons who were part of the mob that Killed Joseph Smith or that the Mason's did it just as a square is also a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square?

[cocoinfinity1]

Masonry is a grave error.

[4428chris]

@Troul478 damn u sound full of your self. weirdooooo

[RaykwonDaKilluminati]

@blackmamba54321 Don't say your Church don't get involved in politics because it was the Mormon church who funded the political party to stop gay marriage in california. Why can't they do the say with the alcohol & tobacco companies or wars which is more relevant & important then gays.

Plus I don't get my information through blogs I got the information through knowledge & experience, I'm an Ex-Mormon. So YOU should study & research the history of the church & call me when you see the light.