Running head: FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 1

Faith of Mitt Romney: Mormon Occult Jonathan W. Lankford, MEd Yahuwnathan

Jonathan W. Lankford http://yhwhmessiah.com Yahoo: Jonathan Yahuwnathan yahuwnathan@yahoo.com +1 (615) 530-8069

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 2

Contents The Faith of Mitt Romney ...............................................................................................3 The Cult ......................................................................................................................... 4 The Occult ..................................................................................................................... 5 Sexual Immorality .......................................................................................................... 9 Other doctrines............................................................................................................. 11 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................14 References ....................................................................................................................16

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 3

The Faith of Mitt Romney The Mitt Romneys religion has been no secret, especially of late, as Romneys campaign begins to capitalize on his faith in order to gain political points. The faith of our fathers in the US is commonly presupposed to be Christian, whether this may be true or not. However, the faith of Romneys fathers is by no means Christian, but is yet another cult using the New Testament Bible in order to develop its own belief system. Just as Christianity has its own set of extra-Biblical teaching (Church dogma and Papal bulls), so Mormonism has its own extra-Biblical writings in the Book of Mormon and multiple other divine and holy books. The faith of Mitt Romney is not only a cult or offshoot of classical Christianity, but is also mixed with the occult and the worship of celestial beings, demigods, and angels, mixing astrology and divination into the faith. Mormonism is also a faith of violence and vengeance that holds indignation for the assassination of its founders and prophets, Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith. For 80 years, each Mormon in every Mormon church weekly affirmed their vows in the Oath of Vengeance: "You and each of you do covenant and promise that you will pray and never cease to pray to Almighty God to avenge the blood of the prophets (Joesph Smith, Hyrum Smith) upon this nation, and that you will teach the same to your children and to your children's children unto the third and fourth generation (Buerger, 1987) This Oath of Vengeance is no longer repeated in public, but remains in the teaching of the Mormon church hierarchy.

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 4

The importance that Mormonism has played in politics cannot be overstated. As the political race of 2012 heated up, Romney campaign strategist Russ Schriefer stated that the prominent focus on Romneys Mormon faith will be a departure for the campaign and offer Romney a controlled, scripted spotlight to feature his religion (Gehrke, 2012). Historian and author Dr. Webster Tarpley (2012) found time in his radio show to discuss the matter: Romney is a dedicated Mormon, and it seems to be a very legitimate issue because this church that he belongs to has notoriously had a very strong political identity. He has not only been a layman, but a bishop that presides over a congregation. Romney spoke of his own commitment to his faith: "I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it (Montopoli, 2012). One year prior, he expained more fully his commitment to his faith, which is before anything or anyone else: I believe in my Mormon faith and endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers. I will be true to them and to my beliefs (Kaleem, 2011). Indeed, he sent all of his sons to the Mormons Brigham Young University. The Cult The Church of Latter Day Saints considers itself a distinct religion, but it is also an offshoot of New Testament interpretation with new revelation from angels and prophets. Many perversions of the Gospel exist, including Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, New Charismatics, the New Age Movement, and Jehovahs Witnesses. Mormonism is yet another cult based on New Testament truth but teaching new

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 5

revelation that usurps previously revealed truth in Scripture. They consider Doctrine and Covenants and Journal of Discourse to be authoritative. By this definition, they are cult. Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith, the founders of the Mormon cult, are not unlike the founders of other cults. They had a history of discontentment, and even hatred, with Christianity in general. The Jehovahs Witnesses considered the Church to be one of Satans three great allies (Ahlstrom., 1975, p. 276). They also attacked the pretensions of orthodox Christianity and questioned its two most central doctrines, the deity of Christ and the depravity of man. While the Mormons do not currently appear to hate the Christian Church, their founder, Joseph Smith Jr., had a particular disgust for it. Josephs hometown of Palmyra, New York, experienced a series of revivals and religious outbreaks, earning its reputation as the burnt over district. (McElveen, 1978, pp. 15-16) New teaching and beliefs were opposing Protestantism, and Smiths family was caught in the middle of the conflict. Smith would later teach his son to avoid the institutionalized Church. (Tucker, 1989, p. 50) Josephs first vision confirmed his attitude toward the Church: The Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt (Smith, 1958). The Occult A more common attribute of cults is deep involvement in the occult. Christian Science, as well as the New Age Movement, advocates emptying ones mind of less

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 6

than ideal thoughts in order to become something more than mere human. The founder of the Jehovahs Witnesses, Charles Taze Russell, had such an interest in the Pyramids of Giza, that his grave was marked with a monument of the Great Pyramid. He believed the measurements of the Great Pyramid could be deciphered to determine the exact time of the End. Leonard and Marjorie Chrestien say the Great Pyramid figures prominently in many medieval and Renaissance cults, especially in the Rosicrucian and occult traditions (Tucker, 1989, p. 124). The beginning of the Church of Latter Day Saints is no from the others. It, too, has roots in the occult. Joseph Smith claimed visitations from God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, Moses, Elijah, Elias, Michael, Raphael, Nephi, Moroni, Mormon and possibly others (Decker & Hunt, 1984, pp. 81-82; Linn, 1902). It was these visions that laid the foundation for the Mormon Church, for in them the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ commissioned Joseph Smith Jr. to be the new prophet who would restore or fulfill the ancient Gospel and ancient Church. It is important to note that Smith had very little knowledge of Scripture as a whole (the Old Testament and its relationship to the New Testament). The prophet Eliyah is Elijah in the King James Version Old Testament, but is Elias in the KJV New Testament, therefore, these names refer to the same prophet. Smith did not know this, listing both names as two distinct people. His claim to a visitation from Nephi is interesting too, as

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 7

the Nephilim were the half-breed angel-human demons from the books of Genesis and Enoch. Perhaps there is a connection. The angel Moroni appeared to him in order to instruct him on the location of the new scriptures and their eventual translation into English. Martin Harris, Josephs scribe, went further with the visions, claiming that he has actually visited the moon and explained that it was only the faithful who were permitted to visit the celestial regions. Did he talk with anyone when visiting the moon? Possibly, if Josephs testimony were true: six-foot tall people, who dressed like Quakers and lived to be a thousand years old, inhabited the moon. (Decker & Hunt, 1984, p. 79; Huntington, 1982) Stories became more fantastic with Smiths successor, Brigham Young, when he claimed the sun to be inhabited. (Decker & Hunt, 1984, p. 79; Young, 1870) Since Joseph Smiths visions and angelic visitations produced new scriptures and the teachings grew more secretive, in that only the faithful could new revelation and truth, and another gospel, it is clear that his experiences and the religion he founded have been occult in nature. Biblical Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Galatia: But even if we [Paul and the Apostles], or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1:8-9 NASB).

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 8

Such astronomical claims of visions do not just occur without deeply rooted occult tendencies. Evidence shows Smith to have been involved in talismanic magic years before such claims. A controversial personal letter, with uncertain authenticity, stated that he found a brown egg-shaped seer stone, which the Mormon Church now supposedly keeps hidden in archives; with it, he led searches for hidden treasures. (Decker & Hunt, 1984, p. 95) Evidence has revealed that this seer-stone in fact did exist. Reed C. Durham, while the director of the LDS Institute of Religion at the University of Utah, found an image of Smiths seer stone in a book printed in England around 1801. Durhams belief in the divination of Smith is found in the Mormon journal. (Dobay, 1994) Smiths mother, Lucy, said that he possessed certain means by which he could discern things invisible to the naked eye (Smith, 1958, pp. 92-92) As he grew older, Smith hired out his treasure-finding services: Having heard of Joseph Smiths gift of seership, he [Josiah Stowell] came to the Smith residence to employ him Joseph hired out to Mr. Stoal [sic] and for something like a month they vainly sought to find the hidden treasure. Joseph continued for some time in his employment. (Decker & Hunt, 1984, p. 93; Roberts, 1930) The sons of Mr. Stowell never saw any treasures but only that their family was being misled and becoming impoverished due to Smiths hiring fees. In February 1826, the

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 9

sons of Mr. Stowell, who lived with their father, were greatly incensed against Smith, as they plainly saw their father squandering his property in the fruitless search for hidden treasures and caused the arrest of Smith. (Joseph Smith, the Originator of Mormonism, Historical Reminiscences of the Town of Afton, 1877) Smiths arrest and trial were confirmed with the recent discovery of the original court documents, discovered inside a mildewed box in the basement of the Chenango County Jail, with Wesley P. Walters and Fred Poffarl as witnesses. On 20 March 1826, Judge Albert Neely and Constable Philip M. DeZeng tried and convicted Joseph Smith Jr. for glass-looking and the pretense of finding buried treasure. (Decker & Hunt, 1984, p. 94; Arrington & Britton, 1992) Sexual Immorality Varying beliefs regarding sex exist among the cults. Some Gnostics committed sex acts at will while other early cults of the second and third century prohibited sex altogether, annulling the possibility of marriage. Christian Science associate Mrs. Woodbury became pregnant, even after demanding absolute abstinence for all disciples and after professing that she no longer had sexual relations with her husband. (Tucker, 1989, p. 161) Her excuse was that her conception was immaculate and that the child was the Prince of Peace. 1Timothy clearly advises believers about those who prohibit marriage. The founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, remarried many

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 10

times, as well as Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, who practiced marital infidelity. Scripture considers both divorce and adultery to be abominations. The Mormons have a history of practicing polygamy even today in Salt Lake City, where there are thousands of polygamous relationships. One recent estimate from the turn of the millennium is that there were at least 25,000 polygamous relationships. The early days of Mormonism, Joseph Smiths revelation in the Book of Mormon expressly forbade fornication, adultery, and polygamy. (Jacob 1:15, 3:5) The 1835 edition of Doctrine and Covenants also prohibited sexual immorality. However, historical records reveal that Joseph Smith had at least 27 sexual relationships. (McElveen, 1978, pp. 21-22) Smith was a hypocrite outright, so the Mormon Church had to do something to remove Smiths polygamy or make it a divine teaching. In 1843, the new contradictory revelation permitting many wives appeared in Doctrine and Covenants (132:37a). Mormon and non-Mormon historians both agree that Smiths polygamous/adulterous relationships existed before the new revelation. This permissive polygamy later became advocated and then required for salvation. Mormon Apostle Orsen Pratt, speaking with divine authority, said, Those who reject this principle [polygamy] reject their own salvation, they shall be damned (Journal of Discourses 17:224-225).

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 11

Other doctrines The line of authority among the Mormons is much like the Roman Catholic Church. The leadership speaks and writes, and it becomes authoritative. Smith wrote a letter regarding his anointing of his son to be a president and high priest of the Mormon Church: Blessing given to Joseph Smith III by his father Joseph Smith, Junior. Blessed of the Lord is my son Joseph who is called the third. For he shall be my successor to the Presidency of the High Priesthood; a Seer, and a Revelator, and a Prophet, unto the Church; which appointment belongeth to him by blessing, and also by right. (Decker & Hunt, 1984, p. 84; McElveen, 1978, pp. 47-48) Smiths son was even anointed by Patriarch Hyrum in the presence of Smiths Twelve Apostles. Yet Brigham Young was the successor. Either the prophecy failed, or the Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints is the true Mormon Church not the one based out of Salt Lake City. The Mormon Church once deprived blacks of priesthood and the possibility of salvation because they were said to be a cursed race: Those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the Negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain,

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 12

the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God and his murder of Abel being a black skin. Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty. The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them. Negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned. (Mormon Doctrine, 476-477) This racist teaching is confirmed by Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth President of the Mormon church, who spoke in January of 1970, declaring in The Way of Perfection: Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race. A curse was placed upon him and that curse has been continued through his lineage and must do so while time endures (McElveen, 1978, pp. 36-37) Yet this everlasting authoritative command was contradicted and nullified in June of 1978: All worthy male members of the Mormon Church may now hold the priesthood, regardless of race or color. Though this simple statement gave blacks full rights in the church, it will never erase the racist words of President and Prophet Brigham Young: The First Presidency, the Twelve, High Council, Bishopprick, and all Elders of Israel, suppose we summon them to appear here an declare that it is right to mingle our seed with the black race of Cain, that they shall come in with us and be partakers with us of all the blessings God has given us.

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 13

On that very day and hour we should do so the Priesthood is taken from the Church and Kingdom and God leaves us to our fate. The moment we consent to mingle with the seed of Cain the Church must go to destruction. We should receive the curse which has been placed upon the seed of Cain, and nevermore be numbered with the children of Adam who are heirs to the Priesthood until that curse be removed. (McElveen, 1978, pp. 36-37) The Mormon Church, agreeing with the Christian Science doctrine, considers the one called Jesus Christ to be a man who attained deity. (Tucker, 1989, p. 173) According to the churchs missionary handbooks, The Uniform System for Teaching Families, lesson 1, page C31 teaches that everyone can attain deity as Jesus did. (Discourses of Brigham Young 351; Journal of Discourses 6:3-4) Therefore, Mormons are polytheists. (Journal of Discourses 6:5) Since the church teaches that He was not Deity at conception, it has also taught He was not born of the Holy Spirit (Journal of Discourses 1:50-51; Doctrines of Salvation 1:19) However, the Book of Mormon clearly teaches the Biblical Holy Spirit conception. (Alma 7:10) The church leadership cannot agree. As a result of the lack of evidence for Mormon doctrine, and the fact that doctrines from different Mormon leadership contradict each other so greatly, the Mormon leader Dee Jay Nelson has officially rejected the Book of Mormon and resigned from the church. And if that were not enough, the founder of the LDS New World

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 14

Archaeological Foundation, Thomas Stuart Ferguson, rejected the church after 25 years of attempting to prove his faith. He sums up the cult well in a letter he wrote to the Tanner family: I lost faith in Joseph Smith as one having a pipeline to Deity and have decided that there has never been a pipeline to Deity with any man. I give Joseph Smith credit as an innovator and as a smart fellow. I attend, sing in the choir and enjoy my friendships in the Church. In my opinion, it is the best fraternity that has come to my attention. (Tanner, 1987) Conclusion Would you consider making yourself subservient to a leader whose faith if Mormonism? Would you accept his authority? Would you support him with a vote? If a leader does not have the wisdom to discern basic knowledge about his own faith and see great flaws in his both his factual history and his own morality, how can he be a leader at all? Regardless of the qualities and qualifications of the leader that is put over us, we are to only vote for and give our support to one leader, and He has not returned yet. We are to remove ourselves from this world system; we say we believe in our Savior, but we continue in the world system in order to sustain ourselves. We cannot serve both YHWH and money, both YHWH and economy. Whom do you serve? Do you serve a man like Mitt Romney? Or do you serve the Master, YHWH the Almighty?

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 15

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 16

References Ahlstrom., S. E. (1975). A Religious History of the American People. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. Arrington, L. J., & Britton, D. (1992). The Mormon Experience: A History of the Latter-Day Saints. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. Buerger, D. J. (1987). The Development of the Mormon Temple Endowment Ceremony. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 20(4), 33-76. Retrieved August 25, 2012, from , http://content.lib.utah.edu/u?/dialogue,20139 Decker, E., & Hunt, D. (1984). The God Makers: A Shocking Expose of What the Mormon Church Really Believes. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers. Dobay, C. V. (1994). Intellect and Faith: The Controversy Over Revisionist Mormon History. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 27(1), 96-97. Retrieved August 25, 2012, from http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/dialogue/id/15689 Gehrke, R. (2012, August 24). LDS Faith to be a Big Part of GOP Convention. The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 25, 2012, from http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/54757853-90/romney-convention-governorschriefer.html.csp Huntington, O. B. (1982). The Young Women's Journal, 3, 263. Joseph Smith, the Originator of Mormonism, Historical Reminiscences of the Town of Afton. (1877, May 3). The Chenango Union.

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 17

Kaleem, J. (2011, Novemenber 18). We Have a Mormon Senate Leader. Can We Have a Mormon President? Huffington Post. Retrieved August 25, 2012, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/18/mormons-in-politics-mittromney_n_1101068.html Linn, W. A. (1902). The Story of the Mormons: From the Year of Their Origin to the Year 1901. New York, New York: The Macmillan Company. McElveen, F. (1978). The Mormon Revelations of Convenience. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany Fellowship. Montopoli, B. (2012, August 22). Will Anyone Say "Mormon" at the Republican Convention? CBS News and Politics. Retrieved August 25, 2012, from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57497709/will-anyone-say-mormon-atthe-republican-convention/ Reed C. Durham, J. (1980). No Help for the Widow's Son. Nauvoo, Illinois: Martin Publishing Company. Roberts, B. H. (1930). A Comprehensive History of the Church, 1, 81-82. Smith, L. M. (1958). History of Joseph Smith. (P. Nibley, Ed.) Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft. Tarpley, W. D. (2012, August 11). Would President Mitt Romney be Bound by the Mormon Oath of Vegeance Against the United States? Retrieved from World Crisis Radio:

FAITH OF MITT ROMNEY

Lankford 18

http://tarpley.net/2012/08/12/would-pres-romney-be-bound-by-mormon-oathof-vengeance-against-the-us/ Tucker, R. A. (1989). Another Gospel: Cults, Alternative Religions, and the New Age Movement. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan. Young, B. (1870, July 24). Journal of Discourses, 13, 271.