T F Once a spirit enters Outer Darkness, there will be no leaving there. In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. Banishment from the glory of God. All missionaries are doing is trying to upgrade people to a premium plan of ruling over planets and polygamy. They did what they did with their eyes open, and were in rebellion against God. 20:1314). (-Joseph Smith in the King Follett Discourse), There is my definition I used in my previous post. Usually, when one is going to hell, the unspoken caveat is unless they repent. It is the closest Mormon analogy to the concept of hell in most other Christian traditions. Smith taught: The sons of perdition are those who have had a knowledge of the truth, have known that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, have had the testimony of the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Ghost, and these things have all been revealed so that they know they are true; and then they turn against them and fight them knowingly. Only a handful of "sons of perdition" would go. Outer Darkness. In each New Testament passage that speaks of hell (the word hades is neutralneither a place of punishment nor reward but the place of departed spirits) the context associates it with suffering and punishment. Thank you! ABCs of Science and Mormonism now available in Print from Amazon! Even the most evil of people, including Adolph Hitler and those of his ilk, appear to have a place reserved for them in nothing less than the telestial kingdom. This is the second death. Into the telestial kingdom will go, according to that which is written here in this revelation, the vicious, the unclean, the ungodly (Conference Reports, April 1942, p. 27). GOSH. Think along the lines of a religious leader serving God but the opposite. There are three references that connect the judgment with a lake of fire and brimstone, and two references to a lake of fire. However, the use of the word fire in connection with judgment and the torment of the wicked is widespread throughout the Gospels. That last part of the previous sentence is very important. 21:8; cf. 14:18.) [3]. Clear as mud. Plagiarism and The Globe a comparative analysis, The Shunning Key by bwv549 - Mormon Bandwagon, https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/sons-of-perdition, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_perdition_(Mormonism), https://www.fairmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/What_is_Mormon_Doctrine.pdf, https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/Plan_of_salvation/Sons_of_Perdition/Can_women_be_%22Sons_of_Perdition%22, LDS Church and Same Sex Marriage Timeline, The Pump LDS film and the original source, Ethan Smith, Hyrum Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Solomon Spaulding connections. Each differing in Glory but all great places to go. As a young boy, I attended a two-week Christian camp. But suppose, deep down, I do believe the church is true. Again, the doctrine of the second death is woven together with other essential parts of the plan of salvation, offering the reader the big picture concerning Gods judgments. He was not ignorant, and therefore he became perdition, and they who followed him were sons of perdition, because he and they sinned knowingly. Each person must reap the harvest of the seeds sown in this life. - Wilford Woodruff in a meeting with the apostles, 1893 D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1997) p. 795. . 20:14). Did I really have full knowledge? The celestial, terrestrial, and telestial are kingdoms of glory. Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. In this parable, a king arranged a wedding for his son, but the normal guests did not come; therefore, the king sent his servants to gather guests from off the street. But unofficial prophets speaking at BYU or in their own books say no, except Brigham in the Journal of Discourses which is unofficial. In the parable of the talents, the returning lord instructed that the wicked and slothful servant who hid his talent in the earth be cast into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. Another name for Outer Darkness is hell. Circumcision. So apostates from the church are clearly included in this list. (To see the differences between the three kingdoms of glory, click here.) While John could be referring to the sons of perdition in this passage, the specific sins he identified are characteristic of those who will suffer in hell but, after experiencing their part in the lake of fire, will be released from their torment and be resurrected to a telestial glory (see D&C 76:10312). In the rest of the article, were going to have to assume that Mormonism is true (of course, I dont think it is!) The Book of Mormon clarifies that the lake of fire and brimstone is a metaphor for the suffering of the wicked. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the tormented rich man in hell . The Book of Mormon discusses with great clarity the ultimate punishment reserved exclusively for the sons of perdition, or those who are filthy still (2 Ne. 23:33). . Ray L. Huntington and Terry B. Those who have never received the light are not to become Sons of Perdition (Conference Reports, October 1958, p. 21). They once held membership in the church (through baptism/confirmation); They had full knowledge of their apostasy from the true and restored church of Jesus Christ; They continue to fight against the LDS Church despite their knowledge. Mormons believe that there Prophets are fallible and in no way perfect. A) Most humans B) Satan C) His angels D) Sons of Perdition. You not only need to have been a Mormon, but you have to have full knowledge that this is the restored church of God and still fought against it. Banishment from the presence of God. So get what they deserve. Yet how many sins and wrong choices has every humanincluding me and youmade? To look closer at this possibility, lets break humans into two categories: 1) Those who have never been Mormon; 2) Those who are or once were Mormon. He called the Pharisees and scribes vipers and questioned, How can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Matt. Jesus also referred to outer darkness in two parables he gave during the last week of his life. Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever; and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of Satan, he having subjected them according to his will. As explained in D&C 88:11-13: (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), 758. John identified specific sins that would lead to the lake of fire and brimstone: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Rev. . What qualifies a person to be a Son of Perdition? Dennis L. Largey, Hell Second Death, Lake of Fire and Brimstone, and Outer Darkness, inThe Book of Mormon and the Message of the Four Gospels, ed. To become a church member, baptism and confirmation are required. 25:30). lucifer. With the exception of those who left the church and later rejoined, every other former Mormon left the church because they believed it is not true. The Book of Mormon also makes reference to everlasting fire (2 Ne. Outer Darkness is the permanent location of Satan and his followers and the Sons of Perdition, who are not redeemed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because reasons. Yea, Alma wrote, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell (Alma 36:13). However, I think the breakdown I have above is accurate because outer darkest is a place of permanence for the filthy. Through his Atonement, Resurrection, and ministry in the spirit world, Christ provided a bridge by which repentant souls could cross the gulf from hell to spiritual freedom. To the Church in Smyrna the Apostle John wrote: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Rev. In addition, Alma defined the second death as dying as to things pertaining unto righteousness. These individuals are chained down to an everlasting destruction and are subject to the will of Satan. 11:23). As with anything in Mormon doctrine, theres a lot of confusion, contradictory information and just all around ignoring a topic that should be as simple as asking a question and getting an answer. Also, you can read this too. The Plan of Salvation kind of negates the reason for missionary work. Mormonism. Thirty-three times it stands alone, without modifiers or explanation of what it means, as in And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell (Alma 30:60). Mormon Wiki, for example has a pretty specific definition of who doesnt go there but lacks any citations: Sons of Perdition as those few souls who have been born on this earth who have been made partakers of Gods power, yet suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy God by denying the Holy Spirit after having received it, denying the Only Begotten Son and put him to an open shame. They openly and knowingly fight against God and Christ, having sided with Satan even though they had once tasted of full gospel knowledge by the power of the Holy Ghost.There are those who fear that they have committed the unpardonable sin, because they have not been faithful members of the Church. Your email address will not be published. In harmony with this doctrinal truth that death and hell will deliver up the spirits and bodies of their captives, King David received the promise that his soul would not be left in hell (see Ps. Outer darkness is a eternal place of torment reserved for those who are "sons of perdition." According to LDS scripture, this will be a place that "where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth" (Doctrine and Covenants 101:91; also see 133:73). I was taught that to be condemned to outer darkness you would have to deny Christ to his very face and that could occur . They have said things much stranger and I am sure you know of them. Delving into the interesting bits about any religion to stem from Joseph Smith Jr. Joseph F. Smith,The Second Death,inBrian H. Stuy (editor). For most, outer darkness, the lake of fire, and the second death have an end, but for the sons of perdition these states continue eternally. 16:811)meaning to be left with those who would partake of that permanent hell reserved only for those who, as Jacob stated, are filthy still.. The Nephites became so wicked, that contemplating murder was a source of happiness. Divine Love in the Fathers Plan (Dallin H. Oaks, April 2022). This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). There are three references to outer darkness in the New Testament, all contained in the Gospel of Matthew. He once said that a person. Provo, UT 84602 The first three are referred to as the three degrees of glory, often compared to the sun, the moon, and the stars ( D&C 76:70, 78, 98 ). Thus, by the definition given by the leaders cited above, these people cannot be considered sons of perdition. It is provided through Christ's atonement and received by personal faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. The Book of Mormon provides another testament of the reality of a designated place called hell, where the wicked are consigned. Making the LDS Church Slightly Better: A Members Wish List, You continue to fight against the true church, Those spirits who rebelled against God in the preexistence are the original sons of perdition. How unfair is this scenario? If their Prophet wrote in a journal, or said to someone in passing, or gave a talk a local school saying that, Eating toast without butter is a sin worthy of hell! that does not make it a Mormon Doctrine. This objection is inconsistent since Mormonism teaches that Lucifer's demon forces, which are clearly destined for "outer darkness," make up one-third of God's "children" (Bruce R. McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, p. 195). The Book of Mormon text confirms the truth of New Testament teachings on hell, second death, lake of fire and brimstone, and outer darkness. It must be emphasized that the witness described means that the person has had the heavens opened unto him and has personally seen, and even spoken with, the Savior, and then has turned against Him, bringing him to open shame. (see Rom. The conclusion: You (former Mormon), despite being baptized into this church, are not a son of perdition! It is impossible for those who never joined Mormonism to become sons of perdition. In short, Outer Darkness is eternal torture. Meanwhile, I have known many who could be considered fighters against the church, including those who became involved in what could be considered anti-Mormon activities. Just one sin. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The. Source. Can someone get out of this state of Perdition once they are in it? Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to Gods justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more corruption (Alma 12:13,1618). what about that 1/3 the host of heaven who didnt follow Gods plan Joseph F. Smith was so sure qualify as Sons of Perdition were NONE of them women? They will not have access to the Holy Ghost or Heavenly Father or Jesus. This is a place very close in nature to the biblical hell. 20:14), or the outer darkness (Matt. So I found one, by Joseph F. Smith, Thus we see that the first death which came into the world is also the last death which shall be pronounced upon the sons of perdition. Doctrine and Covenants / Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Objections to Christian Evangelism, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Divine Love in the Fathers Plan (Dallin H. Oaks, April 2022). . 12:16), hell which hath no end (1 Ne. A lot of people wanted a source on that. Severe punishment for eternity, reserved for Satan and his demons as well as the sons of perdition, those humans who once embraced Mormonism and left to fight against the faith, even though they knew Mormonism was true. Outer darkness is not a kingdom of glory. 22:13) if it is also a place of perpetual fire (Matt. Jesus disciples were told not to fear those who could kill the body but to fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. Clearly, when it comes to perdition and outer darkness, I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me, and anyone who speaks on the matter has a dizzying intellect. 10 reasons why a person ought to consider becoming a Christian. Yet I never was baptized and confirmed into this church. But wait! They will live in eternal darkness, torment, and misery with Satan and his angels forever. Following this introduction will be a discussion of the usage of these termsfirst in the New Testament, then in the Book of Mormon. Okay, so Cain, we have one guaranteed person according to no citation whatsoever. In this realm, as the name implies, there will be no light, and consequently no heat. In Mormonism, it depends. Generally, the outer darkness is thought to be hell; however, many Christians associate the outer darkness more generally as a place of separation from God or from the metaphorical "wedding banquet" that Jesus is expected to have upon his Second Coming . Well thats wrapped up as long as no other prophets said oh. The kingdom that is not a kingdom of glory is called outer darkness. Thus, the only mortals who can possibly become sons of perdition must be Latter-day Saints who fall/fell away. As Joseph Fielding Smith put it, those mortals who fit into this nebulous category of sons of perdition will suffer permanently while the worst of the worst sinners will suffer only temporarily before receiving a kingdom of glory. 16:18). lift[ed] up his eyes and saw Abraham and Lazarus across an impassable gulf (Luke 16:23). Publishing, 19871989), 4:227228. In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. 8:13). 14:34), awful hell (1 Ne. These are they who do two very specific things. A representation of the tree degrees of glory and outer darkness. Today, interpretation of these "outer darkness" verses are a subset of Protestant discussion on hell and annihilationism. The phrase first occurs in Jesus' comment concerning the faith of the Centurion of Capernaum: And I say to thee that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. One fire certainly shall be the lot of both. [4]. The punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, D&C 19:10-12. Also, Joseph confuses things further by combining words typically used with Hell to describe outer darkness: A sinner has his own mind and his own mind damns him. Learn how your comment data is processed. 22:13) that awaits the wicked? Making the LDS Church Slightly Better: A Members Wish List. Grant Building Smith described these spirits who were the first to display rebellious ways: Lucifer became perdition by rebellion. John did not define the second death other than to make it synonymous with the lake of fire and brimstone that awaits the wicked. 40 talks in 40 days for General Conference, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The wicked are cast into outer darkness until the time of their resurrection, Alma 40:13-14. Becoming a son of Perdition is hard therefore going to outer darkness is hard. D&C 76 does say telestial people are the ones thrust down to hell and not redeemed until the last resurrection. . 22:13-14, D-R.). The apostle John saw the final judgment and wrote of the destiny of the wicked: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Second, it is the permanent location of Satan and his followers and the sons of perdition, who are not redeemed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And remember you can be excommunicated for asking church leaders to give solid answers so trust the apologists who say to only trust the prophets on matters like this. But as with anything, that doesnt stop prophets from talking about it like they knew. It is, therefore, important to examine carefully the context of each reference. Followers 0. (Selections of Doctrines of Salvation, p. 462. [DS 2:225.] Rev. There are possible characteristics of a son of perdition. According to the churchs website: The followers of Satan who will suffer with him in eternity. kingdoms of glory. 18:8), hell fire (Matt. But Mormons do not believe that just because a Prophet said it, that it makes it true. Here is one more thing to think about: I work full time with a Christian ministry aimed at converting Mormons. Utterly turn against god. Please note that FAIRMormon states it is not doctrine on the website. He is damned by mortification and is his own condemner and tormenter. WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL ANGELS WHO ARE INCAPABLE OF SINNING. First, LDS Church scripture uses the term outer darkness to refer to a condition in the spirit world. Smith said this will be practically indescribable: The extent of this punishment none will ever know except those who partake of it. For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord. Pingback: The Shunning Key by bwv549 - Mormon Bandwagon, A Son of Perdition is: Mormon Doctrine Lecture, #2, Brigham Young University, 1967.). A person would have to be very wicked to know the church was true yet still fight against it! In Outer Darkness, there is endless lamentation and no divine presence. For example, John saw the judgment in vision and wrote that death and hell delivered up the dead . The New Testament testifies that there is an actual place identified as hell into which people can be cast, as in the case of the wicked, and from which they can lift up their eyes, as in the case of the rich man, and from which they can be delivered, as in the case of King David. Lets go to modern revelation: that there would be no daughters of perdition. Joseph F. Smith Stan Larsen, ed., A Ministry of Meetings: The Diaries of Rudger Clawson, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Smith Associates and Signature Books, 1993) p. 560, Somebody called me up on the telephone and asked if there were daughters of perdition. 3:12), the tares are gathered and burned in the fire (Matt. (Joseph F. Smith,The Second Death,inBrian H. Stuy (editor), Collected Discourses: Delivered by Wilford Woodruff, his two counselors, the twelve apostles, and others, 18681898, 5 vols., (Woodland Hills, Utah: B.H.S. (2) We believe in allowing our candles to burn for a maximum of four hours at a time. Mormons believe that a majority of people on this Earth will go to one of these three heavens. To qualify, a person would not only have to leave the Mormon church but also vehemently speak against it. That it is the most severe punishment that can be meted out to man is apparent. Also, Mormons believe in three Heavens. What is the Book of Mormons contribution to our understanding of the New Testaments teachings concerning hell, or that lake of fire John calls the second death (Rev. They have wilfully (sic) made themselves servants of Satan and servants to him shall they remain forever. (Conference Reports, October 1958, p. 21. These pains are similar to the state of suffering experienced by the ungodly who after mortality are assigned to hell. Thus, the second death is taught in conjunction with the first death, which came as a consequence of the Fall of Adam and Eve, and also with the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which redeems all of humankind from the first death through resurrection and the second death through repentance. Latter-day Saints understand hell to be a literal place and/or stateeither the temporary hell in the spirit world where the unjust suffer in a state of torment until they are resurrected to a telestial glory (D&C 76:8185, 98112), or the permanent hell where the wicked (the sons of perdition) continue to suffer eternally after the resurrection (D&C 76:37, 4548). So a heads up, this does not include you or any one who has ever been or will be born on Earth. (See D&C 76:2835, 4448.) Even the wicked of the earth who never knew the power of God, after they have paid the price of their sinningfor they must suffer the excruciating torment which sins will bringshall at last come forth from the prison house. 23:15). Making the LDS Church Slightly Better: A Members Wish List. While Christianity affirms that many people who were created by God will perish in hell, Mormonism also espouses this . While some apparently have taught that these spirits could be restored to a kingdom of glory, 12th President Spencer W. Kimball said this wasnt true: In the days of the restoration there apparently were those who taught that the devil and his angels and the sons of perdition should sometime be restored. Is Jesus the Only Redeemer? They go too far, and the Spirit leaves themYou cant renew them to repentancyou cannot save them. (Joseph Smith Jr., King Follett Discourse). (1) We believe in trimming our wicks to 1/4 between each burn. In Mormonism, it depends. 10:28). Everyone is already going to the terrestrial kingdom by default. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_perdition_(Mormonism). Finally, John saw that death and hell delivered up the dead to be judged according to their works, and death and hell were cast into [a] lake of fire (Rev. Even Nazi dictator Adolph Hitler will get nothing less than the telestial kingdom since he was never baptized/confirmed into the church; work was done in proxy for him in the London, England temple several decades ago. 15:2830). This analysis will first briefly review what we know from the teachings of the Restoration about hell, second death, the lake of fire and brimstone, and outer darkness. [2] For a discussion of the New Testament words that translate hell, see The Oxford Companion to the Bible, ed. Those who have never received the light are not to become Sons of Perdition. One example would not be human since they were cast out of heaven with Satan before they could receive a body. 67, LDS Church Archives. Smith told a general conference audience: I think I am safe in saying that no man can become a Son of Perdition until he has known the light. hell.. Outer darkness is something which cannot be described, except that we know that it is to be placed beyond the benign and comforting influence of the Spirit of God banished entirely from his presence (Doctrines of Salvation2:220). 22:13). [3] Larry E. Dahl, The Concept of Hell, in Doctrines of the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992), 4243. However, sons of perdition cannot achieve forgiveness and will be completely cast outside of the light of God. This extreme punishment will not be given to any but the sons of perdition (Doctrines of Salvation 2:220). Mormon theology ultimately portrays Outer Darkness as heaven, and Satan as the God of that realm. The opposition gospel twists the title of Adversary into a positive thing. According to the Doctrine and Covenants, this will be a place that even in outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth (Doctrine and Covenants 101:91; also see 133:73). https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Outer_Darkness&oldid=27067. He stated that converts made by the Pharisees became twofold more the child of hell than their teachers (Matt. And as such I would qualify.
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