Mormon scandal brewing in Washington State

by Mulan 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Yizuman

  Trust me, there is ALOT of simularities between the Mormons and JWs.

  Both religions are staking claims to be part of the decendents of Israel or Abraham, however you want to put it.

  There is a symbol that was used by C.T. Russell, founder of the so called "truth". There is a Mason symbol that was often used his newsletters "The Watch Tower", it was also used on Rutherford's book "THE FINISHED MYSTERY" and is now on Russell's tombstone, a pyramid shaped tombstone is not far from his gravesite marker which is about a couple dozen yards away from each other. This pyramid shaped tombstone is the symbol of Rutherford's work in which he used to measure and predict the end times of 1918. (A side note: Both Russell and Rutherford were members of the Freemasons before they founded the WT Society.)

  Here's a quote from the book, "Also in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches and the church members by millions it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of "Christianity."

  If you want to get the book, "THE FINISHED MYSTERY", you can order a exact replica of Judge Rutherford's book, published in 1917. Read the chapter "The Great Pyramid predicts the future" on page 60.
  My best friend has the original copy of the book which is extremely old and rare. Very hard to find in fact, he paid big bucks for it too.
  Here's a link where you can order a reproduction of the book and see for yourself.....

  http://www.witnessinc.com/ordering%20materials.html#Reproduct

  The reproduction of the book is only $9.95, the order number is #285.

  By the way, THE FINISHED MYSTERY is part of the series called "Studies in the Scriptures", C.T. Russell started the series, he completed 6 series before Rutherford picked up the remainder of the series. I forget how many there were before the series ended.

  Here's an image of this Mason symbol found on his pyramid shaped tombstone....

  

  Here is a picture of his gravesite marker as well...

  

  This symbol was used by the Freemasons....

  

  It's called the Masonic and Eastern Star symbol.

  The Mormons still uses that symbol even today, using the crown and cross throughout their temples all over the world. Both of these symbols that was used by the JWs and Mormons were stolen from the Freemasons.

  There's more simularities between the Mormons and the JWs, I just need to yank out all of my research materials before i can post any further.
• 

  bigred

  Mulan here..........ran out of posts.

  I worked for Mormons for nearly a year, and we discussed it too. They definitely downplayed it, but admitted that they would shun someone who left their church and went to another, or one who turned against them and went public. The ones who are inactive are not shunned though. They try to help them, and are kind to them. Or..........so they said anyway.

  My husband has Mormon cousins (his late mother was born a Mormon) and I met them a few years ago. I told them all about leaving the JW's, and believe me they were licking their chops to convert me. I told them about the disfellowshipping, and you should have seen their faces. One couple had a daughter who smoked and they said they would never cut her out of their lives, but they did view her differently.

  I think their views are similar but maybe since they don't excommunicate that often, the majority don't know the policy.
• 

  Sangdigger

  I studied with the mormans, and hung out with alot of thier missionaries for a while before i came to the knowledge of true saving grace in Christ. Me and the wife even attended a few of thier church meetings. Man, were we shocked!!! No crosses, no preachers,(they call them speakers), everyone in a suit and tie, definately alot of physical similarities, but once i studied their doctrine, i realized the major differences.

  Thats true on the ex-communication stuff. They are allowed to speak to family members. But those who for example use tobbacco, or coffee, are not allowed to enter the temple to get baptized for their dead ancestors. Oh, and you have to be up to date on all your tithing, of course, like my pastors mother (who remains a morman) you can just put it on your credit card, that way you can make it in easy installments, and still go in the temple pronto. Afterall, you cant keep your ancestors waiting too long.

  I also met alot of mormans who are practicing masons. Joseph Smith himself was a mason. The ironic thing, is when the mob in Missouri stormed the jail where he and his brother were being kept, it is recorded that ole Joe gave the masonic distress signal, but that didnt keep the mob, some of whom were also masons, from filling him full of lead.

  Yizuman, you said "Both Rutherford and Russell were freemasons before they founded the WT society"

  Does this mean that they ceased being masons after that? It doesnt look like Russell did, with the masonic symbol on his grave.

  One afterthought, a missionary once told me that many of the handshakes and secret things they do in the temple originated with freemasonry.
• 

  Yizuman

  Does this mean that they ceased being masons after that? It doesnt look like Russell did, with the masonic symbol on his grave.

  Nope, guess any member of the founders of WTBTS are still members of the Freemasons before they died.

  One afterthought, a missionary once told me that many of the handshakes and secret things they do in the temple originated with freemasonry.

  They actually admitted that? That's a surprise because alot of them told me that the Freemason stole the temple rites and temple designs from the Mormons.

  How ya like that?

  Sheesh
• 

  Roddy

  This article is impressive. One cannot help but see the disturbing similarities!

  I wonder. No JW should object to reading and sharing this article. In fact, let's share it to all JWs. Let's be technical - it isn't apostate, right? LOL

  Yes. Let the JWs read it, see the wrongness, and then let their conscience go to work! We can only hope they still have one.

  Edited by - Roddy on 4 December 2002 15:40:19
• 

  SusanHere

  My goodness! Talk about a tempest in a teapot! Definitely must have been a slow news day when that story made its way to the forefront.

  Yizuman...That "symbol" of the cross with a crown around it is NOT used by Mormons today for anything. It is not used in the Temples. Where in the Temple would such a "symbol" be used? What would its purpose be? I did wear a coat pin with that exact symbol on it though, as a child when I was Presbyterian. It was for perfect attendence at the Presbyterian Church for one year. Maybe you're thinking of them?

  You also commented that you were told we "definitely shun" those who leave the Church. No. We don't believe in shunning. Individuals may for their own reasons choose not to remain friends with someone for reasons of their own, but it is definitely not Church policy to turn away from anyone in that manner.

  You also said we shun those who "turned against them and went public." Well, no we don't shun them, either, but there wouldn't be much desire to spend time with them. Wouldn't you prefer to avoid contact with formerly close friends who turned on you and slandered your name without what you considered to be just cause? Their actions would be sharply painful to you, especially if they "went public" in accusing you of things you never said and never did in the first place, in a vain attempt to justify their own lack of character and integrity.

  You said, "The ones who are inactive are not shunned though. They try to help them, and are kind to them." It has been my experience that most of us try to be kind to the ones who choose to leave the Church, to the disfellowshipped, and even the ex'd ones. They often need our love more than any of the others. We see the failure of one person as the failure of the entire congregation. The mood of the congregation is always one of sorrow and concern when someone is in trouble. We all ask ourselves what we might have done to have prevented them from following that path and what might we do to help them find their way back.

  Sangdigger... You commented on knowing a lot of Mormons "who are practicing masons." You said Joseph Smith at the time of his murder gave the "masonic distress signal"... who said he did and what would such a signal look or sound like and to whom was he supposed to have given it and when? I've heard many supposed tales of that night, but nobody has ever answered this clearly for me. Perhaps you can.

  As for the "handshakes and secret things they do" (masonic and Temple comparison) they actually originated with Temple of Solomon times, so neither the masons nor Joseph Smith came up with it. I have a link to a couple of sites discussing that in length should anyone care to have it. I believe they're still valid. Were last time I was there, anyway.

  I enjoyed your comments, as always. This is a great site.

  Susan