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Mormonism

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While Mormonism focuses on salvation through the atonement of Jesus Christ, their concept of ''exaltation'' goes far beyond this. All of mankind, say the Mormons, will be saved from death through the [[resurrection]] of Christ; but it is only those whom God judges as obedient and faithful, and who receive specific saving ordinances (which will be offered to every person that has ever lived), who will be exalted to the highest of the three "degrees of glory" which comprise the Mormon heaven. Mormons, building on Paul's explication that there are three types of resurrection -one with a glory like the Sun, another with a glory like the Moon, and another a glory like the Stars- combined with the teachings of Joseph Smith have developed a Heaven with multiple glories and rewards. Only those exalted to the greatest or "Celestial glory" will become "gods." Those in the lower two degrees, referred to in order of glory as the "Terrestrial" and "Telestial" glories respectively in Doctrine & Covenants Section 76 will enjoy a blessed and happy state but will still be damned as their spiritual progression will be frozen and they will never have the chance to move to a higher existence.
To attain to "Celestial glory," one must be baptized as a Mormon by "true authority" (meaning a member of their church ordained to the LDS priesthood), "confirmed" by the same, and receive certain sacred ordinances that can only be had within a Mormon temple. While Orthodox Christians often tend to use the term "temple" to refer to any Orthodox Church building. Mormons, Mormons use it only for hearkening back more directly to ancient biblical concepts of temples as places where God Himself could dwell directly and in which certain sacred ceremonies took place that members not of the faith were not allowed to take part in have specific structures specially dedicated solely as suchtemples.<ref>The regular Mormon meetinghouses are generally called "chapels" (where Mormon congregations meet) or "stake centers," (larger chapels designed for large stake wide church meetings- much as if all the congregations in a diocese met together in one place) and unlike their temples, are generally open to the public.</ref>
Within these temple structures, Mormons practice (for themselves, or on behalf of otherswho have died) certain esoteric rituals: :'''Baptism for the Dead''', where living proxies act on behalf of deceased persons who are then "baptized" into the LDS church; names are obtained from geneological research, for which the Mormons are world-famous. This practice was rejected by the Council of Hippo and the Third Council of Carthage, and St. [[John Chrysostom]] associated it with the heretical [[Marcionism|Marcionites]]. St. [[Clement of Alexandria]] indicated that Baptism for the Dead was a doctrine also particular to the [[Gnostics]].:'''The so-called "Endowment'''," where initiates are taught the "fullness" of Mormon doctrine on such subjects as the "plurality of Gods," the Mormon version of creation, and the process by which one may "progress to godhood." Additionally, participants take a solemn oath never to reveal anything that goes on in the temple, as well as oaths to faithfully abide by all Mormon teachings. This ritual is essentially a "contract" between the Mormon "god" and his adherents, by which they promise to obey his laws and earthly leadership, and he in turn promises to advance them to "godhood" upon their resurrection. Many elements of this rite were stolen from the heretical [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]], and Joseph Smith (who had been a Master Mason himself) was expelled from that fraternity as a result.:'''Marriage for Eternity''', where participants, upon receiving their "Endowment," are married "for time and all eternity." This is seen as an indespensible requirement for "godhood."<ref>LDS ''Doctrine & Covenants'', Section 131. See http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/131.</ref> The Orthodox Church has traditionally rejected this concept.
:'''Baptism for the Dead''', where living proxies are baptized on behalf of deceased persons which Mormons believes gives those who never had the chance to accept baptism into their church in this life the opportunity to do so though the person could still conceivably accept or reject the baptism performed on their behalf; names are obtained from genealogical research, for which the Mormons are world-famous. This practice was rejected by the Council of Hippo and the Third Council of Carthage, and St. [[John Chrysostom]] associated it with the heretical [[Marcionism|Marcionites]]. St. [[Clement of Alexandria]] indicated that Baptism for the Dead was a doctrine also particular to the [[Gnostics]]. :'''The "Endowment'''," where initiates go through a ritual presentation of the Creation of the Earth and the temptation and Fall of Adam and Eve as well as the preaching of the Gospel to Adam. As part of the ceremony, Mormons learn certain signs and tokens that they promise to never reveal and covenant to live the Law of Chastity, consecrate all their lives and possessions to God and His kingdom, to serve Jesus Christ, and avoid impure thoughts and actions. Some elements of this rite are similar to practices of the [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]], and Joseph Smith and many early Mormon hellleaders were themselves Masons. That said, by the waysimilarities are few and the differences are very important to understanding the different rituals- that is Masonic ritual and the Mormon Endowment. "<ref> Similarities and differences can be explored here. https://www.fairmormon.org/archive/publications/ask-the-apologist-similarities-between-masonic-and-mormon-temple-ritual</ref>  :'''Eternal Marriage''', Mormons believe an essential part of being exalted is being married "for time and all eternity" within Mormon temples. This ceremony, often called a "sealing, " is limited believed to those few who have apostasized from join or "seal" couples together on Earth so that they will be joined or "sealed" together as husbands and wives, parents and children, in Heaven. For Mormons, not only does the family explicitly continue into eternity but it is also the basis for deification. In order to become a "god" Mormons believed they must be married or sealed within a Mormon religiontemple. Hell, broken in Mormonism, is generally temporary. Those who reject a testimony of Jesus Christ suffer the punishment for their oath evils and sins in Hell. Ultimately they pay the punishment for their sins and are released form Hell but because they rejected Christ they are damned, never able to be exalted, and only gain the lowest, or Telestial glory, in Heaven. Only Sons of secrecy about Perdition are damned to Hell eternally. In Mormonism, the Temple ritualsonly way to become a Son of Perdition is to have an absolute knowledge of God, to reject Him, committed to commit murder after becoming a Mormon, or and to seek to destroy His church and His work. The classic examples of this for Mormons are guilty Satan, who as an angel in Heaven knew of other very serious offenses--together with God's actual reality and rebelled, seeking to dominate and destroy the souls of men and Cain, who under the devil influence of Satan, knowingly rejected God (who Cain knew was a reality through revelatory communication)and murdered his fallen angelsbrother Abel. IN Mormonism, those condemned to an eternity in Hell are incredibly few.
===Alleged "brotherhood" of Christ and Satan===
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