I suspect that unlike other prosperity "gospels" out in the world LDS Inc. is more of a Kibbutz model of worshiping mammon. No disrespect to actual Jewish people just to the leaders of adoptions and sealings into The House of Israel.

It makes sense, but alas it is only a speculative theory. And it came to me because I can't reconcile Joseph Smith's weird United Order of things with the suits today.

They obviously are not leaders of a megachurch or have obvious signs of opulent wealth. It may exist but it isn't obvious. And there is The City Creek Mall. If there ever was a sign of opulent wealth that would be it. Taken together I think that there is a select "Council of 50" although it may be like 5,000 or even more men and women out in Mormonism who like Scientology's Operating Thetans have reached a peerage in Mormonism. They may not be titled or even in the Mormon oligarchy's aristocracy but these are people who Mormonism would take care of above all other Mormons?

From my perspective most Mormons are marks for LDS leadership and while having access to a few resources for their 10 percent they are not in the percent of Second Anointed members who might have a whole lot more available to them in opportunities and help when needed. Like any good multi-level marketing scam this multi-heaven marketing scam is all about their organization and giving the lowest members of their club a lot less in product than they pay for it.

Just something to consider. For an organization which started out with such socialistic dreams and schemes and wife swappings, it has become one of the most profitable religious endeavors of all human history or certainly up there in the top ten or even top five.

And I can't get the Thomas Marsh's wife story out of my head when I think about this theory. It is like these leaders are taking the tithing and skimming the cream off and telling their members that either they should not care about their cream or believe that it isn't being taken. So, what to do with the cream? Correlate and distribute it among the aristocrats who in turn have created many Second Anointed vassals in whom they can trust with the distribution.

It is obvious that The Second Anointing was a lay member thing until it got pulled up into the rarefied air of The Lord's Anointed. I think it possible that the system in place is one of from the many to the few and the few who can multiple their talents more than others share their profits with all of their anointed brethren.

You may be on to something Elder Berry.
In our HP group we have guys who have served multiple tours of duty as mission pres, temple pres, MTC pres. We also have a 70 who visits his son often. Presumably these men have recieved the second annointing.
I never connected the dots before, but these four men seem to gravitate to a corner and have a chit chat when they get together.
It may be nothing or they are the local cell of a church shadow government.

they are just giving each other a reach-around as they congratulate each other on their massive endowments.

Hah!

Oh? Well-endowed men get better callings and a second anointing? Who is the scout?

rutabaga Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It may be nothing or they are the local cell of a
> church shadow government.

I don't think my theory would have to do with either.

My theory is about the inner/outer side of church existences more like what Templar is posting.

It makes me wonder if this isn't a model in other large, rich, and overly autocratic enterprises?

The outer shell is all about the base as in power base and appears to be run like a corporation looking to increase brand adoption, market share, and lifetime consumers and they do it by becoming more and more centralized, automized, and productizing their offerings to the world.

And the inner shell is more socialistic. The people who form a "second" layer share more resources, form a brotherhood of help in governance and help in fraternity. They literally follow the maxim of "From each according to his power, to each according to his need."

A parallel question: do we have any idea how common/uncommon the Second Annointing is?

Tom Phillips? Anyone?

If it's really "select", it's rather different than if it's given widely.

Tom in Paris

I was told "very few receive it" FWIW.

When you consider that the Mormon church has millions of members, yes "very few receive it". However, if one only considers the few at Stake President level and above, I don't think the statement would still be true.

The Mormon church leadership has become very adept at making factual (selective) statements while, at the same time, "lying through their teeth"!


I still laugh at the "a few months short of fifteen" polygamous wife statement which is absolutely true and correct, while, at the same time, most hilarious. TSCC is obviously very embarrassed to admit her young age.

I had heard of the Second Anointed before Tom Phillips because I know of a couple who had it/did it. They are not "High Level" G.A.s, but their last name is "Mormon Famous". I don't want to give too much IRL information; His career has been CES since he graduated B.Y.U. and now are on a senior mission back East in helping with CES programs. (ironically, it is the same mission as where he served back in the 70's as an Elder). I don't know of him being called any higher calling in the church than as Bishop and Stake H.C.

I had assumed it was just Apostles, 1st & 2nd quorum of 70s and possible Mission Presidents. Then there was a calling in the 1960's "Assistant to the Twelve". This usually was an office that lead to Q70s (e.g. James Cullimore) http://www.gapages.com/cullija1.htm. The position of Assistants to the Apostles and/or prophet still exists, but isn't announced or presented as G.A. status. So now we have "secret callings" such as strengthening the members, writing committee, I dunno Kirton McConkie (because he's one of the corps most powerful attorney and probably makes more money staying a private citizen/solicitor than becoming a G.A.???) Neill F. Marriott??? The "Female" authority who spoke at the LGBT press conference, even though she's only 2nd counselor in the Young Women's (but before she was on the "writing committee").

So my theory is that maybe the 1st & 2nd Q70's do have it, possibly some of the COB assistants to the Prophet and Apostles; but I also believe many "civilians" get it because they're indispensable as Lawyers, Security, PR and so to lock them into the corporation they offer them the 2nd anointing so they can get SUPER DUPER DOUBLE SECRET V.I.P. HEAVEN!!!

"It's obvious the Second Annointing was a lay member thing..."

It's not at all obvious. I haven't seen any evidence that that is even true. On what do you base that statement?

Brother Of Jerry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On what do you
> base that statement?

I just looked for the site with the scans Jim Harmston's TLC published showing the numbers decline and I can't find it.

This person probably has seen the same thing.

http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthread.php?61458-Former-Stake-Prez-Exmo-Second-Annointing-claim&s=b75ae386e5e9c66bdeb98b03e08f5cdd&p=866480&viewfull=1#post866480

I'll have to find the citation, but In Nauvoo, the second annointing was part of the Endowment and sealing.

I'm not sure that I agree. I have read that only Joseph's chosen few received the SA and became members of his "Quorum of the Anointed". It may be these same individuals were also the first to receive the temple endowments, but many members then, as now, were given the temple endowment and were never told about nor received the SA.

BTW The practice of "Sealing to Eternal Life" later called the "Second Anointing" appears to have originated with Joseph giving the sealing to the parents of at least one of his teenage wives.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2015 03:59PM by Templar.

You are probably correct. Its been a long time since I read this:

http://signaturebooks.com/2010/02/nauvoo-endowment-companies/

Its tedious reading, but very interesting. I even found one of DW's ancestors.

From my dim memory it seemed like they handed out the second annointing to almost everyone. I may have mis-remembered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_anointing

This says BY administered 600 SA's before they left for Utah.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2015 02:01PM by rutabaga.

I think we are actually in agreement here. I am correct in that Joseph pretty much confined giving the SA to his chosen few, and you are correct in that Brigham Young appears to have given it out to anyone who sustained his leadership and was ready to follow him to the Great Basin.

Yep. I agree.

Elder Berry,

I fully agree with your thoughts. The Mormon church from the very beginning has always had "separate strokes for different folks". At one time several of the twelve complained about Joseph F. Smith appointing a number of close relatives to high positions. Of course, his uncle Joseph had done the same before him. Brigham Young followed Joseph's example.

I see the Mormon church as consisting of three levels of membership:

The rank and file baptized members who do not investigate on their own and, for the most part, do what they are told. They require constant prodding to do right and need constant assurance that it is in their best interest to pay tithing and support the church. Some of their sons serve missions. Very few ever serve as local leaders. Most never learn the truth about Mormonism.

The second level are the TBM local leaders that follow the rules, pay a full tithing, and attend the temple often. If they have doubts, they keep them to themselves. They always repeat "faith promoting" church history. They look down on the first group and feel themselves superior. They socialize among themselves and hope to become higher level leaders at some point. Most are not aware of the SA. Their sons usually serve missions and attend church universities. They usually marry in the temple.

The third level consists mainly of the descendants of past faithful Mormon leaders and their wives. They may or may not really believe Mormon doctrine but they are fully committed to keeping the Mormon church viable. They know as long as they continue to "play the game" they will always be taken care of. They function much like any private men's social club by always giving preferential treatment to one another in hiring and social advancement. Their children almost always marry within this select group. Many have received the Second Anointing and stand ready to serve Joseph Inc. wherever and whenever needed. They will never say anything against the church or it's leaders since they hope to replace those same leaders in the future. They function in the same way as higher level management in any mayor world wide corporation. Their sons always serve missions and are usually appointed to be second counselors to the MP. They attend church universities tuition free. They only marry in the temple.

It does follow the idea "joy in their posterity."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2015 11:31AM by Elder Berry.

I seriously HATE that Thomas Marsh story SO much. :( It's probably ruined some people's lives. Why, out of all the things in church history, does that story have such a prominent place in the church curriculum? I think I know why... But it's so unfair and extremely manipulative. That story makes TBMs think most people who leave the church do so because they're offended. That is where that belief among TBMs largely stems from. I wish they'd just stop teaching it..

It was called the 'Holy Order', and reserved for the inner circle families of Nauvoo.

The select group was actually called the "Quorum of Anointed" and consisted of those who had received the Second Anointing. The "Holy Order of God" is a common phrase in the early church beginning with the Book of Mormon and refers to priesthood power.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2015 06:00PM by Templar.

Here's my prediction...

8 out of 10 are so wealthy they would be classified in the top 5% of money earners and total asset holders of the church. There are hundreds of multi-millionaire Mormons that TSCC wants to cement into the organization.

Then there are the royalty such as the families that have run the church since it came to Utah. Wealthy in status and some in money.

Those truly deserving of the Second Anointing (if it was real) never receive it.

The most Christ-like person I've EVER met in my time in the church was a welder. Hardest working man I knew and the poorest in an elite ward of multi-millionaire country club families. He took care of a niece and nephew like there were is own children. Too many mouths to feed and not enough money.

The most charitable, kind and industrious man in the ward was never in leadership or the spotlight. He never made huge financial donations.

And thus... He would never receive the highest honor from the priesthood leadership running the church today.

Talk about secret societies. Members who have had the second anointing performed on them have been guaranteed Godhood. They make up "The God Club."

I'd like to see the names on that list.

I hope this adds to Elder Berry's thought process:

Back in the 1990's I went with other family members to Missouri. They were trying to decide where they wanted to retire and live out the remainder of their lives. So, off we went to Missouri from California. The trip took us to the area around Gallatin, MO, the small town closest to Adam-ondi-ahman (AOA).

AOA is a couple of miles north of Gallatin. It’s the spot where (according to LDS history) Adam & Eve lived when they were forced out of the biblical Garden of Eden. On that 3400 acre spread is a small force of full-time retired missionary couples. My little group had the opportunity to be given a tour by the volunteer manager of the property, again an old retired farmer type guy.

The area has interesting points. There’s a spot called Spring Hill where a temple is supposed to be built. Another is a spot that alleges once contained the very alter that Adam built in the Garden of Eden. Another is a lookout of the valley down to the Grand River. A small gravel road led to this spot with a pedestrian path. The guide indicated that they had just planted a grove of trees in the area. Why? So that it would be a forest like the sacred grove where the alleged first vision took place. And, so that it would be a mature forest for the grand council at AOA as prophesied by LDS prophets.

We were escorted in a church owned vehicle to see the small homes or (IIRC) mobile trailer homes in some instances. These were residences for the 6-10 volunteer missionary couples. The women were "assigned" to house cleaning, meal preparations, painting all the picket fences white, and gathered daily in an upstairs loft to do genealogy. That loft was in the “vehicle barn.” On the ground floor were all sorts of tools for making repairs to their farming equipment, etc. A staircase led to the second story loft.

In the loft was a giant map of AOA pieced together from county maps copied onto large 3 foot square images. It was huge, taking up an entire wall. A large picnic style table was the meeting and eating area for everyone. I’d say you could easily put 12-15 people around it. Every day they had a prayer meeting. Along another wall were those old fashioned micro-fish machines where the women did name extractions when their other duties were finished.

We were told that this manager reported directly to the First Presidency (just like the president does of the PCC in Hawaii (Polynesian Cultural Center). They were respected in the community since they always had unlimited funds and paid their bills promptly. The FP evidently had no problem writing checks for new this or repairs on that with regard to equipment.

The men all had farming skills. They worked the land and kept it alive and prosperous. The whole process was to preserve and prepare the area for the grand council in the future.

We were told that Elder Graham Doxey had been there recently. Doxey was sustained to the Second Quorum of Seventy on April 6, 1991 and released October 5, 1996. He had been a bishop, stake president, president of the Missouri Independence Mission (1973-76), president of the Europe North Area, Manti Utah Temple president, and president of the Church’s Europe West Area.

**** Do I dare say, he (Elder Doxey) had received the Second Anointing? Of course he had. He was special. He was Mormon elite. He was good to go to the highest degree in the celestial kingdom. And of course, it's a secret!****

Doxey had explained to the manager: that “the brethren” believe that someday the area will be closed off to everyone except for temple recommend holders only; that father Adam would return in the millennium and live here; and that Adam would have folks come and sit at his feet as he described the creation process of the earth.

Elder Doxey evidently told this manager that the grand council at AOA would be secret to the world, but that a large group of LDS individuals who were the most righteous in the church would be in attendance, but that the membership at large would not know who they were. They would be at AOA with all the resurrected heads of previous dispensations along with Jesus Christ.

So, to the point of the second anointing, who are these people that the elite LDS leadership think will be the special invitees to the grand council at AOA?

At the time that all this took place I was still ultra TBM. Now, I’m not. Now I know about the Second Anointing. And now, it makes sense to me just who the elite leadership ‘believe’ will be the ones at this grand meeting – it's all the living second anointees who have been inducted into the Celestial Hall of Endless Fame.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2015 06:04PM by jiminycricket.

Interesting posting and excellent conclusion.

I've been there a few times. It is the most well cared for bit of nowhere out there except for one place. The most well cared for bit of nowhere is by far and far and away Far West. Far West is just fields and a little Community of Christ church which is tiny. And then there is a big temple grounds with no temple.

I think your post does support my theory. There are probably many Second Anointed worker bees who have had a lifetime of appointments but no lifetime appointment in leadership.

https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V16N01_12.pdf

You should check out this article. 35 pages on the history of the Second Annointing.

An excellent article which was a lead-in for his even better "The Mysteries of Godliness" book. I highly recommend both.

Until I read his book, I didn't know the SA has had an on-again off-history depending on who was the church president at the time.

This PDF is an incredible resource, but as I thought about reading the article a thought popped into my mind:

"Isn't it amazing that something so fake can command 35 pages of detailed commentary?"

I mean it is absolutely amazing.

Especially you, Tom Phillips, in this and many prior threads!

so how many women received second annointings ?