Mormon Cosmology
anagrammy Feb. 2013
Hi all you newbies. Welcome Mormons! Sit up straight because you will learn something new for a change.
This is my most-requested post and I get lots of requests from people who want to know if there are any space alien beliefs in Mormonism.
I put this together because missionaries many years ago told me there was nothing weird in Mormonism. You be the judge.
By the way, you either have a prophet who speaks to an unchanging God or you do not. You cannot restore something and claim to be "A Restoration of the Original Church" and then start changing things every year. 'Cause then you are not a Restored Church, you are Christianity with a Yearbook.
If you don't see your favorite GA statement, please send it to me. I lost my last set of edits because I switched to Open Source.
Mormon Cosmology - Cult or No Cult?
- God says the correct name for our Sun is "Shinehah," which is the name He gave it. Also, the correct name of the moon is "Olea." See Abraham 3:13.
- God lives on a giant crystal ball. See D&C 130:6-8.
- God's home planet orbits a star named "Kolob." See Abraham 3:3
- Kolob is "the great governing star of our universe" and "the residence of God." See Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith's "Church History and Modern Revelation" Volume 3, Page 60.
- The Sun "borrows it's light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash.. which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars.. and receives light from the revolutions of Kolob." This quote comes directly from the Book of Abraham, Facsimile Number 2, Explanation for Figure 5. Also see: http://nowscape.com/mormon/kolob-defined.htm
This Mormon site describes correlation between the North Star and Kolob, based on the fact that the big dipper is on the SLC temple, etc: http://www.ldswomenofgod.com/?p=1800
- The Sun is a celestialized world, where its inhabitants are perfected. The Prophet Brigham Young taught in General Conference: "So it is with regard to the inhabitants of the sun. Do you think it is inhabited? I rather think it is. Do you think there is any life there? No question of it; it was not made in vain. It was made to give light to those who dwell upon it, and to other planets; and so will this earth when it is celestialized." See Journal of Discourses, 13:271. Also see Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Volume 1 Page 88: "Earth to be Celestialized Sun"
- The Earth will undergo a perfection after the millenium and become a huge seer stone of glass. People living on the Earth after this transformation will be able to look into the Earth and see things happening on "inferior" kingdoms (planets). See D&C 130:9
- God's home planet, Kolob, is at the center of our Galaxy, which all other stars rotate around. See Clark, J. Reuben Jr., "Behold the Lamb of God," page 46, "Kolob, the Governor"
- The Earth actually has a spirit, just like we do. It had to be baptized (the flood) to fulfill all righteousness, just like us. It will also have to receive the baptism of fire (at the second coming of Christ) in order to receive its exaltation and become a celestialized world. See Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith's "Doctrines of Salvation," Volume 1, pages 73-74, page 87 "Celestial Destiny of the Earth." See also Moses Chapter 7:48-49, 56 where the Earth's spirit speaks with Enoch.
- When Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden, the Earth was closely orbiting Kolob, like God's home planet. But when Adam and Eve fell, so did the Earth and it was hurled across the cosmos and placed in orbit around our sun in this planetary system. After the Millenium, the Earth will return to its rightful place near God, orbiting Kolob. See Church Ensign, March 1997, Page 16 "The Book of Abraham: A Most Remarkable Book," and Journal of Discourses, 17:143 and Journal of Discourses 7:163
- Black Holes are "outer darkness" where God will cast those sons of perdition that deny His spirit. This includes all Ex-Mormons. See "The Creation," page 146 and D&C 101:90-91
- The light of Christ is the light coming from the Sun and the Moon. See D&C 88:7. (The "light" refered to may very well be literal, as well as figurative and symbolic, speaking about Christ's influence.)
- Kolob is the North Star, according to Joseph Smith. Taught by LDS Church Institute Instructor, but still need reference.
mormon-scienceCreation
- Joseph Smith taught that the Earth was created like a cake, from ingredients of different ages. Just like a cake was made from wheat that is a year old, eggs from a few days and milk fresh this morning from the cow, so too, the Earth is made from parts of different ages. See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 350-352.
- God created everything twice, just like Plato said. First there was a spiritual creation, and then there was a physical creation. See Moses 3:5, 6:51 and Endowment Ceremony.
- God did not create the physical Earth Himself. Actually, all of us helped out. Under the direction of Jesus and Adam, we created the Earth. Some of us created trees, others created rocks and still others created animals, based on God's blueprints. See Abraham 3:22-24, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, pages 74-75.
- God can't get his story straight about which order he created the Earth. The order of the days of creation in Moses contradicts the order given in the Temple Endowment, which are both inspired truth. The third day (creation of life, vegetation and seeds) and fourth day (creation of light, moon and stars) of creation are switched in the temple ceremony, whereas Moses matches the order of Genesis. See Moses 2:9-19 and Temple Ceremony (all versions).
- God created the Earth first, then He created the Sun, Moon and stars and the rest of the universe. On the first day of creation God creates the earth (see Moses 2:2-5). On the second day, God creates earth's oceans and the atmosphere (see Moses 2:6-8). On the third day, God separates the land from the water and creates vegetation, fruits and trees (see Moses 2:9-13). Finally, on the fourth day, God creates the Sun, Moon and stars (see Moses 2:14-19).
- Mars and Venus have dry rivers that match perfectly with rivers on Earth, proving that parts of all three were "organized" from parts of a same old planet. Scientists say the moon was formed out of the Earth, why not the other planets too? Still need reference. Taught by LDS Church apostle during stake fireside, but still need reference.
Extra-Terrestrials
- There are human beings on many other planets that look just like us because they too, are in the image of God. See New Era Article "People on Other Worlds" April 1971.
- UFOs are from the City of Enoch, that was raised to heaven because the citizens attained perfection. City of Enoch story is in the Pearl of Great Price, but UFO connection made by LDS Church Seminary teacher. Still need reference.
- Joseph Smith taught that the Ten Lost Tribes had gone to the North Pole, as it used to be warm, but God divided the Earth in two and they wound up between Texas and Florida. Then God scooped them up, leaving a big hole called the Gulf of Mexico. And these millions of Hebrews are today on this island floating around in the solar system, but we can't see them because God has them flying at an angle where the telescopes can't pick them up. But one day the island will crash back into the Gulf and the earth will reel to and fro like a drunken man. See http://www.code-co.com/rcf/mhistdoc/enoch.htm for many scriptural and Joseph Smith prophetic references.
- UFOs are from the lost ten tribes, which live underneath the north pole. As explained in the Doctrine and Covenants, these tribes will return by flight from the north in the Last Days. See D&C 110:11 and 133:26.
- Earth is the most evil of all of God's worlds in the Universe. See Moses 7:36
- God sent Christ here because it was the only world that was wicked enough to kill Jesus. Common teaching from LDS Church Seminary teachers, but still need reference.
- All of the other planets in the universe with God's children have prophets who preach to them about Christ's life, death and resurrection on Earth. Just as our prophets tell us that other worlds have human life on them, so to, true prophets on other worlds teach the life of Christ as he lived it on this Earth. See November 1985 Ensign "Is Jesus Christ the Savior of all the worlds God created or just ours?"
- Mars is populated by beings who, like us, were created in the image of God, so they look like us. Except they are waiting to hear about the Gospel, which we will preach to them during the millenium. Supposedly came from early church conference address by church apostle, but still need reference.
- God created all the planets in our solar system with the explicit "law" to support human life. The other planets in our solar system are already populated or are able to support human life. See "The Essential Orson Pratt, p.373"
- Lucifer only did to Adam and Eve "the same thing which has been done in "OTHER WORLDS," according to the temple endowment. This shows Mormon doctrine embraces the idea of life on other planets.
- "Thus the Lord has given us the information regarding his creations, and how he has made many earths, for there never was a beginning, never was a time when man did not exist somewhere in the universe, and when the time came for this earth to be peopled the Lord, our God, transplanted upon it from some other earth, the life which is found here." Improvement Era, Vol 23:389-393; Joseph Fielding Smith; "The Origin and Destiny of Man"; 1919
Mormon Physics
- All spirit is matter, just "more fine or pure" form of matter which we cannot measure. See D&C 131:7.
- The Mormon God cannot destroy or create matter, he can only "reorganize" it. So the Solar System was formed from other previous creations. See Temple Endowment, The Contributor, Vol. 4, p. 257, and Joseph Smith As Scientist, p. 14.
- God has cursed water and turned it over to Satan to control. Satan controls bodies of water, especially rivers. See D&C 61:13-19
- All matter in the universe chooses to obey God's law. If God had not sacrificed his Only Begotten Son to fulfill the atonement and satisfy the law, then matter would not have continued to respect God and matter would not have continued to obey Him. This is supposedly from ther church's official publication "Jesus the Christ" but is often taught by LDS Church Institute instructors. Still need reference.
- Light is the sole medium which God has for governing the universe. See Journal of Discourses, Volume 15:232
Other Dimensions
- The Earth is the spirit world, where the billions of deceased spirits now live. In fact, there are spirits all around us right now, yet we cannot see them and they cannot see us, thanks to "the veil." [This is so much like a few Star Trek episodes!] Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors - still need reference.
- When babies are born, "the veil" is still very thin and as newborns they can see spirits, remember the "pre-existence" and still hear God directly. It's only later after months trapped in a physical body that "the veil" begins to close over their spiritual awareness. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors - still need reference.
- Just before people die, "the veil" once again lifts and they start to see again all the spirits and angels all around us. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors - still need reference.
- God lives in the fourth dimension, which explains why he can see everything, be everywhere and know all time. In fact, as three-dimensional beings, if we could visit flatland (a two-dimensional universe) the inhabitants would think we were Gods. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors - still need reference.
- The Holy of Holies in the Salt Lake Temple actually contains a portal to the celestial realm at Kolob. Mormon folklore, source reference needed.
Time and Time Travel
- God travels much faster than the speed of light. God travels at the "speed of thought." Very common Mormon belief, source reference needed.
- A day for God is like a thousand years on Earth. This is because it takes a thousand Earth years for God's home planet Kolob to rotate around once on its axis. See Abraham 3:4-5
- God lives by "celestial time, which celestial time signifies one day to a cubit" See Book of Abraham, Facsimile Number 2, Explanation for Figure 1.
- Adam and Eve living in the Garden of Eden were "subject to Kolob Time." See Abraham 5:13
- Seer stones allow us to see past, present and future events at any location. All of those that make it to the Celestial Kingdom will have their own seer stone, to review any moment or location in the universe. See D&C 130:10-11
- If it wasn't for "Cherubum and a Flaming Sword" in front of the tree of life, Adam and Eve would have lived "forever" after eating the forbidden fruit. See Alma 12:21, 42:2-3 and Moses 4:31
- A righteous man's "time" on this Earth is not "cut short," according to the D&C 122:9.
- Christ's atonement was eternal, reached back in time and retro-actively saved the faithful who lived and died before the event occurred, yet they were told to wait for his coming in order to be saved. (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, pp. 64, 65).
- God showed his temporal prophets "everything from the beginning to the end of time", as accounts record in the Pearl of Great Price and the Book of Mormon. See stories of Nephi, Moses and Abraham. Also see D&C 101:32-34.
- The earth's lifetime is divided into "dispensations" of time. The correct name for our current dispensation of time is "Adam-ondi-Ahman" which Joseph Smith explained to mean "The place or land of God where Adam dwelt." (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie, p. 19-20)
Geology
- Right from the scriptures, the Earth's total temporal existence is 7,000 years. See D&C 77:6
- There's more gold and mineral riches in Utah than the rest of the world combined. It's hidden from you because of a lack of faith. There's no need to go to California to pan for Gold, because God will reveal these riches to you when you are righteous enough. This was preached from the pulpit at the Tabernacle by the Prophet of the Church. See Journal of Discourses 1:264.
- Fossilized dinosaur bones are from dinosaurs that lived on other worlds that were destroyed to create the Earth. They were living creatures, but not from this Earth. (See Creation above) Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors. Still need reference.
- Carbon dating is phony because God has altered the Earth so many times with processes we can't understand or measure. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors. Still need reference.
- The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. Noah was taken to the Old World by the Flood. This teaching was given by Joseph Smith and is still accepted as true doctrine. Given this teaching, Mormons have to accept the flood as a global phenomenon. (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie, "Adam-Ondi-Ahman" p. 19-20)
- Prophet preaches from the Tabernacle pulpit in General Conference that "Gold and silver grow, and so does every other kind of metal, the same as the hair upon my head, or the wheat in the field.." See JoD 1:209.
Mormon Biology
- Adam and Eve did not have blood in their bodies in the Garden of Eden. The Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith taught: "Adam [and, by extension, all of the animal creation] had no blood in his veins before the fall. Blood is the life of the mortal body." After Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, blood became "the life-giving fluid in Adam's body, and was inherited by his posterity. Blood was not only the life of the mortal body, but also contained in it the seeds of death which bring the mortal body to its end. Previously the life force in Adam's body, which is likewise the sustaining power in every immortal body, was the spirit." - Joseph Fielding Smith, Man: His Origin and Destiny (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954), pp. 362, 376-77.
- Adam lived nearly 1,000 years and the prophets used to live hundreds of years because they lived the Word of Wisdom perfectly and had more pure blood in their veins. Over time, the human race has polluted blood more and more. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors. Still need reference.
- Adam did not have a navel, Eve did. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors. Still need reference.
- Mormonism directly explains the creation of at least one race by God. Mormon scripture taught that Cain was so evil, God cursed him and his lineage with black skin, creating the African race. See Moses 7:22. Mormon Doctrine explains: "Cain was cursed with a dark skin; he became the father of the Negroes, and those sprits who are not worthy to receive the priesthood are born though his lineage. He became the first mortal to be cursed as a son of perdition. As a result of his mortal birth he is assured of a tangible body of flesh and bones in eternity, a fact which will enable him to rule over Satan." Mormon Doctrine, Page 102.
- When Native Americans become Mormons, their skin turns white. The Prophet Spencer W. Kimball taught the principle of this process in a General Conference address. He stated how the "Indians are fast becoming a white and delightsome people." He said, "The [Indian] children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation... These young [Indian] members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness. One white elder jokingly said that he and his companion were donating blood regularly to the hospital in the hope that the process might be accelerated." LDS General Conference, October 1960, Spencer W. Kimball, (Improvement Era, December 1960, pp. 922-3). Also see the original Mormon prophesy of this effect in 2 Nephi 30:6.
- Drinking tea may tan your stomach similarly to what happens in a teapot. (Missionary teaching technique taken seriously by some).
- All races, including Blacks, Asians, Indians etc.. will be resurrected in their perfect state as white Caucasians. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors. Still need reference.
- Our Spirit bodies look exactly the same as our physical bodies, even before birth. In the book of Mormon, Christ appeared (and touched the stones) to the Brother of Jared in the BoM in his spirit form, which appeared the same as his future body would thousands of years later when he was born. See Ether 3:15-17
- Resurrection is simply a priesthood ordinance not yet revealed, but that will be revealed after the millenium. See LDS Church News Archives, Saturday, January 15, 2000, "Resurrection is a priesthood ordinance. 'As to how the dead are raised, we know that it is by the power of Jesus Christ because He holds the keys of death, hell, and resurrection,' said Brother Matthews. '. . . President Brigham Young and Elder Erastus Snow taught that the resurrection will be conducted much as other things are done in the kingdom, by those in authority and by delegation.'"
- Resurrected bodies do not have blood but instead rely on the spirit to stay alive. The Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith taught: "Our Father in heaven and our Savior and all those who have passed through the resurrection have physical bodies of flesh and bones, but their bodies are quickened by spirit and not by blood, hence they are spiritual bodies and not blood bodies. The immortal body is quickened by spirit, but the mortal body is quickened by blood... . Now when Adam was in the Garden of Eden, he was not subject t o death. There was no blood in his body and he could have remained there forever. This is true of all other creations." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 76-77).
donbagley
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
You made a lot of good points, ana. I strongly disagree with every one that you listed. Those are all deal killers for faith in the extreme regime.
justrob
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
Here's at least a mormon site claiming a correlation between the north star and kolob, based on the fact that the big dipper is on the SLC temple, and some other stuff:
http://www.ldswomenofgod.com/?p=1800
Still looking for a more solid reference for you though
Nibley compares it to the north star, in reference to the astrology and alignment of the SLC temple, but doesn't directly say it IS the north star.
http://www.docbible.net/sciencereligion/83-kolob-time-and-temples
Uncle Dale
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
>Black Holes are "outer darkness" where God will
>cast those sons of perdition that deny His spirit.
>This includes all Ex-Mormons. See "The Creation,"
>page 146 and D&C 101:90-91...
So where are today's scientists discovering these terrible
pits of iniquity? At the center of galaxies? Wait... that
can't be right -- that's where the Mormon gods reside...
Oh, hell!
UD
luvcake
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
You just brought back a few memories from my childhood. My dad use talk about some of these teaching as if its was logical and something to be proud of. I think most of these things definently aren't taught now or even talked about. When you lay it all out there like that it's pretty ridiculous really.
Dave the Atheist
It works like this ....
http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/kolob1.gif
The Matrix
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
This may be one of the best reads I've seen on here. I love this and find it very entertaining.
When I met my mission president for the first time he started talking about my companion. He proceeds to tell me how he is a dirty Indian boy. And that he served amongst the Indians in Guatemala on his mission and they are a very dirty dirty people. He then says I just pray that he will be able to loose his dark skin. He then looks out in the distance and says "can you picture this Elder Matrix? A tall white Elder Indian with blue eyes and blonde hair?" I was stunned. Had no idea how to respond but knew from that moment on that my mission president was crazy.
Wish that would have been enough to convince me of the bullshit but sadly it took 15 more years.
victoria
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
Anagrammy, Thank you for posting this. A wonderful bit of inoculation for my kids. We read almost every night, so this will be added to our reading material and I look forward to a great discussion.
Uncle Dale
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
The Matrix Wrote:
-------------------
...
> looks out in the distance and says "can you
> picture this Elder Matrix? A tall white Elder
> Indian with blue eyes and blonde hair?"...
Let me see if I've got Mormonism figured out correctly.
Chief Sitting Bull reads the Book of Mormon and
magically changes into Leif Erikson. He and his tribe
progress to white-skinned, blue-eyed godhood and
their world is celestialized into a great shining star...
...which eons later goes supernova, destroying them all;
or, worse yet, develops into a neutron star, making
all the blue-eyed celestials into sons of perdition.
Royalton, Vermont produced two famous men: Joe Smith,
the expert on Kolob, and Truman Henry Safford, astronomer
and cosmologist. Which of these worthy sons of Windsor
County should I trust, when it comes to starry truths?
UD
Outcast
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
One wonders why missionaries don't teach this to people on the street...I mean, who WOULDN'T want to be involved in a group that believes these things?? Sounds like a crazy drug-induced free-thinking weekend of FUN!
Brother Of Jerry
Black Hole stars are Outer Darkness? Super Saturday Cool!! Getting cast into a Black Hole would be a great Bruce Willis film - Die Hard: Long and Skinny
karin
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
A few things on here i'd never heard of!
The matter not following god anymore thus an atonement was needed stuff is found in Skousen's 'the First 2000 years, at the back of the book. I don't remember it in Jesus The Christ, but i could be wrong. I don't have either of those books, so can't look it up.
That theory makes sence for about 10 minutes. Even after reading that stuff, i still had a hard time understanding why someone had to be violently crucified, as opposed to just, i don't know, shot or something, just to satisfy some meaningless little pieces of matter.
flo, the nevermo
I can tell you where this one comes from . . .
"In fact, as three-dimensional beings, if we could visit flatland (a two-dimensional universe) the inhabitants would think we were Gods. Taught by LDS Church Institute instructors - still need reference."
This concept is directly from "Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions," a satire written by a Edwin Abbott, an English scholar/teacher/author/theologian in the 1880's.
You could wiki it to see what I mean, but it's really a very fun read. (Also, short and available on kindle.)
Teaching this concept without attributing it to Abbott is laughable, not to mention intellectually dishonest. (Especially if you're going to go so far as to actually use the word "Flatland," for Pete's sake!)
Perhaps even more perverse - "Flatland" was satirically critical of the patriarchal hierarchy of Victorian England! And, ya know, Mormonism has a few patriarchy issues . . .! You'd think that an LDS instructor would not be encouraging his students to look at the original too closely!
How commonly was this taught in institute? Maybe a rogue instructor or something?
Well, just thought I'd fill in a part of the puzzle for you . . .
anybody
Kolob Found By Hubble Space Telescope
Polaris is actually a multiple star system consisting of the primary star, Ursae Minoris Alpha A, and several smaller companions -- B,C,and D. Astronomers have actually been able to photograph Ursae Minoris Alpha B with the Hubble Space Telescope:
http://www.spacetelescope.org/static/archives/images/screen/opo0602a.jpg
Now if you really believe that Elohim lives on a dwarf star orbiting Polaris you might be possessed by alien spirits from outer space...
Anubis
You forgot Quakers on the moon
"Nearly all the great discoveries of men in the last half century have, in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, contributed to prove Joseph Smith to be a Prophet.
"As far back as 1837, I know that he said the moon was inhabited by men and women the same as this earth, and that they lived to a greater age than we do -- that they live generally to near the age of 1000 years.
"He described the men as averaging near six feet in height, and dressing quite uniformly in something near the Quaker style.
"In my Patriarchal blessing, given by the father of Joseph the Prophet, in Kirtland, 1837, I was told that I should preach the gospel before I was 21 years of age; that I should preach the gospel to the inhabitants upon the islands of the sea, and to the inhabitants of the moon, even the planet you can now behold with your eyes."
(The Young Woman's Journal, published by the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of Zion, 1892, vol. 3, pp. 263-64)
Elder Berry
So we are living on borrowed sun light?
Wow! And to think people actually buy into this? Their cosmology must be totally irrelevant to the businessmen running the morg. They can't believe their own doctrines.
breedumyung
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
When The Anagrammy speaks, the thinking has been done...
Follow The Anagrammy....
BTW, great shtuff!!!
anagrammy
ANYONE CAN COPY AND USE THIS - Please!
Help yourself. We all have to share our LDS references and spread them far and wide because many very honest members call us liars when we tell them what their own church has been passing off as revealed truth.
Anagrammy
Jersey Girl
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
I was going to add Quakers on the moon but am glad to see Anubis beat me to it. All investigators should read this list before proceeding any further.
Heresy
Re: Anagrammy's List - Mormon Cosmology
Wow, I have an early version of your list. You've really done a masterful job of filling in the links and adding too it. This is classic.
"Recovery from Mormonism - www.exmormon.org"