They are the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness. Twenty-nine times the word hell is used with descriptive modifiers, for example, depths of hell (1 Ne. The first example would be spirits from the preexistence who sided with Lucifer rather than Jesus at the Council in Heavenwhere it was decided who would become the Savior of the World. T F According to a church manual, those who never were Mormon could never be sent to Outer Darkness. King Benjamin and Alma also use the word as to preface their reference to a lake of fire and brimstone (see Mosiah 3:27; Alma 12:17). [DS 2:225.] The Book of Mormon also makes reference to everlasting fire (2 Ne. 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. Those who have never received the light are not to become Sons of Perdition. They will not have a kingdom of glory. For many years, those who have forfeited their membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have been told by other Mormons that they were Sons of Perdition destined for Outer Darkness. This is the choice of an individual to reject God. While Christianity affirms that many people who were created by God will perish in hell, Mormonism also espouses this . St. Augustine wrote: Hell, which also is called a lake of fire and brimstone, will be material fire, and will torment the bodies of the damned, whether men or devilsthe solid bodies of the one, aerial bodies of the others; or if only men have bodies as well as souls, yet the evil spirits, though without bodies, shall be so connected with the bodily fires as to receive pain without imparting life. Everyone is already going to the terrestrial kingdom by default. What qualifies a person to be a Son of Perdition? Thus ensued the War in Heaven, which resulted in Satan and his followers being cast out of heaven and denied the opportunity of receiving a physical body. 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. 9:1012, 1516). A Vision, Times and Seasons 4 (1 Feb 1843) 6:82-5. What is Outer Darkness? Hence, the term outer darkness. Who will partake of it, and what is the nature of the eternal torment? [3]. Bold and italics in original). A) Most humans B) Satan C) His angels D) Sons of Perdition. Can someone get out of this state of Perdition once they are in it? In the Latter Day Saint movement, "outer darkness" can refer to hell (the place where the spirits of the wicked reside after death but before the resurrection)[3] or to the place where the sons of perdition will reside. 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. 2:8-10) Jesus' atonement provided immortality for all people. Only a handful of "sons of perdition" would go. The Book of Mormon clarifies that the lake of fire and brimstone is a metaphor for the suffering of the wicked. 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 (Conference Reports, April 1942, p. 27. 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? Gregory A. Boyd, Paul R. Eddy Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology pp285 2009 "For example, how can hell be a place of outer darkness (Matt. Yet I an certainly exempt from outer darkness, no questions asked. Your email address will not be published. Horror Short Film "Outer Darkness" | ALTER | Online Premiere 31,262 views Mar 31, 2022 Subscribe to ALTER on YouTube: https://goo.gl/LnXRC3 .more .more 1K Dislike Share Save Description. 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. 20:6). 1. 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. 14:18.) 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. Is Jesus the Only Redeemer? One example would not be human since they were cast out of heaven with Satan before they could receive a body. How impossible would it be for a former Mormon (with full knowledge, even!) I can give you more than plenty of examples of that. Italics in original). Now go take a nap and rest well! 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 (Ibid.). 5. 34:3435; note Almas repetitive use of the word state in Alma 40:1112; see also D&C 101:9091; 133:7073). But wait! Its just Scary bad. In Jesus parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus contrasted the afterlife state of the lowly Lazarus with that of the self-absorbed rich man. But suppose, deep down, I do believe the church is true. 67, LDS Church Archives. . It is doubtful if even Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was sufficiently enlightened to become a son of perdition (Gospel Doctrine,p. 545). The wicked are cast into outer darkness until the time of their resurrection, Alma 40:13-14. Mormons believe that there Prophets are fallible and in no way perfect. First of all, to become a son of perdition, you need to have been baptized into the church, then turned from the religion in order to fight against it, all the while knowing it is true. In the D&C, the definition of those who go to Outer Darkness is stated as: the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows; Neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof;Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by vision unto many, but straightway shut it up again; Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the depth, and the misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except those who are ordained unto this condemnation (D&C 76:45-48). Women or not. . After the millennium, after the last great battle between the forces of God and the forces of Satan, Satan and his followers will be cast into Outer Darkness. Mormon Doctrine Lecture, #2, Brigham Young University, 1967.). The city of Capernaum was upbraided for its lack of faith in view of the miracles Jesus performed there. Alma 40. He cried: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. This desperate cry for forgiveness through Christ brought deliverance from the pains of hell Alma had experienced because of his sins (Alma 36:1620). 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. I said: I dont know and he said, How can I find outI just called Spencer Kimball and he told me he didnt know either. In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. 3. It is simply his opinion. 4:32; 3 Ne. The opposition gospel twists the title of Adversary into a positive thing. So, in conclusion, I would have a hard time believing that you or billions of souls as you put will qualify for perdition even while taking Mormon beliefs into account. 5:22), and the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone of which the apostle John wrote (Rev. 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. This is the final destination of Satan himself. Satan and his followers are beings of spirit who were denied bodies and cast out of heaven during pre-mortal existence (see Plan of Salvation ). Banishment from the joys of heaven. Hmmm.. I doubt whether it can be found, from the revelations that are given and the facts as they exist, that there is a female in all the regions of hell. Brigham Young Journal of Discourses 8:222. has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 358). T F It is practically impossible for those who were human to ever be sent to Outer Darkness. Thank you! ABCs of Science and Mormonism now available in Print from Amazon! In the parable of the wedding of the kings son, the king discovered that a guest was not properly attired in the required wedding garment, i.e., righteousness. (-Joseph Smith in the King Follett Discourse), There is my definition I used in my previous post. Although this is an obvious scare tactic, this accusation is not true according to important LDS leaders. Samuel also confirms the relationship John spoke of between the second death and the wicked being cast into fire, but he adds this explanatory clause: For they are cut off again as to things pertaining to righteousness.. Thus, by the definition given by the leaders cited above, these people cannot be considered sons of perdition. The term "outer darkness" refers to the place to where Satan will be banished. The Book of Mormon contains one reference to outer darkness. This extreme punishment will not be given to any but the sons of perdition ( Doctrines of Salvation 2:220 ). 67, LDS Church Archives. They place themselves beyond the power of repentance and beyond the mercies of God. Though we have this clarity in the scriptures that we carry with us daily, few members are aware that this insight is there." Johns announcement of death and hell releasing their dead for judgment is augmented by the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob, who taught the same doctrine but provided significantly more detail. 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. The Book of Mormon text confirms the truth of New Testament teachings on hell, second death, lake of fire and brimstone, and outer darkness. For those born in this life, the person must be a former member who knew Mormonism was true but still rebelled and went against the truth while still knowing it was true. so we will be able to realistically discuss the likelihood that a person who left the church could ever end up in Outer Darkness. They knew better but still chose wrong, one told me. We will, however, address some of the portrayals of other LDS beliefs and practices that were depicted in this episode. Matt. Thus, the only mortals who can possibly become sons of perdition must be Latter-day Saints who fall/fell away. 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. The Book of Mormon presents several significant insights concerning the lake of fire and brimstone of which John spoke. I did cite sources spoken from the pulpit by a prophet. This is in contrast to the VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, who will receive a kingdom of glory after the Final Judgment, and enter into one of three degrees of glory after the resurrection: celestial, terrestrial, or telestial kingdoms. By taking 2 Nephi 2:25 to its logical conclusion, we learn that Satan also fell that men might be, and that they might have joy! In the rest of the article, were going to have to assume that Mormonism is true (of course, I dont think it is!) I have no fear of hell fire, that doesnt exist, but the torment and disappointment of the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstoneso is the torment of man. Also God says no one knows in scripture, so stop asking; but He also said in scripture that He upbraideth not those who have questions and if you ask it shall be opened unto you. Each person must reap the harvest of the seeds sown in this life. Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. The word hell is mentioned twenty-three times in the New Testament: fifteen times in the Gospels, twice in the book of Acts, once each in James and 2 Peter, and four times in the book of Revelation. So why dont we get outer darkness too? 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. The term second death refers to spiritual death or separation from God. . That it is the most severe punishment that can be meted out to man is apparent. (Doctrines of Salvation 2:220-221). 15:2830). A representation of the tree degrees of glory and outer darkness. Clearly fire is used as a metaphor for sufferingnot a literal fire but a state of misery. For example: everlasting fire (Matt. So we can clearly state no women are Sons of Perdition in outer darkness. I wonder if the language is tripping people up here. 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 . Even if I did, I still am not eligible for outer darkness. Which would be a sure-fire way to know that a spirit is headed to Outer Darkness? - 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. . Because of the resurrection, the body and spirit of the wicked are restoredthe body from the grave and the spirit from hell to be judged. And thats why men alone get, I mean need the priesthood. J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Church Leaders and the Scriptures, [original title When Are the Writings or Sermons of Church Leaders Entitled to the Claim of Scripture?] Immortality and Eternal Life: Reflections from the Writings and Messages of President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Vol, 2, (1969-70): 221; address to Seminary and Institute Teachers, BYU (7 July 1954); reproduced in Church News (31 July 1954); also reprinted in Dialogue 12/2 (Summer 1979): 6881. kingdoms of glory. To become a son of perdition one must sin against the Holy Ghost, but before that is possible, one must receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual Religion 324 and 325, 2001, p. 161). Mormons believe that a majority of people on this Earth will go to one of these three heavens. Those mortals who never join the LDS Church (through baptism) cannot become sons of perdition. 25:30). Divine Love in the Fathers Plan (Dallin H. Oaks, April 2022). Just one rebellion. In the Bible, the phrases lake of fire and lake of fire and brimstone, describing the fate of the wicked, are unique to the book of Revelation. Thank you! The LDS version of the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon help us to understand that the word black is actually a Hebrew idiom, meaning gloomy, dejected, or spiritual darkness, and has nothing to do with skin tone. Here is one more thing to think about: I work full time with a Christian ministry aimed at converting Mormons. But what is light? Another manual states, Baptism is the first saving ordinance of the gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:4). Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), s.v. Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. This is not an easy thing to do unless you are choosing to do so while being fully aware that you are doing so. Nephis commentary to his brothers concerning his fathers dream of the tree of life adds interesting insight into the possible meaning of the great gulf Jesus referred to: And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf, which separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God. When the king asked, "Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?" For many are called, but few are chosen." He also saw a pale horse with a rider whose name was Death, and Hell followed with him (Rev. 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). 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). [2] For a discussion of the New Testament words that translate hell, see The Oxford Companion to the Bible, ed. Grant Building We probably do not want to know how horrible it is just like in this life, some things that are so horrible that happen (especially to children) wed rather not know about it, if possible. Required fields are marked *. The Book of Mormon teaches that after death, the spirits of those who "chose evil works rather than good" in mortality will be "cast out . 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. By EntropyJustKillUsNow, March 29, 2017 in Social Hall. WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL ANGELS WHO ARE INCAPABLE OF SINNING. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire [i.e., overcome or defeated by Christs Atonement]. Because reasons. Outer Darkness - Social Hall - Mormon Dialogue & Discussion Board. ). 21:8; see also 19:20). While this is true, please define Mormon Doctrine before saying I did not quote Mormon Doctrine. 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. You dont believe it is true, which is the reason why you left. Those who must suffer with Satan for the deeds done in mortality will go with him into outer darkness. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The. 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. Salvation is release from the guilt and power of sin through God's gift of grace. Through baptism and confirmation by priesthood authority, you became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, 2004, p. 21, So, even if you attended LDS Church services, sang the hymns, and even partook of the weekly sacrament, yet you were never baptized and confirmed into the faith, you can never become a son of perdition. 22:13) if it is also a place of perpetual fire (Matt. Tenth President Joseph Fielding Smitha general authority who spoke more about this issue than any other leaderstated. Mormon doctrines are often contradictory and inconsistent. In revealing Satans tactics, Nephi wrote: And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is noneand thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance. Even if a person had once been a Latter-day Saint, Kimball said it still was practically impossible for a human to become a son of perdition: The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin (Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 123) (Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual Religion 324 and 325, p. 161). How many people. Consistently, hell is associated with fire. If this is the case, the worst fate any former Latter-day Saint can anticipate is the telestial kingdom. Return to the Crash Course Mormonism Index. In Christianity, it is understood that anyone who denies the holy spirit goes to outer darkness, but they see it as a synonym for Hell. So the prophet, meeting with apostles is clear on this, there are women. Sons of perdition include (1) those who followed Satan and were cast out of heaven for rebellion during premortality and (2) those who were permitted to be born to this world with physical bodies but then served Satan and turned utterly against God.