What if the most sacred ceremonies of a major religion weren’t actually ancient biblical restorations, but a patchwork of 18th-century Freemasonry and medieval witchcraft?
This is the startling premise of “Mormonism’s Temple of Doom,” a controversial work by William Schnoebelen and James R. Spencer. Schnoebelen isn’t just an outside critic; he is a former Wiccan High Priest, Master Mason, and Catholic Priest who eventually became a “True Believer” in Mormonism before leaving the faith.
His unique background led him to a chilling realization: the rituals he was performing in the Salt Lake Temple were virtually identical to the ones he had practiced in the world of black magick.
The Masonic Connection: Plagiarism or Revelation?
The book argues that Joseph Smith did not “restore” the temple endowment through divine revelation, but rather adapted it from Freemasonry.
- The Timeline: Official Church history shows Smith was made a Master Mason on March 16, 1842.
- The Result: Less than two months later, on May 4, 1842, he introduced the temple endowment to his apostles.
- The Evidence: The secret handshakes (grips), the “Five Points of Fellowship,” and the grisly “penalties” (oaths involving slit throats and disembowelment) are cited as being identical to Masonic rites.
The Green Apron: A Symbol of Lucifer?
One of the most striking claims in the text involves the green fig-leaf apron worn by Mormons during the ceremony.
- Lucifer’s Role: In the temple drama, Lucifer is the one who commands Adam and Eve to put on their aprons, describing them as emblems of his “power and priesthoods”.
- Occult Significance: Schnoebelen notes that in higher-level witchcraft and Satanism, the presiding high priest (hierophant) wears a green apron as an emblem of Lucifer’s authority, specifically relating to the planet Venus, the “Morning Star”.
“The Nail” and the Power of the Grip
The highest signs in the Mormon temple are the “Sign of the Nail” and the “Sure Sign of the Nail”.
- A “Hellish” Connection: Schnoebelen claims that among certain Luciferian initiates, “The Nail” is actually a code name for Satan.
- Sexual Energy: The book even draws parallels to acupuncture, suggesting that these grips apply pressure to specific “meridians” on the body intended to activate “latent sexual energies”.
The Architecture of Darkness
It isn’t just the rituals; it’s the buildings themselves. The authors point to several symbols on the Salt Lake Temple that they deem “sinister”:
- Inverted Pentagrams: Universally regarded in the occult as a symbol to call down the power of Satan.
- The All-Seeing Eye: Linked to Egyptian Satanic power.
- Moon Phases: Used in witchcraft to determine the timing of “black” and “white” magick.
Final Thoughts: A Call for Transparency
The authors believe that those who participate in these ceremonies are often unwitting victims, unaware of the “Luciferian” nature of the rites they are performing. They argue that while the Church has “softened” or removed some of the most offensive parts (like the blood oaths) since the book’s first publication in 1987, the core “pagan” philosophy remains.
“Mormonism is, at its heart, a pagan fertility religion just like witchcraft… Sex, not Jesus, is at the heart of Mormonism.”
Whether you view this as a necessary exposure of “spiritual bondage” or a collection of radical “anti-Mormon” claims, the documentation provided in “Temple of Doom” continues to spark a heavy debate about the true origins of the LDS faith.
What do you think? Is this a case of a prophet “borrowing” from his surroundings, or is there a deeper, darker connection beneath the surface of the temple walls?
Leave a Reply