Year:1848
Whenever
God gives a righteous law or direction to his people, Satan soon
follows with a counterfeit of God’s direction to lead the people
away from righteousness. In
the Book of Mormon, soon after Mosiah1
taught the plan of salvation and the law of consecration to the
Nephites, Satan had his servant wicked King Noah establish his
counterfeit law which is akin to modern day socialism.
Similarly,
as God has restored his church in the latter-days, Satan soon follows
with his counterfeit to God’s direction. For example, in 1830
Joseph Smith was given a revelation recorded as the book of Moses
which teaches how God created the heaven and the earth. Charles
Darwin who was a contemporary of Joseph Smith lived from 1809 until
1882. In 1859 which was 21 years after Joseph Smith’s revelation on
creation was received, Charles Darwin published his book on “The
Origin of Species” which is the false theory of evolution, Satan’s
substitute for creationism.
One
of the basic principles of the gospel is the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2
Nephi 32:5
5
For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way,
and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye
should do.
We
enter in by the way through baptism and receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost by the laying on of hands. The Holy Ghost then acts as a
personal guide through the strait gate and on the narrow path that
leads us back to the presence of the Father. Satan has given many
counterfeit guides to follow that put us through the broad gate and
on the wide way that leads to spiritual death (D&C
132:25) Satan’s
false guides include astrology, divination, spirit mediums, magic,
wizardry and necromancy.
Monday
nights have been set aside by the church to hold family home evening.
This program was announced in the 1964 October conference by
President David O. McKay. In 1970 The NFL began holding football
games every Monday evening and broadcasting them on TV. It seems that
Satan does
not
miss a trick in providing alternate paths to follow instead of the
paths the Lord has given us. How many people spend Monday night
watching Monday night football instead of spending it with their
family during family home evening?
And
of course the list goes on and on where Satan gives counterfeit
programs to keep us from following the commandments of God.
Following
the story in the Book of Mormon of how the plan of salvation was
taught by Mosiah1 and repeated by King Benjamin, we have Satan’s
counterfeit plan of socialism which was implemented by wicked King
Noah.
Zeniff
who was Noah’s father had knowledge of the land of Nephi (Mosiah
9:1),
probably because he was part of the group that Mosiah1 led to
Zarahemla in about 200 BC which corresponds to 1825. Noah could have
been born about this time. After Zeniff had been sent as a spy among
the Lamanites and battled with them (Mosiah
9:2),
he led a group of Nephites back to the land of Nephi and settled
there.
Zeniff conferred his throne over these people to his son Noah in
about 160 BC (1866). Zeniff had been king over his people in the land
of Nephi for 22 years.
Noah
ruled his people as a wicked king and introduced an economic system
that was antithetical to the plan of salvation.
Mosiah
11:2-9
2
For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after
the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And
he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was
abominable in
the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all
manner of
wickedness.
3
And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth
part of their gold
and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their
copper, and of their
brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a
fifth part of
all their grain.
4
And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines;
and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had
changed the affairs of the kingdom.
5
For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his
father, and consecrated
new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.
6
Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their
idolatry, and in
their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his
people; thus
did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity.
7
Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were deceived by
the vain
and flattering words of the king and priests; for they did speak
flattering things
unto them.
8
And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings;
and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of
precious things, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of brass,
and of ziff, and
of copper;
9
And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the midst
thereof, all
of which was of fine wood and was ornamented with gold and silver and with
precious things.
Noah
was a wicked king who changed the affairs of the kingdom. He
introduced a new economic system by taxing the people one fifth of
all they had. These taxes were used to support the king and his
family and all of the new priests he appointed and their families.
The king and his newly appointed rulers and their families became
lazy and idolatrous, living off the arduous labor of the people. He
also used the taxes to build himself a spacious palace and throne.
Mosiah
11:13-15
13
And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built… and
thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation of
his people.
14
And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches, and he
spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines;
and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots.
15
And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in the
land; and he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance; and
therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.
Wicked
king Noah also used the tax money to build many government buildings
throughout the land and also many vineyards and winepresses. He and
his people became wine-bibbers.
Mosiah
11:19
19
…[T]hey were lifted up in the pride of their hearts… and thus
they did boast, and did delight in blood, and the shedding of the
blood of their brethren, and this because of the wickedness of their
king and priests.
The
people became warlike because of the wickedness of their leaders.
This
philosophy of Satan which was introduced by King Noah was preached by
Anti-Christs throughout the land.
Alma
30:12-18
12
And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor… did… preach,
saying:
13
O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye
yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a
Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.
14
Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are
handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of
your fathers.
15
How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things
which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a
Christ.
16
Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But
behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of
your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which
lead you away into a belief of things which are not so.
17
And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that
there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man
fared in this life according to the management of the creature;
therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every
man conquered according to his
strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime.
18
And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many,
causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading
away many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms—telling them
that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.
The
Anti-Christ Korihor preached to the people the prideful belief that
there is no God and we prosper in this life according to our own
genius. He also preached that there is no sin but we can do anything
we want. This caused many of the people to live in wickedness and to
commit whoredoms. The modern day apostle Neal Maxwell calls this
philosophy social Darwinism which is hell once removed (Neal
A. Maxwell, Deposition
of a Disciple [Salt
Lake City:Deseret Book Co., 1976]
50).
The
philosophical economic system preached by Satan in the Book of Mormon
and repeated today is socialism in its many forms. This also includes
communism, fascism and terrorism.
Socialism
Socialism
is an economic theory for the production and distribution of goods
based on government ownership and management. A socialist society is
established by taking over the control of the state by non violent
means and passing and interpreting laws which diminish the rights of
the people and places
the
production, distribution and ownership of goods under control of the
government. It is not accomplished by revolution, but gradually over
time, bit by bit in what is called ‘creeping socialism’. The
final purpose and goal is to destroy all human agency and make men
totally subject to a central force whether it be the government, a
dictator or Satan.
In
2009 there were fifteen countries that had declared they were a
socialist state and there were 43 countries that had an active
socialist party within their nation. Twenty former socialist
countries had changed their leadership to a non socialist form.
Creeping socialism is alive and well in the world today.
The
United States of America is not a declared socialist nation but it is
moving in that direction as indicated by the following government
programs and policies.
•
Large
spending on social programs funded by high taxes
•
Legalization
and taxpayer funded abortions
•
Redistribution
of income through progressive taxation
•
Taxpayer
funded medical care
•
Federally
controlled education
•
Affirmative
action
•
Political
correctness
•
A
living Constitution that changes with the times
•
Environmentalism
•
Globalization
•
A
right to produce and distribute obscenity and pornography
•
The
destruction of private property rights
These
are just a few of the results of a socialist agenda. There are many
more that have and will occur over time as the Second Coming
approaches.
Communism
Communism
is another form of socialism. However it is implemented by
revolutionary means. Also, one of its basic tenets is atheism. Ezra
Taft Benson tells us that communism is “the earthly image of the
plan which Satan presented in the preexistence. The whole program of
socialistic communism is
essentially
a war a gainst God and the plan of salvation—the very plan which we
fought to uphold during the ‘war in heaven’…. [C]ollective
socialism is part of the communist strategy. Communism is
fundamentally socialism. We will never win our fight against
communism by making concessions to socialism. Communism and
socialism, closely related, must be defeated on principle (Ezra
Taft Benson “God, Family, Country” The American Heritage of
Freedom (Deseret Book 1996) p. 345).”
The
current communist states include China, Cuba, North Vietnam, North
Korea and Laos. Before the fall of Russia there were an additional 26
communist countries.
Fascism
Fascism
is also a form of socialism. However in fascism the concept of
capitalism is maintained. The government does not own everything but
ownership and production is maintained by private individuals. But
the use of private property and production of products is controlled
and directed by the government.
A classic example of fascism is Italy during the Second World War.
The emergence of Nazism by Germany during this time was also a form
of fascism.
Terrorism
The
prophet Moroni in the Book of Ether warns us about Satan’s use of
terrorism to thwart the plan of salvation. Moroni is speaking to the
Gentiles in these latter-days as a warning so we will not be part of
these secret combinations which are of the devil. Satan’s purpose
is to overthrow the freedom in all lands, nations and countries and
destroy all of the people.
Ether
8:15
15
… [The devil] did administer unto them the oaths which were given
by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even
from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning.
Satan’s
use of terrorism has existed from the beginning. It began with Cain
and has been passed down from generation to generation.
Ether
8:16
16
And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these
oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as
sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to
lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.
The
purpose of Satan is to keep the people in darkness instead of having
them bask in the light of the gospel. He accomplishes this goal by
gaining power over the people by acts of murder, plunder and lies
which leads the followers into wickedness and whoredoms.
Ether
8:18-19
18
And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as
they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above
all, in the sight of God;
19
For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will
that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from
the beginning of man.
Satan’s
method of implementing his plan is by forming abominable and wicked
secret combinations. They are secret because their real purposes are
hidden from the world. These plans are the work of the Devil and are
forbidden by God.
Ether
8:20-23
20
And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and
combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had
among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.
21
And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now
speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.
22
And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get
power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they
shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of
his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him
from the ground for vengeance upon
them and yet he avenge them not.
These
secret oaths and combinations are among all people. They caused the
destruction of the Jaredites and the Nephites and will destroy any
other people who uphold them.
Ether
8:23
23
Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things
should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins,
and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you,
which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even
the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the
justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and
destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
Moroni
gives a warning to the Gentiles, so they can repent and not support
these murderous combinations. Otherwise we will be destroyed by them.
Ether
24-25
24
Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things
come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful
situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among
you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been
slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also
upon those who built it up.
25
For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow
the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to
pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil,
who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our
first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit
murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that
they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out
from the beginning.
The
Lord has commanded us to become aware of how awful our situation is
when we see these secret oaths and combinations around us. We must
become aware that they are of Satan and he is trying to overthrow our
freedom and destroy all of the people.
Ether
8:26
26
Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil
may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no
power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be
persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the
fountain of all righteousness
and
be saved.
Moroni
was commanded to write these things so we can fight to overcome
terrorism and establish a righteous people so Satan has no power over
us. This will finally be accomplished at the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ when Satan will be bound for 1000 years.
Terrorism
is one of the most forceful and wicked methods Satan uses to counter
God’s plan of salvation. It has existed from the beginning and has
reemerged in the latter days.
In
2000 the US State Department, through their center for defense
information office, published a report on terrorist groups
(http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist-groups.cfm).
A summary of their findings include the following:
There
are 56 active terrorist groups throughout the world.
Terrorist
groups are located in 52 countries.
The
country with the most terrorist groups is Lebanon with nine.
Twenty
of the groups are sponsored by radical Islamists.
Eleven
groups are sponsored by Communists.
Six
groups are opposed to the United States. This is in addition to all
Islamic and Communist groups who are also opposed to the United
States.
Six
groups are sponsored by Irish radicals.
Five
groups have a goal to establish a Palestinian state.
Eight
groups are established for other interests.
Twenty
eight of the fifty six groups have committed acts of terrorism
against the United States or against United States interests since
1975.
The
first terrorist group was formed in 1957. The terrorist groups formed
during each decade are:
Decade,
Number of Groups
1950’s
3
1960’s
7
1970’s
13
1980’s
9
1990’s
18
Terrorist
groups were well under way by the mid 1970’s and the number has
been significantly increasing since then.
Comparison
between the United Order and Socialism
The
united order is God’s method of implementing the law of
consecration. Socialism is Satan’s counterfeit plan in opposition
to God. The united order is based on a belief in and acceptance of
his plan of salvation. Socialism is materialistic, not spiritual and
is founded by the “genius of man” (Alma
30:17).
Many forms of socialism are atheistic.
Free
agency is paramount in the united order whereas it is extremely
limited or non existent in socialism. Men become participants in the
united order by their voluntary action and they maintain private
ownership and management of their property. Under socialism men are
forced to participate by the
state that owns all property and means of production or control it
through taxation.
Righteousness
is a prerequisite for participants in the united order. The theory
and practice of socialism is political which causes it to become
corrupt with the final result of the destruction of the government
that implements it.
Pattern
of Socialism in the Book of Mormon
We
speculate that wicked King Noah was born in about 195 BC (1821) which
would be about 5 years after his father Zeniff left Zarahemla and
went to the land of Nephi (Mosiah
9:1).
Noah became king and introduced a socialistic order in about 160 BC
(1866) (Mosiah
10).
However,
he probably developed his philosophy many years earlier while living
under the rule of his father King Zeniff, knowing that he
would eventually become king. We speculate that Noah died by fire
(Mosiah
19:20)
in about 143 BC (1883) shortly after he was driven into the
wilderness.
Similarly
Karl Marx introduced the form of socialism known as communism in the
latter days. Karl Marx was born in 1818. He published the “Communist
Manifesto” in 1848 and died 1n 1883.
One
World Order
Another
secret combination is Satan’s attempt to form a one world order.
This is very evident by the following events which are currently
taking place.
1.
Attempts to form a “bank of the world”. This will include over
100 new “green laws” to control the environment with carbon taxes
and cap and trade taxes. The real purpose of this effort is to
transfer money from the people of the world to the elite privately
owned banking institutions of the world.
2.
Create a civilian army in the United States which will be under the
direct control of the president.
3.
Disarm the American people
4.
Restrictions on free speech including the internet.
5.
Federalize health care.
6.
Federal control of farms and ranches.
7.
Merge the United States with Canada and Mexico.
8.
Establishment of globalist policies and criminal oligarchies.
Forces
of globalism are on the march with Satan’s goal of a world
controlled by total despotism.
