Thursday, February 26, 2015

Sign 33 – Satan Gives His Counterfeit Plan of Salvation

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.

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