Posted on 10/25/2013 10:58:04 AM PDT by Colofornian
Grant Wilson is the co-founder (with Jason Hawes) of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS). TAPS is based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also the co-star and co-producer of "Ghost Hunters", a Syfy channel reality program that follows a group of people as they investigate paranormal phenomena and hunt for ghosts.
Wilson recently left the TV show. He is married and has three sons. He is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Not surprised. Ghost stories and the occult are staples of Mormon teaching and folklore.
Well when we immanentize the eschaton we can burn such at the stake or at least hang them all.
(Perhaps this Mormon was finding a new source of genealogical research???)
No one here is calling for violence against the LDS. Pointing out their history and false teachings is done because many of us have been one and care enough to see them brought to the truth.
However, LDS have shown violence against those who leave, and other gentiles (their term for non LDS) including death threats and bombs. So in your scenario, they are more likely to kill us if we don’t convert.
Their fate is in God’s hands.
Your suggestion doesn’t fit with His plans.
I have no idea what this means. Can you translate into English?
Makes sense. Years ago, I watched an episode where he was attacking Christianity for not willing to explore the possibility of ghosts or hauntings.
I did not know that and I have never heard of the how either, so I guess that makes sense.
Are calling for violence against mormons?
Leonard Nimoy (Ancient Mysteries) is Jewish.
Arthur C. Clarke (Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World} was raised Church of England but became “Pantheist.”
L. Ron Hubbard was nuts.
L. Ron Hubbard could have easily substituted Kolob for Venus in his religion.
According to Scientology, when a person dies — or, in Scientology terms, when a thetan abandons its physical body — they go to a "landing station" on the planet Venus, where the thetan is re-implanted and told lies about its past life and its next life. The Venusians take the thetan, "capsule" it, and send it back to Earth to be dumped into the ocean off the coast of California. Source: Thetan (Wikipedia)
Seems to me that, per the Mormon myth narrative, when when an earthling is becoming "encapsuled" they leave from a "launching station" on the planet Kolob, where the Mormon spirit is implanted inside a human body, and once born with a Mormon family, the Mormon is told lies about its past life and its next life. The Mormon gods take the Mormon, "capsule" it in that body, and send it to Earth to be dumped at age 8 into the Mormon baptismal founts off of many international coasts.
LDS (Mormonism) and Scientology: A Brief Theological Comparison Under one of the differences here, I actually see more of a connection...one mentions Mormonism's "exaltation to godhood"...Scientologists a "return to Thetanhood" as its "final goal."
Btw, if there are other resemblances between the two founders, presumably it is because Hubbard looked at Joseph Smith and the LDS and decided it would provide him with a very useful model for a successful religion. He gave it an SF twist, because that was what he was good at, and it probably amused him.
Well, Hubbard did have to "twist" any sci-fi that Mormon leaders hadn't already done before him -- just a lot less detail.
For example:
* Lds "prophet" Brigham Young: Who can tell us of the inhabitants of this little planet that shines of an evening, called the moon? ...when you inquire about the inhabitants of that sphere you find that the most learned are as ignorant in regard to them as the most ignorant of their fellows. 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.
Source: Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 271...1870 -- so keep in mind, Young had already been leading the Lds church for about 25 years or so when he made this comment.
Brigham Young's first counselor was "apostle" Heber C. Kimball: "Where did the earth come from? From its parents earths...The earth is alive. If it was not, it could not produce." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 36, 1857)
BTW, where did Brigham Young get his "source" re: the habitation of the moon?
Oliver B. Huntington: 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 near the age of 1000 years. He described the men as averaging nearly 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 not behold with your eyes. The first two promises have been fulfilled, and the latter may be verified. From the verification of the two promises we may reasonably expect the third to be fulfilled also. (Source: Young Woman's Journal, Vol. 3, pp.
“Scientologists a “return to Thetanhood” as its “final goal.”
Don’t bank on it.....not if they think they can milk you for another $10,000....
Similarities between Mormonism and Scientology
* Origins
o Based on entirely unevidenced stories
o Doctrines created and evolved over time, sometimes changing
* Founders
o Known for their extreme desire for wealth
o Known for telling stories and lies
o Convicted and imprisoned for illegal activities
o Died during their trouble with the law
* Legal troubles
o Involved in many illegal activities, in many cases as part of official organization doctrine and practices
o Support destruction of outsiders, especially apostates (blood atonement, shunning, "fair game")
o Legal troubles led to changes in doctrine (at least on the surface, note polygamy and "fair game")
* Teachings
o Pre- and post-mortal existence
o Eternal progression (godhood, clear thetan)
o Only way to know truth is to experience it yourself
o Christianity, Bible only partly true
o Focus on thriving and happiness in present life rather than the afterlife or eternal life
o "Salvation" by works
o Give "milk" instead of "meat"
o Official endorsement of lying about or avoiding discussion of controversial doctrines, especially origin of man and key figures (Heavenly Father, Xenu, spirit children, thetans, etc)
o Levels can be achieved (Operating Thetan levels, temple Mormons, eternal progression, different kingdoms)
o Resistance is dismissed as proof/evidence of validity
* Behavior
o Persecution complex
o Label and treat opposition as evil enemies ("Antis", "Suppressive Persons")
Other Similarities:
1. Pre-existence of humanity:
LDS: All humans pre-existed in the spirit world before being born on earth.
Scientology: People were thetans in past lives + belief in reincarnation.
2. Unlimited potential for humans:
LDS: Heavenly Father (God) is an exalted man and LDS men may become gods with omnipotence and omniscience.
Scientology: People may become thetans again, regaining their freedom from matter, energy, space, and time (MEST).
3. “Salvation” only through their Church:
LDS: Exaltation and godhood only through the LDS Church.
Scientology: Recovering one’s thetanhood only possible through Church of Scientology.
This thread drew over 400 replies:
Similarities between Mormonism and Scientology
Edgar Allan Poe was baptized and confirmed an Episcopalian.
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