The use of the term exterior darkness is in Jesus' parable of the wedding feast (also known as the parable of the marriage of the king's son). It is true that the only mortals who had once been members are eligible to become sons of perdition, a fact that may worry some former Mormons who wonder if they might be destined for outer darkness. 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). 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. 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. That it is the most severe punishment that can be meted out to man is apparent. Bad as they may suffer, and awful as their punishment may be, they are not among that group which is to suffer the eternal death and banishment from all influence concerning the power of God (Conference Reports, October 1958, 21). FAIRMormon says on this page even: When any man, except the President of the Church, undertakes to proclaim one unsettled doctrine, as among two or more doctrines in dispute, as the settled doctrine of the Church, we may know that he is not moved upon by the Holy Ghost, unless he is acting under the direction and by the authority of the President. The Book of Mormon also teaches that by coming unto Christ, one can escape the pains of hell experienced in this life. John the Revelator heard Christ proclaim that he possessed the keys of hell and of death (Rev. While John could be referring to the sons of perdition in this passage, the specific sins he identified are characteristic of those who will suffer in hell but, after experiencing their part in the lake of fire, will be released from their torment and be resurrected to a telestial glory (see D&C 76:10312). Cain is a Son of Perdition. (Conference Reports, October 1958, p. 21. Jesus warned that those who mocked their brothers by saying Thou fool were in danger of hell fire (Matt. Delving into the interesting bits about any religion to stem from Joseph Smith Jr. Joseph F. Smith,The Second Death,inBrian H. Stuy (editor). Who of the following is NOT eligible for Outer Darkness. 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. It is taught that, in the pre-mortal life, they chose to follow a plan proposed by Satan, rather than that presented by God the Father. These pains are similar to the state of suffering experienced by the ungodly who after mortality are assigned to hell. 2:4). 1:13), gates of hell (2 Ne. That it is the most severe punishment that can be meted out to man is apparent. For most, outer darkness, the lake of fire, and the second death have an end, but for the sons of perdition these states continue eternally. Heaven and Hell - Mormonism Research Ministry kingdoms of glory. Outer darkness is a eternal place of torment reserved for those who are "sons of perdition." According to LDS scripture, this will be a place that "where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth" (Doctrine and Covenants 101:91; also see 133:73). In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. They go too far, and the Spirit leaves themYou cant renew them to repentancyou cannot save them. (Joseph Smith Jr., King Follett Discourse). The question is, what exactly does full knowledge entail? . Clearly, when it comes to perdition and outer darkness, I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me, and anyone who speaks on the matter has a dizzying intellect. This is what was taught by several important church leaders, including founder Joseph Smith. Thus, the only mortals who can possibly become sons of perdition must be Latter-day Saints who fall/fell away. . Mormonism and popular media/"Big Love" and the temple - FAIR (Selections of Doctrines of Salvation, p. 462. Yet I never was baptized and confirmed into this church. The latter meaning is a place where the glory of God is completely absent, and is the place where Satan and his angels will reside. It honors and glorifies Satan. He stated that converts made by the Pharisees became twofold more the child of hell than their teachers (Matt. Outer Darkness. The Sons of Perdition are those who have lived as mortal men and women on the earth, have had the heavens opened to them and received a certain knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, and then have rejected the Savior, "having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame" (Doctrine and Covenants 76:34-35; see also Doctrine and Covenants 76:3133, 3637). (Doctrines of Salvation 2:220-221). The Prophet Joseph Smith would not countenance the teaching of this doctrine, and sanctioned the decision of the bishop that any who taught it should be barred from communion (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 125). Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment (2 Ne. The Book of Mormon teaches that only through the Atonement of Christ can one escape the damnation of hell. Jacob testified that without the infinite atonement all mankind would be forever subject to the awful monster, death and hell, and thus would become like the devil and his angels (2 Ne. 20:1314). lucifer. One memorable night, he instructed us about the pains of hell. He asked us to imagine being stabbed and having that initial intense pain of the insertion of the knife last for twenty years. It clarifies how using an obscure quote does not define LDS doctrines or dogmas. 21:8; cf. 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. They knew better but still chose wrong, one told me. Becoming a son of Perdition is hard therefore going to outer darkness is hard. Your email address will not be published. There are ten references to the lake of fire and brimstone in the Book of Mormon. spirit prison. In Mormonism, it depends. By EntropyJustKillUsNow, March 29, 2017 in Social Hall. Okay so clearly we have billions of souls who qualify as perdition and go to outer darkness according to one prophet in his personal books and not officially speaking as a prophet. In Mormonism, it depends. The filthy would be more miserable to dwell with God than to dwell in hell, Morm. Brigham Young University For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord. ", Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Outer_darkness&oldid=1136269337, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 15:14. True, some former Mormons have expressed doubts and wondered if the church might possibly be true, which is a completely natural response after having left the one true church. If they decided they made a mistake because they still believed the church were true, they would be more apt to rejoin it rather than stay excommunicated and fight against it. Temporary abode of the wicked. Lets go to modern revelation: that there would be no daughters of perdition. Joseph F. Smith Stan Larsen, ed., A Ministry of Meetings: The Diaries of Rudger Clawson, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Smith Associates and Signature Books, 1993) p. 560, Somebody called me up on the telephone and asked if there were daughters of perdition. I was taught that to be condemned to outer darkness you would have to deny Christ to his very face and that could occur . How impossible would it be for a former Mormon (with full knowledge, even!) Clear as mud. And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end (1 Ne. it could be a reference for the resurrected who gain inheritance on other worlds but without the fulness of King Benjamin also taught that the fiery suffering was a state of misery one encounters when viewing ones sinfulness: They shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. lift[ed] up his eyes and saw Abraham and Lazarus across an impassable gulf (Luke 16:23). 11:3940; 18:13), pains of hell (Jacob 3:1112; Alma 14:6; 26:13; 36:13), chains of hell (Alma 5:7, 910; 12:11; 13:30; 26:14), child of hell (Alma 11:23; 54:11), powers of hell (Alma 48:17), everlasting hell (Hel. He was not ignorant, and therefore he became perdition, and they who followed him were sons of perdition, because he and they sinned knowingly. Source: https://www.fairmormon.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/What_is_Mormon_Doctrine.pdf. (To see the differences between the three kingdoms of glory, click here.) However, Lucifer did not know all the purposes of the Father as we learn from the Pearl of Great Price, Moses 4:6. Cannot be saved at the last day; except W.W. Phelps who was classified as such by Joseph and then redeemed, and we should only trust prophets on the matter because they dont conflict, unless they do. King Benjamin defined the cause of this great torment: Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever. Possibly but there is no citation there either. Johns references to the second death testify of its existence but do not offer any explanatory information that instructs those readers who do not already understand the doctrine. Mormon theology ultimately portrays Outer Darkness as heaven, and Satan as the God of that realm. 14:1519). Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. Even the wicked of the earth who never knew the power of God, after they have paid the price of their sinningfor they must suffer the excruciating torment which sins will bringshall at last come forth from the prison house. What is it? Making the LDS Church Slightly Better: A Members Wish List. What is Outer Darkness? The sinner must deal with the self-created gulf on his own, with the help of the Savior and his Atonement. But Mormons do not believe that just because a Prophet said it, that it makes it true. One fire certainly shall be the lot of both. [4]. Apostacy Outer darkness : r/mormon - Reddit Jesus declared that this exalted city would be brought down to hell (Matt. The extent of this punishment none will ever know except those who partake of it. outer darkness | Some Mormon Stuff While this is true, please define Mormon Doctrine before saying I did not quote Mormon Doctrine. Those mortals who never join the LDS Church (through baptism) cannot become sons of perdition. Outer Darkness - Social Hall - Mormon Dialogue & Discussion Board No Mormon since the 1890 change has had the authority to marry any man to more than one woman. Outer darkness is a place reserved for the Devil, his angels, and the sons of perdition. It is an eternal destination, a place where very few (if any) human beings will ever be sent. 5:22), as were those who failed to cast away their sins (JSM 5:34; cf. Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. 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). In each of the New Testament references to outer darkness, Christ declared the punishment that awaits faithless and wicked people. These spirits never received a mortal body necessary to progress to a kingdom of glory. . They will not have access to the Holy Ghost or Heavenly Father or Jesus. So the prophet, meeting with apostles is clear on this, there are women. 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. Additional doctrinal truth concerning the great gulf can be found in the Doctrine and Covenants (see D&C 138:1837). 18:8)? Christ brings to pass the resurrection of all menThe righteous dead go to paradise and the wicked to outer darkness to await the day of their resurrectionAll things will be restored to their proper and perfect frame in the Resurrection. Spirit world (Latter Day Saints) - Wikipedia Your email address will not be published. 8:13). In a general conference talk, Joseph Fielding Smith further explained that. To look closer at this possibility, lets break humans into two categories: 1) Those who have never been Mormon; 2) Those who are or once were Mormon. This is not an easy thing to do unless you are choosing to do so while being fully aware that you are doing so. 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. 5. 8:17), and endless hell (Moro. Divine Love in the Fathers Plan (Dallin H. Oaks, April 2022). Other sources used in composing this topic: http://en.fairmormon.org/Plan_of_salvation/Sons_of_Perdition/Can_women_be_%22Sons_of_Perdition%22, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_darkness#Usage_in_the_Latter_Day_Saint_movement, http://en.fairmormon.org/Plan_of_salvation/Sons_of_Perdition/Eventual_fate, http://emp.byui.edu/satterfieldb/quotes/Sons%20of%20Perdition.htm. 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. One of the messages of the Book of Mormon is that people sometimes lose the desire to repent. For those who once were baptized and confirmed into Mormonism, what is your status? 23:15). Are the Three Degrees of Glory Mentioned in the Book of Mormon? Yes (p. 273). 22:13). Those who followed Lucifer in his rebellion in the premortal life and those who in mortality sin against the Holy Ghost are sons of perdition. In addition, Alma defined the second death as dying as to things pertaining unto righteousness. These individuals are chained down to an everlasting destruction and are subject to the will of Satan. 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. . So get what they deserve. Yet how many sins and wrong choices has every humanincluding me and youmade? The second death is a second separation from God, not because of Adams transgression (the first death) but because of ones own failure to repent of personal sin. However, based on the teaching of church leaders, I believe it is utterly impossible for any mortal to become this despised son of perdition. The Three Most Abominable Sins | Religious Studies Center 15:29, 35; Alma 19:29; 54:7), sleep of hell (2 Ne. In each New Testament passage that speaks of hell (the word hades is neutralneither a place of punishment nor reward but the place of departed spirits) the context associates it with suffering and punishment. This objection is inconsistent since Mormonism teaches that Lucifer's demon forces, which are clearly destined for "outer darkness," make up one-third of God's "children" (Bruce R. McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, p. 195). Okay, so Cain, we have one guaranteed person according to no citation whatsoever. He also saw a pale horse with a rider whose name was Death, and Hell followed with him (Rev. Continuous suffering, however, is reserved only for sons of perditionthose who are still unclean after the final judgment. But as with anything, that doesnt stop prophets from talking about it like they knew. One example would not be human since they were cast out of heaven with Satan before they could receive a body. In the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), "outer darkness" has two separate meanings.. The third use occurs in the parable of the talents: "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:30). Making the LDS Church Slightly Better: A Members Wish List, You continue to fight against the true church, Those spirits who rebelled against God in the preexistence are the original sons of perdition. Jesus also referred to outer darkness in two parables he gave during the last week of his life. Because of their disobedience, these spirits ended up not receiving bodies, a necessary ingredient to progress to mortality and be qualified for one of the three kingdoms of glory. You dont believe it is true, which is the reason why you left. You have to be pretty bad to go to the Teresita's kingdom, and horrendous to go to outer darkness. 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. Death brought a reversal of their conditions wherein the rich man in hell became a beggar, longing for a drop of water from the finger of Lazarus, who was now in heaven, or Abrahams bosom. In the parable Abraham explained the impossibility of receiving his request, because between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence (Luke 16:1926). In this realm, as the name implies, there will be no light, and consequently no heat. They will not have a kingdom of glory. Into the telestial kingdom will go, according to that which is written here in this revelation, the vicious, the unclean, the ungodly (Conference Reports, April 1942, p. 27). You'll need to do a few things to get the most out of your ex-Mormon candle. They are sons of perdition because, Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to open shame (D. & C. 76:35). The term second death refers to spiritual death or separation from God. There are three references that connect the judgment with a lake of fire and brimstone, and two references to a lake of fire. However, the use of the word fire in connection with judgment and the torment of the wicked is widespread throughout the Gospels. Banishment from the presence of God. I did cite sources spoken from the pulpit by a prophet. 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. Because reasons. An in depth look at the Mormon doctrine of hell. 22:13-14, D-R.). To add an RSC website shortcut to your home screen, open the website in the Safari browser. 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). [1] The pains of hell can also be experienced in mortality (Jacob 3:11). (Elder Bruce R. McConkie Mormon Doctrine Lecture, #2, Brigham Young University, 1967.). 13:40), cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. Thus, by the definition given by the leaders cited above, these people cannot be considered sons of perdition. Doctrine and Covenants / Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Objections to Christian Evangelism, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Why Practically NobodyIncluding You, Former MormonWill Ever End up In Outer Darkness, Divine Love in the Fathers Plan (Dallin H. Oaks, April 2022). 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. No exact details are given. So I found one, by Joseph F. Smith, Thus we see that the first death which came into the world is also the last death which shall be pronounced upon the sons of perdition. Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first deaththat spiritual death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and to things spiritual. As Joseph Fielding Smith put it, those mortals who fit into this nebulous category of sons of perdition will suffer permanently while the worst of the worst sinners will suffer only temporarily before receiving a kingdom of glory. All missionaries are doing is trying to upgrade people to a premium plan of ruling over planets and polygamy. 15:2830). 18:8), hell fire (Matt. They are the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness. Twelfth President Spencer W. Kimball wrote. However, not once have I ever suspected such a person to be a closet believer in Mormonism. (see Rom. Often in the scriptures it is difficult to discern which helltemporary or permanentis being spoken of, since many references to hell in the scriptures are used in a nonspecific manner to simply designate a place or state of suffering for the wicked. To the Church in Smyrna the Apostle John wrote: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death (Rev. The term "outer darkness" refers to the place to where Satan will be banished. 3:20; 10:9- 10; Eph. One must be on a high eminence to fall so low; and few in worlds history have attained such a height. hell.. 14:34), awful hell (1 Ne. This extreme punishment will not be given to any but the sons of perdition (Doctrines of Salvation 2:220). One of these guests, however, appeared without the proper wedding attire. Note the Book of Mormons addition of the words is as. Alma 40. 25:30). The Book of Mormon clarifies that the lake of fire and brimstone is a metaphor for the suffering of the wicked. It even warns its readers to beware of the devils temptation to disbelieve the doctrine of a personal devil and that there is an actual place and/or state called hell. While many Latter-day Saints bristle at the doctrine of hell (i.e., How could a loving God send His children to such a place?), they may have not considered the fact that these spirits were never given the chance to have a physical body because of the wrong choice they made in the preexistence. Alma 40 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints As explained in D&C 88:11-13: 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). Outer Darkness - Mormonism, The Mormon Church, Beliefs, & Religion (You are not one of those spirits since you have a mortal body.). Followers 0. Just because Hitler, Mao, and Stalin along with Judas Iscariot (as mentioned above) never became Latter-day Saints apparently provides them with a much higher privilegea life in the telestial kingdom over those who once believed but left the true fold, kicking and screaming in their continued fight against the restored church of Jesus Christ. 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. Ball (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2001), 7789. Italics in original). Hence, the very worse lot in their lives will be the telestial kingdom. Again Mormons think this is a very hard place to get into. Mormons believe that there Prophets are fallible and in no way perfect. Which would be a sure-fire way to know that a spirit is headed to Outer Darkness? . 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.. In Mormonism, it depends. Which means that really, no one knows anything about this. https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Outer_Darkness&oldid=27067. Today, interpretation of these "outer darkness" verses are a subset of Protestant discussion on hell and annihilationism. In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. 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. Source: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/sons-of-perdition. That Satan rebelled against Christ and God the Father and was cast out with all of Satans followers and will not receive a body. Outer darkness - MormonWiki.org How unfair is this scenario? 21:8). Mormons believe that only a Son of Perdition will go to Outer Darkness, their version of most Christian religions understanding of Hell. A representation of the tree degrees of glory and outer darkness. 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.