You have to be pretty bad to go to the Teresita's kingdom, and horrendous to go to 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 (Doctrines of Salvation2:220). 6:8). So the prophet, meeting with apostles is clear on this, there are women. Mormon theology ultimately portrays Outer Darkness as heaven, and Satan as the God of that realm. The Three Most Abominable Sins | Religious Studies Center 20:13). Unfortunately, Apple's iOS doesn't support home screen shortcuts in the Chrome browser. Through baptism and confirmation by priesthood authority, you became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, 2004, p. 21, So, even if you attended LDS Church services, sang the hymns, and even partook of the weekly sacrament, yet you were never baptized and confirmed into the faith, you can never become a son of perdition. . Outer Darkness. It honors and glorifies Satan. They will live in eternal darkness, torment, and misery with Satan and his angels forever. Your generous support makes the work of MRM possible. 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. Thus, the only mortals who can possibly become sons of perdition must be Latter-day Saints who fall/fell away. Outer Darkness, I always heard, was reserved for a handful of suckers like Cain and Judas who saw God and/or Jesus and were still rebellious. Requirements for Outer Darkness : r/exmormon - reddit.com Ray L. Huntington and Terry B. Doctrine and Covenants / Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Objections to Christian Evangelism, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church. Brigham Young University Professor Larry E. Dahl reported: The word hell appears sixty-two times in the text of the Book of Mormon. Today, interpretation of these "outer darkness" verses are a subset of Protestant discussion on hell and annihilationism. (To see his baptism for the dead record and other temple work done for him, click here.). This extreme punishment will not be given to any but the sons of perdition (Doctrines of Salvation 2:220). . Is outer darkness reserved for apostate LDS? - Ask Gramps For example: everlasting fire (Matt. A) Most humans B) Satan C) His angels D) Sons of Perdition. In a general conference talk, Joseph Fielding Smith further explained that. the man was silent (Matt 22:12); therefore, the king said: "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In the Book of Mormon the phrase lake of fire and brimstone is used as a metaphor for the suffering that awaits the wicked. Italics in original). 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. One of these guests, however, appeared without the proper wedding attire. 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. The Book of Mormon also teaches that by coming unto Christ, one can escape the pains of hell experienced in this life. In contrast, Book of Mormon references to the second death are embedded in sermons that teach it in context with other essential elements of the plan of salvation. The ExMo Candle Co. - lighting outer darkness together 5:22), burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matt. One example would not be human since they were cast out of heaven with Satan before they could receive a body. New Testament [ edit] Those mortals who did join the LDS Church in this lifetime must fit the following criteria to be classified as a son of perdition, with a destiny to outer darkness. 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. 10 reasons why a person ought to consider becoming a Christian. Those in this second group will be resurrected from the dead but will not be redeemed from the second (spiritual) death and cannot dwell in a kingdom of glory (D&C 88:32, 35). Add an RSC shortcut to this device's Homescreen, In the menu, scroll past any icons and tap. . Yet I an certainly exempt from outer darkness, no questions asked. If their Prophet wrote in a journal, or said to someone in passing, or gave a talk a local school saying that, Eating toast without butter is a sin worthy of hell! that does not make it a Mormon Doctrine. Latter-day Saints understand hell to be a literal place and/or stateeither the temporary hell in the spirit world where the unjust suffer in a state of torment until they are resurrected to a telestial glory (D&C 76:8185, 98112), or the permanent hell where the wicked (the sons of perdition) continue to suffer eternally after the resurrection (D&C 76:37, 4548). D&C 76 does say telestial people are the ones thrust down to hell and not redeemed until the last resurrection. Even if I did, I still am not eligible for outer darkness. 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. 14:34), awful hell (1 Ne. 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. To become a church member, baptism and confirmation are required. 1:13), gates of hell (2 Ne. Hence, the very worse lot in their lives will be the telestial kingdom. He also said,I think I am safe in saying that no man can become a Son of Perdition until he has known the light. Again, the doctrine of the second death is woven together with other essential parts of the plan of salvation, offering the reader the big picture concerning Gods judgments. Who will partake of it, and what is the nature of the eternal torment? However, not once have I ever suspected such a person to be a closet believer in Mormonism. The extent of this punishment none will ever know except those who partake of it. And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls. 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. Even the most evil of people, including Adolph Hitler and those of his ilk, appear to have a place reserved for them in nothing less than the telestial kingdom. Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), s.v. 15:2830). In Christianity, it is understood that anyone who denies the holy spirit goes to outer darkness, but they see it as a synonym for Hell. Outer Darkness Definition - Mormonism Research Ministry These are they who do two very specific things. In this context, outer darkness is the spirit prison, or that part of the spirit world that the wicked inhabit prior to their resurrection. Severe punishment for eternity, reserved for Satan and his demons as well as the sons of perdition, those humans who once embraced Mormonism and left to fight against the faith, even though they knew Mormonism was true. You are taking quotes that are not Mormon Doctrine. While this is true, please define Mormon Doctrine before saying I did not quote Mormon Doctrine. This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). Yet what kind of devious person would it be who knew full well that Mormonism was trueincluding the historicity of theBook of Mormon,the authenticity of the restored churchs leadership that began withJoseph Smith,and the accuracy of theFirst Visioneventand then fight against these truths? Ellipsis mine). (Selections of Doctrines of Salvation, p. 462. The term second death refers to spiritual death or separation from God. The Book of Mormon contains six references to the second death: one reference by Jacob (Jacob 3:11), three by Alma (Alma 12:16, 32; 13:30), and two by Samuel the Lamanite (Hel. 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. 3. 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). Some Christians have believed the lake of fire John spoke of to be a literal lake. (2) We believe in allowing our candles to burn for a maximum of four hours at a time. The Book of Mormon provides another testament concerning the existence of hell, and explains how one can escape the chains of hell in this life, and an everlasting hell in the next life, through application of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Wilford Woodruff in a meeting with the apostles, 1893 D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1997) p. 795. Banishment into outer darkness. Rev. 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. Thus, the second death is taught in conjunction with the first death, which came as a consequence of the Fall of Adam and Eve, and also with the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which redeems all of humankind from the first death through resurrection and the second death through repentance. Hence the saying: They will go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. There are two categories for those who should be considered sons of perdition. 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. The wicked are cast into outer darkness until the time of their resurrection, Alma 40:13-14. 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). Again Mormons think this is a very hard place to get into. In Christianity, the "exterior darkness" or outer darkness is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be "cast out", and where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth". 67, LDS Church Archives. One fire certainly shall be the lot of both. [4]. On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter spoke of the promise David had received that his soul would not be left in hell (Acts 2:27). The first death is physical death, and everyone but the devil and his angels will overcome physical death through Resurrection. Sorry ladies, you cant actually apostatize from the church, I guess (Someone tell Kate Kelly her excommunication is not valid!). This is what was taught by several important church leaders, including founder Joseph Smith. 6:28), hell fire (3 Ne. 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. They once held membership in the church (through baptism/confirmation); They had full knowledge of their apostasy from the true and restored church of Jesus Christ; They continue to fight against the LDS Church despite their knowledge. And since we know that prophets speaking define it, this is the definition we should use. Hence, the term outer darkness. Are the Three Degrees of Glory Mentioned in the Book of Mormon? Yes