inquirringmind wrote:Tony wrote:
Regarding David Whitmer, God wanted him to believe the Doctrine and Covenants is the word of God revealed to Joseph Smith. Satan told him it was not the word of God.
Satan deceives people into believing his lies. People are deceived because they do not know they are listening to Satan. Scriptures show us that Satan can deceive people into believing someone is Christ.
In Matthew 24:5, Christ said, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
Paul told the Corinthians that there are “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” – 2 Corinthians 11:13-14
He told the Romans that there are those who “by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple,” and they “cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine.” – Romans 16:17-18
Paul thought it necessary to warn the Hebrews about Satan’s ability to convince people that false doctrines are true, telling them to “be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.” – Hebrews 13:9
He warned the Colossian saints: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” – Colossians 2:8
Latter-day Saints who go against God’s prophet on the earth have been deceived by Satan. If they claim that the Holy Ghost told them to go against the prophet, then it is quite obvious that Satan has convinced them to follow after “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
But what about those (like Tausha Larsen, in that quote from Tim Malone's blog) who say they've felt the burning in the bosom?
Are you saying Satan can mimic that physical manifestation?
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained:
“One great evil is that men are ignorant of the nature of spirits; their power, laws, government, intelligence, etc., and imagine that when there is anything like power, revelation, or vision manifested that it must be of God.
“Hence the Methodists, Presbyterians, and others frequently possess a spirit that will cause them to lie down, and during its operation, animation is frequently entirely suspended; they consider it to be the power of God, and a glorious manifestation from God—a manifestation of what? Is there any intelligence communicated? Are the curtains of heaven withdrawn, or the purposes of God developed? Have they seen and conversed with an angel—or have the glories of futurity burst upon their view? No! but their body has been inanimate, the operation of their spirit suspended, and all the intelligence that can be obtained from them when they arise, is a shout of ‘glory,’ or ‘hallelujah,’ or some incoherent expression; but they have had ‘the power.’
“The Shaker will whirl around on his heel, impelled by a supernatural agency or spirit, and think that he is governed by the Spirit of God; and the Jumper will jump and enter into all kinds of extravagances. A Primitive Methodist will shout under the influence of that spirit, until he will rend the heavens with his cries; while the Quakers (or Friends) moved as they think, by the Spirit of God, will sit still and say nothing.”
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also had its false spirits . . . it is not to be wondered at if there should be found among us false spirits.
“Soon after the Gospel was established in Kirtland, and during the absence of the authorities of the Church, many false spirits were introduced, many strange visions were seen, and wild, enthusiastic notions were entertained; men ran out of doors under the influence of this spirit, and some of them got upon the stumps of trees and shouted, and all kinds of extravagances were entered into by them; one man pursued a ball that he said he saw flying in the air, until he came to a precipice, when he jumped into the top of a tree, which saved his life; and many ridiculous things were entered into, calculated to bring disgrace upon the Church of God, to cause the Spirit of God to be withdrawn, and to uproot and destroy those glorious principles which had been developed for the salvation of the human family. But when the authorities returned, the spirit was made manifest, those members that were exercised with it were tried for their fellowship, and those that would not repent and forsake it were cut off.
“At a subsequent period a Shaker spirit was on the point of being introduced, and at another time the Methodist and Presbyterian falling down power . . . . We have also had brethren and sisters who have had the gift of tongues falsely; they would speak in a muttering, unnatural voice, and their bodies be distorted like the Irvingites before alluded to; whereas, there is nothing unnatural in the Spirit of God . . . . There have also been ministering angels in the Church which were of Satan appearing as an angel of light.”
