Necromancy 101
Liahona and Ensign, November 2012; “The keys Elijah restored to Joseph Smith permit our hearts to be bound and each of us linked to those of our ancestors who are waiting for our help. Through our efforts in holy temples here on earth using the authority delegated by the Savior, our progenitors receive the saving ordinances that allow them to enjoy eternal happiness.” —Richard G. Scott, “The Joy of Redeeming the Dead”
Deuteronomy 18:10-11; “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.”
One significant item of note in Christianity is imageless worship. We don’t go to temple, we don’t purchase idols to pray in front of or to, nor do we use any imagery to go before God.
Mormonism has mimicked the days of Aaron in one fell swoop by introducing a golden statue of Moroni and turning buildings, i.e. temples, into coercion for salvation. Where’s the free agency in such things?
As a reminder on the meaning of necromancy, here’s the entry in Holman’s Bible Dictionary on this subject:
Conjuring the spirits of the dead to predict or influence future events. See Medium.
The Hebrew word translated medium (ob) may refer to the spirit of a dead person, to the medium possessed by the spirit, or to images used to conjure up spirits.
Consulting of mediums defiled the land and was described as prostitution. God’s people were to trust God in times of distress and not resort to other “gods” in an attempt to learn the future.
Conjuring spirits to predict or try and change future events is what members of the Church do each time they go into the temple and perform endowments for the dead. They’ve prostituted themselves for the sake of a false god who has no power to save them or their ancestors. God’s warning to us through Isaiah is a classic and scary example of what idols can’t do for those who follow false gods.
Isaiah 44:9-11, 20; “They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. 20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul…”
Also remember His word tells us that after death, that’s it. This isn’t a game of second chances!
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