A new YouTube video, “Behind The Veil: Never-Before-Seen Footage of Secret Mormon Temple Rituals” hit the web Oct. 16 under the account of Newnamenoah. The video’s content is summarized in its title. In 7:44 it shows Mormon religious rituals.
The secretly filmed video, although both educational and fascinating, was disrespectful to the Mormon church.
Mormonism fascinates people. Perhaps it is their colorful history related to polygamy or the special underwear it requires followers to wear to the temple.
Whatever the reason, its peculiarity makes people interested. Curiosity does not excuse filming this video and unveiling it to the public. Religions are sacred; even when disagreed upon they should be respected.
This video does not do that.
So what if the producer believes Mormon rituals are bizarre, as long as these traditions do not harm anyone it doesn’t matter. Perhaps Newnamenoah meant it as a wake-up to Mormons, but really what it does is just embarrass them because the reality is, to those outside Mormonism, the rituals depicted in the video are strange.
Call it tradition, call it blind faith, the point is, this video will not change any Mormon’s mind.
According to one of Newnamenoah’s comments, the video has been years in the making and did not start as a political tool, which has become a new-found interpretation of it. In the video he includes comments about Gov. Mitt Romney and his family.
He brings to light the reason that Romney’s ancestors fled to Mexico, which was to keep his four wives. He also informs viewers of a secret oath of vengeance during the time period of Romney’s parents, which vocalized the need to punish the U.S. for killing Mormon prophets, Hyrum and Joseph Smith. Nevertheless, Romney can only be held accountable for his actions, not those of his parents, or grandparents.
If the purpose was to embarrass Romney and to make him seem unqualified for presidency, the task would have been much simpler. It would have been effective to use Romney’s not elegantly stated comment or binders of women, just to name the most recent ones.
Furthermore, if Newnamenoah meant to make a political statement, he could have done it through a different method, but involving Mormonism to expose Romney was unnecessary and impertinent.
With a religion as private and unique as Mormonism, there are bound to be inquiries concerning it, but unless Mormons chose to release answers it is extremely disrespectful to expose it by one’s own accord. If you don’t agree with Mormonism, fine, but keep it to yourself. Respect what is not yours, just as you respect what is.
Mónica Rojas is a journalism freshman and may be reached at [email protected].
Are you kidding? The Mormon church keeps the Temple Ceremonies hidden for a reason. The secret Temple Endowment Ceremony contains Laws of Sacrifice and Consecration that all members must strictly adhere to.
Here they swear secret Oaths and promise before their God to give themselves and everything that they possess, even the demand of sacrificing their own lives if necessary to the Mormon Church, for the establishment of Zion – which means a theocratical government administered solely by Mormons.
Mitt Romney and wife, on countless occasions, have dressed in their Temple robes, knelt with raised hands at Temple Altars and have sworn to obey these oaths for the rest of their mortal lives, and also to never divulge these secret rituals to anyone.
Are you seriously suggesting that these dangerous and highly secretive rituals that are performed relentlessly by members every day, are something that the American voting public do not deserve to know about? They are about to vote for a President who is going to govern them for the next four years. They have every right to know about any secret oaths by a candidate that could impact dramatically on their lives and on their freedoms.
These Temple videos are exposing these very real dangers and is providing a great public service to all Americans and the very real hidden threat to the freedoms that we all enjoy.
Here is the revealing video of the Temple Endowment Ceremony that was performed in a Mormon Temple in Utah recently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6udew9axmdM&feature=g-all-u
Now you know why Mitt Romney is so reluctant to discuss his hidden religion with the public.
It’s “Mormon” not “Morman”. Although Mor-Man would make an interesting superhero.
No “S” on his chest, but, rather, a square and compass.
Mormons believe some pretty wild stuff, but I can’t see that it is any stranger than the burning bush, or zombie savior, or reincarnation, or any of the other hundreds of odd beliefs held by every religion. Call them all what they are- weird.
The author misses the point, severely. The Mormon Temple does not signify Romney’s “beliefs” about God, Jesus, or any other religious “thing”. Rather, the authors misses a key phrase that most Mormons associate with the Temple (I know, because I myself have participated in those rituals in the past), ie, “Covenants”. Romney has not adopted a religious point of view, rather he has bound himself by “Oath and Covenant” (D&C 84), to consecrate his time, his talents, and all things he has been blessed with to making his first priority that of “building up” the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In other words, this Temple affiliation could represent a serious conflict of interest, where Romney has covenanted to God that he will recognize the Mormon leadership (Called the Prophets and Apostles) as the highest mortal authorities on earth, having recieved their commission directly from God, manifest in what they call the “Priesthood Authority” (D&C 84, again)…and that his primary objective, as a man greatly blessed with wealth and prominence to God’s kingdom, which is specifically the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
In other words, he may use generic language about having made committments to “God”, and in part this is true, or a least he believes it is. However, the deception lies in the implication, ie, that God’s Kingdom is literally established on the earth, that it is presided over by a “modern living Prophet” (Thomas S. Monson) who was directly appointed by God, and that the purpose of this Kingdom is to prepare for the ushering in of the Second coming of Jesus Christ. When he comes, he will topple the Governments of the world, and rule them all through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
So, it may seem “tactless” that someone would want to inform the world about these Oath’s and Covenants that Romney has made and hold’s sacred above all else, but that is only because Romney speaks in such generic language about his faith that the seriousness of the implications are intentionally left out!
Monica,
The secrecy of the Mormon temple ceremony are due to their masonic origin. The Masons used secret passwords and handshakes to protect themselves after being outlawed by European governments.
Would you be offended if someone secretly taped the Mason’s handshakes?
In reality, it’s no different than secretly video taping the local Rotarians in their meetings. Mormons are just upset because they look and sound absolutely absurd.
Tactless? Nonsense. Religious practices should be open to scrutiny — especially when you’re into recruiting as the Mormons are. It simply doesn’t wash to say, “Don’t report that because it’s sacred to me.” As for polygamy, when the Mormon church says they have nothing to do with it, they should add, “not any more” and “not at this time.” Mormon doctrine defends their earlier practice of polygamy as God-mandated, still allows for multiple wives in the hereafter, suggests that God Himself may be a polygamist, and holds that God may someday reinstate polygamy. The book “It’s Not About the Sex My A**” by Joanne Hanks does a good job explaining much of that. Or read the Doctrine and Covenants (which the Mormons regard as scripture), Section 132, where God states that taking multiple wives is a commandment.
Mike Norton “Newnamenoah” had promised not to reveal what goes on the in the temple. He was not forced to make promises as participants are given the opportunity to withdraw and not make the promises. He went ahead and did it. He might have changed his mind. It is his right to ask to have his name removed. He could say, “don’t become a Mormon…don’t get involved in a temple ceremony.” and leave it as that. He isn’t breaking any promises he made. Instead he was filming the sessions–sneaking in and I believe making films of the session is a violation of copyright laws.
Both the Bountiful temple and the Salt Lake temple are aware of this liar and covenant-breaker, as are the police (he’s breaking several laws by sneaking into private property and recording people without their permission), and they are watching for him.
As long as Mormon missionaries are running around claiming to be the true Christian Church, and undermining the faith of others – leading them to a “prophet” named Joe Smith who supplants Jesus in the hearts of Mormons – even though he lived a vile life, including “marrying” 14 and 15 year old girls as plural wives when he was in his late thirties – then I believe it is altogether important for the truth about Mormonism to be out there. The temple “endowment” is something not disclosed to potential converts, including the Mormon belief that their god was once a man on another planet, and that they intend to become gods just like him, sexually reproducing themselves across the universes with exalted females!. Mormonism reveals the tip of the bizarre iceberg of the LDS to the world – these videos reveal a little more! If you are going to lure people into an organization that will demand ten percent of their income for life, then isn’t it important to provide full disclosure?
In 1948 the nations of
the world came together in a newly formed “United Nations Charter”
and produced a Universal Declaration of Human Rights.. This resolution is known
as resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948, the General Assembly, meeting in
Paris. Only eight nations abstained.. none objected.
Article 18 of said
declaration states..
Everyone has the right
to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to
change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with
others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in
teaching, practice, worship and observance.
When NewNameNoah (Mike
Norton) deceptively entered the temple and used a concealed video recording to
video the temple ceremony and then subsequently broadcast this video publicly
to the world on youtube.. He has essentially violated the very human right
expressed in Article 18 for all those in attendance in the temple that day.
The most offensive part of these videos is the endowment ceremony that shows the degree of theft from Masonic ritual; I am a 32nd degree Freemason.
The lid’s off, and scores of TBM have fled because of it.
Yet, much of my family clings to the “restoration”.