Part 2 of Jewish obsession in American cults examines Mormonism’s occult origins and its fixation on Israelite lineage, contrasting it with dispensationalist errors about God’s people.  This episode of Sword and Staff: Revenant dives into Joseph Smith’s mystical practices, including seer stones, magic circles, and alleged necromancy tied to the golden plates’ discovery. We explore how Smith’s treasure-seeking, rooted in folk magic common to grimoires like the Key of Solomon, shaped Mormonism’s claim of divine revelation through supposed Israelite descendants in the Americas. The Book of Mormon’s narrative of the Nephites and Lamanites ties into this obsession, falsely legitimizing Mormon doctrine via blood lineage to Israel. We contrast this with biblical truth, emphasizing that God’s people are defined by faith, not ethnicity, and warn against heresies exploiting Jewish identity. 

Tune in for part 3 where we look at the Black Hebrew Israelites.

Links:

“Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet and His Progenitors for Many Generations” by Lucy Mack Smith (1853): https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/17401/

“Seer Stones”: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/seer-stones?lang=eng

“Joseph the Seer”: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2015/10/joseph-the-seer?lang=eng#lds

“Treasure Seeking”: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/treasure-seeking?lang=eng

“Joseph Smith - Necromancer”: https://youtu.be/05-xQ9B7Ubk

“Mars Dagger” - Lost Mormonism: https://www.lostmormonism.com/mars-dagger/

“Faculty of Abrac” - Universal Co-Masonry - Encyclopedia Masonica: https://www.universalfreemasonry.org/en/encyclopedia/faculty-of-abrac

“Magic Circles” - Lost Mormonism: https://www.lostmormonism.com/magic-circles/

“Josphe Smith & Money Digging”: https://rsc.byu.edu/sites/default/files/pub_content/pdf/Joseph_Smith_and_Money_Digging.pdf

“The Locations of Joseph Smith’s Early Treasure Quests”: https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/the-locations-of-joseph-smiths-early-treasure-quests/

“Scrying for the Lord: Magic, Mysticism, and the Origins of the Book of Mormon”: https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/the-locations-of-joseph-smiths-early-treasure-quests/

Mentioned in the show and other readings (Amazon Affiliate Links):

“Truths We Confess" by R.C. Sproul: https://amzn.to/3JWMP2G

“The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty” by Manuel Lacunza: https://amzn.to/4nuTDmi

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