Secret combination (Mormonism)
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In the Latter Day Saint scriptures, including the Bible, Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, a secret combination is a secretive organization or set of practices of a group of people for the purpose of the economic and political advancement of its members at the expense of righteous people, believers of Christ, and society at large, thus undermining their freedom. Towards these ends, members of a secret combination may sustain acts of murder, robbery, and acts of war and each member of the society is bound by an oath to maintain secrecy, as well as to do whatever is necessary to prevent the member's discovery, apprehension, and prosecution.
According to the Pearl of Great Price, secret combinations existed from the time that Adam's son Cain murdered his brother Abel (see Moses 5:51). Cain had entered into a secret combination with Satan and become Master Mahan, or as stated by Cain in the Book of Moses "the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain". Mahan may find it's root in the Hebrew word for "mind," "destroyer," or "great one". (see Moses 5:31)
In the Book of Mormon, secret combinations arose numerous times among the Nephites and the Jaredites, eventually causing the destruction of their civilizations. The most notable example of these is the band of Gadianton, a group whose oaths and covenants were passed down until the Nephites' downfall. The prophet Ether denounces secret combinations as "most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God." They are also considered to be one of the signs that a people is ripe for the Lord's vengeance, and according to the Book of Mormon, in the last days will be prevalent on the earth. (See Ether 8:16-25)
The Doctrine and Covenants refers to secret combinations once, and cites them as the reason that the Mormons would be driven into the western parts of United States. From the beginning, the Mormons were victim to mob violence and persecution, so the fact that the Book of Mormon describes them as it does is seen by believers as evidence of its prophetic authorship. The Mormon prophet Joseph Smith was shot and killed by a band of men who had sworn an oath to take his life.
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Some current interpretations of secret combinations point to the rise of inner-city gangs across the country and around the world, the power of the Mafia, and the recent surge in terrorist activity as modern-day examples of secret combinations. Believers see this increasing trend as one of the signs of the last days.
An alternate interpretation identifies certain private corporations that seek profit at the expense of personal freedoms, fraternal organizations that seek to overthrow constitutional freedoms, and special interest groups that may contribute to abuses of power, as potential secret combinations. The power wielded by corporations may potentially be concentrated in the hands of a small group of the extremely wealthy (see http://theyrule.net). Some private corporations exhibit some of the characteristics of secret combinations, namely they may mislead the public, and for practical purposes have obtained power in the government (in Western Society), and may use their power to foster wars. This has been an accusation against the Military-Industrial Complex, or a marriage of big government and big business, all hidden behind the cloak of national security. Government agencies tied into it are accused of being influenced by criminal organizations around the world. An example of this is the CIA and Contra's cocaine trafficking in the US. It is believed by some that they will eventually cause the downfall of all nations controlled by them.
In fact, a group of global elite, the Bilderberg Group, meet in secret each year. The same is true for the elite that meet at Bohemian Grove, where ritualistic sacrifices are performed in the name of Molech. Past attendees include Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.
During the United States presidential election, 2004, two members of the same secret combination: Skull and Bones, were the only choices.
- “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial Nation is controlled by a system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the Nation, therefore, and all its activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be the worse ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world - no longer a Government of free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and vote by the majority, but the government by the opinion and duress of small groups of dominant men.”
It is interesting to point out that in the Book of Mormon secret combinations reached the highest levels of government. Despite the many wars, the government was destroyed by internal secret combinations, because of internal weakness and divisiveness. The Book of Mormon seems to warn against passive acceptance of similar conditions in the last days, and that people should follow the teachings of Jesus Christ including avoiding contention, upholding standards of free government, and preserving personal agency and accountability among the people. (Ether 8:16-25)
