NEWSLETTER JANUARY 1997

A note from Ed

First...... Let me wish you a wonderful 1997! I thank God for you all. This January, I have completed 20 years of ministry. It is hard to believe that time has flown by so quickly and so much has been crammed into that time frame. I rejoice at the many thousands who have found the light of truth in Christ through this work. I thank God for the many of you who have been faithful supporters of this ministry through the years, both with your prayers and financial commitments. You are true fellow-workers and soul savers.

I am at the start of several new projects which will extend the outreach of Saints Alive tremendously, including several new book and film projects. Next month, I will be offering two new products, a pair of 12 panel color foldout/Quick Reference Guides for Mormonism and Freemasonry. Published by Harvest House , the guides compare their doctrines to orthodoxy. These should be of great use in the ministry. Watch for them! Our Website is still under construction but doing exceptionally well for a new site. We had an activity monitor placed on it during December and in just three weeks we had 11,274 files downloaded by people in 27 countries. My e-mail from the site is filled with Mormons, Masons and others seeking help, asking real questions and hoping for real answers. What a wonderful extension of our ministry.

We are back in the office building again. Skunks are gone and the aroma fading enough for us to get back to business as almost usual. A Mormon called and said that it was by the power of the holy Melchizedek priesthood that the skunks ran us out. I laughed at that one and asked him if he was equating the power of the LDS priesthood to skunk spray. He hung up. I have so many things to do the next few months. I’ll be at the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) conference at the end of January and filming scenes for a new video series in early February, in Israel during March, providing that my health continues to improve as it has. Perhaps you can make the trip, also. I have enclosed a brochure for your information. If you have questions, call the 800 number listed and ask for my son, Jason Decker, who is coordinating the trip.

I have spent a lot of time in prayer during the holidays, praying for the needs you have sent in. I am very remiss in answering the large volume of mail that continues to pour in. Please forgive me if I have not answered your letter. While it is impossible to answer most of my mail, please be assured that I do read every letter. The same holds true of the e-mail. Some days, I am overwhelmed. Pray for me in this matter because it weighs heavily on me.

I want to talk a bit about finances. Januarys are always the low spot, beating out even April, in ministry income. Everyone seems to be still reeling from holiday expenses. I cannot tell you how important January gifts are to meeting the continuing, regular expenses here. We tighten our belts and hang on, but wouldn’t it be just great to have a solid financial month and be able to do even beyond the basics! Please pray about how you can bless this work with a special gift this month. Web site visitors can do that through the Donation portion of our Bookstore. And, if you are on a fixed budget, as many are, or if you are already a regular monthly partner in this work, you are not only blessed, but excused.

God bless each and every one of you!

Your brother in Christ,

The Mormon church continues to teach that the American Indians are actually Lamanites, descendants of Jews who settled Meso-America about 600 BC. A few years ago, I challenged the church to produce a DNA study of Middle East Jews, Indians in Meso America, USA, Eskimos, compared with Asians, including such people groups as the Siberians.

If the Book of Mormon was really true, their claims would be proven by scientific evidence, just as so much of the Bible has been validated by fact, not fiction. We would have to pull up our tents and go home in defeat. They have never responded.

However, Professor Steve Jones of University College, London has. He has (or had) a TV program dealing with the science of genetics. When he mentioned the Mormon theory on his show, our English friend, Bruce Kaye, inquired of him regarding the possibility that the Mormons may be right.

Professor Jones responded: "Many thanks for your letter and the kind words about my TV programme. The Mormon theory about American Indians is, of course, silly (at least in the scientific sense). They are clearly related to East Asians and probably came across the Bering Strait about 25,000 years ago. Many of their genes (and even their physical appearance) today show close ties with Siberians and even with Japanese. There is no link at all with Israel.

There is much more about all this (and also about the Mormons themselves) in my book, IN THE BLOOD, which perhaps you will have a chance to see." With best wishes, Steve Jones, The Galton Laboratory, Department of Biology, University College, London, (letter on file)

Well, the challenge is there again. Except that the LDS church would never dare to publish DNA findings. I pray for someone to come forward with the cost for such an independent study. It would devastate the claims of Mormonism, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon forever.

The Historicity of the Book of Mormon

I found this interesting article on historical problems with the Book of Mormon from the LDS perspective. While it’s a bit dated, it is still pure Mormon talk. I thought you might find this small part of it interesting. I‘ve edited, it to cut out some the ‘examples’ he uses and keep to the meat but believe it to be in context. I will be happy to share a complete copy of the entire speech with anyone who asks. Web users can pick it up at the FARMS website.

Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies Annual Dinner, Provo, Utah, October 29, 1993: Speaker, Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"Some who term themselves believing Latter-day Saints are advocating that Latter-day Saints should "abandon claims that [the Book of Mormon] is a historical record of the ancient peoples of the Americas." They are promoting the feasibility of reading and using the Book of Mormon as nothing more than a pious fiction with some valuable contents. These practitioners of so-called "higher criticism" raise the question of whether the Book of Mormon, which our prophets have put forward as the preeminent scripture of this dispensation, is fact or fable—history or just a story.

The historicity—historical authenticity—of the Book of Mormon is an issue so fundamental that it rests first upon faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the first principle in this, as in all other matters...

*In these remarks I will seek to use rational argument, but I will not rely on any proofs.* I will approach the question of the historicity of the Book of Mormon from the standpoint of faith and revelation. I maintain that the issue of the historicity of the Book of Mormon is basically a difference between those who rely exclusively on scholarship and those who rely on a combination of scholarship, faith, and revelation. Those who rely exclusively on scholarship reject revelation...*The practitioners of that approach typically focus on a limited number of issues, like geography or "horses"* or angelic delivery or nineteenth century language patterns. They ignore or gloss over the incredible complexity of the Book of Mormon record. Those who rely on scholarship, faith, and revelation are willing to look at the entire spectrum of issues, content as well as vocabulary, revelation as well as excavation." (*added)

And so goes the entire message on BOM history. Nowhere does Oaks deal with evidence or actual history even though he says there should be a mixture. He only deals with the spiritual advantage of subjective belief over tangible evidence. That ain’t history, folks!

Maybe I shouldn’t bring this up while planning a trip to Israel, but thought that you would like to know where the leaders of Israel stand on the subject of the Lodge. The material comes from the July August, 1996 edition of INSIDE ISRAEL, ISRAEL’S INVESTIGATIVE NEWS SOURCE, pages 4-6.

"On May 3, 1996, Tel Aviv police raided an apartment, joined by reporters from the state-run television news program and the daily newspaper Davar Rishon. They found a bizarre scene. The walls were covered in Latin script, skulls and bones graced the shelves, swords were crossed and mounted around an altar. Five doors led to secret passageways with red blinking intruder warning lights."

The news reports the next day announced, "The apartments was used for ceremonies by the Freemasons, an organization whose membership boasts cabinet ministers and high ranking army officers." Well, who are some of these men?

We need to step back just a bit. "In late Spring of 1994, two Israeli publications, Yediot Ahronot and Shishi published long articles extolling the contribution of Masonry to Israeli society. Both reports agreed that Yitzhak Rabin had been a Mason since the late 1960s. In 1976, Rabin presided over a large Masonic convention in Jerusalem."

"Shishi also reported that Binyamin Netanyahu was also said to be a Mason. He was recruited when he was Israel’s ambassador to the UN in the 1980s. Both newspapers observed that King Hussein of Jordon was a high ranking and proud Mason who travelled to London often to participate in ceremonies."

"But if there was any doubt of Rabin’s secret society ties, the Masons themselves chose to remove it. In November 1994 President Clinton flew to Israel to finalize a peace agreement with Jordon. After the treaty was signed, Clinton, Rabin and Hussein posed for the cliched, all join hands photo. This shot appeared in full page ads two days later in Israel’s newspapers. The headline read: MASONS OF PEACE."

The article mentions another player in all the Masonic intrigue; Teddy Kollek, but the one thing that hit the ball out of the park was the tie-in to King Hussein and treaties which could eventually give Hussein control of the Moslem holy sites, which would give the Masons their foothold over the Temple Mount. Remember that Masons worldwide covet the Temple Mount, site of Solomon’s Temple.

"Meanwhile, back at the Tel Aviv apartment, after Davar Rishon published its article, Ephriam Fuchs, Grand Master of the local Grand Lodge issued a statement claiming that the apartment belonged to the Illuminati, which had nothing to do with Freemasonry. He demanded an apology."

"Davar Rishon quoted the INSIDE ISRAEL data that said the Illuminati was definitely part of Freemasonry. The paper, Davar Rishon was shut down for good within two weeks. However, as it suffered publicized financial problems the two event are probably unrelated. The Masonic manipulation of the blood soaked Middle East peace process is not."

Always at odds with the craft for saying that they have a different view of God and our relationship to Him, I delight in letting them speak for themselves in the matter. This was in their Seattle Newsletter, THE COMMUNICATOR, November 1996, page 1. In the article, FROM THE COUNCIL OF KADOSH, by John W. Kraft, 32 degree Commander, we quote:

"In Scottish Rite, as in most all of Masonry, all we require is that each of us have a universal belief in One Omnipotent Supreme Architect of the Universe. Regardless of our personal religious beliefs as Jews, Christians, Muslims or members of other religions, we are unified in required singular belief, respecting without embracing the religion of our brothers. Thus Masonry cannot be considered a religion."

They would like us to believe that it is not a temple of religion, but everything about their ritual proves otherwise. While that may be fine for them, true Christians must handle their fellowshipping from a Biblical perspective, and that just flies in the face of the statement of belief above.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with "unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with "unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and"they shall be my people."

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, "let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, "perfecting holiness in the fear of God" II Corinthians 6:14-18, 7:1 Strong words for the Mason! God calls their creed filthiness of the flesh.

Somewhere in the last few years I seemed to have told someone that Teddy Roosevelt was not a Mason. Having said so many things over the years, I can’t remember if I said that or not. I do know however, that Teddy Roosevelt was a Mason. Here are the facts, as reported [with a little editing for brevity’s sake] by his Masonic brothers at the Matinecock Lodge.

"The first Master of Matinecock Lodge, William Lincoln Swan, was a close friend and neighbor of the Roosevelt family. William Jones Youngs, a charter member of Matinecock Lodge and the personal secretary to Theodore Roosevelt, proposed him for membership. At the time he completed his petition for membership, Roosevelt was Governor of New York and Vice-President-elect, having won election with Brother William McKinley a few weeks earlier. His petition was received accompanied by the usual $5.00 fee on November 28,1900. On his petition, a copy of which hangs in Matinecock Lodge, he listed his age as 42, place of birth, New York City, place of business, Albany, and his occupation, Governor.

Three weeks after his inauguration as Vice President of the United States on March 4, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt was announced as being in readiness for examination in the first degree at a regular communication-on March 27, 1901. After a "very satisfactory" examination the candidate was passed to the degree of fellowcraft. It was reported at the time that he knew the material so well that he corrected those conducting the examination when they erred.

The evening of April 24,1901 was truly a "Grand Affair." The raising of Theodore Roosevelt was presided over by R:.W:.Edward M.L. Ehlers, Grand Secretary... Only those holding tickets were permitted entry into the lodge rooms. The narrow stairway leading to the third floor lodge room was said to have been so jammed with visitors trying to get in that the Vice President had to be raised up over the heads of the visitors and passed up the stairs. Considering Roosevelt's bulk this would seem to have been quite a task.

The following September 6th an assassin shot Brother William McKinley in the Temple of Music at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and upon his death on September 14, 1901, Brother Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as 26th President of the United States of America."

I have two letters on my desk, just sitting there in the pile of mail. They typify the difficulty in dealing with the Mormon mindset. It’s like there is a blindness to the faith until something, somehow breaks though and the person "sees." reality.

The first is from a young man cursing me for fighting against God’s only true church...and accusing me of being a liar, in it "for the money."

The second is from someone who was an inactive Mormon, planning on returning to the church. He wrote: "The Bishop asked me if my wife was interested in joining the church. I replied, "No." She is a devout Catholic. So the Bishop told me I would have to get a divorce from her as such is commanded by Heavenly Father. Anyway, he said that the Catholic Church would give my wife an annulment. Then the Mormon church would find me a new wife and I would progress with worthiness and both us would be sealed for time and eternity in celestial marriage."

Well, he was out the door in a hurry. His letter ends with: "Mormonism is a dangerous cult and false religion."

Mormon Radio Host, Lloyd Pond, a spokesperson for the Mormon Church who decried the decay of family values and the evils of sexual abuse on his nationally syndicated radio show pled guilty to molesting a 14 year old girl and resigned on 11/22/96.

The terrible details are compounded by the fact that Pond walked out of the court after 2 counts of 1st degree forcible sodomy were amended to 1 count of 2nd degree forcible sexual abuse. He was given adult probation and parole, released on his own recognizance.

Attorneys explained his behavior as a form of mid-life crisis. Once again, an LDS "elder" walks away from sexual child abuse in Utah. It is sick and evil!

Our tiny Issaquah Post Office where we have picked up your mail for 20 years has closed and a new facility opened to handle the mail generated by a 10 fold growth here. Because of that, we have had to cancel our PO Box 1077 and while 1076 will still be ours for a year or so, it is a very tiny box in the New Post Office. Therefore! Please send all mail to our new large economy sized box. Please!

#1347.

Same town,

same zip

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