Temple of the Godmakers

Located in Salt Lake City, Utah.
International headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon Church).
Current membership: Over 5,200,000 members worldwide.
Growth projection: Expected to rise to over 70,000,000 within fifty years.

Organized in 1830 by Joseph Smith.
- Claims: At age 14, visited by extraterrestrial beings commanding him to establish the only true church.
After Joseph Smith's death in 1844, Brigham Young becomes the second prophet.
- Led a pilgrimage across the American Plains, settling in Great Salt Lake Valley, Utah.

Mormons constitute over 70% of Utah's population.
Early growth attributed to the practice of polygamy among church leaders.
- Example: A man could have upwards of 50 wives and raise numerous children, all raised in the Mormon faith.
- Belma Gear, an ex-Mormon author, discusses her lineage to John D. Lee, a convicted Mormon assassin with 19 wives and 64 children.
- Lee has over 5,000 descendants, mostly Mormons.

The church is one of America’s wealthiest corporations.
- Revenue: An estimated $4,000,000 per day from its business ventures.
- Extensive tax-exempt property holdings across the United States and internationally (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America).
Income derived from a mandatory tithing program requiring significant portions of income from members.
- Mormon meeting houses built at a rate of two per day globally.
- Functions of meeting houses differ greatly from Mormon temples, which perform more exclusive rituals.

Ed Decker, former elder and temple Mormon, discusses Mormon self-perception:
- Mormons view themselves as true Christians but hold a sense of superiority over other Christian sects because of additional revelations and teachings.
- Shared belief that other Christian churches are misled, described as the "whore of Babylon" and servants of Satan.
Distinction between secret rituals in Mormon temples and the broader church practices.

Mormon cosmology asserts numerous planets governed by gods who were once human.
- Elohim, a spirit child, was born to human parents and ultimately attained godhood through adherence to Mormon principles.
Mormons believe Elohim lives with his goddess wives on a planet near the star Korah.
- Billions of spirit children are created, leading to a heavenly council meeting to determine the plan for Earth, pitting Lucifer against Jesus.
- Lucifer's attempt to force salvation is rejected in favor of free will proposed by Jesus.
Beliefs regarding race: Those who fought against Lucifer are born into Mormon families (lighter skin), while neutrals are born black, explaining the Negro race from a Mormon perspective.

Early church doctrine claims Adam and Eve as forms of Elohim.
- Elohim supposedly fathered Jesus through physical relations with Mary, taking multiple wives and fathering children.
- Book of Mormon suggests Jesus visited the Americas after his resurrection, engaging with the indigenous peoples who were thought to be Israelites.
Smith's treasure-seeking led to the discovery of gold plates, claimed to contain biblical records, catalyzing the church's foundation as Christian creeds were deemed abominable.

Mormons adhere to strict regulations for temple access, including financial and moral prerequisites.
- Mandatory temple rituals that reflect a belief in earning godhood through proving worthiness.
The concept of blood atonement is introduced, where certain sins cannot be atoned for by Jesus, requiring the individual’s blood.
- Historical instances include severe punishments for various transgressions, previously justified through the church’s framework.

The church maintains the largest genealogical center for tracing family histories to perform rituals for deceased relatives, believed to facilitate their conversion post-mortem.
- Importance of maintaining temple worthiness to support both themselves and their deceased relatives in eternity.

Description of rituals, referring to various rites associated with the Melchizedek Priesthood, including secret oaths and symbols derived from Masonic influences.
- Example of Rituals: Patrons perform symbolic acts of submission and swear allegiance with oaths to maintain secrecy.
Conducting ceremonies for both living and deceased individuals, with significant emphasis on secretive, often occultic practices.

No crosses are displayed in Mormon temples, while symbols associated with darker practices appear in early architecture.
Current missionary practices are aimed at framing Mormonism as a branch of Christianity, leading to significant conversion rates.
- Claim that new members are baptized every three minutes, primarily from Christian backgrounds.
Mormons anticipate a political reorganization leading to the establishment of a theocratic governance modeled after early practices, involving collectivized property management and heightened church control.

Personal reflections from former members emphasize individual salvation through Jesus Christ, rejecting intermediary reliance on Joseph Smith.
- A call for understanding that transformation and redemption come strictly through faith in Jesus without the encumbrance of additional rituals or doctrines imposed by the church.