Tabernacle Model

I love the Old Testament tabernacle. We can learn so much from it, and it can serve to reinforce many distinct LDS doctrines and ideas that are unique from the rest of Christianity if we carefully examine its construction and the practices performed therein.

Here's a neat article on how to properly paint a Tabernacle model. Using the Bible to try to create an accurate Tabernacle model can be a great spiritual task. I've done it before, and I plan on doing a more accurate one sometime soon.

Mormon Gnostics Podcast

I've just started a Mormon Gnostics Podcast to go along with this blog, and the first episode is 001 - Theology, Moses 1:1-23. Enjoy!

Theurgy and Theosis in Nauvoo Theology and Practice

Wikipedia says 'Theurgy is "describes the practice of rituals, sometimes seen as magical in nature, performed with the intention of invoking the action of God (or other personified supernatural power), especially with the goal of uniting with the divine, achieving theosis, and perfecting oneself."'

Aspects of Latter-day Saint practice seem to be theurgic both in the sense of invoking action of God (Priesthood ordinances, especially blessings), and in our idea of Exaltation:

[T]heosis, meaning divinization (or deification or, to become god), is the call to man to become holy and seek union with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the resurrection. Theosis comprehends salvation from sin, is premised upon apostolic and early Christian understanding of the life of faith, and is conceptually foundational in both the East and the West.
From Wikipedia entry for "Theosis"

The True Order of Prayer taught in the Temple seems to be a theurgic and highly "magical" method where Latter-day Saints use keys to call upon God and invoke His action.

It goes beyond common prayer, beyond the use of mudras (hand positions) in connection with meditation, and sets out to achieve specific goals. I speculate that this is done by at least in part by tapping into powerful egregores ("the spirit of the thing", energy pools associated with a group of people performing a common action).

Verbal prayer is powerful because you are letting part of your soul "out" into the physical world. The implications? Apparently, you'd better set apart your sacred place properly before skipping ahead and embarking on the prayer, or else you should expect Satan to answer. This is evidenced by Joseph Smith's so-called "first prayer" which he made verbally in the sacred grove, and by Adam's prayer demonstrated in the Temple.

How old are the egregores associated with the True Order of Prayer? I proclaim they are at least as old as the Tabernacle of Moses, and probably originated on this earth from Adam himself. I can demonstrate accurate descriptions of all of these Signs in connection with the Mosaic Tabernacle by using the Torah and the Talmud, however I have not yet determined how to relate that information fully to others in an open way that would retain strict fidelity to the covenants and obligations I have made, so I cannot at this time and place explain the connections. If you believe me on this point, however, these egregores are probably older than the formation of this Earth, which means that tapping into their energy is probably more powerful than any other existent, except perhaps that of procreation. However, both of these energies (TOOP and procreative powers) have been shrouded in obscurity, lack of understanding, and/or misuse, and I wonder if that dilutes their effectiveness in any way?

Exaltation

Among the greatest doctrines of the Restoration is that of Exaltation. We know by revelation that the race of man is the same as that of angels and of God. We are merely in an earlier phase of existence than that which our God is in. This is an uplifting concept, and shows God's love for His children. No more are we held bondage by Man's self-degradation: The notion that we are to be punished for Adam's original "sin"; that we are but insignificant beings which an eternal God made for his amusement and self-aggrandizement -- All of these are cast aside, and instead we gain more respect for both Man and God. More respect for God? Yes, because our God can create something capable of meeting or even perhaps exceeding his own power. He can delegate his work out to these beings. He can procreate his own species, and this growth allows him to be truly infinite - infinitely expanding his Glory.

However simple and natural Exaltation may seem, it has become clouded with the notions of the Dark Ages that have persisted to this day.

Even in a modern Latter-day Saint Sunday School class I have observed Exaltation nearly being forgotten in the comments made by members, and improper characteristics applied to Deity that limit God's work by degrading His creation.

Joshua 5:13-15:

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

In response to this scripture being read, I observed an entire class seeming to interpret this as an appearance of Jesus Christ to Joshua.

This should be obvious to any student of the Bible as a description of Michael, the Archangel. "sword drawn", "captain of the Lord's host." To presume that this is Jesus Christ (whom the class would also identify as "The Lord") is to miss some key information in this scripture. The next question and answer I heard was "Do we worship an angel?" the answer given was "No." That is ridiculous. If we believe that we can attain exaltation, and that God has done so, then we believe that God is an Angel. Yes, we worship an Angel. We don't worship just any Angel, however.

No apologies here, but this event seems to be the appearance of God the Father (Michael the Archangel) to Joshua, to confirm Joshua in his leadership of the people as he takes up leadership after Moses.

What a magnificent event! "Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy." This is reminiscent of the manifestation of God to Moses in Exodus 3:4-6

And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

This event is recounted again in Acts 7:30-33. In analyzing other times that shoes are removed as a symbol, I find the removal of a single shoe in relation to "redeeming" and "changing", or, what seems to be borrowing something of value from someone else. Isaiah 20 also references the removal of shoes... and all other clothing, for three years. That's not it either.

That's it. In all the scriptures in the canon, only two times does this act of removing shoes occur. It seems to be a sign of respect in the presence of Deity. (Ever notice that the people walking around in the pillar and curtains room in the Endowment video are all barefoot???)