Finn the human wrote:I have heard a different interpretation on this Master Mahan business. Let me start with some hearsay. I know a fellow who has served in a stake presidency. As you may know, general authorities come around sometimes for stake conference. Apparently, on one such occasion, a general authority, (I don't recall which) had a meeting with the stake presidency and opened the scriptures unto them:
Moses 5:49-51 wrote:49 For Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan; and Irad, the son of Enoch, having known their secret, began to reveal it unto the sons of Adam;
50 Wherefore Lamech, being angry, slew him, not like unto Cain, his brother Abel, for the sake of getting gain, but he slew him for the oath’s sake.
51 For, from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother.
Per my acquaintance, per this general authority, what is this great secret administered to Cain by Satan? How do you become Master Mahan? It lies in the meaning of the word "know." At the end of verse 51: "and they knew every man his brother." Yes, "know" the biblical kind of "know." This scripture is actually talking about Satan introducing homosexuality to the sons of man...literally.
I want to just laugh this one off as more Mormon silliness, but this is pretty messed up. Anyway sorry for the derail.
I have to agree with you, Finn the human. That is
very messed up. I would chalk it up to more of the usual screwy attempt on the part of fearful Christians to lend bogus legitimacy to their homophobia. You get the same thing with the story of Sodom in Genesis. I don't think there is any reason to believe this folkloric interpretation of Moses.
All this is talking about is the counterfeit mysteries, which build a secret combination out of public sight and provide members a method (signs and tokens) whereby they may recognize each other, even if they have never met personally.
Metaphorically speaking, the simple fact is that there will always be counterfeit mysteries that play on the vanity of people who crave gratification of the ego and the id. Recognition, titles, power, wealth, and so forth. Such are the people who accepted Satan's oath in Moses, and such are the Cainites today. And, just to be perfectly clear, I am not talking about strange hocus pocus. I am simply referring to those people who place their own appetites before the welfare of others to an extreme. That is Satan's "great secret." By taking shortcuts, you can really get what you want personally. Unfortunately, you screw over everyone else at the same time.
So, the Cainites are quite pervasive in the world today. They are not a race. Indeed, we repudiate race theory and the idea of bloodlines or curses manifest in skin color. The Cainites of today are highly respected people. They lead churches, corporations, governments, banks, and the like. No one has literally to make a pact with the "little red chappie" in order to be one. To an extent, everyone who sacrifices the fundamental needs of others for their own gain is a Cainite. The true Mahanites realize that ultimately we all lose when we individually forget the well being of others.
So, no, there is no moronic hysteria about gay sex in the Book of Moses. But, you have reminded me that I need to explain why Master Mahan is no longer associated with the priesthood. It is because the name continued to be associated with the false order Satan instituted with Cain and Lamech. From the time of Abraham, the holy order was known as the order of Melchizedek after the righteous priest-king of Salem, to whom Abraham paid a tithe.
"Petition wasn’t meant to start a witch hunt as I’ve said 6000 times." ~ Hanna Seariac, LDS apologist