Orson Pratt, Sr. (September 19, 1811 – October 3, 1881) was a leader in the Latter-Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. The Quorum of the Twelve was one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy organized by Mormonism’s founder Joseph Smith, Jr., and patterned after the twelve apostles of Christ. Members are considered to be apostles with a special calling to be evangelical ambassadors to the world.
On August 8, 1842, Pratt was excommunicated for apostasy and removed from the Quorum of the Twelve. However, on January 20, 1843, he was rebaptized, reinstated as an apostle and restored to the Quorum of the Twelve.
Pratt edited “The Seer,” an official periodical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first edition of The Seer was published in January 1853, with future editions being produced monthly. The contents of The Seer were composed almost entirely of original writings by Pratt. Throughout its publication history, the majority of Pratt’s writing stressed the rationality of the doctrine of plural marriage. The Seer was published in Washington, D.C. until July 1854, when publication was shifted to Liverpool, England. After only 18 issues, Pratt was forced to cease publication due to mounting financial losses. Circulation peaked at 400 copies in late 1853.
In the January 1854 edition (Vol. II, No. I, page 204-208), Pratt penned “Questions and Answers on Doctrine,” which, in part answered questions on Catholicism.
Q. Have the Roman Catholic Church authority to baptize?
A. No; for they have no inspired Apostles and Prophets among them: neither have they any new revelations, and without these things no one ever was or ever can be called to the ministry.
Q. Is the Roman Catholic Church the Church of Christ?
A. No; for she has no inspired priesthood or officers, without which the Church of Christ never did nor never can exist.
Q. How long since the Roman Catholic Church lost the authority and ceased to be the Church of Christ?A. She never had authority, and never was the Church of Christ; and consequently, she could not lose that which she never was in possession of.
Q. What has become of the Apostle’s successors?
A. The Apostles had no successors, after those died off who were called by inspiration and new revelation.
Q. Who founded the Roman Catholic Church?
A. The Devil through the medium of apostates, who subverted the whole order of God by denying immediate revelation, and substituting in the place thereof, tradition and ancient revelations as a sufficient rule of faith and practice.
Q. But did not the first protestant reformers receive their ordination and authority from the Catholics?
A. Yes; and in this manner all the authority that their mother church was in possession of; and the mother having derived her authority from the Devil, could only impart that which his Satanic majesty was pleased to bestow upon her. If thorns could bear figs—if a bitter fountain could send forth sweet water—or a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit, then the Whore of Babylon could confer divine authority upon her harlot daughters.
Q. Was the Protestant Reformation a great benefit to the world?
A. Yes; it served to weaken the power of the mother church, and produced a great division in Satan’s kingdom—the mother being opposed to her harlot daughters, and the daughters against their most abominable mother; and in this family war, the harlot daughters became sorely displeased with each other. And in the midst of the contending elements, wise men became convinced that the civil government could not safely be entrusted with any of the contending parties; hence arose governments supporting religious freedom; whereas, if it had not been for those divisions in Satan’s kingdom, freedom of conscience would have been wholly unknown in the nineteenth century. The iron yoke of Romanism would have sorely galled the necks of all nations upon whom she had power to place it. It was to weaken this corrupt, soul-destroying power; and to stir up contention, division, and war in all her borders, preparatory to the establishment of religious liberty, that God moved upon the hearts of the great Protestant Reformers in the sixteenth century.
Mormonism includes many other unusual teachings of which you probably are not aware. These teachings are not revealed to investigators or new converts because those people are not yet considered ready to have more than “milk” as doctrine.
The Mormons also probably realize that if investigators knew of these unusual teachings, they would not join the church. In addition to those mentioned above, the following are noteworthy:
God was once a man like us.
God has a tangible body of flesh and bone.
God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
God (“Heavenly Father”) has at least one wife, our “Mother in Heaven,” but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her.
Jesus was married.
We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
Jesus and Satan (“Lucifer”) are brothers, and they are our brothers – we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife. We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
The “Lord” (“Jehovah”) in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from “God the Father” (“Elohim”).
In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife.
Before coming to this earth, we lived as spirits in a “pre-existence”, during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned.
The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals – everything that has ever lived on earth – will be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple.
You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand.he Mormons also probably realize that if investigators knew of these unusual teachings they would not join the church. In addition to those mentioned above, the following are noteworthy:
God was once a man like us.
God has a tangible body of flesh and bone.
God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
God (“Heavenly Father”) has at least one wife, our “Mother in Heaven,” but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her.
Jesus was married.
We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
Jesus and Satan (“Lucifer”) are brothers, and they are our brothers – we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife. We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
The “Lord” (“Jehovah”) in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from “God the Father” (“Elohim”).
In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife.
Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a “pre-existence”, during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned.
The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals – everything that has ever lived on earth – will be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple.
You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand.he Mormons also probably realize that if investigators knew of these unusual teachings they would not join the church. In addition to those mentioned above, the following are noteworthy:
God was once a man like us.
God has a tangible body of flesh and bone.
God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
God (“Heavenly Father”) has at least one wife, our “Mother in Heaven,” but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her.
Jesus was married.
We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
Jesus and Satan (“Lucifer”) are brothers, and they are our brothers – we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife. We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
The “Lord” (“Jehovah”) in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from “God the Father” (“Elohim”).
In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife.
Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a “pre-existence”, during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned.
The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals – everything that has ever lived on earth – will be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple.
You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand.he Mormons also probably realize that if investigators knew of these unusual teachings they would not join the church. In addition to those mentioned above, the following are noteworthy:
God was once a man like us.
God has a tangible body of flesh and bone.
God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
God (“Heavenly Father”) has at least one wife, our “Mother in Heaven,” but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her.
Jesus was married.
We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
Jesus and Satan (“Lucifer”) are brothers, and they are our brothers – we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife. We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
The “Lord” (“Jehovah”) in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from “God the Father” (“Elohim”).
In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife.
Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a “pre-existence”, during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned.
The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals – everything that has ever lived on earth – will be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple.
You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand.he Mormons also probably realize that if investigators knew of these unusual teachings they would not join the church. In addition to those mentioned above, the following are noteworthy:
God was once a man like us.
God has a tangible body of flesh and bone.
God lives on a planet near the star Kolob.
God (“Heavenly Father”) has at least one wife, our “Mother in Heaven,” but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her.
Jesus was married.
We can become like God and rule over our own universe.
There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds.
Jesus and Satan (“Lucifer”) are brothers, and they are our brothers – we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife. We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him.
The “Lord” (“Jehovah”) in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from “God the Father” (“Elohim”).
In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife.
Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a “pre-existence”, during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life.
Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned.
The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere.
Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals – everything that has ever lived on earth – will be resurrected and dwell in heaven.
Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow.
Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters.
The sun receives its light from the star Kolob.
If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood.
A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple.
You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand.