Lessons on the Book of Mormon 2020
Lesson No. Forty-Four
How to Detect Modern Secret Conspiracies
Living Prophets warn of danger and entreat righteousness and gratitude – During the cold war I flew military missions in and out of West Germany. On these missions there was a threat that the Soviets, by broadcasting false navigational signals, would lure our aircraft off course and into their territory. If we were to get into East German airspace there was a serious danger that we would be shot down.
In these missions we followed verification procedures and used authentication codes to make sure that we were receiving authentic signals and communications from a proper source. This insured that we did not follow false signals and communications which would lead us into hostile airspace.
Satan is the source of all secret conspiracies and our greatest enemy. He is the master deceiver, and he continuously broadcasts false signals in an attempt to get us into his territory.
Living Prophets warn us against secret conspiracies. They also entreat us to righteousness and how to navigate in challenging times as President Russell M. Nelson did in his Thanksgiving message on Gratitude given on November 20, 2020, and that accompanies this Lesson.
The Book of Mormon also warns of secret combinations, or conspiracies, in the latter days – The words combinations and conspiracies are interchangeable. In our day, the word conspiracies may be better understood. The Lord commanded Moroni to warn us about latter day conspiracies because they are throughout our society and even the whole earth. Therefore, the Lord commands us to “awake to a sense of your awful situation” and not “build them up” or let them “get above you” (Ether 8:24-25).
Important characteristics of secret conspiracies include:
These conspiracies are “most abominable and wicked above all in the sight of God” (Ether 8:18)
Satan is the source of all such conspiracies (Ether 8:25)
Secret conspiracies seek to overthrow freedom in all “lands, nations, and countries” (Ether 8:25)
Secret combinations “are had among all people” (Ether 8:20)
Secret combinations caused the destruction of both the Nephites and the Jaredites (Ether 8:21)
“Whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations…shall be destroyed” (Ether 8:22)
The objectives of these conspiracies are power or gain, or both (Ether 8:22-23; Helaman 6:28)
Conspirators use immorality, money, and violence to achieve their ends
Conspirators often “glorify in wickedness” (Moses 5:31)
Loyalty to the conspiracy is emphasized
Attempts to conceal the true purpose of the secret conspiracy are common
For secret conspiracies to spread, wickedness, ignorance, and/or apathy in society is necessary
Some latter day conspiracies are more obvious – Examples of obvious modern conspiracies include:
Authoritarian and abusive governments, dictators, warlords, etc.
Terrorists, gangs, anarchists, vigilantes, and destructive social agitators
Drug and gambling syndicates
Conspiracies that abuse and seek to corrupt government at all levels
Conspiracies that corrupt business or seek monopolies
Some latter day conspiracies are more subtle – Examples of subtle modern conspiracies include:
Social/political movements that seek to change the family as the fundamental unit of society
Social/political movements that deny the “sanctity of life” for the unborn
Social/political movements that seek to remove God from public life
Social/political movements that seek to limit religious freedom
Purveyors of pornography including lewdness in fashion, language, and behavior
Promoters of alcohol and tobacco, especially among the young (called conspiring men in D&C 89:4)
Living Prophets help discern the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” – Subtle conspiracies are the most dangerous because they are the least obvious and the most enticing. They are often endorsed by political, entertainment, and sports personalities not only by what these people say but also by what they do and what they stand for. The stated goals of these conspiracies may be dressed up to seem reasonable, even desirable, but in reality their purposes are destructive of that which is good.
We sustain the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as prophets, seers, and revelators. They authenticate and verify the many signals our society sends to us. They emphasize what is good, and they also warn us against what is bad. If we harken to their counsel we will be able to defend ourselves and our families from the subtle and not so subtle conspiracies all around us. We will be grateful for our blessings, and be able to stay on the Lord's side and out of Satan's territory.