But the most important Mormon belief is Zion. They believe that in 600 B.C., their Jewish ancestors fled Jerusalem, built a boat, and sailed to America, where Jesus Christ visited in 33 A.D. Mormons were taught that they must find the New Jerusalem in America, and were told that it will be on Lamanite borders, meaning there will be Native Americans there to deal with. They expanded from New York to Ohio and Missouri, but found it difficult to get along with the locals. After going to war with the Missouri militia, about 10,000 Mormons were forced to leave the state in 1839.

They then went to Illinois and established their own city, which soon became one of the largest in Illinois, and was granted a charter that allowed them their own municipal court and a militia. In 1841, over 50 years before Theodore Herzl’s first Zionist Congress in Switzerland, the Mormons ceremoniously dedicated Palestine for the return of the Jews. Also that year, Smith announced that the angel demands polygamy. Within three years, he takes on 40 wives, including girls as young as 13. Like the Masonic Order, daughters of Rebecca, they adopt the symbol of the beehive, a symbol of cooperative industry, and Mormons were encouraged to breed and expand.

Many took child brides. In 1842, Joseph Smith, who came from a family of Freemasons, was given the rare honor of becoming a Mason on site, meaning that he did not need to do any of the work. Along with other leading church members, Smith was initiated into Freemasonry through all three degrees with the wave of the Illinois Grand Master’s wand. Within months, thousands of Mormons were initiated into Freemasonry and were using their lodge to grow members of the Mormon Church. The official Mormon endowment ceremonies were introduced, and they reflected Masonic rituals.

In 1844, Joseph Smith announced his candidacy for U.S. presidency, and shortly after was charged with treason and locked up in Illinois jail, where he was murdered and fell from the window with the Book of Mormon in hand. As the story goes, Joseph Smith was now a martyr, and his prophecy was proven to be true when the Mormons were forced to leave Illinois in 1846. They then began their exodus to the Utah Territory, where they massacred the indigenous population and found their new Jerusalem. The Mormons the freedom to colonize the West and expand their manifest destiny.

But after the dirty work was done, polygamy was federally outlawed, and the once anti-American Mormons became hyperpatriotic and made the all-American nuclear family their new public image. The entire Mormon religion is based on the belief that the world will soon end and that a Jewish state must be created in Palestine. The LDS Church, who identify as descendants of ancient Israel, was the only religious organization to officially support Israel’s creation in 1948. In 1989, Mormons founded a university in East Jerusalem. The LDS Church is worth billions today. They are the main contender for the most Zionist organization of America, and Charlie Kirk said that half of his team were Mormons.

Greg Reiss reporting. The Reiss Report is now fully funded by my Substack subscribers. Subscribe today and support my work at gregreiss.substack.com
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