I don't know a lot about Masonry, but from what I understand, it's pretty obvious that there are some similarities, the number of such similarities being heavily in dispute depending on the source.
brotherforchrist: Yes Smith borrowed heavily from Freemasonry, I would be interested to hear from some Mormons on this, although I don't believe that they can speak about what goes on in Temple, and I have heard that they are less than truthful when it comes to revealing temple ceremony.Also I have read that they believe that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers.I also would like to know the reason that they wear the special Mormon underwear. Bear in mind I am not passing judgment on their religion, I am just curious as to what their theology is , as it is kept pretty secret generally.
While this is certainly subject to debate, the Mormon belief is that Smith received the ceremony directly from God, and that this same ceremony existed in ancient times. Some Mormons I have read have theorized that the Masonic rituals stem from Solomon's temple, and that is why they are so similar. And no, we aren't supposed to speak about the specifics of the temple ceremony out of respect for it. There is no prohibition against me saying, for example, that Mormon marriages are performed in temples, or that there is a baptismal font where people are baptised in proxy for their ancestors. Those are in fact, the two main purposes of a temple in our religion.
I would hope that no Mormon lies about what goes on in the temple, as you suggest. Most will simply say something like 'no comment' if asked to talk about something that they feel would violate the sacredness to discuss.
The Jesus and Lucifer as brothers thing: short answer is yeah. All human beings are children of God, and that includes you, me, Jesus, Lucifer, and everyone else. I think on the Mormon FAQ in my signature someone asked about that and I went into more detail, so I'll refer you to that.
The 'special underwear' is referred to as the 'temple garments'. It is worn under the clothing after you go through the temple ceremony, as a reminder of it. It's not really that different than a Catholic having a cross on their wall to remember Christ by.
ChrisJr03:
Most of what you say there depends on the individual. Some Mormons associate pretty much only with other Mormons, while others will associate with anybody. (the woman Whaaa asked out was obviously one of the former) I don't know about your uncle's case specifically, but I could see it happening that if he had quit paying tithing, that he would be removed from a position of leadership. It is one of the things we do as a sign of sacrifice, and a leader can hardly be called such if he isn't willing to show by example.
Annee:
From what I have read, Smith was a Mason, but not until after the temple ceremony had come out. However, to play devil's advocate, many of those close to Smith, such as his brother Hyrum, and Brigham Young, who would eventually be his successor, were Masons long before the temple ceremony came into existence. I do not recall the exact dates offhand, but I think Smith became a Mason in the early 1840s, and the temple ceremony came out in the mid 1830s. I think I researched and answered that question in my FAQ, as well.
Isaac:
Yeah, I never went on a mission, either, and I don't think of myself as any less a Mormon because of it. (I'm 25, now) Your point about the temple rituals, mission, etc, not granting salvation is also a good one. You don't get instantly saved just because you were in the temple for an hour or two. Salvation requires a lifetime of work, by trying to live a life as Christlike as possible.
