Mormon Folklore

I want to clear this up once and for all. I have heard far too many people claim that the doctrine of the three degrees of glory was borrowed from Emanuel Swedenborg’s “Heaven and Hell” (1758) in which he wrote of three heavens that are entirely distinct from each other, and claimed that he had visited and seen the inhabitants in vision. They say that Joseph Smith stole the doctrine from him, and that it is all just a bunch of folklore. To them I can only say…

Phooey on you!

So what if Swedneborg called the highest heaven the Celestial Kingdom, and compared the three heavens to the sun, moon and stars???

So what if Swedneborg’s book talks about a “veil” between heaven and earth, and a spirit prison, and celestial marriage???

Even if this book was familiar to Joseph Smith in the early stages of the church, it doesn’t mean Joseph stole ideas from it. And even if he did, it doesn’t mean these things aren’t true. We know for a fact that Paul knew all about these doctrines way back in the New Testament, right before they were taken from the world. So why should this come as a surprise to anyone? Here, I’ll prove it:

1 Corinthians Chapter 15

Paul is talking about the afterlife. He wants to prove Jesus’ central role in redeeming the dead. In verse 35 he raises the question:

35. But some [man] will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

Paul answers this question by saying that nothing can be raised up (he calls it “quickened”) unless it dies first. The body that he dies with (an earthy body) isn’t the same body that he will be raised up with (a heavenly body).

36. [Thou] fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

37. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other [grain]:

Just like a seed can bring forth different kinds of plants or grains, so are there different kinds of bodies, both in heaven and on earth:

39. All flesh [is] not the same flesh: but [there is] one [kind of] flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, [and] another of birds.

These bodies are all different kinds of earthly flesh (Paul calls them “terrestrial”). Just like there are different kinds of bodies in the heavens (aka “celestial” bodies).

40. [There are] also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial [is] one, and the [glory] of the terrestrial [is] another.

The important thing to remember is that the earthly bodies are one kind (Paul is going to call them “corruptible”) and the heavenly bodies are another kind (Paul is going to call them “incorruptible.”)

41. [There is] one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for [one] star differeth from [another] star in glory.

So Paul tells us there are differences in the incorruptible bodies in heaven like there are differences in the corruptible bodies on earth. Verse 39 lists terrestrial variation. Verse 41 lists celestial variation.

In other words:

Terrestrial = men, beasts, fishes, birds
Celestial = sun, moon, stars

Paul uses this dichotomy to compare mortality (terrestrial corruption, things that die) to immortality (celestial incorruption, things that have been quickened/raised up).

42. So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

43. It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

44. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

In other words:

Terrestrial = corruption, dishonour, weakness, natural = (i.e. men, beasts, fishes, birds)
Celestial = incorruption, glory, power, spiritual = (i.e. sun, moon, stars)

The earthy terrestrial phase must come first – the corruption and death. Then comes the quickening – the heavenly celestial phase. He uses Adam (the first man) example of an earth man, the way all people start out, and Jesus (the second man) as a quickened heavenly man, the way all people end up.

47. The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven.

48. As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly

49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

In other words:

Adam = Terrestrial = corruption, dishonour, weakness, natural = (i.e. men, beasts, fishes, birds)
Jesus = Celestial = incorruption, glory, power, spiritual = (i.e. sun, moon, stars)

50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

This is the point Paul is trying to make. That because of Jesus’ atonement, corruption is turned to incorruption – earthy is made heavenly – terrestrial is made celestial. Adam brought death. Jesus brought eternal life. The original question in verse 35 Q: How are the dead raised up? A: Through the reseruection of Christ. Q: And with what body do they come? A: With a celestial one. One that was once terestrial (earthy, corrupt, natural, weak) but has been raised up, quickened to incorruption (spiritual, full of power and glory, celestial).

In other words:

Telestial Kingdom = stars = for the liars, murderers, adulterers, and people who drink coffee and tea

See?

So it doesn’t matter that Emanuel Swedenborg wrote about the three degrees of glory before Joseph Smith was even born. Joseph Smith clearly didn’t make this up. And really, anyone who can clearly read and understand the Bible should know about this doctrine already. Because Paul clearly wrote about the Kingdoms of glory, and it was only wicked men who removed the mention of “telestial” to try and confuse the world about the true truthfulness of the Truth. But without a doubt we can see in verse 41 Paul’s reference to the sun (which he clearly links to celestial) and moon (which he clearly links to terrestrial) and stars (which he clearly linked to telestial, but wicked men took it away).

But even with the telestial omission (telestial comes from “telos” which means star, just like celestial comes from cele = sun, and terestrial comes from tere = moon) all you have to do is read between the lines, and from that we know of assurety that this three-pattern fits perfectly into Paul’s dichotomy of corruption vs. incorruption. If it didn’t, why would it be on the scripture mastery list? So it’s true. See?

He who has eyes to see, let him see.

(Am I the only one?)