While growing up in the LDS / Brighamite church we never practiced Good Friday. Nor was it practiced while I was an adult. But sadly with all the commotion being caused by COVID-19, Russell M Nelson is using this as a “good” reason to ask the LDS / Brighamite church to start partaking of this pagan practice that the Catholic church supposedly “Christianized”. Here are some excepts from Russell M Nelson talk Opening the Heavens for Help, Saturday Evening 04 April 2020:

Now, my dear brothers and sisters, tomorrow is Palm Sunday, as Elder Gong has so eloquently taught. Then we enter the special week that culminates with Easter. As followers of Jesus Christ, living in a day when the COVID-19 pandemic has put the whole world in commotion, let us not just talk of Christ or preach of Christ or employ a symbol representing Christ.

Let us put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ into action!

I said recently in a social media video that “as a physician and surgeon, I have great admiration for medical professionals, scientists, and all who are working around the clock to curb the spread of COVID-19.”

So, during times of deep distress, as when illness reaches pandemic proportions, the most natural thing for us to do is to call upon our Heavenly Father and His Son—the Master Healer—to show forth Their marvelous power to bless the people of the earth.

I invite all, including those not of our faith, to FAST and pray on Good Friday, April 10, that the present pandemic may be controlled, caregivers protected, the economy strengthened, and life normalized.

Good Friday would be the perfect day to have our Heavenly Father and His Son hear us!

Russell M Nelson, Opening the Heavens for Help, Saturday Evening 04 April 2020

Leaders of other churches are exposing COVID-19 for what it is, Walter Veith – Coronavirus is one example, why are not the leaders of the LDS / Brighamite church, who claim to be the only ones who can receive revelation for the whole world? Espically considering how the Book of Mormon has an example of Nephi in Helman (LDS 7 – 10) (RLDS 3) exposing the corrupt plan of murder of the leaders as I bring out in my Q post. Not to mention how Walter Veith is not claiming revelation but simply reading a plan from 2012 of what is going on right now.

Satan is a master at orchestrating and conniving a story line and getting those who are not familiar with the YHWH’s words to go along with the propaganda that he is having pushed EVERY WHERE, including in churches.

This is why many will think that Satan is an angel of light. Becuase he is very cleaver in making evil look good, and what is good and of God to look evil. Here are two articles about this: How Is Satan Disguised As An Angel Of Light?, How is Satan Disguised as an Angel of Light Today?.

Before we continue and look at some Moroni (LDS 7) (RLDS 7) verses I want to share Alma (LDS 5:43) (RLDS 3:71-72) to help us know what PLAIN means.

Alma (LDS 5:43) (RLDS 3:71-72) And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto you PLAINLY that ye cannot err, or have spoken ACCORDING to the COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

As we look at verses in Moroni (LDS 7) (RLDS 7)  keep in mind that PLAIN means COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

Moroni (LDS 7:11-12) (RLDS 7:9-10)
11 For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore, a man being a SERVANT of the DEVIL CANNOT FOLLOW [IMITATE] CHRIST; and if he FOLLOW [IMITATE] CHRIST he CANNOT be a SERVANT of the DEVIL. 12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is EVIL COMETH of the DEVIL; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and INVITETH and ENTICETH to SIN, and to do that which is evil continually.

Here are some highlights of how FOLLOW is defined in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary: imitate, copy, obey, conformity, pursue, honor, worship, serve.

Moroni (LDS 7:14) (RLDS ) Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye DO NOT JUDGE that WHICH IS EVIL TO BE OF GOD, or that WHICH IS GOOD AND OF GOD TO BE OF THE DEVIL.

Moroni (LDS 7:15-17) (RLD 7:13-16)
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to JUDGE, that ye may KNOW GOOD from EVIL; and the way to JUDGE is as PLAIN, that ye may KNOW with a PERFECT KNOWLEDGE, AS the DAYLIGHT is from the DARK NIGHT. 16 For behold, the SPIRIT of CHRIST is GIVEN to EVERY MAN, that he may KNOW GOOD from EVIL; wherefore, I show unto you the way to JUDGE; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to PERSUADE to BELIEVE in CHRIST, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a PERFECT KNOWLEDGE it is of God. 17 But whatsoever thing PERSUADETH MEN TO DO EVIL, and BELIEVE NOT in CHRIST, and DENY HIM, and SERVE [WORSHIP] NOT GOD, then ye may KNOW with a PERFECT KNOWLEDGE it is of the DEVIL; for AFTER THIS MANNER DOTH THE DEVIL WORK, for he PERSUADETH NO MAN TO DO GOOD, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

Moroni (LDS 7:19) (RLDS 7:18) Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should SEARCH DILIGENTLY IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST [WORD OF GOD] that ye may KNOW GOOD FROM EVIL; and IF YE WILL LAY HOLD UPON EVERY GOOD THING, and condemn it not, YE CERTAINTLY WILL BE A CHILD OF CHRIST.

Notice how Satan is “INVITETH and ENTICETH to SIN” along with “PERSUADETH MEN TO DO EVIL” which “AFTER THIS MANNER DOTH THE DEVIL WORK”.

I want to take a look at 1828 Webster’s Dictionary definition of ENTICE:

1. To incite or instigate, by exciting hope or desire; usually in a bad sense; as, to entice one to evil. Hence, to seduce; to lead astray; to induce to sin, by promises or persuasions.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. Proverbs 1:10.
2. To tempt; to incite; to urge or lead astray.
Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. James 1:14.

Now lets go one step further and look at the definion of INSTIGATE:

To incite; to set on; to provoke; to urge; used chiefly or wholly in an ill sense; as, to instigate one to evil; to instigate to a crime.

Helping the world with a FAST does seem like a good thing. But why does it need to be on a day we are appointed to have a FEAST? Why not do it on when Yeshua/Jesus was resurrected and defeated death? Or why not on Sunday which the LDS / Brighamite church has always done fasts on before?

The Catholic church and others claim that Good Friday is to celabrate what Yeshua/Jesus did for us on Passover. But if that is the case why is it laced with pagan traditions and breaking of YHWH’s laws? Here is one example from The Shocking Origins of the Christian Practice of Lent, Good Friday and Easter:

On Good Friday, at Rome and Madrid, and other chief seats of Roman idolatry, multitudes flock together to witness the performances of the saintly whippers, who lash themselves till the blood gushes in streams from every part of their body. They pretend to do this in honour of Christ, on the festival set apart professedly to commemorate His death, just as the worshippers of Osiris did the same on the festival when they lamented for his loss. But can any man of the least Christian enlightenment believe that the exalted Saviour can look on such rites as doing honour to Him, which pour contempt on His all-perfect atonement, and represent His most “precious blood” as needing to have its virtue supplemented by that of blood drawn from the backs of wretched and misguided sinners? Such offerings were altogether fit for the worship of Moloch; but they are the very opposite of being fit for the service of Christ. (The Two Babylons, p.144)

The Torah clearly teaches believers NOT to do these kinds of things to their own bodies:

You are the sons of YHWH your Elohim; you shall not cut yourselves nor make baldness between your eyes on behalf of the dead (Devarim [Deuteronomy] 14:1)

There. The Bible tells us not to cut ourselves on behalf of the dead. So this means that we should not cut ourselves to re-enact the suffering and death of Messiah on the tree.

And Paul concurs:

These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:22-23)

Cutting the flesh of the body as a remembrance for the dead is strictly and explicitly forbidden. This is not the way to honor Messiah who was whipped and poured out his blood for us.

If the Bible isn’t the source of this kind of activity, then where did this custom come from? Hislop describes the source of these Good Friday flagellations:

Now, the flagellations which form an important part of the penances that take place at Rome on the evening of Good Friday, formed an equally important part in the rites of that fire-god, from which, as we have seen, the Papacy has borrowed so much. These flagellations, then, of “Passion Week,” taken in connection with the other ceremonies of that period, bear their additional testimony to the real character of that god whose death and resurrection Rome then celebrates. Wonderful it is to consider that, in the very high place of what is called Catholic Christendom, the essential rites at this day are seen to be the very rites of the old Chaldean fire-worshippers. (The Two Babylons, p.145-6)

So it turns out that the crucifixion re-enactments are nothing more that the adoption of biblical forbidden, pagan worship practices!

The Shocking Origins of the Christian Practice of Lent, Good Friday and Easter

Easter, which Good Friday is part of, in fraught with paganism and so are all the holidays that the Catholic church “Christianized”. This short video Pope Honors Pagan fire god of Child Sacrifice! shows us how this was prophecied. Not to mention Jeremiah 16:19. For more about the problems with Easter and thus Good Friday among other holidays we are so accustomed to please check on my Pagan Holidays resource page.

Jeremiah 16:19 O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

If Good Friday is supposedly to be when the Lamb of God, Yeshua/Jesus, was slain on Passover, wouldn’t it be better to FEAST on an acceptable lamb as we are commanded to do in the scriptures than to FAST from food which is the complete OPPOSITE of FEASTING? If we are not listening to and obeying YHWH, do you think He’ll do any different with us by hearing and granting our request?

This idea is so simple it can be found in coloring book for children as illustrated in the picture at the top of the post.

YHWH’s calendar is a highly debated subject and I don’t want to get side tracked with that in this post, if you want to start looking into these important issues I recommend starting with my Sabbath and High Holidays resource pages. Neverthelesss, when ever you think Passover happened, which is what Good Friday is supposedly is celebrating, shouldn’t we be FEASTING on a lamb as commanded in Leviticus 23:4-5 and Exodus 12:14. I highly recommend you read all of Exodus 12 as the whole chapter deals with Passover FEAST.

Leviticus 23:4-5
4 These are the FEASTS of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord’s PASSOVER.

Exodus 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a FEAST to the Lord THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS; ye shall keep it a FEAST by an ORDINANCE FOR EVER.

If you are having issues with the phrases “throuhout your generations” and “for ever” and are thinking those are not translated corretly, I highly recommend you dig into Exodus 12:14 on BibleHub where you can see that verse in many translations and even look at multiple concordances for free by simply clicking on the phrases in the verse on BibleHub regarding Exodus 12:14.

Here are a few words that Joseph Smith said regarding ORDINANCES to think about:

And if Abel was taught of the coming of the Son of God, was he not taught also of His ORDINANCES? We all admit that the Gospel has ORDINANCES, and if so, had it not always ORDINANCES, and were not its ORDINANCES always the SAME?
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 59

… He set the ORDINANCES to be the SAME FOREVER and EVER, and set Adam to watch over them, to REVEAL them FROM HEAVEN to man, or to send angels to REVEAL them.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 168

It was the design of the councils of heaven before the world was, that the principles and laws of the priesthood should be predicated upon the gathering of the people in every age of the world. Jesus did everything to gather the people, and they would not be gathered, and He therefore poured out curses upon them. ORDINANCES instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are NOT TO BE ALTERED OR CHANGED. All must be saved on the same principles.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 308