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Ron Huggins is Associate Professor of Historical and Theological Studies at Salt Lake Theological Seminary. His articles on Mormon history and doctrine have appeared in JETS and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.

Article Summary :  “Is the Mormon Jesus the Brother of Satan?”

By Ronald V. Huggins, Th.D.
Copyright © 2007 Institute for Religious Research

On Tuesday, December 11, 2007, the Associated Press reported that Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee would, in an upcoming article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine, ask "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?" By the end of the following day, Wednesday, December 12, Huckabee had already begun back-pedaling and apologizing for the remark. Earlier on Wednesday Mitt Romney had appeared on NBC’s Today show criticizing Huckabee for “attacking” his religion and the “Newsroom” section of the LDS Church’s official website posted a brief response on the question of the fraternal connection of Jesus and Satan, though without mentioning Huckabee. So how legitimate is all the talk of smearing and misrepresenting the Mormon religion?
 

"Indeed, then, the answer to Huckabee’s question should have been yes, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, actually does teach that Jesus and Satan were brothers. In truth then the media statement issued by the LDS Church was both misleading and evasive. Such evasiveness is typical of the hyper image-conscious LDS Church, an organization that has turned NOT telling people the particulars of its gospel into one of its most effective strategies for winning converts and quelling opposition."


Dr. Ron Huggins, Professor at Salt Lake Theological Seminary sheds light on the issue and the accusations by explaining Mormon teaching on the subject of Jesus and Satan as spirit brothers. He uses current Mormon teaching manuals (some available online) and cites Mormon leaders and BYU professors to show that in LDS theology Jesus and Lucifer were spirit brothers who both desired to be savior of the human race. For example, he cites the official Mormon teaching manual, Gospel Principles which states:

Satan, who was called Lucifer, also came, saying, "Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; ... After hearing both sons speak, Heavenly Father said, "I will send the first" (GP, 1997 ed. p. 18).

Huggins notes it is understandable why representatives of the Mormon Church are reluctant to speak clearly and candidly on this issue. They likely perceive that for Christians, and for much of the American public in general, the idea of Jesus and Satan ever being equals on any level at any time in history is an absolute deal-breaker when it comes to the Mormon Church being accepted as a Christian Church. The Jesus of the Bible and historical Christianity is the Eternal Creator of all that exists, including Satan (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). As long as the LDS Church continues to portray Jesus and Satan as spirit brothers born to heavenly parents, each with their own plan to save the world, many Christians are likely to feel that that teaching alone is enough to place itself outside the accepted bounds of Christian teaching.

Huggins' provides solid evidence from Mormon sources that the answer to Huckabee’s question should have been yes, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, actually does teach that Jesus and Satan were brothers. In truth then the media statement issued by the LDS Church was both misleading and evasive, and the criticism leveled at Huckabee unfair and unfounded.