Secret Combination

According to the ''Pearl of Great Price'', secret combinations existed from the time that Adam 's son Cain murdered his brother Abel . Cain had entered into a secret combination with Satan and become ''Mahan'', which seems to denote the leader of such an organization devoted to getting gain by murder, and may come from the Hebrew for "mind", "destroyer", or "great one".

In the ''Book of Mormon'', secret combinations arise numerous times among the Nephite s and the Jaredite s, eventually causing the destruction of their civilization. The most notable example of these is the band of Gadianton , who created the group whose oaths and covenants were passed down until the Nephites' downfall. The prophet Ether denounces them as "most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God." They are also considered to be one of the signs that a people is ripe for the Lord's vengeance, and according to the ''Book of Mormon'', in the last days will be prevalent in the earth.

The ''Doctrine and Covenants'' refers to secret combinations once, and cites them as the reason that the Mormons would be driven into the western parts of United States . From the beginning, the Mormons were victim to mob violence and persecution, so the fact that the ''Book of Mormon'' describes them as it does is seen by believers as evidence of its prophetic authorship.

Current interpretations of secret combinations point to the rise of inner-city Gang s across the country and around the world, the power of the Mafia , and the recent surge in Terrorist activity as modern-day examples of secret combinations. Believers see this increasing trend as a sign that the last days have arrived, and expect that these troubles will continue to increase until they eventually cause the downfall of free society.

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Secret Combination