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Denying the Holy Ghost

One of the most misunderstood ideas among members is denying the holy ghost. Members in general believe that denying the Holy Ghost means disobeying the commandments, being excommunicated or cursing God.

However, denying the Holy Ghost to the level that sends us to Outer Darkness can only be committed by those who have a direct confirmation of God's existence, plan and atonement. Those who have direct testimonies of this would be people like Joseph Smith as he had direct contact with God. It was no longer necessary for him to have faith because he actually knew of God's power and existence. Now, think of Joseph Smith going against all that he saw an was thought and decided to say, "God does not exist and the Book of Mormon is a fraud" then this would be denying the Holy Ghost. In this it would be the same as Joseph said... 'A heart of darkness walking in the sun at noon day'.

Regular member of the Church cannot commit this sin, because they are not privelaged to these kinds of experiences and thus walk by faith. As the Lord put it, "More Blessed..." are they because they do not see and yet believe.

However in a basic sense we can deny our own temples of the presence of the Holy Ghost when we are unworthy. What are your thoughts and feelings about this? Do you see a lot of members misunderstanding this?

Ghost Holy Denying

My husband I have talked much on this subject and are have come down to the same conclusion you have.  Those who have received the second comforter, or have had their calling and election made sure, where they actually see Christ, and deny him will be cast out into outer darkness.  They would be totally rebelling against what they know to be true.  

Denying the Holy Ghost Studies Doctrine Mormon

Any member can deny the Holy Ghost and become a Son of Perdition, But the following things must happen first.

1. He must hold the Priesthood of God and been sealed in the Temple.
2. He must of had the privilage of Seeing God and the Son IN PERSON.
3. He must have a extensive knowledge of the Gospel and all things there in.
4. He must have such great faith that he receives a Testimony not based on beliefs but from experience (ie visions) to the point that his faith becomes dorment in that thing because he has seen it.

Ghost Holy Denying

You are all right. However, correct me if I'm wrong, I think members like us who have taken all the ordinances and have that big testimony, and even though we are not like those prophets who had great manifestations from God, could also deny the Holy Ghost if we stop on doing the covenants we have made in our baptisms and in the temple.

Ghost Holy Denying

I'm not LDS but I've seen this same conclusion from (bear with me) a televangelist in Gravette, Arkansas, who says that denying the Holy Spirit is the only unpardonable sin, and basically nobody can do it yet, because it can only be done, actively and meaningfully, at the time of the Great Tribulation (I think that was his assertion), I guess during the End Times, and even then, only the relatively few Chosen whom the Spirit chooses to "speak" or act through, can commit it by denying it and refusing to follow through with the directions.


I also knew a Jehova's Witness who more or less believed this, though I'm not entirely certain if it was from that religion itself, his Kingdom Hall or his own conclusions, as he was sort of a "questionable" type, even among them.


This would seem to make a certain amount of sense to me, and would greatly lessen the sometimes seemingly overly harsh measurements for Christians. If this is the case, not only is this the only real way to "deny the Holy Spirit", but also can only be done those with proper knowledge, do you think it could also be only during the End Times, and further, also only by the Chosen, which I've seen by some people's interpretations, to mean only 144,000 male virgin Jews (the guy from Gravette again).

Denying the Holy Ghost

Hmmm I don't think that's correct (doctrinally speaking). In order to deny the Holy Ghost you need to have firsthand knowledge, meaning you must have seen with your own eyes Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and all the sacred things you now just "believe" be presented to you and after all that, you deny it. Hence, it is the unpardonable sin. Right now, most of us just walk by Faith and who knows we could well include our dear Prophet and Apostles.