LDS “Now You Know” Critique: Joseph Smith, Masonry & Missing Context
In December 2019, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a “Now You Know” video addressing Joseph Smith’s involvement in Freemasonry and its relationship to the temple endowment. Presented with clean visuals and simple narration, the video appears transparent—but does it tell the full story?
In this episode of Mormon News Roundup, we take a closer look.
While the Church acknowledges similarities between Masonic ritual and the temple endowment, it avoids deeper engagement with one critical fact: Joseph Smith was initiated as a Mason in March 1842—and introduced the endowment just weeks later. That tight timeline raises important questions about influence, development, and historical framing.
We examine:
The timeline of Joseph Smith’s Masonic initiation vs. the endowment
Early LDS leaders’ own statements about Masonry as a “corrupted” priesthood ritual
Structural similarities between Masonic ceremonies and temple practices
The Church’s pattern of acknowledging issues while minimizing implications
Whether this presentation meets the Church’s own definition of honesty
The Church teaches that honesty includes not just avoiding lies, but also avoiding deception by omission or partial truth. With that standard in mind, we ask:
👉 Is the “Now You Know” video actually transparent—or carefully incomplete?
If you haven’t already, check out our companion episode:
Gospel Topics Essay Critique: The Case Against Polygamy | Sandra Tanner’s Insights https://youtu.be/pYCxMB8iGjE
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