I'm not saying this for or against Latter Day Saints, but...Joseph Smith and his brother Hiram were both Freemasons. Lots of LDS ritual is copied from Freemasonry. This is not well known by the average mormon, but it's well known by the higher ups in SLC. Also, many believe that Joseph Smith was murdered by Freemasons for revealing certain secrets that he, as a Freemason, pledged not to do so on punishment of death. Both Joseph and his brother Hiram were shot and killed in the Carthage jail. As Joseph was shot trying to escape out the window, he cried out the Masonic sign of distress: "Oh Lord my God, is there no help for the Widow's Son?!" And he did this while performing the corollary arms gesture.