Son of perdition (Mormonism)

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In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a son of perdition is a person who will not take part in the glory of God in the afterlife. This is in contrast to the vast majority of people, who will receive a "kingdom of glory" after the Final Judgment, and enter into one of three degrees of glory after the resurrection: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, or the telestial kingdom.

Most Latter-day Saints believe that the sons of perdition will be cast into outer darkness; Mormon scriptures do not use this exact phrase in connection with the sons of perdition, but state that they "shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels."^[1]

In this context, the name "Perdition" is sometimes regarded as a proper name that refers to either Lucifer^[2] or Cain,^[3] both of whom are symbols of ultimate evil.

The most comprehensive exposition of the phrase is found in Section 76 in the Doctrine and Covenants.^[4]