Church of the Saints of Shem

The Church of the Saints of Shem was born out of a vision that a Nahua man named Cipactli had in 1848. He saw the heavens open and heard a voice telling him that the true descendants of the Nephites in the Book of Mormon were the Aztecs, and that their ancient practices and gods were actually latter-day saints and prophets who had achieved divine exaltation by the Heavenly Father.

From that moment on, Cipactli dedicated his life to restoring the Aztec Empire and its practices, as well as implementing the teachings of the Book of Mormon in a highly traditionalist and literal manner. He saw the descendants of Shem, Semites, Asians, and Native Americans, as having a divine spark that was being oppressed in the New World, much like the Israelites had been oppressed in Babylon.

The Church of the Saints of Shem believed that the Heavenly Mother was Mary, and they had a very patriarchal structure, believing that the husband was the head of the household and that women's primary role was to bear children and care for their families. They also believed in the importance of polygamy, seeing it as a divine practice that had been corrupted by modern society.

The church prophesied that a Russian version of Cyrus the Great would appear and lead the charge to restore the Aztec Empire, and that the descendants of Ham and Japheth would eventually submit to the House of Israel. Their final escathology involved the coming of a new era in which the Church of the Saints of Shem would become the dominant religion, and the ancient traditions and practices of the Nephites and Aztecs would be restored.

The Church of the Saints of Shem was seen by many as a far-right cult, with its members being accused of violence and human sacrifice. However, its followers remained steadfast in their belief that they were the true heirs to the legacy of the Nephites and Aztecs, and that they had been chosen by God to lead the way towards a new era of righteousness and prosperity.