Monthly Archives: May 2008

The new Mormon history – Grant Palmer

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I just spent a very enjoyable afternoon listening to the podcasts of John Dehlin from a couple of years ago when he interviewed Grant Palmer, the author of An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins and The Incomparable Jesus. For those who don’t know, John Dehlin was the Executive Director of Sunstone Magazine.

His brother is Joel Dehlin, the CIO of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John spent several years interviewing Mormon scholars and publishing their interviews on the now defunct Mormon Stories. I think we are all very much indebted to John for the monumental work he completed over the years.

Grant Palmer spent 34 years as an employee of the Church Educational System, or CES, before resigning shortly before the publication of his controversial book. Grant was a True Believing Mormon until the time of the Mark Hoffman forgeries and murders in 1985. With an MA in History, Grant began an intensive study of early Mormon History for his PhD program.

Studying Mormon history

Now here’s where the story gets interesting. We are always encouraged by the Brethren to study the gospel. For various reasons, most members of the Church do not. Most are just too busy living their lives. Those who do have a serious study program eventually encounter what is now being called the new Mormon history. Don’t get confused. It really is the same history.

The problem is that it is new to those who are discovering it for the first time. As I have written previously, I am constantly amazed by the number of people who write how shocked they were when they discover some items in Mormon history that they did not know before. This is happening to new members and long time members of the church like Grant Palmer.

As Grant studied Mormon History he discovered what he called, the rest of the story. Even though he had been teaching orthodox church history all his life, he simply had not been exposed to some of the things that are not taught in the seminary and institute program. It’s not that they are hidden. It’s just that they are not talked about openly in the church, even today.

A faithful history

What is the difference between a faithful history and a faith-promoting history? There shouldn’t be any difference. A faithful history should report the events as they transpired, warts and all. This approach is respectful of the intelligence of the student of history, trusting them to be able to come to their own conclusions. A faith-promoting history may leave a few things out.

I think the church is getting better about acknowledging some aspects of our history that have previously been a bit obscure. I will always maintain that there has been no cover-up, but I know that the church has been very careful to ensure that what is presented by the missionaries and in our classrooms is faith-promoting. This may mean leaving some stuff untaught.

The problem of course is when the investigator, new member or even the missionary is handed a copy of Grant Palmer’s book or when they do their due diligence in researching the church on the Internet. The odds of finding faithful interpretations of history online are getting slimmer every day. That’s one reason why I have changed my blog to focus on these controversial issues.

Why this is difficult for some

Everyone who studies Mormon history has to come to some sort of conclusion how they are going to deal with this issue of discovering previously unknown and surprising things. I will always be eternally grateful for a mother who exposed me to these things at an early age. I read extensively from her library which included Fawn Brodie‘s No Man Knows my History.

When I first started reading blog entries and forum posts about peep stones and Joseph’s multiple wives I would scratch my head and wonder why it was such a big deal. Doesn’t everybody already know this stuff? Apparently not. When non-orthodox ideas about the origin of the Book or Mormon are discussed, it sometimes amuses me how worked up people can get.

I try to be understanding, really I do. I try to put myself in the place of the new investigator or new member who is reading this stuff for the first time. Sure, some of it seems really far-fetched and other parts are easy to misunderstand, especially where we don’t have the full story. I have come to the conclusion that some history students are missing something very important.

The missing ingredient

I’ve thought long and hard about why this stuff doesn’t bother me. What do I have that others don’t that allows me to deal with this stuff without it affecting my testimony or my faith? I don’t think I’m any different from any other life-long member of the Church. I don’t have any special claim to protection from the very convincing arguments of the intellectuals and scholars.

And why doesn’t this stuff bother the majority of the members of the church? Ignorance? I suppose that may be part of it. But when they are exposed to it, nothing detrimental happens. My wife is a perfect example. Just when I think I have found something in our history that nobody could interpret as being faith-promoting, she listens and quietly responds, “so what?”

What Carol and I have, and what most members of the church have that protects us from the doubts that can be caused by exposure to the non-Orthodox new Mormon history is revelation. Our testimonies are not based on an intellectual understanding of things and they never were. There are things that our heart just knows even if they do not make sense to our minds.

Summary and conclusion

Now, I’m not saying that those who doubt their testimonies when they learn about these things haven’t experienced personal revelation. Wait, I guess I am. Am I saying that Grant Palmer has not experienced personal revelation about the way the church is presenting our history? I can’t speak for Grant. I enjoyed listening to his story first-hand. He sounds like a very nice person.

But I can say that I have specifically prayed about this issue and have received a comforting witness to my soul that the way the Brethren are handling our history is fine with me. I do not claim to know the mind or will of the Lord about how things may change in the future in this area. I trust the Brethren. I sustain them and believe they are doing the will of the Lord.

I have concluded that this is just one of those tests through which some people have to pass. The revelation of which I speak is not about the history. It is about trusting the Lord. It is about knowing that the prophet and apostles really do act on behalf of the Lord in directing the church. My testimony is not based on intellect alone. It may not be logical to some but it is real to me.

Priesthood and the Primary boy

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When I was a little boy, I had a hard time in school. Not because I wasn’t smart, but because I was bored. I would finish my work before most everyone else and then start cutting up in class. I was good at getting the other kids in trouble but eventually I got caught.

After a while the teacher would get tired of telling me to behave so she would send me to see the Principal. This went on every year until I got older. I remember the Vice Principal gave swats. Of course, you can’t do that any more in our politically correct world.

My mother was a teacher. When she got called in for yet another parent-teacher conference about my behavior, there was a lot of peer pressure placed on her. I didn’t recognize it at the time but I do remember after every one of these little disciplinary episodes I spent the next week in my mother’s classroom.

This worked fine until I got above the fourth grade. That’s the class that my mother taught. She then decided to send me to the local Christian school, thinking that I needed something religious in my education. It shocked me. Although we were recent converts, we were Mormons and I felt betrayed. I could not believe she would send me to a school that had daily chapel sessions.

Bible stories in school

I think the reason I cut up in school was because I loved my mother and wanted to be with her. I was the youngest of six children and did not get the attention I wanted. I probably got more than the rest of the kids but I didn’t think so at the time. I remember mother was very busy after school grading papers. I knew how time-consuming that could be but didn’t appreciate it.

So when I got kicked out of my school once again and spent the week with my mother, I was just as happy and as well behaved as you please. I learned more about the history of California in those wonderful weeks with mother than I ever learned in my regular school. But the best part of being in my mother’s class was the Bible stories. Bible stories in public school? Indeed.

About two o’clock in the afternoon, mother would say, “Gather around children, it’s story time.” Everyone loved to hear my mother tell Bible stories, especially me. She could tell the best David and Goliath, Daniel in the lion’s Den and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stories I ever heard. I never tired of Joshua fighting the battle of Jericho or hearing about the flood one more time.

Religious education

You can’t tell Bible stories in school any more. The only place you might find the Bible in the school system today is perhaps in a Bible as history class. Even that is going by the wayside. That’s why it is so important that we have our gospel study in the home. Where else can our families receive the kind of help and strength that comes from hearing the word of the Lord?

When I was sent to that private Christian school in the fifth grade, I experienced something I had never felt before. You see, I attended Primary and Sunday School each week in our ward so I knew what the truth was. I recognized it. I was baptized and I had the gift of the Holy Ghost. I also knew what the priesthood was and knew that it was needed to pronounce doctrine.

No, you don’t need the priesthood to teach doctrine but even I recognized at that young age the need for some sort of authority from God in order to preside or officiate in a worship service. I just felt that there was something wrong when we went to our daily chapel service and the pastor got up to preach to the children. There was something missing and I felt it distinctly.

Preparation for the priesthood

I think that experience in the West Covina Christian School in the Fall of 1967 was the beginning of my testimony of the need for priesthood authority. Can Heavenly Father speak to a ten year old boy like me (I was a year ahead in school) and tell me how important it is to have authority to speak in the name of the Lord? Yes. Absolutely yes. My primary teacher also told me so.

Do you see the picture of my Primary bandelo I have included with this post? They don’t use the bandelo anymore in Primary. How about the numbers around the hatchet, the wagon wheel and the arrow; do you know what those represent? Yes, that’s right – the Articles of Faith. We got one each time we memorized another article of faith. Ah, those were happy and fun days.

When I graduated from Primary, I felt prepared to receive the Aaronic priesthood. I looked forward to being ordained a deacon and passing the sacrament like my older brother. My father ordained me. I have a picture of dad with his arm around me taken later that day. He sure looked pleased. I didn’t appreciate it then but I knew there was something to this priesthood.

Foundations of responsibility

My dad ordained me each time I advanced in the priesthood over the years until he ordained me an Elder just before I left on my mission to Central America in 1976. By that time I had come to realize there was a lot more to the priesthood than just passing the sacrament, collecting fast offerings or helping my dad do home teaching by preparing a lesson. I began to feel different.

The interview with the Stake President was a little bit scary. Although I had never talked to him before, I felt prepared. My Bishop had given me a form that had all kinds of scriptures on the back that I was expected to read. I took it seriously and studied them all very carefully. I thought for sure the Stake President would grill me on the oath and covenant in section 84.

He didn’t, but the act of studying those many scripture references made a deep and lasting impression on me. To this day, sections 20, 84 and 121 are associated with wonderful memories of those days spent preparing for my mission. I learned to honor the priesthood because my primary teachers taught me about it and my father showed me that priesthood means service.

Using the priesthood today

Today I am a High Priest and have been for many years. I was ordained the first time I was called into a bishopric. All the time I was serving in various bishoprics and on the High Council I always said, “When I’m released from leadership positions, I hope they call me to the Primary.” Guess what? They did! I was so ecstatic. It has absolutely been my most favorite calling.

I was sad when I was released as a Primary teacher so I could serve as a ward clerk to the local singles ward. As much as I love the young people in our stake, I miss teaching the gospel each Sunday. I would rather teach than sit in leadership meetings any time. You don’t need the priesthood to teach Primary but that influence in reaching the 11-year old boys can be powerful.

I exercise the priesthood every day in my home as I kneel in prayer with my wife each morning and night. She often calls on me for priesthood blessings which are always a sanctifying and sacred occasion in our lives. Each time we go to the temple and participate in the ordinances there, I feel so grateful to bear the priesthood and exercise it on behalf of someone else.

Summary and conclusion

If you are not a member of the LDS faith, I have probably used many words and phrases that may be confusing. I invite you to click on some of the links I have included in the essay that will take you to web pages that have more information. If you are a recent convert, please don’t feel that you have missed out on anything because you did not have the priesthood growing up.

If you are a woman who feels left out of having the priesthood, please don’t. My mother and my primary teachers, who were all women, did more for me as a young boy because they loved me and taught me about the priesthood. Well, mother didn’t teach me much about it because she didn’t understand it much herself, being a recent convert. But she taught me to love the temple.

I know the priesthood is a real power. I have felt it most strongly when giving priesthood blessings and when ordaining or setting members apart for callings. Some of the sweetest blessings were setting apart young women as class leaders when I served in Bishoprics. It is on those occasions that I can feel how much the Lord loves his daughters and wants to bless them.

God the Father and God the Son

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There is probably no question that is as common to man as that of who God is. You would think that after thousands of years, more people would have it right. So many books, essays and websites have been dedicated to the idea of God that one could spend a lifetime reading and still not come to a knowledge of the truth. That’s why it is important to find an authoritative source.

It seems that everyone at some time in their life goes through their own soul-searching to determine what they believe about God. Most inherit the traditions of their fathers and are content with the basic idea of faith in God and, if they grew up in a Christian nation, acceptance of the Bible and Jesus Christ as the Savior of all mankind, who redeems us from death and hell.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all my life, I have been blessed to have grown up with a different kind of knowledge about God. We proclaim to the world that we have been given a restored or revealed doctrine about God, our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. This knowledge through the prophet Joseph Smith we gladly share with the world.

Godhead not the same as the Trinity

Almost any child in a Mormon Primary class can tell you that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ are two separate and distinct individuals. We know this because Joseph Smith, a young boy from upstate New York, went into a grove of woods to pray and ask God which church to join. He shared his story at first with family and friends and later declared it to all the world.

A clear understanding of the nature of God is one of the most fundamental and important foundations we need in this life to be able to successfully exercise faith. Without knowing to whom we are praying, our minds will be filled with doubts. Doubt and faith cannot exist together at the same time. The one throws out the other. One is filled with light and the other darkness.

There is no confusion in our church about the nature of God. The doctrines are clear and always have been, at least they have been for me. However, for some who came into the church later in life, it can be a lifelong struggle, even after they are baptized, to put off their old and incorrect understandings about God. As one example, let’s consider the case of Paul Toscano.

Some struggle with basic doctrine

Paul and I grew up in the same city of West Covina, California. We went to the same elementary and high schools. When he joined the church, we attended meetings in the same building. He was in the Baldwin Park 2nd ward and my family was in the Covina 1st ward. Paul is a little older than me, but went to BYU about the same time as my sisters in the late sixties.

I bring up Paul because as a convert from Catholicism, you can imagine that the revelations and teachings of Joseph Smith must have been very different from those that were familiar to him as a young man. Paul’s conversion story is featured in volume two of Hartman and Connie Rector‘s books, No More Strangers. After attending BYU, Paul served as a successful missionary in Italy.

Paul is an extremely intelligent and outspoken man. Although some do not agree, I find him to be enjoyable to listen to because he is not shy about expressing himself and has such a wealth of knowledge in his mind. You can find several videos of Paul on the Internet delivering Sunstone speeches, but these interviews from John Dehlin on Mormon Stories are the best resource.

When you lose sight of the basics

At one time Paul wrote, “Even if the price of conversion is painful, it is worth it. Not all the pain and tribulation in the world can be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in faithful members of the Church…” (Source: No More Strangers) Today he has lost his faith. He says that Jesus Christ, while an exemplary human being, may not have actually been the Son of God.

He also writes that The Book of Mormon is not really history, but an epic with some revealing truths. He has said that Joseph Smith meant well, but likely wasn’t inspired of God. Toscano, in his words, no longer considers Joseph a hero to him. He considers moral sins to be nothing compared to the greater sins of intellectual oppression he sees in the leadership of the church.

Because Paul is so gifted in intellectual ability, he can run circles around most of us when it comes to discussing the gospel of Jesus Christ. But Paul has lost sight of this basic doctrine of Salvation, that God the Father and his Son are two separate and distinct individuals. He seems stuck on the idea that Jesus is really the Father and claims that we should worship him as such.

Teachings of modern prophets

The First Presidency issued a statement on The Origin of Man in 1909 that is considered a classic in Mormon theology. Although not specifically addressing the subject we are considering, it contains much helpful information on the Godhead. And of course, there is this doctrinal essay on The Father and the Son that helps explain the concept of Divine Investiture of Authority.

President Hinckley gave a wonderful message on the distinct nature of the members of the Godhead in this First Presidency message in the July 2006 issue of the Ensign magazine. Elder Hales spoke with great spiritual depth in this April 2008 General Conference address entitled, “Gaining a Testimony of God the Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost“.

I can see how someone can arrive at a different conclusion as to the distinct nature of God and Jesus Christ by reading Abinadi’s words in Mosiah Chapter 15. I was confused the first time I read that as a youth. That’s another reason I am so grateful for so many years of Seminary, Institute and Gospel Doctrine classes, including several years of teaching the Book of Mormon.

How Christ is the Father

Jesus Christ is the Father as Creator. Christ is referred to in many scriptural passages as “the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth” (see Mosiah 15:4, 16:15, Alma 11:38–39, Ether 4:7). He created or organized the earth under the direction of God the Father. Referring to him as the Father of Heaven and Earth is very comforting but it does not mean that he is God the Father.

He is the Father of all who accept his atoning sacrifice and covenant with him to obey his everlasting gospel. There are numerous scriptural passages that express this relationship (see Mosiah 5:7, 15:10–13, Ether 3:14, D&C 25:1, 34:1–3, 39:1–4). In other words, he is the Father of all those who are saved through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.

He is the Father by divine investiture of authority. This means that the Savior is the fully authorized and commissioned representative of his Father, and as such can speak and act for the Father. There are many examples of this in the scriptures. I encountered one in my studies this week in the Pearl of Great Price as the Lord was addressing Moses but speaking as the Father.

Summary and conclusion

When I kneel down to pray at night, there is no doubt in my mind to whom I am speaking. I am praying to a loving Heavenly Father who has all power to help me and wants to do so. I feel his encouragement and love through the gift of the Holy Ghost which has been bestowed upon me. I received it by the laying on of hands from those who are authorized to administer that ordinance.

There is no confusion in my mind as to who Jesus Christ is. He is God’s only Begotten Son in the flesh, meaning that he is divine. His Father was God and his mother was Mary. He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my Lord, My God and my King. I love Him. I worship Him. I serve him and I obey him. He is my friend. He suffered for me in the Garden of Gethsemane so I can repent.

The gospel is not complicated. We do not need to get hung up on intellectual pursuits that lead us nowhere. I hope I never lose sight of the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How grateful I am to a loving Heavenly Father who sent his Son to redeem the world. It is a miracle. All I know is that when I repent and strive to be obedient that I am happy. What more can I ask?

The Book of Moses revisited

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Carol and I started to attend a Summer Institute class on the Pearl of Great Price this last week. If you haven’t attended an Institute class recently and there is one in your area, I highly recommend it. A roomful of single college age students discussing the gospel is very different from even the best Gospel Doctrine class. The discussions are livelier and the enthusiasm is almost palpable.

The instructor is a man I highly respect who seems to be well at ease in front of a classroom of forty students. He is a former Bishop and is the Senior High Counselor in our Stake. He manages his own flower growing business and has been teaching Institute part-time for many years. It could have just as easily been a sister teaching. We have some wonderful women seminary and institute teachers in our ward and stake.

The spirit was strong and the instruction was superb. Carol and I were the only “old” people in the room but we felt right at home since we are both perpetual students. There is just something special about being in an Institute class with the same kids that I serve each week as the ward clerk of the local young adult ward in our stake. I know something of the challenges they face. I pray for them each week in Bishopric meetings.

Things that I probably once knew

Even though I have seriously studied the Pearl of Great Price at least a dozen times and have taught from it in Seminary myself, I learned things I had never heard before. For example, in Moses 1:12-14, we read, “And it came to pass that when Moses had said these words, behold Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me.”

The phrase “son of man” escaped me until it was pointed out by our instructor. Compare that to the response from Moses in verse 13: “And it came to pass that Modes looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?” Did you catch the implied differences?

What did Satan look like? He looked just like Jesus but without the glory. Somehow Satan appeared to him in a manner that Moses could see him with his natural eyes as we read in verse 14: “For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?”

How we got the Book of Moses

If you have ever looked at the first chapter of Moses, you realize that it is not found in the Bible. Chapters two through eight are similar to the first six chapters of Genesis, but have a whole lot more added for clarification. Joseph was commanded of the Lord to translate or revise the Bible. He worked on it for many years from shortly after the church was organized until just shortly before his death in 1844. The work was revelation and it was performed by a prophet of God.

I wonder why we don’t get the same kind of flack about the Book of Moses that we do with the Book of Abraham. I have written previously about how some people struggle with the Book of Abraham, getting stuck on the idea that it was not a valid translation from the papyri. I have suggested that the papyri that was used to translate the Book of Abraham has not been found. Eyewitnesses describe the original papyri and it is not the same as the recovered fragments.

That Joseph didn’t need any actual source material to reproduce lost ancient scripture is shown by Moses chapter one. Just as the work of translating the latter part of the Book of Mormon was done without the Urim and Thumim or seer stones, when Joseph started translating the Bible he did so without the aid of anything other than prayer, righteous living, a commandment from God, the exercise of the prophetic gift of revelation and acting as a seer.

Study guides are extremely helpful

As I have taught in the CES program over the years, I have just been amazed at the great material that the church has put together for the use of the volunteer instructors. We’re not really volunteers as we are asked to teach, but it is not really a calling. The manual for the Pearl of Great Price contains exceptional resources. In there you can read about two other points our instructor made the other night that I’m sure I knew at one time but had forgotten.

In verse 11 of chapter one we read that Moses was transfigured before the Lord. That word needs defining. Our instructor pointed out that the same thing happened to Joseph Smith when he was visited of the Father and the Son during the First Vision. He was transfigured. That was how he was able to endure the presence of God, just as Moses was. I am glad to see that some church manuals still quote from Mormon Doctrine, one of my favorite encyclopedic references.

“Transfiguration is a special change in appearance and nature which is wrought upon a person or thing by the power of God. This divine transformation is from a lower to a higher state; it results in a more exalted, impressive, and glorious condition. . . .By the power of the Holy Ghost many prophets have been transfigured so as to stand in the presence of God and view the visions of eternity” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 803).

Jehovah spoke to Moses

The personage who spoke to Moses was the premortal Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament. Being one with Heavenly Father, Jesus at times speaks as if He were God the Father. This is known as divine investiture, whereby Christ is invested with authority to speak for and in behalf of the Father. President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “All revelation since the fall has come through Jesus Christ, who is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. . . .

“He is the God of Israel, the Holy One of Israel; the one who led that nation out of Egyptian bondage, and who gave and fulfilled the Law of Moses. The Father has never dealt with man directly and personally since the fall, and he has never appeared except to introduce and bear record of the Son” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 1:27).

When God had completed his dialog with Moses, he left him for a little while. “And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Modes was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.”

Summary and conclusion

I love the Pearl of Great Price. Some people say or write that they find the doctrine of the church boring. I can’t imagine why. I find it fascinating. It is sad to realize how many people do not study the scriptures each day, but I know it is a large part of the membership of the church. I attribute that mostly to the very busy lives we lead. For others it displays an appalling lack of commitment or motivation. Yes, it is work to study the gospel each day but it is worth it.

I am grateful for the prophet Joseph Smith who translated the Bible and restored lost scripture as found in the first chapter of the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. The works he produced are evidence of his divine calling as a prophet of God. The Pearl of Great Price is a wonderful Book of Scripture that contains so much doctrine and ancient history that teaches us so much about how God deals with prophets like Moses, Abraham and Enoch.

There are many study guides to help with understanding the scriptures. Some can be found at Deseret Book, others on the church web site, but the best guide is the Holy Spirit. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt 18:20). Such is the case with an Institute class or a Gospel Doctrine class. If you are struggling to find the motivation to study the gospel by yourself during the week, go join an Institute class.

Mother in Heaven – Heavenly Mother

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I have a mother in heaven. By that I mean my earthly mother, who died a few years ago, and now resides in the spirit world, awaiting my father and the resurrection. As I write this on Mother’s day, I think of her, how much I love and appreciate her, and how much she influenced my life.

But I’ll bet you clicked on this link or found this essay because you were interested in reading about Heavenly Mother, a controversial Mormon doctrine, and not in learning about my mother, although I think her life, conversion and falling away from the church is extremely interesting.

I won’t disappoint you. Do you recognize this beautiful image from the cover of Sunstone Magazine a few years back? This is not the issue that contained the essay from Margaret Toscano on Heavenly Mother that got her excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in November of 2000.

This is from an early issue in the history of Sunstone Magazine that contains several other enlightening essays on the subject. I bring up Margaret Toscano because her name comes to mind more than anyone else when I think of Heavenly Mother. What? You say you’ve never heard of Margaret Toscano? Well, you have missed out. Go watch her interviews on YouTube (Thank you John Dehlin).

Sources for information on Heavenly Mother

You may be thinking, “I don’t want to have anything to do with that Sunstone crowd. I hear they’re nothing but trouble. In fact, I might get in trouble just for reading Sunstone articles.” Well, I have news for you. You won’t learn much about Heavenly Mother unless you do. It just isn’t something that is talked about in the official channels and sources of the church. Oh, there is another source: Feminist Mormon Housewives, a very popular blog for Mormon women.

About the only thing most members of the church know about Heavenly Mother comes from the hymnbook. I just sang the song today. It’s not called, “O My Mother.” It is a beautiful hymn entitled, “O My Father,” written by Eliza R. Snow. It is a favorite in the church and for good reason. It is a beautiful melody and one of the only hymns where a Mother in Heaven is mentioned. The other one is “Oh, What Songs of the Heart” (#286).

I take that back. There is a Newsroom response to a Newsweek article back in 2001 that reads, “‘The Mother’ is not a term that is used among Church members, in Church meetings, classes or lesson manuals. While the official Proclamation on the Family affirms that each human being is a beloved son or daughter of heavenly parents, there are no teachings about a Heavenly Mother in Latter-day Saint scripture.”

Why is this controversial?

While there may be no scriptural references to a Mother in Heaven, it simply seems to be common knowledge among long-time members of the church or those with a pioneer heritage. This knowledge has been passed down within these well-established pioneer families. The problem is that the doctrine is not officially set down in writing anywhere that you can read it in a format that helps you to understand it. Thus, there are several misunderstandings.

For example, it is not clear if there is one Heavenly Mother or many. It stands to reason that if polygamy is still an officially accepted doctrine of the church (and it is), then why wouldn’t God have more than one wife? I know, this is shocking to some to contemplate. In my experience with some new converts, the whole idea of a Mother in Heaven is shocking. I personally believe that the family of man does come though many different spiritual mothers.

I think that’s why the Church is not more forthcoming about the doctrine and setting it in some sort of official format that can be relied upon as authoritative. Either they just don’t know enough about it because it hasn’t been revealed or it is considered something that is too difficult for most members of the church to understand. Maybe early church leaders like Brigham Young understood it better because they heard it directly from Joseph. Who knows?

We pray to Heavenly Father

Some members of the church who have misunderstood the concept of Heavenly Mother began to suggest that we could pray to her, whereupon the church denounced the practice in General Conference. A BYU professor who had advocated the practice lost her teaching position because of it. I have never understood or considered the idea of praying to a Heavenly Mother but then maybe that’s because I am a man. I have read writings of many women who feel otherwise.

A companion controversy to the idea of Mother in Heaven is the concept of shared priesthood. You can find a lot of material published by members of the church about the subject but not as much from official sources. Just how much of a right does an endowed and sealed sister in the church have to exercise the priesthood with her husband, if any? We read stories in the early days of the church it was common for women to assist their husbands in priesthood blessings.

We know that women officiate in the priesthood in the temple. It would be very inappropriate to have it otherwise if you know anything about washings and anointings that are performed there. If women officiate in the priesthood there, why not in the home? Why not in the church? The Brethren have directed that it is not to be done. We do not confer the priesthood upon women and do not ordain them to offices within that priesthood, so how could they preside?

Summary and Conclusion

I have been trying to write the posts on my blog in such a way that an individual who is not a member of our church wanting to know more could understand the material I present. I also have several friends who are recent converts who read my blog and I keep them in mind as I write. Unfortunately, this subject is not one that is easy to explain or understand because it is so vague in the minds of most members of the church, who do not think or talk about it very often.

Do the leaders know more than they share? I don’t know. Do they perhaps simply not know much about Mother in Heaven? I wonder. Does it matter to my eternal salvation? No. I am only concerned about living in accordance to the knowledge that has been revealed. In other words, if God wanted me to know more about Heavenly Mother, then he would reveal it to me, through the authorized priesthood channels. Any other source is speculative and questionable.

I know, that bugs some people who feel that they are entitled to their own revelation on the subject. Maybe so, but keep it sacred within your own bosom. I do not have a problem with not knowing much about Mother in Heaven. When I get to heaven I’ll learn more. For now, I’m content to remember my own mother who is now in heaven and look forward to seeing her again. I know I also have a Heavenly Mother and will someday be with her again as well.

New age thinking among Mormons

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I am sometimes shocked when I read about things that some Mormons believe or practice. For example, can you be a Mormon and a Pagan or a Wiccan? Do some Mormons believe in nature worship, reincarnation, channeling, goddesses, astrology or divination? If they do, then they do not understand Mormon doctrine on these subjects. Is there such a thing as a new age Mormon?

This essay is going to walk a fine line. I have no desire to offend or exclude. Labels are so limiting and so easy to misunderstand. For example, when I refer to goddesses I am thinking of the new age or pagan view, not the traditional LDS view. In traditional, orthodox LDS doctrine, we believe that women can and will be exalted with their husbands and thus become goddesses.

Let me be clear. Most Mormons do NOT adhere to the beliefs or the practices of Paganism, Wiccan and especially not the occult. Most Mormons are not into nature worship, although we feel strongly that part of good health involves enjoying nature. Camping, hiking, boating, skiing and all kinds of outdoor activities are common with happy Mormon families all over the world.

Mormonism and Scientology

How about Scientology? Can you be a good Mormon and be a Scientologist? I don’t think so. There are just too many things about Scientology that are contrary to the revealed doctrines of the restored gospel. Some people have compared the beginnings of the LDS Church to the way L Ron Hubbard came up with the principles of Dianetics, including engrams and auditing.

I personally don’t see the connection at all and view Scientology as a figment of the imagination of L. Ron Hubbard. I have read a lot about Scientology and can’t help but think that he was influenced by spirits of deception. Of course, some people say that about Joseph Smith. I guess you have to decide based on your own perceptions and the fruits of the religion in the people.

I have met some wonderful people who are devout followers of the principles of Scientology. I have the highest respect for the successes they have achieved. They practice the Hubbard Management System to perfection and are extremely disciplined in their approach to business. My boss was a practitioner and I know of many famous actors who practice Scientology.

New Age thinking and Mormonism

Probably one of the more common areas of overlap between new age thinking and Mormonism is in the area of alternative medicine. We feel strongly about and have a rich cultural heritage of priesthood blessings, many with miraculous results. That is not to say that we do not believe in Western medicine. I don’t think we are very different from other good Christians in this area.

Many faithful members pray devoutly for help to find answers to their medical problems. I have given many blessings in which I felt impressed to direct the individual to seek out help from a competent medical doctor. But I have given just as many blessings in which I felt directed to exercise the Priesthood and command the sickness to leave the body of the afflicted individual.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that a priesthood blessing is a form of alternative medicine. I’m just saying that you may be surprised by the number of Mormons who believe in, accept and participate in alternative health practices like chiropractic, homeopathy or even acupuncture. I draw the line when it comes to iridology, but I know Mormons who practice it.

Holistic health among Mormons

I have written extensively on one of my other blogs about an experience I had many years ago that introduced me to something called muscle response testing. You may have heard about some of the controversy involving the idea of questioning the subconscious mind through this technique. It has to do with false memories which some claimed were repressed memories.

I don’t know much about false memories, but I do have an idea on how they could be put there. This blog is not the place for that essay so I’ll address it in my other blog. My point is that some Mormons, including me, are strong proponents of holistic health, which is the idea of uniting health techniques of mental, physical and spiritual well being in a whole or holistic experience.

I do not see any conflict between LDS doctrines or practices and those of holistic health. As a people we adhere to the Word of Wisdom, which advocates the consumption of wholesome foods, the use of herbs and of course, abstinence from coffee, tea, tobacco and harmful or habit-forming substances. We excel in spiritual health, or at least we should, and pursue good mental health.

We embrace all truth

Joseph Smith said, “We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up.” Joseph F. Smith said that “we are willing to receive all truth, from whatever source it may come….” Not only do we embrace all truth, but we are admonished to “seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

There are many new age ideas that are based on false teachings – some of man and some of devils. Yes, I mean that. Reincarnation is a doctrine of devils. This was taught clearly by Joseph when he met a man who claimed to have received the spirit of an ancient apostle by means of transmigration. Joseph said he was in possession of an evil spirit and cast him out.

I don’t think anyone would disagree with me when I say that a good Mormon cannot be a Wiccan. After all, Wiccans embrace witchcraft in which one enters into a compact with Satan. Don’t try to convince me that modern Wiccans don’t believe that. I extend this same line of thinking to Paganism, which in my observation, is heavily influenced by doctrines of devils.

Summary and conclusion

I hope I have not offended anyone who reads this as a recent convert and has not quite made the connection that some of these new age ideas are not in harmony with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a lot of good and truth in the new age movement, including some great music that is inspired and inspiring. I am listening to some right now as I write this post.

As I noted above, I embrace several new age holistic health alternative medicine practices. My life has been blessed immensely by being able to discover blocked emotions or feelings that were holding me back in my spiritual progress. They were very annoying and frustrating. I felt so liberated once I discovered how to remove them through questioning my subconscious mind.

One of the greatest blessings we have to guide us in this area is the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are promised that through the exercise of this gift we can know the truth of all things. We who have taken the Holy Spirit as our guide can discern what is true and what is false among the many and varied beliefs and practices of the new age movement which permeates our world.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

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A long time ago, in a place that now seems so far away, I sat and suffered alone in silence. My family was out of town on vacation. I had stayed behind due to work commitments. I was worn out from helping others with their problems all week. For some reason, I was struggling to fight off discouragement, and surprised that I should be feeling such sorrow.

As I sat pondering and wondering why I was feeling so sad, I began to think about the Savior and a time of sorrow in his life. Somehow, in some inexplicable way, I began to feel connected to something that happened to him on a similar night so long ago when he too was so alone. I began to imagine the scene in my mind’s eye and to rehearse the events that I remembered.

The Garden of Gethsemane

I turned to the scriptures to read and reread the descriptions of that awful night. In Matthew, I read, “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

In an unusual manner, the phrases referring to the sorrow experienced by the Savior caused me to wonder and ponder all the more. I thought, “Why should he feel so sorrowful? What caused him to feel this way? He had done nothing deserving of such unhappiness and sorrow. There had to be some logical explanation, a cause for this effect. What was it? He was a righteous man, a perfect man. When I feel sorrowful, I can usually discover a reason.”

Another scripture came to mind, this time from Isaiah, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” There it was again, the reference to sorrow, only this time it was associated with grief. What could be the cause?

The cause of sorrow and grief

We are taught that in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Savior suffered for our sins. He paid the price of our mistakes. Continuing in Isaiah, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” We know that we suffer pain, sorrow, guilt, remorse and all kinds of afflictions as the result of doing things that are not in accordance with our value standards.

I believe that when I do something that I know to be wrong, I open a chink in my armor, a crack in my spirit, through which virtue and strength escape. Not only that, but that hole in my spiritual protection allows the adversary a chance to attack me, to get at me and to annoy me. Well, maybe not the devil himself, but certainly one or more of his followers have an advantage over me because of my weakness. My light has diminished and some darkness has entered.

I know from personal experience that when these little minions of the devil get at me I feel annoyed, discouraged, distraught, sorrowful and sometimes even grief-stricken. All this from doing something that is beneath me? Yes. I think if you ponder it, you will recognize that this has happened to you too. Suddenly it struck me. That was the cause of the sorrow and grief described in the scriptures. Somehow the Savior’s shield of light had been diminished that night.

What really happened that night

On that night in the Garden, Satan threw everything and everyone at his command that he could at the Lord. All the hosts of hell conspired against the Savior and tried to destroy him. His shield of protection, his virtue, was weakened to almost nothing or perhaps even removed, so that he was totally exposed to the full power of the adversary and all those who swore allegiance to him. “…yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” God caused it to happen.

That’s the part I had not considered before, “smitten of God.” Without God removing his shield of protection for a few hours, that covering of light and virtue that he deserved because of his perfection, he could not have felt the full effect of the spirits of darkness. They are full of doubt and fear and pain and sorrow and suffering and anguish and grief because they have no faith. They have no light or virtue, only darkness. It must have been horrible to feel such awfulness.

Jesus Christ was exposed that night, and again on the cross the next day, to the full influence of the devil and all the evil spirits that follow him. No wonder he sweat as it were great drops of blood from every pore of his body. The anguish and pressure must have been unfathomable. He did not deserve to feel their influence, but in order to be able to understand how we feel when we are exposed to their power when we sin, he had to be fully exposed. What a terrible thing!

He did not succumb

Although they attacked him with everything they had, every doubt, every fear, every wicked thought and evil temptation, they could not and they did not get through to his clean, pure and virtuous spirit. He won the battle and gained the victory. He did not give in to their thoughts, their suggestions or their whisperings. Because he won, he has all power. He holds the keys of death and hell. The evil spirits must obey him because he is God, even the son of God.

Our Heavenly Father commands us to believe in Jesus Christ, to believe that He is the Son of God and that He has indeed overcome the world and that he did in fact vanquish Satan. We have nothing to fear. This is the good news of the gospel. He won! And because he won his victory over Satan, we can too. He understands perfectly every sorrow, fear, doubt and grief that we experience, because he experienced it too, from the very same source.

He won the right to have all power over the evil spirits. He fought and won the victory in the flesh. Michael and his angels fought and won the battle in heaven in the spirit world. Jesus Christ fought that same battle in the flesh and also won. He was not forced and he was not controlled. He did it on his own. God trusted him. We trusted him. He did it. We can turn to him when we feel overwhelmed or overpowered by the temptations and impressions from the evil spirits.

The atonement gives us power

How does this apply to you and me? This means that we won, too. He overcame all opposition and yet he gave the blessings of that to us. Because of his great love for us and for our Father, he gave the victory to us. He won against all fear and all doubt. He vanquished all those evil spirits that torment you and me. He has already won the victory over them. The spirits are not limited to a specific time like you or me. They tried to destroy him then and come at us in our time now.

That means that whenever those same evil spirits come against you and try to lie and whisper in your ear, saying, “You’re no good,” or “You can’t make it,” you can answer and say, “You lie. I can make it. I can do all things through Jesus Christ which strengthen me. He has already vanquished you. Be gone.” All doubts and fears have been destroyed. They are on borrowed time and they know it. They are brazen and arrogant but they have no faith or power.

There is nothing to fear. Fear has been destroyed. Doubt has been destroyed. These are no longer effective tools of the adversary. Said the Lord, “Doubt not. Fear not. Look unto me in every thought.” The Lord has also said that the reason why prayers are not answered is because there are doubts and fears in our hearts. This means that we have allowed Satan’s lies to have place in us. We have listened to the wrong voice. Cast him out. He lies.

Summary and conclusion

Do not doubt what the Lord has said and do not fear what the adversary can do. If we obey the Lord’s commandments, we have his promise that we have access to his power. He holds out his arms to comfort us and to protect us. We have to but come unto him. We do that through faith in him and obedience to his commandments: to be baptized and to receive the Holy Ghost. Once we do our part, we have a right to receive from him the promises of safety and power over the devil.

We can trust the Lord. He fulfills his promises. He said he would do it in the great council in heaven and he did it. There was no control, force or compulsion involved. He did it of his own free will and choice. He did it because he loved his Heavenly Father and because he loves us. He trusted that our Heavenly Father would bear him up through the terrible ordeal. He gives us power to fulfill our purpose in life because he fulfilled his. We can rejoice and trust him.

He relied on our Father to see him through the pain and suffering of his life and our Father commands us to rely on Him. He will help us through the pain and suffering of our lives. He knows what we are going through. He has been through it for every one of us. He can say that he understands every pain and every suffering, every anguish, every disappointment, every bad thing that has ever happened to us or ever will. He understands, he already met them and won.

Pondering about the spirit world

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How often do we think about the spirit world? If you are a typical adult, you lead a very busy life. Our families, our jobs or our educational pursuits take up the majority of our time. In fact, most of us are hard pressed to find time to read the scriptures, pray, visit others or fulfill church assignments. This is especially true when our families are young and demand so much of us.

Such things can seem like a burden in today’s busy, even hectic world. Who has time to ponder about the spirit world? Because we are so busy, when we do sit down to think, we are bombarded by mental lists of things to do. Yet, Joseph Smith said that the study of the spirit world is a subject that should occupy our minds more than any other. He taught:

The most important subject to study

“All men know that they must die. And it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death, and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away, to be here no more?

It is but reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than any other. We ought to study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in reference to their true condition and relation [to God]. If we have any claim on our Heavenly Father for anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject.”

Sources: Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p 211 or Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 324, or History of the Church, 6:50; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois.

The spirit world is greatly misunderstood

The spirit world is indeed a subject that fascinates many members of the LDS Church. There have been numerous books written about it over the years. It is a topic of study in many of our adult, youth and even children’s Sunday classes. It is commonly addressed by our leaders in general Conference. And yet, what do we really know or believe about the spirit world?

For example, I have written previously about the amazing survey a few years back (2001) in which 41% of the members of the LDS Church do not believe that the devil is a real person. Why is that? I believe it is because they have not pondered the spirit world and the inhabitants there. It is a basic doctrine of our church that the adversary and his followers dwell in the spirit world.

The spirit world is here among us

Brigham Young taught, “Where is the spirit world? It is right here…Do [spirits of the departed] go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not…Can you see it with your natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies.”

The prophet Joseph Smith taught, “The spirits of the just…are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith.” Most LDS do not have a problem with understanding the doctrine of the post-mortal spirit world with paradise designated for the righteous and spirit prison as the destination for the ungodly.

The inhabitants of the spirit world

So just what kind of spirits can we find in the spirit world? I think we are all clear that the spirits of the departed who have not yet been resurrected dwell there. Although they are separated, we can find both the righteous and the wicked there. It is my understanding that those in Paradise are not troubled by the influences of the adversary or evil spirits; it is a place of rest.

However, we have been taught that we who remain here in mortality are subject to the influence of both spirits who have never been mortal as well as those who have passed through this life. Unless you have never really studied LDS doctrine, you know that one third of the spirits that were supposed to come to this earth as mortals, arrived here instead without a physical body.

The influence of evil spirits

Now, back to that survey – I doubt that anybody who reads this has ever seen the devil. And although I might be surprised, I also doubt that very many of you have seen an evil spirit. But I have no doubt that if you are a faithful Later-day Saint or just a good Christian person, you have seen the influence of the adversary either in your own life or in the life of someone you love.

In fact, there may be someone reading this who is not a member of our faith that has a story to tell about how they came under the influence of an evil spirit or two at sometime in their life. Why do we shy away from this topic? The sophisticated among us like to mock and point out how foolish it is to believe such stuff. But then, they mock our faith in God and Jesus as well.

The influence of righteous spirits

Not wanting to leave this essay on a negative note, let’s focus for a moment on the doctrine that we can have and should seek the influence of our departed loved ones upon us in this life. Why? To assist with family history research, of course. Like many of you, I can share experiences of impressions I have felt from beyond the veil when I am engaged in researching my ancestors.

I know that those who are living on the other side of the veil in the spirit world are anxious to help us find their records. There are too many stories that have been shared over the years to believe that our departed family members are not allowed to visit us and help us in our quest. It is a sweet spirit that comes upon us as we seek to know our ancestors and be sealed to them.

Summary and conclusion

I am convinced that there is so much more to understanding the influence of the spirit world than we normally think about in our day-to-day lives. Isn’t the whole purpose of scripture study and prayer to bring us into a frame of mind to feel the influence of the spirit? Isn’t that why the Brethren invite us over and over again to pause and listen to the impressions of the spirit?

It is my personal belief that our Heavenly Father can answer our prayers any way He wants to. Sometimes that means he may send departed ancestors to deliver messages and help us in our journey. The whisperings of the spirit are very quiet and require careful pondering to feel. If we are too busy to stop, ponder, read and pray, we can miss out on much needed direction.

We believe in Government

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For some reason, one of my recent posts here on Latter-day Commentary attracted comments from several anonymous readers. The subject was Rules, religion and society. In one of the comments, the writer declared that God was an anarchist and suggested that I get myself a proper education on the subject. The other comment was from a well known tax protester.

While I appreciate these comments and I did pursue further knowledge in the links provided, my basic understanding of the subject has not changed. I suspect that neither commenter has the benefit of having read the inspired proclamations of modern prophets and apostles on how governments, though imperfect, are so much preferred to anarchy, which will never work.

What the LDS believe about government

Faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in government. From the twelfth Article of Faith: “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” We do not believe that governments are perfect, or that they can be perfect in this world. Governments of man will eventually cease when the Savior comes to rule and reign.

Section 134 of the Doctrine and Covenants provides great detail on how we as a people feel about government. Verse one is a good summary: “We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.”

Section 134 not revelation

A very important and oft-quoted part of this section is found in verse five: “We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside…” This section of the D&C was not revealed to Joseph Smith but was written by Oliver Cowdery. Joseph was not present when it was voted upon and accepted by the body of the church.

“It should be noted that in the minutes, and also in the introduction to this article on government, the brethren were careful to state that this declaration was accepted as the belief, or ‘opinion’ of the officers of the Church, and not as a revelation, and therefore does not hold the same place in the doctrines of the Church as do the revelations.” (D&C Commentary)

Mob rule worse than anarchy

Elder Erastus Snow explained: “Anarchy—shall I say, is the worst of all governments? No: Anarchy is the absence of all government; it is the antipodes [opposite] of order; it is the acme of confusion; it is the result of unbridled license, the antipodes of true liberty. The oppression of a mob, where every man is a law to himself and his own right arm, is his power to enforce his own will, is the worst form of government.” (In Journal of Discourses, 22:151.)

Anarchy is not part of the kingdom of God. We do not espouse anarchy or believe that it can be successful. As long as there are evil men in the world, anarchy will not work for a society. God is not an anarchist. There is no absence of rule with God. In fact, He is the ultimate ruler. He is a benevolent ruler and the only one who can rule perfectly in this world or the next. However, he does set up governments on this earth and uses imperfect men to run them.

When the wicked rule, the people mourn

“Laws which are enacted for the protection of society have no value except when they are administered in righteousness and justice, and they cannot be so administered in righteousness and justice, if dishonest men occupy administrative offices. The Lord says ‘When the wicked rule, the people mourn.’ (D&C 98:9)

“Wise men, good men, patriotic men are to be found in all communities, in all political parties, among all creeds. None but such men should be chosen. . . .Without beneficent laws, righteously administered, the foundations of civilization crumble, anarchy reigns, decay and dissolution follow.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1928, p. 16.)

Obey, honor and sustain the law

President David O. McKay taught, “The three significant words used in the 12th Article of Faith, express the proper attitude of the membership of the Church toward law. These words are—obey, honor, and sustain. The Article does not say we believe in submission to the law.

“Obedience implies a higher attitude than mere submission, for obedience has its root in good intent; submission may spring from selfishness or meanness of spirit. Though obedience and submission both imply restraint on one’s own will, we are obedient only from a sense of right; submissive from a sense of necessity.

“Honor expresses an act or attitude of an inferior towards a superior. When applied to things it is taken in the sense of holding in honor. Thus, in honoring the law, we look upon it as something which is above selfish desires or indulgences.

“To sustain signifies to hold up; to keep from falling. To sustain the law, therefore, is to refrain from saying or doing anything which will weaken it or make it ineffective. We obey law from a sense of right. We honor law because of its necessity and strength to society. We sustain law by keeping it in good repute.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1937, p. 28.)

Summary and conclusion

I have no wish to offend those who advocate anarchy. I have a lot of respect for individuals who have gone to great lengths to demonstrate their position in published writings and on the web. Nevertheless, I cannot accept that a faithful member of the LDS Church can believe in anarchy. We believe in agency and accountability, freedom and responsibility, but never anarchy.

I am convinced that if those who are activists in promoting anarchy have their way, mob rule will result. The anarchists will rejoice for a moment but will then mourn because their rights are not being respected by those they liberated from government. The wicked one uses those who have good intent in this area but are misguided in their understanding of human nature.

Changes to the Book of Mormon

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So many people have written about this subject that yet another post hardly seems necessary. I have written about the Book of Mormon at least five times previously, but have not addressed the issue that seems to bother some about the changes to The Book of Mormon. I can understand if this is not an issue with you, because it never has been with me either.

From lds.org: “Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. During the process of dictating, transcribing, copying, typesetting, and printing, some human errors were made. Soon after the first printing of the Book of Mormon, in 1830, readers began finding typographical, spelling, and other mistakes.

“The Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery made over 1,000 corrections for the second edition (1837). For the third edition (1840), Joseph Smith made further corrections after careful prophetic review, comparing the original manuscript with the printed text.” In other words, the changes made were typographical, spelling, grammatical, and yes, a few doctrinal clarifications.

Summary of changes

In 1879, with the blessing of the First Presidency, Elder Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles produced an edition with more chapter divisions and with versification that has continued in all subsequent editions. He also added footnotes and made some changes in spelling and grammar. This was mainly a formatting change to make it easier to read with verses.

The 1920 edition corrected a few errors made in previous editions. It was formatted in double-column pages, with chapter headings, chronological data, revised footnote references, a pronouncing guide, and an index. Punctuation and capitalization were also revised. This is the issue that I used as a youth. I still have several well-worn and used annotated copies I cherish.

The current 1981 edition includes extensive cross references, footnotes, and other study aids. This is the edition I have used to teach seminary and gospel doctrine classes. I love the cross reference, topical guide and dictionary. It adds so much to my scripture study. I have used it to prepare talks for High Council assignments and spiritual thoughts in Bishopric meetings.

The most correct book

Joseph Smith declared that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, . . . and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book” (History of the Church, 4:461). Understanding his usage of this phrase has been troublesome to many. He did not mean that the book was error free, but that it conformed to truth and set things right.

There are many excellent articles that help to understand the changes. Robert J. Matthews, Dean of Religious Education at BYU, offered this one in the Ensign that is probably the best. George Horton, an associate professor of ancient scripture at BYU shared one equally useful. Another article provides a brief history of the work completed to publish the current edition.

As always, Jeff Lindsay has done an excellent job in explaining the changes. If you Google “Book of Mormon changes” you will find a bunch of negative commentary on the changes. One of the more recent changes has been to add a word to the introduction of the Book of Mormon. The Lamanites are now considered to be “among” the primary ancestors of the American Indians.

DNA and the Book of Mormon

In late 2002, Ph.D. candidate Thomas Murphy published a paper entitled, “Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics.” In it, he presented DNA evidence that the ancestors of the American Indians are from Asia and not from Israel. Although a member of the church, Mr. Murphy admitted that he had not attended church in over ten years. Is that important? I think so.

You can find references to much material in the LDS Newsroom on the subject. Jeff Lindsay has written a masterful and lengthy essay, FAIR has a large number of resources available, as does FARMS. If you can’t find anything refuting the allegations that DNA evidence of the American Indians “destroys” the Book of Mormon then you simply haven’t looked hard enough.

Some people get so worked up about the DNA problem that they lose their faith and leave the Church. One such individual is Simon Southerton who was a bishop in Australia and a molecular biologist. He published a book on the subject, “Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church.” He was later excommunicated but not for publishing his book.

Summary and conclusion

I love the Book of Mormon. I always have. I stopped counting how many times I have read it many years ago. I think I am always reading it and use it almost everyday in my gospel studies. It is a wonderful book. It is scripture. It fills my life with understanding of the doctrine of Christ. Every time I read from its pages I am filled with a greater appreciation for the book.

I do not pretend to be an expert on DNA or the historical evidences of the Book of Mormon. I only know how I feel when I read it, when I teach from it and when I bear testimony of it. The changes in the Book of Mormon over the years do not bother me. I focus on the content and the doctrine contained in the book. Joseph was right. It is the most correct book of God’s truth.

Someday I hope to meet Joseph Smith and thank him for the marvelous works that he did in the name of Jesus Christ. One of those works is the Book of Mormon. I also hope to meet Moroni, Mormon, Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Abinadi and all the other Book of Mormon prophets. They were real characters who lived in the ancient Americas and were not just figments of Joseph’s imagination.