What I a Mormon believe!

Hollow People

2009-07-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

I don't want this to be another movie review, but I just finished watching a very thought provoking film. I rented Knowing for the evening. The film combined elements of the rapture, prophecy, aliens, and end of the world apocalyptic views. I have to admit that it was probably one of the best films I have seen that put events into a modern realistic view. What really caught my attention though is the last seen in the movie. The director uses a symbol that I feel caries extraordinary significance especially in the context of revelation. He inserts a fantastic tree of light. The imagery was striking, especially its location in a large and spacious field of wheat. Wheat is a symbol of life. It is also a symbol of the bread of life, the lord of the harvest, The Christ.

The tree is a symbol that is familiar to many cultures. It is often a heavenly symbol and also depicts life. What is significant to the Latter-day saint faith is that this symbol goes much further than the typically tree of life found in the book of Genesis. The tree is found in the Book of Mormon as another symbol of The Christ, the master of life, and the fruit of the tree as the gospel of Christ. Partaking of the fruit represents a oneness with Christ and an acceptance of him. I thought it a powerful note to end the film on and turned to the directors commentary and special features to try and determine the real intent of the director. I was disappointed in that the director made no reference to the symbolism of the tree. He did, however, express his intent in making the film. He was expressing the inevitable end of mankind and the need to be reconciled with death. He spoke of the need for each of us to leave something behind as a kind of a memorial or legacy to our life. Looking back on the film I can see how he used many symbols throughout culture, and took special care to lead the audience with these symbols from a sense of anxiety on to a sense of peace and fulfillment even after the total destruction of the entire world!

I then proceeded to view a special commentary on apocalyptic views prepared to accompany the film. The commentaries included many professors, psychologists, and authors, all expressing their views on “man's infatuation with the end of the world”. They all spoke authoritatively. However, as I listened to them speak, on this particularly delicate subject, I noticed something. There words, though they sounded informed, were very hollow. They spent a lot of time trying to analyze mankind as a species, and failed to express any kind of meaningful insight. It wasn't just what they were saying, it was also how they were saying it. All of the optimism expressed was that mankind will eventually progress so far that he will be able to save himself. It sounds great but as they spoke all feeling seemed to leave them. It was as though they where grasping for something, some tangible insight that just wasn't there. I felt that they were looking for their own assurance but for their total lack of faith in a power greater than themselves there was no assurance. They could speak authoritatively about the age of the earth and sun, as though they had actually been around to time it, but when it comes to matters of spirituality they act as though no gods exist. Any reference to deities is strictly the invention of man. Yet, I wonder if these philosophers of men have taken time to truly think about why it is these symbols stir so much emotion in men and have managed to be perpetuated through nearly every generation.
The big what if- What if there is a God?

Where are we headed?

2009-04-19T22:36:00.000-07:00

My heart is truly torn. I honestly wonder sometimes if there are any decent people left in the world, or at least in this nation. I know of course that there are decent people, but they seem to have become so complacent that they don't have a voice. The running gag used by professional journalists referring to protesters attending tea parties as "tea baggers" was outrageous. In most professions comments like that would get you fired, but instead I see the gag branching out into different areas in the media. I see people condoning the use of the term and laughing at it. It is a vial, perverse reference that has no business on prime time news.

Another case and point, I was on a date with my lovely bride and the hostess seated us near the bar. A small group near by were talking in loud voices and cursing in some very vulgar and crude language. A few people looked bothered by it but no one was saying anything. The waitresses didn't bother to say anything either. Finally, I took it upon myself to say something. The young man was absolutely puzzled that anyone would be offended at his language. I think I can understand why. I do hear vulgar language at work, at school, and often out in public. Movies before the 90s never used the F-word accept in rated R movies, and now it is common for it to find its way into a PG-13 movie. Where is the outrage? Where are the letters? Why are we not standing up against this?

I have heard that the first sign of a decaying civilization is the language, and I believe it. Our parents that lived 100 years ago had a far superior command of the language in comparison with what is available to us today. I wonder that we can think at all. Does an individual that speaks with the gutter tong actually have cognitive thought processes or is it more like the audible grunts and growls that come out of their mouths. I am at a loss. Oh, if only I had a voice, but I will post this here and who will read it? We are handing our future over to children that know no bounds. They are not required to exercise any constraint. They have tested their will against societies bounds and found that society is weak. A world without constraint is a world without order. A world without order is a world that cries out for tyranny. A world were individuals exercise self constraint will all ways throw off despotism because, they have no use for its strict and oppressive rules. In other words rule yourself or be prepared to be ruled by someone else. Remember this quote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke

Behavior

2008-08-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

I think that most of what we consider to be social issues can be tied to behavior. What makes us do the things we do? I think that behavior is something we begin to learn as a child and it stays with us through constant repetition. Very few dogs learn a trick after just one lesson. The military drills its soldiers many times so that when they have cause to act they do not even think. Athletes practice techniques over and over again so that when they are asked to perform it is natural to them. These athletes don't just wake up and decide to break new records. It takes time, patience, and careful training. Many of us today have been taught to feel certain ways about specific issues. These feelings invoke a trained response, but people can change their minds. We might learn many new behaviors throughout our lives.

Many people today struggle with behavioral problems. They say that they are powerless to change and that they have no control. They blame parents, genetics, and society as a whole. I am convinced that most people act out of a need for control. Whether it is the need to control others or ourselves. Those who feel out of control often times feel powerless to act in a manner contrary to their negative behavior. I say that control is an illusion. No one is in control. There is simply the law of motion. We can either act or be acted upon and we are limited in the extent to which we can act. Bad behavior cannot just be stopped. It requires a different type of behavior to replace it. The new behavior must be acted out again and again in order for it to take the place of an old behavior. In order for this to be effective the individual struggling with the behavior must recognize what circumstances trigger the behavior and use those same circumstances to trigger a new behavior. If they could also avoid the circumstances all together they might be able to avoid the behavior, but I feel it is simply better to have the behavior replaced.

When I say that no one is in control I do not want to be misunderstood. Certainly God is in control, but he does not control you or me. He is not a God of compulsion. He allows us our choice, and we have the ability to make our presence known in this world. However, he exerts a much greater force in the world and ultimately all things succumb to his influence. Thus, God is in control.

Thoughts on Zion

2008-08-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

Zion has always been seen as a place. Some people use it in reference to the Jewish people or the people of Israel. This comes from the reference that the city of Jerusalem was once called Zion or Sion. Joseph Smith defined it as a type of society.

In the LDS cannon it reads "And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." Moses 7:18. It is a lofty goal for a society to be of "one heart and one mind". I don't feel that this scripture suggests that everyone is supposed to think and act alike. Instead, I feel that it gives a very clear description of what is required for a prosperous society. To be of one heart and one mind means to be united in purpose and intent. In order for a society to move forward it needs to be united with common goals that lead it in a common direction. I am going to suggest a few goals that I think would be worth while for any society to pursue.

1st: Build a relationship with God.

2nd: Become self sufficient as far as it is in their power.

3rd: Uphold law and order
This is a tricky one because not all laws are just. Laws are set to govern communities and give direction on how to live. Laws must provide protection but must also allow freedom of choice, for without certain freedoms a society will not progress. There must be laws but the laws must govern correctly.

4th: Be positive! Lift and encourage those who struggle in the community
Help them to help themselves as far as they are capable, and then make up the difference. What could be greater than a community that looked after its own people? It would be a place of great security and comfort.

5th: Be productive and industrious through learning and hard work.

6th: Work to instill these principles in future generations.

I feel that all of these principles are necessary, but think what a difference it would make if we all had just one of these as our common goal. With the way things are today, the American Society is becoming more and more polarized. We have in past years had famine (The Dust Bowl) and a bad economy to unite us(The Great Depression). We had wars to fight together(WWI & WWII). We had the dreaded fear of nuclear war(The Cold War). Now what do we have to unite us? Terrorists? I hardly think that is enough as the nation becomes more polarized over different social issues. The Socialists have it backwards. People are not so irresponsible that the government needs to take control, rather people need to be empowered to meet their own needs. They need a sense of purpose and importance. Individuality is just as important as community. We all want to belong but we also want to feel that belonging somehow makes a difference.

A Work of Glory

2008-07-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

"For behold, this is my work and my glory- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." These words taken from the Book of Moses in the LDS cannon are a central part of the Latter-day Saint belief. If I didn't believe the words came from God I might view them as a very arrogant outlook on the origin and eventual destiny of man. From the perspective of God speaking this is simply a statement of fact. God has a purpose in the creation of man and that purpose is central to everything he does. From my own interpretation it is a marvelous statement about the stewardship of man. If all things God created (his works) are for the general progression of man, then men have a great responsibility to use these resources to learn and grow from. This goes far beyond our own world though. I think that God has had a hand in inspiring and encouraging men to reach for the stars. All things are for the use of man, including the heavens. It is as though God where dangling the stars in front of our eyes daring man to reach. I also feel that as good as mans intentions might be, he will never succeed outside of this sphere without God's help.

The conspiracy of our day

2008-05-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

This one is old news to me but my wife felt that I should post it. Communism throughout the twentieth century was looked upon as a great evil. Now in the twenty-first century, with the ever increasing rise of secularism, socialistic beliefs are more eagerly embraced. If you have ever wondered why LDS Church members are most often conservative here is an indication.

THE

DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS

OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
SECTION 134
A declaration of belief regarding governments and laws in general, adopted by unanimous vote at a general assembly of the Church held at Kirtland, Ohio, August 17, 1835. HC 2: 247–249. The occasion was a meeting of Church leaders, brought together to consider the proposed contents of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. At that time this declaration was given the following preamble: “That our belief with regard to earthly governments and laws in general may not be misinterpreted nor misunderstood, we have thought proper to present at the close of this volume our opinion concerning the same.”
Governments should preserve freedom of conscience and worship, All men should uphold their governments, and owe respect and deference to the law; Religious societies should not exercise civil powers; Men are justified in defending themselves and their property.

1 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.

2 We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.

3 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.

4 We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.

5 We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.

6 We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men show respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker.

7 We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.

8 We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.

9 We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.

10 We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world’s goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship.

11 We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded.

12 We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world; but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them contrary to the will and wish of their masters, nor to meddle with or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.

The Purifying Power of Gethsemane

2008-05-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

In answer to those who claim that Mormons are not Christian.

This was the last Conference address given by Bruce R. McConkie prior to his death in April 1985.

Reflections on the soul.

2008-05-16T08:37:00.001-07:00

Upon reflection of my own life I am forced to exclaim "Oh, retched and vile man what has God to do with you?" And indeed what has he to do with me? What do I know of this Christ, Jesus, who lived almost two thousand years ago? If he still lives today he has not spoken to or visited me. What know I of Adam, the first man? According to the records he died even before the great flood, and what of this flood? Did Noah really survive in the belly of an ark? Indeed what do I know of any of these things except what I have heard my parents testify and the testimonies of others? Only I do know this that when I speak of this Christ, of his sacrifice for the good of man; when I speak of my spirit and its ability to live on after death; when I speak the heavens and the notion that I lived with our God before being born on this earth; something resonates deep with in me. My heart is filled with deep emotion and I am forced to exclaim that it is true. I know that it is true.

Ben Stein: Expelled/ No Intelligence Allowed

2008-04-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

I don't normally do movie reviews but I just went to see this movie and I have to comment. Already there are tons of critics saying that the film manipulates and distorts the facts, but I found nothing of the sort. It provides an alternative point of view on the subject of the origin of life. For those who believe that the subject is finished and over they have a very rude awakening. Without actually having been there at the initial creation of life there is no way of knowing what happened, no matter how advanced science may become. It is always the best "educated guess". I recommend this movie highly.

Truth

2008-01-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

I love truth! There is much debate in philosophy as to the identity of truth. I would like to give my own definition of truth. Truth is the state of things as they have, do, and will exist. Much of what we call true is based on our perceptions. Truth can not change. Our perceptions of the truth may change but not truth itself. Truth can not be changed due to time, because truth relates to the actual existence of something in the time that it exists. It is impossible for people to define actual truth because it is impossible to perceive everything at once, but when people generally speak of truth it is their perceptions that they are referring to. In the same instance it is imposable to define future truth. No one can accurately describe what the future will be. There are to many variables involved. Still we may know that future truth exists because all things are in perpetual motion.

Let me use an example to illustrate. A young boy goes into a candy store and takes a candy bar. He eats the candy bar and is caught. The mother returns to the store with the boy and pays for the candy bar. Truth, the boy went into the store and took candy that did not belong to him. When he was caught he was not in the process of stealing, yet he did steal the candy in the past. If we applied many of the theories of truth we could say that because no one perceived him taking the candy bar he never took it. Or we could say that if everyone agreed that the candy was never taken that it never happened. This is of course ridiculous. The candy was eaten and no longer exists as a candy bar. No one was able to perceive that the boy would have stolen the candy or they would have stopped him. Thus the future was unknown. In the past the candy bar did exist. In the present the candy bar does not exist. No ones' perceptions effected events but the events did help to change the individuals’ perceptions.

For some reason people seem to fear the truth. People are more than happy being ignorant of all events not directly affecting them. Others seem to enjoy distorting other people’s perceptions of the truth. Some try to control people by manipulating perceptions. Others demand that everyone should view the world the way that they do. I simply enjoy learning. I love to be right, but if I should learn something new I get very excited.

It is essential for making wise and informed decisions that individuals have as large a perspective as possible. Perceptions can be dangerous things, for it is from our perceptions that people act or react. To act on a false perception can mean great danger for ourselves and others. I can not recall how many times this point has been emphasised in Hollywood. Most of the really catchy movies or plays involve hidden plots that throw off the main character and almost always puts them into jeopardy.

If an accurate perception of the truth is so essential how do we arrive at any kind of understanding as to what the truth is? I will not answer this question, but I am going to look at a number of different ways of deriving truth and offer my opinion. I will then let the reader decide how it is best to learn "truth".

Face Value

We can accept truth as it is presented to us, at face value. Thus the quote "Seeing is believing". This is also a kind of child's understanding. It is an innocent, unquestioning type of learning that a lot of people exercise out of trust. This method is effective if the source of "truth" is dependable and accurate. More often than not, most sources are not dependable and are based on other unknown sources. Many sources of knowledge are created with the intent to deceive. This makes it extremely hard to rely on face value as a practical source of truth. Still, this is the source that a good majority of people use.

Searching Judgment

We can search out the sources. Today more than ever there are infinite resources available to us. Looking for the source of some small bit of information can sometimes be like the needle in the hay stack. It can be worth it if by determining the source of the information we can determine the authors intent. In order to use this tool effectively we need judgment.

Judgment is based on experiences, whether ours or someone else's. It is the old trial and error method. Based on experiences from the past it can be determined what will occur in the future. These predictions are not always accurate because as stated earlier there are too many variables involved.

Scientific Method

The scientific method is the intellectual method for finding truth. The steps are easy to follow. First, develop a hypothesis based on a general observations. Once you have a hypothesis try to disprove or explain it using experimentation. After a series of experiments the results are used to create a Theory. If in the results observations are made that is so hard to disprove that it resembles a fact then it is considered a law. Laws are often used to explain theories. The problem for scientific method is that there is no absolute truth. Even laws are subject to scrutiny. In order to remedy the uncertainty and to better justify their own theories many scientists resort to a different kind of scientific method. In stead of trying to disprove their hypothesis they resort to every means conceivable to prove it true, and discount any opposing views as false. However, so long as the scientific method accepts the limitations of human observation there will always be varying opinions within the scientific community.

Faith

Faith truth is probably the most common form of truth finding. It is the opinion of truth based solely on an emotion. Faith truth is found in the religious as well as the non-religious. Whenever anybody holds to an ideal or principle simply because it feels right to them they are exercising faith truth. Of all forms of truth faith truth is the strongest. People have a far greater tendency to act on their emotions than they do to act on their reason. The greatest trouble with faith truth is the vast conflict of emotions that human beings are capable of. Those who let their emotions direct their actions are often unstable and hard to predict. They change their actions quickly and always reflect by saying, "It felt good at the time." Some exercise a little more control by focusing on certain key emotions such as joy, excitement, fear, or anger. They let these key emotions be the triggers for acting out in some way that is justifiable to them. Most religions of the world focus on specific key emotions as sources for truth. Among the more popular faiths calm, peace, and serenity are focal points. Many teach that fear is a good way of knowing if something is wrong.

Intellectuals often look at faith truth as nonsense, and ridiculously simple. I disagree by pointing out that it is simple human nature and many of the intellectuals use the same feelings to guide their research. Little is understood about human feelings. Psychology tries to explain it but with little success. I look at it in much the same way as the four senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch. Each sense is very complex but very useful in building our perceptions of the world around us. Nor are they perfect, but in fact very limited. Something might look smooth and wet, but until you touched it with your hands you would never know that it was sticky and dry. I feel the inner emotions are another type of sense. They can give use guidance, but they need to be used properly. Nor can we depend solely on emotions alone to guide us.

I personally believe that God is the source of knowledge or truth. He gave us eyes to see, ears to hear, fingers to write, and minds to understand. He has the perspective that can see things as they exist past, present, and future. Why he does not just reveal it to us is because he desires for us to seek it. He wants us to seek after him. Then in seeking we can find. I try to follow the council from my church which says, as though God were speaking, "...study it out in your mind; and then ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought...".

2007-12-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

I would like to write in the defense of my faith. There has been much in the media lately about Mormonism and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, especially with regards to Mitt Romney. Yet I continually hear one misconception after another. Last night I heard a talk show host, proclaiming to have a doctrinal understanding of my church, constantly criticize its doctrines with commonly held misconceptions. I would like to address some of those misconceptions. However, I would like for it to be clearly understood that I speak as a matter of personal conviction and not as an official representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

First the term “Mormon”

I would like people to understand that this term is a very general or broad term. It is applied to any person who believes in The Book of Mormon. There are in fact many different sects that proclaim this belief. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an entity unto itself. It is very distinct and stands apart from all other churches proclaiming a belief in the Book of Mormon. Because of the Church's large growth and long-standing presence it is common for anyone hearing the term Mormon to associate it with this church. This association often causes confusion when other religious sects are put in the spotlight.

Second the term “Christian”

This is also a very broad term that has had many different definitions applied to it. The term comes from early Rome when members of a Jewish sect called “The Way” were negatively referred to as Christians because they chose to follow Christ. Followers of this early faith took the name upon them gladly, feeling it a blessing to be persecuted in the name of their God. Similarly, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gladly take his name upon themselves as is evidenced in nearly every thing that they do. So it is offensive to them when other self-proclaimed Christian sects tell them that they are not Christians. Their reasons for this are doctrinal. The accusations are based on a difference of interpretation of the scriptures and are meant more as a personal attack against the beliefs of Latter-day Saints than any actual definitive description of what a Christian is. It seems very arrogant to me that a religious sect claims the authority to tell another religious sect what they do and do not believe. But, this is the nature of many religions.

It is also inevitable that there should be differences in scriptural interpretation. All religions must claim the truth or else all religions would be false. Therefore, in order to have the truth you must proclaim that all other religions are false. Maybe they have parts of the truth, but in order for your faith to be correct you must assume that other faiths are incorrect. Without an established doctrine, a Church is of little value and its members will do just as well to seek out their own beliefs in their own way, and many today do.

Many of the evangelicals claim to be nondenominational but they teach some very distinct doctrines. If they were truly nondenominational it would matter very little what other churches taught or believed. Basically I took the long way of saying that I find it very unfair that they set the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apart as being unchristian when there are so many sects in Christianity with differing doctrines. I would now like to address some of the differences in doctrines.

Faith versus Works

I had the opportunity to talk about this issue with a man from an evangelic faith. We spent about three hours discussing this topic back and forth until we finally resolved that we were talking about the exact same thing only from different perspectives. “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that we are saved after we have done all that we can do.” This is a very narrow and misleading statement of the church's doctrines regarding salvation. My understanding of many of the Baptist and Evangelical teachings is that you are saved by accepting Jesus Christ, and then the Holy Spirit, working in your life, will be reflected in your works. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that baptism is the outward expression of accepting Christ into your life - and that accepting Christ is a continual process that requires the Holy Spirit and is expressed in the performance of good works. Latter-day Saints accept the grace of Christ as the ultimate means of salvation. We do not believe it is possible to perform good works without it.

The Holy Trinity

Probably the greatest doctrinal difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Christian religions is the theology of the Holy Trinity. Latter-day Saints knowledge of the God Head is based primarily on the vision of their founding prophet Joseph Smith. In his vision he saw God the Supreme Creator standing next to Jesus Christ. Through following revelations Jesus Christ introduced himself as Jehovah the God of the Old Testament and the creator of all things under the direction of our Eternal Father, the creator of our spirits. There are many scriptures in the Bible that support this doctrine depending on your interpretation. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity comes from the Nicene Creed which states:

“We believe in one God, the Father,

the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son

he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism

for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

From this start and several other subsequent councils a doctrine was gradually accepted that Jesus Christ and his Holy Father, whom he spoke to in the grove, were the same person. Since the Latter-day Saints reject this image of our creator, choosing to interpret the Holy Bible differently, many of the other Christian faiths consider them to again be unchristian. If we ask any religious sect what is the correct interpretation of the scriptures they will almost always say theirs is.

As Man is God once was, As God is Man may become

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bases this doctrine off of their interpretation of biblical scripture.

Genesis 5:1 God created men, in the image of God created he him. 1 John 3:2 when he shall appear we shall be like him. Acts 17:29 we are the offspring of God. St John 17: 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Again this is our interpretation of these scriptures that through the grace of Christ we can be brought into the presence of God. We believe that in order to return to him we must be perfected as he is perfect. This is a goal that is not obtainable in this life through our own works, but that Christ brings to pass through his sacrifice and resurrection. We believe that we came from the presence of God. I know of many other Christians who share this belief though there church has no official doctrine concerning it. A children’s hymn from the church says “I am a child of God, and he has sent me here. Has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear. Lead me. Guide me. Walk beside me. Help me to find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with him some day.”

Baptisms for the Dead

The key word here is “for” the dead not “of” the dead. The scriptures teach that in order to obtain salvation certain ordinances must be received. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints performs a vicarious work for the dead. By allowing individuals to represent their dead ancestors they allow those who have died to accept or reject the work that has been done for them. 1 Corinthians 15: 29 says, speaking of the resurrection “else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all.” Latter-day Saints interpret this scripture as a proclamation that early Christians performed the same practice. Other sects see this statement as a condemnation of this practice. Again it is left open to interpretation, because Paul provides no clarification.

Other Scriptures and Revelations

Many Christian sects see the end statement in the Book of Revelations (“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life”) as a reference to the entire collection of Biblical works. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognizes that men, doing the best that they could, tried to recover and retranslate the Bible into English. In the process there were many translations and there were many different Bibles. Some Bibles came with the Book of Revelations and its promise and some without it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the King James Version of the Bible. It is believed to be the best compilation of early Christian writings available through the efforts of man.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is founded on the belief that salvation comes through a direct and personal relationship with the creator. This relationship is built through the spirit as revelation to man. In order to provide guidance to men Christ reestablished his Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith has been criticized and hated from his first proclamation of a vision from the divine. He claimed visitations from God and angels. He was directed to a record hidden in the earth. The record was testified of by close individuals, three of whom later disassociated themselves from him but never denied their testimonies. He translated this record as the Book of Mormon. This book proclaims the divinity of Jesus Christ, praises the records of the Jews, reemphasizes the importance of keeping the commandments, encourages service to others, and quotes several books from the Bible as well as records not found in the Bible.

Joseph Smith also wrote down other revelations that he received from God. None of these added to or took away from the Book of Revelations or the Bible. The Bible is still the Bible, but others see additional revelations as adding to the Bible and changing the meaning of the scriptures. Again this is their interpretation.

Book of Mormon vs. Bible

The church is constantly criticized for it's belief in the Book of Mormon. As far as the world is concerned, and the other Christian religions, the Book of Mormon was made up by Joseph Smith. However, what most can agree on, whether or not they believe in Joseph Smith, is that there is no possible way that he brought it forth by himself. To this many of the Christian critics claim that he was inspired by the devil. Ok, if this is the case then I guess that the devil has decided to start encouraging people to pray, to seek to know Christ personally, to look after the widow, the hungry, the poor, the fatherless, and to read and study the Bible. Yes, the Book of Mormon encourages people to read and study the Bible as a source of inspiration from God. It is referred to as the Book of Judah because it was handed down by the Jewish people. Mormons believe in the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly". Or you could say as far as there is a correct interpretation of holy writ. They use the Book of Mormon to help clarify doctrines that are unclear from the Bible. Does this destroy the Bible? Hardly. Instead, it reinforces the doctrines taught within. People who criticize the church for adding and taking away from the Bible obviously have very little understanding of how the the book was compiled in the first place. The most widely used version has been, until recent years, the King James Version of the Bible.

King James was hated by the American colonists and was not very well liked by the British subjects. In order to win over his people he ordered the compilation and publication of the Bible for the public. Prior to this point many different Bibles had been published. All of these Bibles contained different books and in many cases different translations. Don't take my word for it, look to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has rooms filled with books that can be traced back further than those contained in the King James version of the Bible. If the Bible was so complete then why where all of these books left out? Not to mention the Dead Sea Scrolls that contained more complete writings of Isaiah than contained in King James. Surely, if condemnation was meant to come against anyone it would be those that hid these books from the world back in ancient days. Today we continue to see many different versions of the Bible with different translations and interpretations. This still leaves the question, who has the correct one? And no surprise when all of them respond "I do!".

As for the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon, there is still a lot of debate. Archeologists still know very little about the civilizations dating back past 400AD (about the time the Book of Mormon ended). They do know that great civilizations existed and there is evidence that they were connected through a system of great highways and commerce. Still there is no adequate scientific explanation as to what happened to these civilizations, and why they suddenly disappeared from off the face of the earth.

Church or Cult

“Cult” is one of those words that some like to throw around in order to offend or estrange people, like the word bigot or idiot. Webster defines a cult as:
1: formal religious veneration : worship
2: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator
5 a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b: the object of such devotion c: a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion.

Under such broad definitions you could classify all religions as cults. It is not the word here that is negative but rather the inference of a negative meaning to the word. Cults are generally regarded as being strange and secret. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seems strange only to those who refuse to associate with them. To most people who criticize the church from personal associations, they are “dull” and “old-fashioned.” They are not secretive. Rather they maintain the invitation of the savior “come and see”. People view Cults as individuals blindly following the direction of a leader without question. By this definition The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not in any way shape or form a cult. The Church teaches its’ members to be active in the communities, read books and search out new ideas, to follow the spirit when making decisions, and to be accountable for personal actions. The harshest punishment ever enforced by the church was excommunication, simply removing a person’s membership from the church. Such persons are encouraged but not coerced to make amends and be re-baptized into church membership. They receive no threats of hell or retribution. Persons wishing to remove themselves from the church can simply make a formal request to have their names taken from the records. This is discouraged but ultimately complied with upon the insistence of the individual. Latter-day Saints believe that an individual's freedom of choice is the greatest of Gods gifts to his children.

Are Mormons Racist?

I can honestly say that as an organization the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not. All races enjoy the same privileges of worship and leadership. I have attended many congregations that were mixed with different races. In the past there have been church policies that were directed at race. These policies did nothing to encourage feelings of racial hatred. Church leaders have spoken openly against such actions. It is sad to me, but I am sure that there have been members of my church and many other Christian churches that have embraced feelings of racial prejudice. In respect to prejudice I think that the world is blind. The world uses race as an explanation for cultural differences that are hard to accept. I think that if people could see past the skin and try to better understand the cultural differences these differences could be addressed in a more constructive way.

Plural Marriage

Much of the criticism directed at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in relation to the past practice of plurality of wives. This practice started in the 1800’s was not limited to Mormons, but the laws with regard to its practice were directed at Mormons. At the time of its debate there was a great deal of disunity in the east and politicians sought to build unity by exploiting the mistrust and resentment of easterners towards Mormons. This led to the persecutions that eventually brought a close to its practice. The doctrine is derived from Old Testament scriptures. There is little in regards to marriage in the New Testament other than encouragement towards fidelity. Prophets condemned the practice of concubines but not that of multiple wives. Some prophets engaged in the practice themselves. Is it a correct practice? Does its practice in any way harm society? These are good questions and should be left to the individual and God. As for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints they discontinued the practice more than a hundred years ago. They no longer support or tolerate its practice. The doctrine again is left up to interpretation but the practice of that doctrine is no longer an issue.

Temples

Much of what people regard as secret in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is derived from the practice of temple worship. The church builds temples as sacred places in which to draw closer to God. They literally consider it the house of God or a place where God’s spirit can always be felt. To go there is a very personal religious experience. In the temple members make covenants with God that reinforce their baptismal covenants. The baptismal covenants are to take upon them the name of Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments. There is nothing in the temple that cannot be found in the Bible. Latter-day Saints regard their worship in these places as sacred and holy. In order to maintain its holiness they choose not to share intimate descriptions of temple worship, but give more general and vague descriptions of temple practices. To a world where so little is regarded as holy it becomes hard for people to understand why Latter-day Saints refuse to give a description or details of their temple worship. After all, the most intimate details of marital relationships are discussed openly in break rooms. Hard personal family struggles are documented and broadcast to living rooms across the globe in order to provide good publicity to companies seeking public recognition. The name of deity has become an expression of disappointment, fear, and disbelief. Will the world take away all that is sacred to Latter-day Saints by denying them their right to worship in holy temples. Let us remember what happened when the Jewish Zealots took the temple in Jerusalem hostage. Shortly after, the siege was ended by the death of the Zealots and the destruction of Gods temple. All Jews pray for the return of their most Holy Temple and suffer the humiliation of another religion that denies them that right of worship. In this they have the complete sympathies of Latter-day Saints.

Holy Underwear

Latter-day Saints wear undergarments as a constant reminder of their covenants. It is much like the rosary or the Jewish Prayer shawl. Again, this is something personal and sacred to them. They wear them on the inside where it is closest to them. I personally feel that it is bad taste to talk openly about your underwear. I think most Christians would agree with that.

The Arrogance of the Church

Many people think of Mormons as being very proud and having a holier than thou attitude. I would agree that there are some members among our congregations that have this attitude. I don’t feel that is a condition belonging to Mormons alone. I hear atheists and agnostics all saying the same thing about Christians in general. This brings us back to the paradox of religion (if I’m right then you must be wrong). In this regard the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes a rather tolerant stance. Joseph Smith said “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” We believe that there are many Churches that teach correct principles, even the principles of salvation. We claim that the doctrines of our church are the most correct, but that it is fundamental for men to gain that knowledge on their own.

Indeed I can not address every difference of opinion here, but it is my hope to open the doors of understanding. I am grateful to those religions that offer us the arm of fellowship through religious toleration. I would hope that more people would open their hearts and come to agree that we are all here together. We must work together to build a unity that will ease the burdens of all those around us. Each must do their part that we might be a united people. When we come to this point it is my personal belief that the Spirit of the Lord will be unrestrained and we may all learn truth.

Edward N. Ellsworth IV

http://www.mormon.org/

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695233910,00.html

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/