Landmark 'Mormon Doctrine' goes out of print

Salt Lake Tribune ^ | May 21, 2010 | Peggy Fletcher Stack

[Colofornian]

After more than 50 years, Bruce R. McConkie's Mormon Doctrine, one of the most influential LDS books of the 20th century, has quietly gone out of print.

The encyclopedic explanation of LDS teachings, first published in 1958, went through 40 printings, selling hundreds of thousands of copies. Deseret Book has decided not to reprint the classic volume, said spokeswoman Gail Halladay, because of "low sales."

"The demand is no longer there," said Halladay, managing director for marketing and communications.

From the day it came off the presses, though, Mormon Doctrine, was at once wildly popular to many and deeply troubling to more than a few, even at the highest levels of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Several passages about the Roman Catholic Church and McConkie's views of blacks were seen as especially offensive.

Although McConkie, an LDS apostle who died in 1985, took sole responsibility from the start for Mormon Doctrine's content, it often was quoted over the pulpit and treated by members as quasi-official. The book, with its presumptive title, seemed to provide an answer to every question and left little room for ambiguity.

"Mormon Doctrine served two generations of the Mormon rank and file as the main authoritative source of LDS teachings," said LDS sociologist Armand Mauss. "With its authoritative tone and constant promotion from high places, it came to be regularly cited in the church curriculum, especially in [Church Educational System] materials, and soon took on almost a scriptural stature."

To assemble the volume, McConkie, son-in-law of LDS Church President Joseph Fielding Smith, drew on Mormon scriptures, prophetic sermons and commonly held beliefs. He put them together in alphabetical order and with a tone of certainty.

Still, many complained that it did not fairly reflect the diversity of opinion among Latter-day Saints and their leaders.

"The book would more accurately have been entitled, Mostly Mormon Doctrine," Mauss wrote in an e-mail from his home in Irvine, Calif.

The book was even challenged by LDS President David O. McKay, who led the church from 1951 to 1970.

McKay asked two senior apostles, Mark E. Petersen and Marion G. Romney, to review Mormon Doctrine soon after its release and propose a list of corrections, according to David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism by Gregory Prince and Robert Wright.

Petersen recommended 1,067 changes "that affected most of the 776 pages of the book," the biography says.

McKay feared that if the corrections were made, it would seriously affect McConkie's credibility, so he preferred not to see the book republished at all.

"Nonetheless, McConkie audaciously approached McKay six years later and pushed for publication of the book in a revised form," according to Prince and Wright. McKay responded that "if republished," the book should be clearly marked as McConkie's work and not an official church publication.

McConkie took that as a go-ahead, Prince and Wright wrote.

"The book became one of the all-time best-sellers in Mormondom," they wrote, "achieving the near-canonical status that McKay had fought unsuccessfully to avoid, and setting a tone of doctrinal fundamentalism, antithetical to McKay's personal philosophy, that remains a legacy of the church to this day."

McConkie came to be viewed as a leading LDS theologian. He wrote many other books, including a series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the chapter headings in Mormon scriptures, even the words to the popular LDS hymn "I Believe in Christ."

Many Mormons forever will remember his tearful and stirring final testimony at the April 1985 General Conference just weeks before dying of cancer.

"I am one of [Christ's] witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears," he said. "But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God's almighty son, that he is our savior and redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."

Prince said he "never saw anything in Bruce McConkie that was mean or un-Christian," but the LDS scientist nonetheless was "delighted" by news that Mormon Doctrine no longer would be published.

"His book," Prince said, "has done some serious damage."

In the first edition, Prince said, it was his "diatribe against the Roman Catholic Church that did the most harm, but subsequently, the real damage has been his statements about blacks."

After the LDS Church opened its all-male priesthood to blacks in 1978, McConkie deleted his previous statement predicting that never would happen. Even in the most recent edition, though, McConkie wrote that God cursed Cain with "a mark of a dark skin, and he became the ancestor of the black race."

Mauss, the sociologist, thinks the book is going out of print "none too soon, especially given the current public-relations preoccupation of the LDS Church."

The volume's continued availability after its wide distribution, he said, will "continue to provide critics of the church with an enduring basis for claiming, however unfairly, that 'Mormon doctrines' are non-Christian or anti-Christian, and that the church is a racist institution."

"Elder McConkie was an apostle and a good man but a man of his times," said Darius Gray, former president of the Genesis Branch for black Mormons. "Sadly his times included a period in this nation when not all men were judged by the content of their character but rather the color of their skin."

The gospel of Jesus Christ never has been a respecter of persons, said Gray, co-producer with Margaret Blair Young of a documentary film, "Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons."

"The LDS Church is a young church," he said, "and, as it has grown, it has become more inclusive, embracing of all God's creations."

The continual publication of Mormon Doctrine seemed to suggest an approval of the concepts and attitudes of a former time, Gray said. By not reprinting it, "a weight will have been lifted off the body of the church. We have thankfully moved on."

Excerpt from Mormon Doctrine about Noah's son Ham "HAM: Through Ham (a name meaning black) 'the blood of the Canaanites was preserved' through the flood, he having married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain. ... Ham was cursed, apparently for marrying into the forbidden lineage, and the effects of the curse passed to his son, Canaan. ... Ham's descendants include the Negroes, who originally were barred from holding the priesthood but have been able to do so since June 1978."

[Colofornian]

From the article: "Mormon Doctrine served two generations of the Mormon rank and file as the main authoritative source of LDS teachings," said LDS sociologist Armand Mauss. "With its authoritative tone and constant promotion from high places, it came to be regularly cited in the church curriculum, especially in [Church Educational System] materials, and soon took on almost a scriptural stature."..."The book became one of the all-time best-sellers in Mormondom," they wrote, "achieving the near-canonical status..."

When you have an LDS "apostle" republish a book under the close oversight of two Lds "prophets" (Lee & Kimball, 11th & 12th Lds presidents); when it gets republished again in 1979...and then twice again in '91 & '93 under the 13th Lds "prophet's" watch...and it carries this authoritative book title...then yes, no wonder it achieved "almost a scriptural stature...near-canonical status."

From the article: In the first edition, Prince said, it was his "diatribe against the Roman Catholic Church that did the most harm, but subsequently, the real damage has been his statements about blacks." After the LDS Church opened its all-male priesthood to blacks in 1978, McConkie deleted his previous statement predicting that never would happen. Even in the most recent edition, though, McConkie wrote that God cursed Cain with "a mark of a dark skin, and he became the ancestor of the black race."

Now what happens when an "apostle" makes a false prophesy for the world to see as supposedly the Lord's "sent one?" Doesn't that mean he's a false "apostle," especially when you toss in all the initial false statements McConkie made about blacks?

[reaganaut]

b4l8r

[joelt]

My memory is that the LDS church opened up the priesthood to blacks shortly after 60 Minutes ran a piece on LDS doctrine towards blacks. It caused quite a stir... I guess God changed his mind.

[svcw]

I think I recall that as well.
I am grateful that my God is the same today as He was and will be.

[Pontiac]

When you have an LDS "apostle" republish a book under the close oversight of two Lds "prophets" (Lee & Kimball, 11th & 12th Lds presidents); when it gets republished again in 1979...and then twice again in '91 & '93 under the 13th Lds "prophet's" watch...and it carries this authoritative book title...then yes, no wonder it achieved "almost a scriptural stature...near-canonical status."

Although McConkie, an LDS apostle who died in 1985, took sole responsibility from the start for Mormon Doctrine's content

McConkie died in 1985 so who was the author for the 91 and 93 editions?

[Colofornian]

My memory is that the LDS church opened up the priesthood to blacks shortly after 60 Minutes ran a piece on LDS doctrine towards blacks. It caused quite a stir... I guess God changed his mind.

Yes, and the pressure had already been mounting from several other sources. Stanford had led the way in refusing to play BYU athletically, and that was starting to catch on.

There was some major tension scenes -- like when the BYU basketball team headed to play @ New Mexico.

And there were major consequences rolling over to other teams. Like when the Wyoming football team kicked off 14 black players merely for wanting to wear black bands as a silent protest vs. BYU's policy. The football program @ Wyoming took a major dive & didn't recover for quite a while.

[Colofornian]

McConkie died in 1985 so who was the author for the 91 and 93 editions?

McConkie was. Just re-published. The reason it was re-published in '93 was a different publisher (Deseret Book). Up until then it had been Bookcraft, Mormon controlled as well -- but Deseret is owned by the Mormon church.

[Colofornian]

From the article: Mauss, the sociologist, thinks the book is going out of print "none too soon, especially given the current public-relations preoccupation of the LDS Church."

Yes. Most of the Lds general authorities are businessmen. As such, they stress PRism. And, of course, Mormonism has a tremendous amount of embarrassing teachings, false prophecies, and statements to hide, tuck away, play down, and spin. (McConkie alone is exhibit C...Exhibit B would be someone like Brigham Young...Exhibit A...Joseph Smith himself).

The Mormon leadership and Mormon faithful call this "faith-promoting" material. (Which means they wish the rest of what was produced internally by leaders would just "go away.")

[Colofornian]

Mormon Doctrine

Here are some of McConkie excerpts...
#1 No Joseph Smith, no salvation
#2 "Salvation" for Mormons = godhood
#3 We have a "Mother" god in heaven
#4 Christ was begotten by the Heavenly Father in the "same way that mortal men by begotten by mortal fathers"
#5 The Mormon jesus will bring back polygamy when he returns.

#1“It is because the Lord called Joseph Smith that salvation is again available to mortal men....If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation,” ( Mormon Doctrine, p. 396, 670)

#2"That exaltation which the saints of all ages have so devoutly sought is godhood itself" (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321).

#3“This doctrine that there is a Mother in Heaven was affirmed in plainness by the First Presidency of the Church (Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund) when, in speaking of pre-existence and the origin of man, they said that ‘man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father,’ that man is the ‘offspring of celestial parentage,’ and that ‘all men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity.’ (Man: His Origin and Destiny, pp.348-355.)” (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p. 516)

#4"These name-titles all signify that our Lord is the only Son of the Father in the flesh. Each of the words is to be understood literally. Only means only; Begotten means begotten; and Son means son. Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers." (Mormon Doctrine, p. 546).

#5”Obviously the holy practice (of polygamy) will commence again after the Second Coming of the Son of Man and the ushering in of the millennium." (Mormon Doctrine, 1966 edition, see pp. 577-579 for context

[Colofornian]

From the article: McConkie came to be viewed as a leading LDS theologian. He wrote many other books, including a series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the chapter headings in Mormon scriptures…

Here's a few excerpts from those other books:

"Christ is a saved being” (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, p 257) “Modern revelation speaks of our Lord as he that ‘ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth ‘ (D&C 88:6). Christ's rise to the throne of exaltation was preceded by his descent below all things. Only by submitting to the powers of demons and death and hell could he, in the resurrection, serve as our exemplar of a saved being, one who had placed all things beneath his feet. ‘I am Alpha and Omega,’ he said, ‘Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world. I, having accomplished and finished the will of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me—having done this that I might subdue all things unto myself—retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment.’ (D&C 19:1-2.)” (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 234)

(Please also see McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 238 where he said Jesus "Needs salvation"...”Came to earth to work out His own salvation”)

This is all antithetical to the Bible. The Biblical Jesus is THE Savior of all -- not a "saved being."
The Biblical Jesus worked out the salvation of all; He didn't need to work out the salvation of himself.

[Colofornian]

McKay asked two senior apostles, Mark E. Petersen and Marion G. Romney, to review Mormon Doctrine soon after its release and propose a list of corrections, according to David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism by Gregory Prince and Robert Wright.

Marion G. Romney...cousin to Mitt Romney's father. One of the top three in the Mormon hierarchy in the lates 50s into the 60s. The man who one time said that the Mormon church was "the way, the truth, and the life" -- thereby substituting the Mormon church for Jesus Christ, who John quoted him as saying that Jesus was "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6)

[Colofornian]

From the article: McKay feared that if the corrections were made, it would seriously affect McConkie's credibility, so he preferred not to see the book republished at all.

That's what commonly happens among Mormon leaders. When they have to wince about a Mormon general authority teaching, they just try to move on, and publicly pretend it never happened. 'Cause if they have to acknowledge it, then the credibility of the one they qre questioning -- their credibility as God's "reps" -- is seriously called into question.

But notice that minus a moral scandal, no Lds general authorities are ever demoted. (It's been just over 100 years -- early 1900s -- since a few Lds "apostles" were demoted for embracing polygamy). Otherwise, no false-teaching Mormon general authorities are never publicly chastised. Nor are their teachings ever publicly challenged as "false" by ensuing Mormon leaders. They just publicly pretend they were never uttered.

There's just one problem. We live in an Internet era. Which this generation reads. Especially the younger generation and those to come.

They will continue to find these publicly unacknowledged false utterings by Mormon general authorities.

And what then? What about the crises of faith to occur then?

[svcw]

Nicely summarized.

[CommerceComet]

In graduate school, I interacted frequently with several Mormon graduate students. One of them (who is now a professor at BYU) used to cite McConkie all the time when it suited his purposes, but would abandon him at the drop of a hat (once even calling McConkie "that clown") if the doctrine was the least bit embarassing to LDS.

Actually, as frustrating as I found those actions, they fit very well with how the LDS "church" uses McConkie. If someone likes what McConkie says, then that is the LDS position. If someone objects to McConkie's statements, it can be asserted that position isn't the official "church" position. Like plausible deniability in politics. Actually, the few times that I compared McConkie to official LDS positions, it was impossible to see any discernible difference.

[Elsie]

Still, many complained that it did not fairly reflect the diversity of opinion among Latter-day Saints and their leaders.

WHAT???

I thought there was UNITY in the fatih?

I guess THIS is why the LORD seems NOT to speak to the LIVING PROPHET® these last few decades: the 12 can't agree what the lord has said!

[Elsie]

McKay feared that if the corrections were made, it would seriously affect McConkie's credibility, so he preferred not to see the book republished at all.

BINGO!!

We have a WINNER!!

[Elsie]

 

My memory is that the LDS church opened up the priesthood to blacks shortly after 60 Minutes ran a piece on LDS doctrine towards blacks. It caused quite a stir... I guess God changed his mind.
Here ya go!

---

---

OFFICIAL DECLARATION—2

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

On September 30, 1978, at the 148th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the following was presented by President N. Eldon Tanner, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church:

 

In early June of this year, the First Presidency announced that a revelation had been received by President Spencer W. Kimball extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members of the Church. President Kimball has asked that I advise the conference that after he had received this revelation, which came to him after extended meditation and prayer in the sacred rooms of the holy temple, he presented it to his counselors, who accepted it and approved it. It was then presented to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who unanimously approved it, and was subsequently presented to all other General Authorities, who likewise approved it unanimously.

 

President Kimball has asked that I now read this letter:

 

June 8, 1978

 

To all general and local priesthood officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world:

 

Dear Brethren:

 

As we have witnessed the expansion of the work of the Lord over the earth, we have been grateful that people of many nations have responded to the message of the restored gospel, and have joined the Church in ever-increasing numbers. This, in turn, has inspired us with a desire to extend to every worthy member of the Church all of the privileges and blessings which the gospel affords.

Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God’s eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.

 

He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple. Accordingly, all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color. Priesthood leaders are instructed to follow the policy of carefully interviewing all candidates for ordination to either the Aaronic or the Melchizedek Priesthood to insure that they meet the established standards for worthiness.

 

We declare with soberness that the Lord has now made known his will for the blessing of all his children throughout the earth who will hearken to the voice of his authorized servants, and prepare themselves to receive every blessing of the gospel.

 

Sincerely yours,

Spencer W. Kimball
N. Eldon Tanner
Marion G. Romney

The First Presidency

 

Recognizing Spencer W. Kimball as the prophet, seer, and revelator, and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is proposed that we as a constituent assembly accept this revelation as the word and will of the Lord. All in favor please signify by raising your right hand. Any opposed by the same sign.

 

The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous in the affirmative.

 

Salt Lake City, Utah, September 30, 1978.

---

The Official Scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
© 2006 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Rights and use information. Privacy policy.

[Elsie]

 

 It caused quite a stir...

 

 

I would guess SO!

 

Considering THIS is how the blacks are portrayed in MORMON history...

 

---

---

 

"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind.

The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings.

This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race--that they should be the 'servant of servants', and they will be, until that curse is removed."

Brigham Young-President and second 'Prophet' of the Mormon Church, 1844-1877- Extract from Journal of Discourses.

---

---

Here are two examples from their 'other testament', the Book of Mormon.

  2 Nephi 5: 21    'And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.'

  Alma 3: 6    'And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men.'

---

---

 

August 27, 1954 in an address at Brigham Young University (BYU), Mormon Elder, Mark E Peterson, in speaking to a convention of teachers of religion at the college level, said:

"The discussion on civil rights, especially over the last 20 years, has drawn some very sharp lines. It has blinded the thinking of some of our own people, I believe. They have allowed their political affiliations to color their thinking to some extent.I think I have read enough to give you an idea of what the Negro is after."

"He is not just seeking the opportunity of sitting down in a cafe where white people eat. He isn't just trying to ride on the same streetcar or the same Pullman car with white people. It isn't that he just desires to go to the same theater as the white people. From this, and other interviews I have read, it appears that the Negro seeks absorption with the white race. He will not be satisfied until he achieves it by intermarriage."

"That is his objective and we must face it. We must not allow our feelings to carry us away, nor must we feel so sorry for Negroes that we will open our arms and embrace them with everything we have. Remember the little statement that we used to say about sin, 'First we pity, then endure, then embrace'...."

(Rosa Parks would have probably told Petersen under which wheel of the bus he should go sit.)

---

---

 1967, (then) Mormon President Ezra Taft Benson said,

"The Communist program for revolution in America has been in progress for many years and is far advanced. First of all, we must not place the blame upon Negroes. They are merely the unfortunate group that has been selected by professional Communist agitators to be used as the primary source of cannon fodder."

---

---

We are told that on June 8, 1978, it was 'revealed' to the then president, Spencer Kimball, that people of color could now gain entry into the priesthood.

According to the church, Kimball spent many long hours petitioning God, begging him to give worthy black people the priesthood. God finally relented.

---

---

Sometime before the 'revelation' came to chief 'Prophet' Spencer Kimball in June 1978, General Authority, Bruce R McConkie had said:

"The Blacks are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty.

The Negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow there from, but this inequality is not of man's origin, it is the Lord's doings."

(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 526-527).

---

---

When Mormon 'Apostle' Mark E Petersen spoke on 'Race Problems- As they affect the Church' at the BYU campus in 1954, the following was also said:

"...if the negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory."

---

---

When Mormon 'Prophet' and second President of the Church, Brigham Young, spoke in 1863 the following was also said:

"Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God is death on the spot. This will always be so."

(Journal of Discourses, Vo. 10, p. 110)

[Elsie]

 

 One of them (who is now a professor at BYU) used to cite McConkie all the time when it suited his purposes, but would abandon him at the drop of a hat (once even calling McConkie "that clown") if the doctrine was the least bit embarassing to LDS.

 

 

Was is THIS fellow?

---

---

 

 

 

Professor Robert Millet        teaching at the Mission Prep Club in 2004  http://newsnet.byu.edu/video/18773/  <-- Complete and uneditted

---

 

 

Timeline...    Subject...

 

0:59            "Anti-Mormons..."

1:16            "ATTACK the faith you have..."

2:02           "We really aren't obligated to answer everyone's questions..."

3:57           "You already know MORE about God and Christ and the plan of salvation than any who would ATTACK you."

[CommerceComet]

No. That's not the one. I haven't seen my friend in about 10 years but I'm guessing that the hairline is now the same.

"We really aren't obligated to answer everyone's questions..."

Of course. I mean, what does the Apostle Peter know anyway? "Be ready always to give an answer for the hope that lies within us" apparently doesn't apply for Mormons. No wonder Mormons are troubled by the Bible - it is just too easy to refute them by knowing your Bible.

"You already know MORE about God and Christ and the plan of salvation than any who would ATTACK you."

Boy, unless this guy repents, he is in for an eternal surprise. Is there anything more chilling than the thought of Jesus looking at you and saying: "Depart from me, I never knew you"?

I could only take a little bit of this nonsense but I get the idea that because Mormons face opposition on the BOM, temple activities, the true "church", etc., their message must be true in this guy's opinion. How convenient! If you support my idea, I'm right and if you oppose my ideas, it proves I'm right.