The LDS, however, are in lock-step with the organization of the Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Remember the quote from the 1945 Improvement Era - “when the prophet speaks, the thinking has been done.”
Sure I rememebr I was almost 1 years old!:)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Office of the First Presidency
Salt Lake City, Utah
December 7, 1945
Dr. J. Raymond Cope
First Unitarian Society
13th East at 6th South Street
Salt Lake City, Utah
My dear Dr. Cope:
I have read with interest and deep concern your letter of November 16, 1945, in which you make special comment on “a short religious editorial prepared by one of your (our) leaders entitled “Sustaining the General Authorities of the Church’”. You say that you read the message with amazement, and that you have since been disturbed because of its effect upon members of the Church.
I am gratified with the spirit of friendliness that pervades your letter, and thank you for having taken the time to write to me.
The leaflet to which you refer, and from which you quote in your letter, was not “prepared” by “one of our leaders.” However, one or more of them inadvertently permitted the paragraph to pass uncensored. By their so doing, not a few members of the Church have been upset in their feelings, and General Authorities have been embarrassed.
I am pleased to assure you that you are right in your attitude that the passage quoted does not express the true position of the Church. Even to imply that members of the Church are not to do their own thinking is grossly to misrepresent the true ideal of the Church, which is that every individual must obtain for himself a testimony of the truth of the Gospel, must, through the redemption of Jesus Christ, work out his own salvation, and is personally responsible to His Maker for his individual acts. The Lord Himself does not attempt coercion in His desire and effort to give peace and salvation to His children. He gives the principles of life and true progress, but leaves every person free to choose or to reject His teachings. This plan the Authorities of the Church try to follow.
The Prophet Joseph Smith once said: “I want liberty of thinking and believing as I please.” This liberty he and his successors in the leadership of the Church have granted to every other member thereof.
On one occasion in answer to the question by a prominent visitor how he governed his people, the Prophet answered: “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.”
Again, as recorded in the History of the Church (Volume 5, page 498 [499] Joseph Smith said further: “If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way.”
I cite these few quotations, from many that might be given, merely to confirm your good and true opinion that the Church gives to every man his free agency, and admonishes him always to use the reason and good judgment with which God has blessed him.
In the advocacy of this principle leaders of the Church not only join congregations in singing but quote frequently the following:
“Know this, that every soul is free
To choose his life and what he’ll be,
For this eternal truth is given
That God will force no man to heaven.”
Again I thank you for your manifest friendliness and for your expressed willingness to cooperate in every way to establish good will and harmony among the people with whom we are jointly laboring to bring brotherhood and tolerance.
Faithfully yours,
[Geo. Albert Smith [signed]
BTW
The truth has set me free the day I left the Mainstream church!
Interesting. Nevertheless, that does not explain how “free thinkers” are often excommunicated. I know the LDS believe they have free thought and are not controlled (I did when I was LDS), but from the outside looking in, they are very controlled.
The LDS have their people in chains, chains under the guise of “service” and salvation by works.
I am sorry that you feel the LDS has freed you, for instead it enslaves.
I testify that ONLY CHRIST of the Bible can free you, and He is nowhere to be found in the LDS. Until you surrender to Him, and HIM ALONE (NOT A CHURCH - I REPEAT - SALVATION IS NOT IN ANY DENOMINATION, IT IS IN CHRIST), you cannot not know freedom.
In the name of MY LORD, MY SAVIOR and MY GOD, JESUS CHRIST, AMEN!
So you left unitarianism for mormonism - one cult to another.
If ANY mormon can agree with this, and CONTINUE to follow each and every one of the rules, regulations, suggestions, urgings and hints delivered from the great ediface at One Temple Square; then they are beyond MY reaching them.
"This kind come out ONLY by prayer and fasting."