Posted on 05/12/2010 6:53:06 PM PDT by delacoert
Mormonism is essentially a sacramental religion, defined by ordinance and ritual more than doctrine or belief. Any effort to define “Mormon doctrine” is fraught with difficulty and virtually certain of error, although one might venture that the “belief” portion of the temple recommend interview defines doctrine.[1] As Edward Kimball says, “Church history shows that General Authorities frequently declare, clarify, refine, and qualify interpretations of doctrine, but these statements generally constitute only informed opinion.”[2]
On the other hand, there are numerous statements, writings and beliefs that have been put forward as doctrine, or believed as doctrine, at one time or by some people, that we can be fairly confident are not doctrine. We have somewhat more confidence about what is not doctrine than what is.
Only half-jokingly, one might start with the obvious-to-most-adult-Mormons statement that your high school seminary teacher was not a reliable source of doctrine.
So what do we know is not doctrine? Here is a short collection of ideas about “doctrines” we might reject, meant to invite comment and addendum. These are presented in no particular order, although the inspiration for this investigation is chapter 11 of Lengthen Your Stride, which depicts Spencer W. Kimball’s contributions to the discussion of doctrine and even more “not” doctrine.
A. Neither ‘Man, His Origin and Destiny’ by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, nor ‘Mormon Doctrine’ by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, is an official publication of the Church.[3]
B. Despite numerous requests (and positions stated or implied in the publications noted in A above), the Church has never taken a definitive position on the matter of organic evolution.
C. “We denounce [the Adam-God Theory] and hope that everyone will be cautioned against this and other kinds of false doctrine.”[4]
D. Other churches are not all wrong. “The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.”[5]
E. References to blood atonement (leaving aside the atonement of Christ), if understood as applying to modern circumstances, ‘do not . . . represent the official stand of the Church.’[6]
F. Elder McConkie’s talk at BYU on “The Seven Deadly Heresies” (including acceptance of organic evolution, a belief that God progresses in knowledge, and the idea that progression from kingdom to kingdom in the afterlife is possible) were Elder McConkie’s personal views and not doctrine.[7]
G. The Joseph Smith Translation is “not the official Bible of the Church.” It is “interesting,” a “fruitful source,” and an “invaluable aid to biblical interpretation and understanding.”[8]
H. Church policy set in 1967 allowing only Melchizedek or Aaronic Priesthood holders to pray in sacrament meetings had no scriptural basis and should be abandoned.[9]
I. The practice of polygamy after 1890 is not in accord with the teachings of the Church.[10]
J. There is no ban on priesthood ordination of Black men after 1978.[11]
K. There is no authoritative or doctrinal explanation why the ordination of Black men was not allowed before 1978.
L. There is not an absolute prohibition on abortion.[12]
M. The Lectures on Faith are not doctrine.[13]
| [1] | In modern form the belief questions are: “(1) Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost? (2) Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer? (3) Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days? (4) Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?” These four questions are, of course, not wholly self-defining and lend themselves to a number of interpretations. |
| [2] | Lengthen Your Stride, The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, by Edward Kimball (Deseret Book 2005), at page 95. |
| [3] | Letters and journal entries from President David O. McKay in 1959 and 1960, among other sources. |
| [4] | Spencer W. Kimball at October General Conference in 1976. |
| [5] | Statement by the First Presidency on February 15, 1978. |
| [6] | Bruce R. McConkie, in 1977, responding to a question at the request of the First Presidency. |
| [7] | Lengthen Your Stride at page 101 and clarification in the version published in 1980 BYU Speeches of the Year, changing “we” to “I” and saying “my reasoning causes me to conclude.” |
| [8] | Quotes from the dictionary included in the LDS edition of the Bible. |
| [9] | Priesthood Bulletin 3, no. 3 (July/August 1967). |
| [10] | Official Declaration 1. |
| [11] | Official Declaration 2. |
| [12] | General Handbook of Instructions, which describes certain exceptions where abortion could be the better choice. |
| [13] | Not included in the 1979 and 1981 editions of the standard works. Ed Kimball notes in Lengthen Your Stride that inclusion was proposed at that time but not approved, and that “Several studies had recently concluded that Sidney Rigdon was the principal author of the lectures.” |
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May God bless you, Friend.
OK, translated from Resty-ese, I think than means "I have said many times how sad I am for those who lack discernment because of their lack of faith in the Holy Spirit."
Is that fair? - I try hard not to mind read.
So, now I have to figure out what it MEANS.
First let's define terms.
1) Holy Spirit: Now to me, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, an aspect of the One God. He "indwells" (lives inside) every born-again Christian. He will never leave you. He is the reason that we no longer need temples on earth. God used to live in the Jewish Temple but now He lives in every born-again saved Christian.
To a real Christian, when one says "The Holy Spirit", it means "the Holy Sprit of God". Not a little pet spirit, but the Spirit of God himself.
Check this link to learn more about God's Holy Spirit.
Is this the Holy Spirit of whom you are speaking?
You speak like like a traditional Christian in many ways yet are in love with a most Unchristian cult that distorts the very nature of Christ for its own purpose and slanders his name with almost every pronouncement of its “prophets” as well as the staement of the vast majority of LDS members here on FR who constantly argue FOR works as a path to salvation.
It is lucky I guess that the LDS allow their marks to retain what elements of their old faith they feel comfortable with in order to maintain that membership.
Comes with the flexibility of what the LDS refer to as “doctrine”.
This is a Mormon run site, so your alleged “money grubing antis” aren't here, just Mormon fact. You may want to study up for a change. What I said is clearly supported.
http://www.jefflindsay.com/faith_works.html
And tell us all how your bishop reacts when you tell him NO.
Furthermore, you are breaking the Savior’s Heart with your anti Mormon propaganda.
Not in the least Saundra - mormons are the ones abusing the name of the Savior and defiling His all sufficient sacrifical death.
There are no paid clergy in the LDS Church. We are all volunteers.
That must be why lsd inc. can spend billions of dollars on a downtown shopping mall complex in slc eh? It is established that your president, GAs, seventies, etc recieve church money. That doesn't include the money that is laundered through the different board of directors they sit on (gee - how many boards did the first disciples sit on?). Or are you regressing to the 'hirlings of Satan' attitude?
Given your lack of knowledge of your own faith and your vitriolic protestations that bear no relation to reality I am not surprised you would make such a crazy and unsubstantiated claim.
I know of none of us who profit from this exercise in any way shape or form except the feeling we get knowing we have defended the True Christ from another one of the cult created also rans.
The fact that a few have been lead away from the dead end that is the LDS is a happy bonus as well.
I've a couple hunting buddies over there........
Thanks-
First, who communicates the calling to you?
Second, what happens if you say........no. No, I'm busy. No, I'm tired. No, I'll miss American Idol. No, I don't like babies. No, my feet hurt. No, I feel called to do something on my own that nobody else needs to know about. No, I just don't want to.
That’s a quote from another poster to which I was responding.
HEY! WE CAN GET PAID TO POST MORMON DOCTRINE ON THE INTERNET? WHO'S HOLDING OUT ON ME? I WANT SOME OF THAT, LOL!
One is a LDS member saying anything about money.
But they do give away 6 million a year....or some paltry number like that.
Duffy...you would be better served to find out where the rest of that money is goin.g. Ask your bishop......Let me know how that goes!
Thanks
P.S. If you need help...get back to me........
As the base article points out - not even your living mouth piece of Gods - the prophet know what they are talking about either - everything is just their 'opinion'. So what do you REALLY know saundra? Did God have a God, and that God a God too, ad infinitum? When do you know that you have done "all that you can do" in order to earn grace? If mormons reject polygamy, why is D&C Sect 132 still in existance? Are you willing to share your husband in heaven with other 'wives'? Long on the anti-mormon rant, short on what mormons believe.
Ducks....believe or not.
Looks like someone cancelled Saundra's reality check, or I'm not getting my cut either!
To refresh I said, which you did not address, except a portion:
Working for (in the Name of) the Lord is NOT the same as works for salvation.
For a person who claims to have worked for YWAM, I am at a loss to figure out how you do not know that.
Salvation is a gift.
The important part of my post to you was this: Working for (in the Name of) the Lord is NOT the same as works for salvation
LDS teaches salvation is attained by works.
As a non-LDS you cannot translate it correctly. (ie spin it just right)
So, what do they do with all that money?
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