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− | | | + | |L=Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 1 |
− | | | + | |H=Response to claims in "Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile" |
− | + | |T=Watchman Fellowship | |
− | + | |A=Rick Branch | |
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− | | | + | |>=[[../Section 2|Claims made in "Hinckley Claims LDS Worship Different Christ"]] |
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− | + | {{ChartWatchmanSection1}} | |
− | = | + | <onlyinclude> |
− | + | {{H2 | |
− | ===== ===== | + | |L=Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 1 |
− | {{ | + | |H=Response to claims in "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile" by Watchman Fellowship |
+ | |S= | ||
+ | |L1=Response to claim: Joseph was told during the First Vision that "all the Christian Church's doctrines 'were an abomination'" | ||
+ | |L2=Response to claim: Mormonism is a "polytheistic religion," because of the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate personages | ||
+ | |L3=Response to claim: According to Joseph Smith, God "was once a man like us" | ||
+ | |L4=Response to claim: Brigham Young said that the birth of Jesus Christ "was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action" | ||
+ | |L5=Response to claim: Jesus "is the brother of Lucifer" | ||
+ | |L6=Response to claim: Latter-day Saints make a distinction between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit | ||
+ | |L7=Response to claim: "every worthy male, according to the standards of Mormonism, will become a god and rule over their own planet" | ||
+ | |L8=Response to claim: There is a "Mother God" | ||
+ | |L9=Response to claim: We are all spiritual offspring of our Heavenly Father and Mother, and we once lived in the pre-existence | ||
+ | |L10=Response to claim: "Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence" | ||
+ | |L11=Response to claim: salvation or exaltation "is based on one's own good works or merit" | ||
+ | |L12=Response to claim: Latter-day Saint consider the Bible "suspect due to its many errors and missing parts" | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | </onlyinclude> | ||
+ | ==Response to claim: Joseph was told during the First Vision that "all the Christian Church's doctrines 'were an abomination'"== | ||
+ | {{IndexClaimItemShort | ||
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
The authors claim that Joseph was told during the First Vision that "all the Christian Church's doctrines 'were an abomination'." | The authors claim that Joseph was told during the First Vision that "all the Christian Church's doctrines 'were an abomination'." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #Joseph Smith - History 19, Pearl of Great Price. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{disinformation| | ||
+ | This is false. Joseph was told that the "creeds" were an abomination, not all the doctrines taught. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Latter-day Saints believe that no genuine Christians exist outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: Mormonism is a "polytheistic religion," because of the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate personages== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
The authors claim that Mormonism is a "polytheistic religion," because of the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate personages. | The authors claim that Mormonism is a "polytheistic religion," because of the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate personages. | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 370. | |
*McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', pp. 576-577. | *McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', pp. 576-577. | ||
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{disinformation| | ||
+ | This is false. The Saints believe that God is "one," but understand this oneness differently than creedal trinitarians. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Are Mormons polytheists because they don't accept the Nicene Creed?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: According to Joseph Smith, God "was once a man like us"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
According to Joseph Smith, God "was once a man like us." | According to Joseph Smith, God "was once a man like us." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #''History of the Church'', 6:305 | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{information}} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Does the doctrine that God has a physical body contradict the Bible?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: Brigham Young said that the birth of Jesus Christ "was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
Brigham Young said that the birth of Jesus Christ "was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action." | Brigham Young said that the birth of Jesus Christ "was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=8|disc=27|start=115}} | |
*McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', 742. | *McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', 742. | ||
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{misinformation|Just because Brigham Young expressed his opinion on this matter does not make it Church doctrine.}} | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Mormons believe that Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: Jesus "is the brother of Lucifer"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
Jesus "is the brother of Lucifer." | Jesus "is the brother of Lucifer." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #Milton Hunter, ''The Gospel Through the Ages, 15. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{propaganda | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Latter-day Saints consider Jesus to be the brother of Satan?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: Latter-day Saints make a distinction between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
Latter-day Saints make a distinction between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit. | Latter-day Saints make a distinction between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit. | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', pp. 752. | |
− | | | + | }} |
− | + | {{misinformation|}} | |
+ | In the source cited above (McConkie's ''Mormon Doctrine''), the author notes that the term "Holy Spirit" "is a synonym for the Holy Ghost, that Spirit entity or personage of Spirit who is a member of the godhead." But, two other scriptural uses of the term include the spirit of Christ that entered His physical body, and the power or influence of Christ generally. | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: "every worthy male, according to the standards of Mormonism, will become a god and rule over their own planet"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
The authors state the "every worthy male, according to the standards of Mormonism, will become a god and rule over their own planet." The authors state that women are excluded. | The authors state the "every worthy male, according to the standards of Mormonism, will become a god and rule over their own planet." The authors state that women are excluded. | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #Joseph Fielding Smith, ''Doctrines of Salvation'' 2:48. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{propaganda| | ||
+ | Men cannot be exalted without women; women cannot be exalted without men. The critics ignore the fact that human deification (''theosis'') is a prominent biblical teachings and found among the early Christians. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Mormon men believe that they will become "gods of their own planets" and rule over others?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: There is a "Mother God"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
There is a "Mother God." | There is a "Mother God." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #Joseph Fielding Smith, ''Answers to Gospel Questions'' 3:143-144. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{information}} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Latter-day Saints believe in a female divine person, a "Heavenly Mother" as counterpart to God, the Heavenly Father?}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: We are all spiritual offspring of our Heavenly Father and Mother, and we once lived in the pre-existence== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
We are all spiritual offspring of our Heavenly Father and Mother, and we once lived in the pre-existence. | We are all spiritual offspring of our Heavenly Father and Mother, and we once lived in the pre-existence. | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine'', p. 589. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{information| | ||
+ | This is an [http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,FF.html accurate] reflection of LDS belief. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Source:Gospel Topics:Becoming Like God:Our theology begins with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them}} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: "Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
The authors claim that "Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence." | The authors claim that "Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #Melvin J. Ballard, ''Three Degrees of Glory'', p. 21. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{disinformation| | ||
+ | This claim is false; the critics cite an author from 1922—and here he makes it clear he is only expressing his opinion: "I am convinced." This idea has since been repeatedly repudiated by leaders of the Church. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Source:Gospel Topics:Race and the Priesthood:2013:Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor }} | ||
− | == | + | ==Response to claim: salvation or exaltation "is based on one's own good works or merit"== |
− | {{ | + | {{IndexClaimItemShort |
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
The authors claim that salvation or exaltation "is based on one's own good works or merit." | The authors claim that salvation or exaltation "is based on one's own good works or merit." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #Lowell Bennion, "The Religion of the Latter-day Saints," p. 160. | |
*''Church News'', October 8, 1988, p. 23. | *''Church News'', October 8, 1988, p. 23. | ||
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{misinformation|}} | ||
+ | Neither the ''Church News'' nor Bennion's manual from 1940 are canonized doctrinal sources. | ||
− | == | + | The Book of Mormon teaches that "here is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah...." ({{s|2|Nephi|2|8}}). |
− | {{ | + | |
+ | That said, the Bible, Book of Mormon, and other LDS scripture teach that we must exercise faith, accept Christ, repent, be baptized, and endure to the end to be saved. These are "good works"—they do not save us, but signal our sincerity and willingness to follow Jesus. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Mormons ignore the doctrine of grace at the expense of "works"?}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Response to claim: Latter-day Saint consider the Bible "suspect due to its many errors and missing parts"== | ||
+ | {{IndexClaimItemShort | ||
+ | |title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile | ||
|claim= | |claim= | ||
The authors claim that Latter-day Saint consider the Bible "suspect due to its many errors and missing parts." | The authors claim that Latter-day Saint consider the Bible "suspect due to its many errors and missing parts." | ||
− | |authorsources= | + | |authorsources=<br> |
− | + | #''Articles of Faith'' No. 8, ''Ensign'' January 1989, pp. 25, 27. | |
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}} | }} | ||
+ | {{disinformation| | ||
+ | The article of faith says only that LDS believe the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly." LDS are not bound by transmission or translation errors by non-prophetic authors. They are not scriptural inerrantists. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{:Question: Do Mormons believe that the Bible has less value because it contains errors?}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{endnotes sources}} | ||
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+ | |||
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+ | <!-- PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> |
A FAIR Analysis of: Watchman Fellowship, a work by author: Rick Branch
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Claims made in "Hinckley Claims LDS Worship Different Christ" |
Claim Evaluation |
Watchman Fellowship |
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Jump to details:
The authors claim that Joseph was told during the First Vision that "all the Christian Church's doctrines 'were an abomination'."Author's sources:
- Joseph Smith - History 19, Pearl of Great Price.
Critics of the Church point out that Joseph Smith's First Vision told him:
They argue that this commits the Latter-day Saints to the view that no genuine Christians existed or exist outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [2]
Latter-day Saints believe in a universal institutional apostasy. As a result of that institutional apostasy, present-day Christians are the victims, not perpetrators of it. They or their churches are not responsible for the loss or corruption of doctrines and authority to which they never had access.
Non-LDS Christians are perfectly capable of being "humble followers of Christ," whose remaining errors persist only because they have not yet had the benefit of on-going revelation by authorized servants. They have much that is true and valuable, and if they heed the Holy Ghost, will be guided to an even fuller acceptance of the truth of Christ which can only be known by revelation.
The Latter-day Saint understanding of "apostasy" is heavily weighted toward the concept of divine authority. In the LDS view, the loss of the apostles and the apostolic authority virtually assured the onset of the apostasy. There is clear biblical evidence that challenges to the apostles' teachings and authority occurred even while they were alive. With the death of the apostles, such efforts would have gone unchecked.
With the loss of authority, error will inevitably creep into religious belief and practice, since only revelation can reveal God's will. Even well-intentioned human reason and study of the scripture has not produced a consensus, but thousands of competing beliefs and denominations.
The Latter-day Saints do not, however, believe that being "wrong" or "corrupt" in some aspects of belief and practice mean that people are not devout or sincere Christians. Likewise, those who may suffer from some false beliefs still have many true and valuable beliefs. Apostasy results in a partial corruption of belief and teaching, not a wholesale loss of all truth.
The Church therefore sees the matter of apostasy as complete organizational apostasy (no denomination retained the authority to act in God's name and definitively establish doctrine) and partial individual apostasy (some individuals fell away from truths they had previously had; others merely inherited a set of beliefs, some of which were true and some false).
The Book of Mormon's description of the last days makes this matter clear:
they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men. (2 Nephi 28꞉14)
Yet, even these humble followers still have some error mixed with their truth, because they do not have the benefit of on-going revelation to authorized prophets and apostles.
The authors claim that Mormonism is a "polytheistic religion," because of the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate personages.Author's sources:
- Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 370.
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 576-577.
Some Christians say Mormons are polytheists because they believe humans can become gods. Is this an accurate characterization of LDS belief? Trying to reduce LDS thought to a simple term or "slogan" in this way distorts LDS doctrine.
The Saints worship one God. There are no competing divinities in whom they put their trust. LDS scripture contains such language (1 Nephi 13꞉41, 2 Nephi 31꞉21, Mosiah 15꞉1-5, Alma 11꞉26-37, Mormon 7꞉7, D&C 20꞉28, Moses 1꞉20), but it is qualified in somewhat the same way that Creedal Christians have found a way of saying "three"—as in Trinity—and yet also one.
Almost invariably when someone claims Mormons are polytheists, they are not seeking a clear explanation of Mormon thought on the nature of God, but are simply using a word with negative connotations in our religious culture as a club to intimidate or confuse others. Consider, for example, a conversation that Evangelical Christian author Richard Abanes, in his book Becoming Gods (pp. 107-8), claims to have had with a LDS bishop:
The author goes on to describe that he felt he had entered some sort of Twilight Zone scenario, and goes on to declare all Mormons "polytheists." Yet, any Latter-day Saint, upon reading the conversation outlined above, would recognize the creation of a simplified version, or "strawman," of LDS belief. One might also seriously consider how an Evangelical Christian would answer these same questions. The reality is certainly more complex than the "strawman" above would lead us to believe.
There really is not a single word that adequately captures LDS thought on the nature of God. Pertinent key technical terminology includes the following:
Usually the very same people who are pressing the case that Mormons are polytheists are some stripe of Evangelical Christians who claim to be monotheists. But Trinitarians are not Monotheists by definition (just ask a Jew or Muslim).
The facts that the LDS do not believe the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one in substance, and believe in deification/theosis (that humans may eventually become deified and become partakers in the divine nature), has been used to paint Mormons as polytheists. When we examine the technical terminology above, though, it becomes clear that a key point of demarcation is worship versus acknowledgment of existence. If members of the Church worshiped an extensive pantheon like the Greeks or Romans, then the label would be appropriate. In the context of doctrinal differences over the relationship among the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, however, or the doctrine of deification (which is a profoundly Christian doctrine and not just a Mormon one), use of the word "polytheistic" as a pejorative is both inaccurate and inappropriate.
Instead of using a single-word label, one must actually articulate the belief (using fully-developed sentences or paragraphs). The single-word label that will adequately describe the full breadth of LDS thought on the nature of God has yet to be coined.
The Bible contains language indicating human beings can put on the divine nature and be called "gods" (see John 10:33, 34; Ps. 82:6, Deut. 10:17, etc.). They are instructed to become one with Jesus just as he is one with his Father. The key point to realize is that any existence of other beings with godly attributes has no effect on who Latter-day Saints worship. According to Jeff Lindsay, a popular LDS online apologist:
We worship God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ - not glorious angels or Abraham or Moses or John the Baptist, no matter how great they may be in the kingdom of heaven as sons of God who have become "like Christ" (1 Jn 3:2). The only reasonable definition of polytheism requires that plural gods be worshiped - but the beings that Christ calls "gods" are not who we worship at all. In terms of worship, we are properly called monotheists.[3]
Additionally, there is abundant evidence of deification being taught by various commonly accepted Christians. If belief in theosis makes one a polytheist, many Christians would have to be so labeled - including such figures as C. S. Lewis and John Calvin. Clearly, this is not the way in which the term "polytheist" is normally used, but critics of the Church are often willing to be inconsistent if the Church can be made to look alien or "unchristian."
"Monotheism" is sufficiently broad to include the kind of oneness enjoyed by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as well as that promised to those who become one with them when fully sanctified.
According to Joseph Smith, God "was once a man like us."Author's sources:
- History of the Church, 6:305
The overwhelming academic consensus is that God, as depicted in the Bible, is embodied. Several books that you can read bare this out:
This last book, God: An Anatomy, was helpfully reviewed by Latter-day Saint scholar and apologist Daniel C. Peterson. Peterson commends and gives some cautions regarding the book that may apply more generally to the books just listed. We recommend seeing his review cited below.[4]
Mormons believe that God has a physical body and human form. Does scripture which says that "God is not a man" (e.g. Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Hosea 11:9) contradict this idea?
These scriptures read (emphasis added):
The first passage, in Numbers, not only says that "God is not a man", but it also says that God is not "the son of man." If a Christian were to claim from this passage that God is not a man, they would have to consistently claim that God is also not a "son of man." This of course contradicts many New Testament statements about Jesus (who is God) to the contrary. Though there are many examples, one should suffice. Jesus says, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matthew 12:40 Therefore, we know that the passage from Numbers is not suggesting that God is fundamentally not a "son of man", but rather that God is not a "son of man" in the sense that God doesn't have need for repentance. The next logical step requires us to conclude that the passage is not suggesting that God is fundamentally "not a man", but that God is not a man in the sense that God does not lie.
God will not lie or change his declared course, unlike humans. As the NET translation of 1 Samuel says, "The Preeminent One of Israel does not go back on his word or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.”
It is incorrect to imply that God cannot be in human form—the fundamental doctrine of Christianity is that Jesus is God, made flesh. One would have to assume that these verses also apply to Jesus, when they clearly do not. Jesus may be in human form, but he will not sin, or change his mind from doing his father's will.
Brigham Young said that the birth of Jesus Christ "was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action."Author's sources:
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:115.
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 742.
}}
It is claimed that Latter-day Saints believe Jesus was conceived through sexual intercourse between God the Father and Mary, and that Mary therefore was not a virgin when Jesus was born. It is also claimed that Latter-day Saints reject the "Evangelical belief" that "Christ was born of the virgin Mary, who, when the Holy Ghost came upon her, miraculously conceived the promised messiah."
Often used as evidence are a handful statements from early LDS leaders, such as Brigham Young, that directly or indirectly support this idea. However, such statements do not represent the official doctrine of the Church. The key, official doctrine of the Church is that Jesus is literally the son of God (i.e., this is not a symbolic or figurative expression), and Mary was a virgin before and after Christ's conception.
At the annunciation, Mary questioned the angel about how she could bear a child: "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34; the expression "know" in the Greek text is a euphemism for sexual relations). Nephi likewise described Mary as a virgin (1 Nephi 11:13-20), as did Alma1 (Alma 7:10).
Latter-day Saints do believe that Jesus Christ was literally the Son of God, not the son of Joseph or even the son of the Holy Ghost. (see 2 Ne 25꞉12 and D&C 93꞉11) As Ezra Taft Benson stated,
[T]he testimonies of appointed witnesses leave no question as to the paternity of Jesus Christ. God was the Father of His fleshly tabernacle, and Mary, a mortal woman, was His mother. He is therefore the only person born who rightfully deserves the title “the Only Begotten Son of God.”[5]
J. Reuben Clark |
This is one of many issues about which the Church has no official position. As President J. Reuben Clark taught under assignment from the First Presidency:
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Harold B. Lee |
Harold B. Lee was emphatic that only one person can speak for the Church:
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First Presidency |
This was recently reiterated by the First Presidency (who now approves all statements published on the Church's official website):
In response to a letter "received at the office of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" in 1912, Charles W. Penrose of the First Presidency wrote:
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References |
Notes
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The canonized scriptures are silent on how the conception took place—even Nephi's detailed vision of then-future Messiah is veiled during the part where Mary conceives (1 Nephi 11:19).
For example, Brigham Young said the following in a discourse given 8 July 1860:
"...[T]here is no act, no principle, no power belonging to the Deity that is not purely philosophical. The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood—was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." [1]
But are these types of statements official Church doctrine, required for all believing Latter-day Saints to accept? No—they were never submitted to the Church for ratification or canonization. (See General authorities' statements as scripture.)
Critics have noted that this statement, and others like it, can be read to indicate there was sexual intercourse involved in the conception of Jesus. Regardless of this speculation--which goes beyond the textual data--Brigham Young's view may be seen by some contemporary Latter-day Saints as correct in that Jesus was literally physically the Son of God, just as much as any children are "of our fathers." Modern science has discovered alternative methods of conceiving children--e.g., in vitro "test tube" babies--that don't involve sexual intercourse. Thus, though processes such as artificial insemination were unknown to Brigham and thus likely not referenced by his statements, it does not necessarily follow from a modern perspective that the conception had to come about as the result of a literal sexual union. It is certainly not outside of God's power to conceive Christ by other means, while remaining his literal father. (Put another way, Jesus shared God's genetic inheritance, if you will, without necessarily requiring a sexual act to combine that inheritance with Mary's mortal contribution).
Ezra Taft Benson taught:
He was the Only Begotten Son of our Heavenly Father in the flesh—the only child whose mortal body was begotten by our Heavenly Father. His mortal mother, Mary, was called a virgin, both before and after she gave birth. (See 1 Nephi 11:20.) [2]
Benson's emphasis is on both the literalness of Jesus' divine birth, and the fact that Mary's virginal status persisted even immediately after conceiving and bearing Jesus.
Bruce R. McConkie said this about the birth of Christ:
God the Father is a perfected, glorified, holy Man, an immortal Personage. And Christ was born into the world as the literal Son of this Holy Being; he was born in the same personal, real, and literal sense that any mortal son is born to a mortal father. There is nothing figurative about his paternity; he was begotten, conceived and born in the normal and natural course of events, for he is the Son of God, and that designation means what it says. [3]
In the same volume, Elder McConkie explained his reason for his emphasis:
"Our Lord is the only mortal person ever born to a virgin, because he is the only person who ever had an immortal Father. Mary, his mother, "was carried away in the Spirit" (1 Ne. 11:13-21), was "overshadowed" by the Holy Ghost, and the conception which took place "by the power of the Holy Ghost" resulted in the bringing forth of the literal and personal Son of God the Father. (Alma 7:10; 2 Ne. 17:14; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38.) Christ is not the Son of the Holy Ghost, but of the Father. (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 18-20.) Modernistic teachings denying the virgin birth are utterly and completely apostate and false. [4]
Note that McConkie emphasized the literal nature of Christ's divinity, his direct descent from the Father, and the fact that the Holy Ghost was a tool, but not the source of Jesus' divine Parenthood.
Harold B. Lee said,
We are very much concerned that some of our Church teachers seem to be obsessed of the idea of teaching doctrine which cannot be substantiated and making comments beyond what the Lord has actually said.
You asked about the birth of the Savior. Never have I talked about sexual intercourse between Deity and the mother of the Savior. If teachers were wise in speaking of this matter about which the Lord has said but very little, they would rest their discussion on this subject with merely the words which are recorded on this subject in Luke 1:34-35: "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
Remember that the being who was brought about by [Mary's] conception was a divine personage. We need not question His method to accomplish His purposes. Perhaps we would do well to remember the words of Isaiah 55:8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Let the Lord rest His case with this declaration and wait until He sees fit to tell us more. [5]
Jesus "is the brother of Lucifer."Author's sources:
- Milton Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, 15.
Some Christians claim that since Latter-day Saints consider Jesus and Satan to be "brothers" in the sense that they have the same Father, that this lowers the stature of Christ, or elevates that of Satan. Some go so far as to imply that the LDS "really" worship or revere Satan, and are thus not true "Christians."
Jesus, Satan, and all humanity share God the Father as their spiritual sire. However, moral agency led Jesus to obey God the Father perfectly and share fully in the Father's divine nature and power. The same agency led Satan to renounce God, fight Jesus, and doom himself to eternal damnation. The remainder of God's children—all of us—have the choice to follow the route chosen by Satan, or the path to which Christ invites us and shows the way.
Divine parenthood gives all children of God potential; Christ maximized that potential, and Satan squandered it.
To choose the gospel of Jesus Christ and the grace that attends it will lead us home again. If we choose to follow Satan's example, and refuse to accept the gift of God's Only Begotten Son, our spiritual parentage cannot help us, just as it cannot help dignify or ennoble Satan.
In December 2007 the Church issued the following press release on this issue:
LDS doctrine does not subscribe to traditional creedal trinitarianism. That is, the LDS do not believe the extra-biblical doctrines which surround many Christians' ideas about God, such as expressed by the Nicene Creed. Specifically, the LDS do not accept the proposition that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are "of one substance (homoousios) with the Father," as the Nicene Creed declares.
Rather, LDS doctrine teaches that God the Father is physically and personally distinct from Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. The Father is understood to be the literal father of His spirit children.
LDS believe that Jesus Christ's role is central to our Heavenly Father's plan. Christ is unique in several respects from all other spirit children of God:
God the Father also had many other spirit children, created in His image and that of His Only Begotten. These children include all humans born on the earth. Some of God's children rebelled against Him, and contested the choice of Jesus as Savior. (See D&C 76:25–27). The leader of these children was Lucifer, or Satan. Those spirit children of God who followed Satan in his rebellion against Christ are sometimes referred to as "demons," or "devils." (See Moses 4:1–4, Abraham 3:24–28).
Thus, it is technically true to say that Jesus and Satan are "brothers," in the sense that both have the same spiritual parent, God the Father.
However, critics do not provide the context for the idea that Christ and Lucifer were brothers. Cain and Abel were also brothers, and yet no Bible reader believes that they are spiritual equals or equally admirable. In a similar way, Latter-day Saints do not believe that Jesus and Satan are equals. The scriptures clearly teach the superiority of Jesus over the devil and that Michael (or Adam) and Lucifer (Satan) and their followers fought against each other (See Revelation 12:7-8) to uphold the plan of the Father and the Son.
Finally, while it is true that all mortals share a spiritual parent with Jesus (and Satan, and every other spiritual child of God), we now have a different, more important relationship with Jesus. All of God's children, save Jesus, have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In sinning, they abandon and betray their divine heritage and inheritance. Only through Jesus can any mortal return home to God the Father. This return becomes possible when a sinner is born again, and adopted by Christ, who becomes the spiritual father to those whom He redeems. (See Romans 8:14–39.)
Critics also ignore the Biblical references that imply that Satan is one of the "sons of God." (See Job:16, Job 2:1)
Elder M. Russell Ballard cautioned members of the Church:
The early Ante-Nicene Church father Lactantius wrote:
Many things he here taught are not considered "orthodox" by today's standards. However, Lactantius was definitely orthodox during his lifetime. Amazingly, many things here correspond to LDS doctrine precisely in those areas that are "unorthodox." For example,
1. "He produced a Spirit like to Himself," namely Christ. Christ, in this sense, is not the "co-equal," "eternally begotten," "same substance" "persona" of the later creeds.
2. "Then he made another being, in whom the disposition of the divine origin did not remain." God made another spirit who rebelled and who fell from his exalted status. He is the diabolus.
3. Christ is the "first and greatest Son." Not the "only" son.
4. Lastly, since the diabolus and Christ are both spirit sons of God, they are spirit brothers.
Latter-day Saints make a distinction between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit.Author's sources:
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 752.
In the source cited above (McConkie's Mormon Doctrine), the author notes that the term "Holy Spirit" "is a synonym for the Holy Ghost, that Spirit entity or personage of Spirit who is a member of the godhead." But, two other scriptural uses of the term include the spirit of Christ that entered His physical body, and the power or influence of Christ generally. }}
The authors state the "every worthy male, according to the standards of Mormonism, will become a god and rule over their own planet." The authors state that women are excluded.Author's sources:
- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 2:48.
It is claimed by some that Mormons believe that they can push themselves higher in a type of 'celestial pecking order.' This is often expressed by the claim that Latter-day Saint men wish to become "gods of their own planets." One critic even extends this to our "own universe,"
Mormons teach that by obedience to all the commandments of Mormonism, a Mormon may attain the highest degree of heaven and ultimately become a god, creating and ruling over his own universe. Do you believe that? Is this your ultimate personal goal?
Members of the Church—like early Christians—believe in human deification or theosis. They assert that this doctrine is taught in the Bible and by modern revelation. However, what this doctrine means or entails is beyond human comprehension anyway. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," taught Paul (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Most members of the Church realize that they have enough on their plates to do and become through Christian discipleship and keeping their covenants. They do not spend much time concerned about the details of their future state. They are simply confident that they will be happy, in families, and back in the presence of God where they will continue to do His will.
Certainly we can have the end in mind, remembering the relationship of Father to child is crucial. He will always, through all eternity, be our Father and our God. Still, it would be unwise to jump the gun and assume we are practically almost there; we have plenty to do in the meantime, and an eternal and abiding need for the grace of Christ to compensate for our manifest inadequacies.
The critics' accusations along these lines are a caricature of LDS belief, and omit virtually everything of importance in their discussion of this doctrine.
Mormons, along with many other Christian denominations, believe in deification or theosis, based on the teaching that we can become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Little is known, though much might be speculated, about the specific details of our potential under this doctrine. Reducing it to ruling a planet caricatures a profound and complex belief. The use of the word “planet” makes Mormons seem more like sci-fi enthusiasts than devout Christians.
This isn’t just a quibble about semantics. Claims that Mormons hope for “their own planets” almost always aim to disrespect and marginalize, not to understand or clarify. The reality is that we seek eternal life, which we consider to be a life like that of our Father in Heaven. We consider our immediate task on Earth to learn to understand and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ, rather than speculate on what life might be like if we achieve exaltation. Specifics about the creation of worlds and the ability to govern them upon achieving eternal life are not clarified in Latter-day Saint scripture. Attempts to portray these concepts as simply wanting to “get our own planet” are a mockery of Latter-day Saint beliefs.
Much criticism of Joseph Smith and the Church in general stems from a teaching regarding the eternal potential of mankind.[9] The Church believes that men and women are the "offspring" of Heavenly Parents (see Acts 17:28-29) composed of the same eternal substance (see D&C 93꞉33-35) and hence we have divine possibilities through the grace of Christ. Latter-day Saints believe that they can achieve a life like that of our Father in Heaven. This implies that one can eventually participate in similar works, among which would be the creation of worlds. In 2001, Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles noted,
The real life we’re preparing for is eternal life. Secular knowledge has for us eternal significance. Our conviction is that God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to live the life that He does. We learn both the spiritual things and the secular things “so we may one day create worlds [and] people and govern them” (Henry B. Eyring, quoting Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, October 2002.)
Elder's Eyring and Kimball are not the only ones to make such references. Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Joseph Fielding Smith all associated becoming like our Heavenly Father with the creation of worlds, and the populating of these worlds with spirit children.
However, there are many names for (and many interpretations of) this belief in and out of the Church. There are various schools of thought on what it might mean for a person to become a "god" after this life. On this view, Brigham Young didn't teach of countless gods doing their own thing in countless universes, each out for their own concerns. According to Brigham, there will be no such separate kingdoms of personal power
...to yourself, by yourself, and for yourself, regardless of every other creature.
But the truth is, you are not going to have a separate kingdom; I am not going to have a separate kingdom; it is not our prerogative to have it on this earth. If you have a kingdom and a dominion here, it must be concentrated in the head; if we are ever prepared for an eternal exaltation, we must be concentrated in the head of the eternal Godhead...If we fancy that we have an independent interest here and in the world to come, we shall fail in getting any of it.
Your interest must be concentrated in the head on the earth, and all of our interest must center in the Godhead in eternity, and there is no durable interest in any other channel.[10]
Along these lines, consider the interesting sermon by Heber C. Kimball from 1856. In this discourse, President Kimball tangentially referred to deification, not as a glorious declaration that we will become gods or godlike, but to remind his listeners not to put the cart before the horse. We ought to consider becoming true "Saints" before focusing too much on being gods.
Heber said:
Many think that they are going right into the celestial kingdom of God, in their present ignorance, to at once receive glories and powers; that they are going to be Gods, while many of them are so ignorant, that they can see or know scarcely anything. Such people talk of becoming Gods, when they do not know anything of God, or of His works; such persons have to learn repentance, and obedience to the law of God; they have got to learn to understand angels, and to comprehend and stick to the principles of this Church.
…I bear testimony of this, and I wish you would listen to counsel and lay aside every sin that doth so easily beset you, and turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart.</ref>
Similarly, during the King Follett discourse, Joseph Smith is said to have taught:
When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel--you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil [died] before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.[11]
Main article: | Neglecting grace? |
Christ said "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect" (see Matthew 5:48) and members of the Church tend to take that charge literally. The trouble is, some Saints might feel they can or even must achieve this impossible goal through their own efforts. In conversations about grace and works Mormons are quick to quote: "faith without works is dead," (see James 2:20), often in reaction to extreme conservative Protestantism's claims that one can be saved by faith alone without a concurrent change in behavior and life wrought by that faith. In this respect, the Latter-day Saints share far more with the early Christians than they do with modern conservative Protestantism.
See also: | Early Christian views on salvation |
Members must also remember, however, that works without faith is also dead, and Heber seems to be trying to express that message.
Here we see an early example of a Church leader discussing "grace," though he still maintains a perspective in which works are essential. It is for us, today, to focus on today, and retain a remission of sins relying on Christ, as the light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day, when the rest of this doctrine can be figured out more clearly. In the meantime, our probation continues, and Heber had a few pieces of advice to impart:
We cannot become perfect, without we are assisted by our heavenly Father. We must be faithful and of one heart, and one mind, and let every man and woman take course to build up and not pull down. See that you save your grain, that you may save yourselves from the wicked of the world. Try to take care of every thing that is good to eat, for this is the work of the Lord God Almighty, and we shall have times that will test the integrity of this people, that will test who is honest and who is not.
Omitting prayer is calculated to lead the mind away from those duties which are incumbent upon us; then let us attend to our prayers and all our duties, and you will know that brother Brigham and his brethren have told you of these things...
There are trying times ahead of you, do you not begin to feel and see them? If you do not, I say you are asleep. I wish that the spirit which rests upon a few individuals could be upon you, everyone of you, it would be one of the most joyful times that brother Brigham and I ever saw with the Saints of God upon this earth.[12]
There is a "Mother God."Author's sources:
- Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions 3:143-144.
Because LDS theology rejects the doctrine of creation out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo) as a post-Biblical addition to Christian belief, and because they see God as embodied in human form while rejecting creedal Trinitarianism, having a female counterpart to Our Heavenly Father seems logical and almost inevitable. This is especially true given the LDS embrace of the doctrine of theosis, or human deification. Thus, the Heavenly Mother shares parenthood with the Father, and shares His attributes of perfection, holiness, and glory.
There is evidence for this doctrine in ancient Israel,[13] and within the Book of Mormon.[14]
As early as 1839, Joseph Smith taught the idea of a Heavenly Mother.[15] Eliza R. Snow composed a poem (later set to music) which provides the most well-known expression of this doctrine:[16]
In 1909 the First Presidency, under Joseph F. Smith, wrote that
man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father [as an] offspring of celestial parentage...all men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity....[17]
The 1995 statement issued by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, entitled The Family: A Proclamation to the World, states that all men and women are children of heavenly parents (plural), which implies the existence of a Mother in Heaven.[18]
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.
We are all spiritual offspring of our Heavenly Father and Mother, and we once lived in the pre-existence.Author's sources:
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 589.
"Becoming Like God," Gospel Topics on LDS.org:
Eliza R. Snow, a Church leader and poet, rejoiced over the doctrine that we are, in a full and absolute sense, children of God. “I had learned to call thee Father, / Thru thy Spirit from on high,” she wrote, “But, until the key of knowledge / Was restored, I knew not why.” Latter-day Saints have also been moved by the knowledge that their divine parentage includes a Heavenly Mother as well as a Heavenly Father. Expressing that truth, Eliza R. Snow asked, “In the heav’ns are parents single?” and answered with a resounding no: “Truth eternal / Tells me I’ve a mother there.”45 That knowledge plays an important role in Latter-day Saint belief. As Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote, “Our theology begins with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them.”[19]
The authors claim that "Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence."Author's sources:
- Melvin J. Ballard, Three Degrees of Glory, p. 21.
The authors claim that salvation or exaltation "is based on one's own good works or merit."Author's sources:
- Lowell Bennion, "The Religion of the Latter-day Saints," p. 160.
- Church News, October 8, 1988, p. 23.
Neither the Church News nor Bennion's manual from 1940 are canonized doctrinal sources.
The Book of Mormon teaches that "here is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah...." (2 Nephi 2꞉8).
That said, the Bible, Book of Mormon, and other LDS scripture teach that we must exercise faith, accept Christ, repent, be baptized, and endure to the end to be saved. These are "good works"—they do not save us, but signal our sincerity and willingness to follow Jesus. }}
Some claim that the Church ignores the doctrine of grace at the expense of "works." Critics argue that Church leaders do not teach this doctrine, and as a result most members of the Church do not expect to be saved, since they are not "good enough."
Prophets and teachers must emphasize different parts of that message, depending upon their audience. The repentant sinner needs to hear about Christ’s grace and mercy, so that he or she does not fret about his or her inability to be ‘perfect.’ The arrogant and proud sinner (who does not really believe he or she needs repentance or Jesus) needs to hear about the consequences of continued disobedience. In that moment, a message emphasizing grace may be misplaced, since despite the eventual salvation offered to almost all, the suffering of the unrepentant wicked is terrible beyond understanding.
But, the doctrine of grace is a key part of the gospel of Jesus Christ and, like the Bible prophets, His modern servants teach it. The vocabulary used may vary from other Christian faiths, because the Church does not wish to adopt other aspects of grace theology (such as TULIP) which they do not wish to endorse.
The Book of Mormon teaches the doctrine of grace clearly, and repeatedly. It insists that it is one of the most important of all:
Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. (2 Nephi 2꞉8.)
And, the Book of Mormon's final verses teach a similar key doctrine:
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot. (Moroni 10꞉32-33.)
Joseph often taught about the principles of mercy and grace. In one address to the Nauvoo Lyceum, he was recorded as saying:
Joseph said...that...the Lord apointed us to fall & also Redeemed us—for where sin a bounded Grace did Much more a bound 3—for Paul says Rom—5. 10 for if—when were enemys we were Reconciled to God by the Death of his Son, much more, being Reconciled, we shall be saved by his Life[20]
Elder McConkie is not known for his "soft" take on doctrinal issues, yet he teaches this doctrine clearly and full of hope:
Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom.
We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. … The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the ‘straight and narrow.’ You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. … Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life—though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do—you’re still going to be saved.[21]
And, elsewhere, Elder McConkie taught:
As members of the Church, if we chart a course leading to eternal life; if we begin the processes of spiritual rebirth, and are going in the right direction; if we chart a course of sanctifying our souls, and degree by degree are going in that direction; and if we chart a course of becoming perfect, and, step by step and phase by phase, are perfecting our souls by overcoming the world, then it is absolutely guaranteed—there is no question whatever about it—we shall gain eternal life. Even though we have spiritual rebirth ahead of us, perfection ahead of us, the full degree of sanctification ahead of us, if we chart a course and follow it to the best of our ability in this life, then when we go out of this life we'll continue in exactly that same course. We'll no longer be subject to the passions and the appetites of the flesh. We will have passed successfully the tests of this mortal probation and in due course we'll get the fulness of our Father's kingdom—and that means eternal life in his everlasting presence.[22]
Finally, many recent conference talks address this doctrine specifically. (See below). For example, after describing the many ways in which the term 'saved' is used in LDS theology, Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught:
...all should answer: “Yes, I have been saved. Glory to God for the gospel and gift and grace of His Son!”[23]
Two LDS authors noted that often members of the Church do not use the same type of theological language to speak about grace, because such language also includes concepts with which they do not agree:
...Latter-day Saints reject all five principles of the Calvinistic doctrine of grace enunciated at the Council of Dort and represented by the acronym TULIP (Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and the Perseverance of the saints). To the extent that Latter-day Saints avoid some traditional Christian locutions (such as being "born again" or "grace alone" or even "saved") for expressing their doctrine of grace, it is because objectionable theological baggage has unfortunately become associated with the terms. However, this avoidance does not constitute (nor has it ever constituted) an avoidance of a doctrine of grace nor the rejection of a resource on which church members can rely when they "feel themselves lacking." Any avoidance of "grace" has been merely nominal and not doctrinal...
Latter-day Saints do not accept the Protestant assumption that faith/grace and human agency/actions/works constitute two separate grammars of discourse. To the contrary, we believe that it is false and that James and even Paul, as well as living prophets, make it clear that faith/grace and human agency/actions/works are actually inseparable.[24]
Other Christians may misunderstand the Latter-day Saints because of different language, but the concept and doctrine of grace (as illustrated above) is a firm and vital part of the LDS doctrine of salvation.
The authors claim that Latter-day Saint consider the Bible "suspect due to its many errors and missing parts."Author's sources:
- Articles of Faith No. 8, Ensign January 1989, pp. 25, 27.
Latter-day Saints and the Bible |
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Reliability of the Bible |
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Creation |
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Genesis |
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Understanding the Bible |
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The Bible and the Book of Mormon |
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How do Latter-day Saints regard the Holy Bible? Do they consider the Bible to be the Word of God?
Latter-day Saints consider the Bible to be holy scripture. The 8th Article of Faith states:
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."
The proviso that the Latter-day Saints believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly seems to shake some persons' confidence in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Bible-believing church. There is no reason that this should be, for it is hardly a matter of dispute that when men translate words from one language to another they can easily err, and have often done so. Simply comparing different English-language versions of the Bible should demonstrate conclusively that some people understand ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek (the source languages of the Old and New Testaments) quite differently in some cases.
But let no one doubt: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reveres the Bible and uses it extensively in its teaching and practice. The late Elder James E. Talmage, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, had this to say about the Bible in his classic book about the Articles of Faith:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the Holy Bible as the foremost of her standard works, first among the books which have been proclaimed as her written guides in faith and doctrine. In the respect and sanctity with which the Latter-day Saints regard the Bible they are of like profession with Christian denominations in general, but differ from them in the additional acknowledgment of certain other scriptures as authentic and holy, which others are in harmony with the Bible, and serve to support and emphasize its facts and doctrines.
The historical and other data upon which is based the current Christian faith as to the genuineness of the Biblical record are accepted as unreservedly by the Latter-day Saints as by the members of any sect; and in literalness of interpretation this Church probably excels.
Nevertheless, the Church announces a reservation in the case of erroneous translation, which may occur as a result of human incapacity; and even in this measure of caution we are not alone, for Biblical scholars generally admit the presence of errors of the kind—both of translation and of transcription of the text. The Latter-day Saints believe the original records to be the word of God unto man, and, as far as these records have been translated correctly, the translations are regarded as equally authentic. The English Bible professes to be a translation made through the wisdom of man; in its preparation the most scholarly men have been enlisted, yet not a version has been published in which errors are not admitted. However, an impartial investigator has cause to wonder more at the paucity of errors than that mistakes are to be found at all.
There will be, there can be, no absolutely reliable translation of these or other scriptures unless it be effected through the gift of translation, as one of the endowments of the Holy Ghost. The translator must have the spirit of the prophet if he would render in another tongue the prophet's words; and human wisdom alone leads not to that possession. Let the Bible then be read reverently and with prayerful care, the reader ever seeking the light of the Spirit that he may discern between truth and the errors of men.[25]
The 8th Article of Faith states:
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
The proviso that the LDS believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly seems to shake some persons' confidence in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Bible-believing church. There is no reason that this should be, for it is hardly a matter of dispute that when men translate words from one language to another they can easily err, and have often done so. Simply comparing different English-language versions of the Bible should demonstrate conclusively that some people understand ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek (the source languages of the Old and New Testaments) quite differently in some cases.
Latter-day Saints spend 50% of their Sunday School curriculum studying the Old and New Testaments, and the other 50% studying the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. The Bible clearly receives the majority of attention.
While not believing that the Bible—or any book—is inerrant, the Latter-day Saints are far more concerned with defending the Bible's value than in denigrating it. Harold B. Lee observed, in 1972:
I believe that the problem of our missionaries in our day too might be not so much to prove that the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are indeed the word of the Lord, but that the Bible, which is generally accepted as the word of God, is being doubted as having been derived from the words of inspired prophets of past generations.
In this day when the Bible is being downgraded by many who have mingled philosophies of the world with Bible scriptures to nullify their true meaning, how fortunate that our Eternal Heavenly Father, who is always concerned about the spiritual well-being of His children, has given to us a companion book of scriptures, known as the Book of Mormon, as a defense for the truths of the Bible that were written and spoken by the prophets as the Lord directed....
It is only as we forsake the traditions of men and recover faith in the Bible, the truth of which has been fully established by recent discovery and fulfillment of prophecy, that we shall once again receive that inspiration which is needed by rulers and people alike.[26]
Notes
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