Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Video/Search for the Truth DVD/Reader Comments"

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<p>We've included both positive and critical messages. Our editorial replies to criticisms appear in <span style="color: blue">blue</span>.
 
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LETTER 1
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'''From: DM'''<br>
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'''Received: Saturday, March 24, 2007'''
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I visited my daughter today and she had a whole scheaf of papers in her hands. "Have you read this, Dad? It's FAIR's rebuttal to the DVD on YouTube. It is really really good!" She was impressed. She had found it on her own. You guys are great.
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'''From: JR'''<br>
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'''Received: Saturday, March 24, 2007'''
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I have not viewed the anti-Mormon dvd, not will I waste my time with it. I have already read many books, both pro and con. However, after being an active member of the church for over 20 years, inactive for the last 5 or so, I can understand the sentiments. The church rarely mentioned Jesus Christ in most talks and Sunday school lessons when I attended. It was always about Joseph Smith and his importance. Oh, did I miss the stories and teachings of Jesus! Of course the church has since changed it's views, but a bit late for me.
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:<span style="color: blue">Latter-day Saints ''do'' spend a lot of time focusing on the mission of Joseph Smith because he is the prophet who was called to restore the gospel the last days. This can feel unusual or unfamiliar to converts from Protestant or evangelical Christianity. But although Latter-day Saints discuss Joseph Smith, we also "talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ" ({{s|2|Nephi|25|26}}). Jesus Christ is the center of our devotion and worship. All prayers are given in his name, and all talks are closed with his name. The sacrament is administered in every regular Sunday meeting, memorializing Jesus' atonement and renewing the covenants Latter-day Saints have made with him. As important as Joseph Smith is to the Saints, he does not compare in any way to the Lord Jesus Christ.</span>
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:*[[Latter-day_Saints_aren't_Christians|Are LDS Christians?]]
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:*[[Joseph Smith's status in LDS belief]]
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If we do not follow Joseph Smith's "revelations" we will not be able to gain access to the highest level of Heaven and meet God personally. After many months of prayer and study I've come to realize that God would not admit us to the highest level of heaven only if we play a little game and pretend to meet him first and give him a secret handshake. Also, if God truly wants us to make it back to Heaven, he would not have left the instructions with only one human being, especially one with so many "imperfections", for all of humanity to follow. (In 1st or 2nd Corinthians it is mentioned the answer will be always be given to more than one).
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:<span style="color: blue">The point is not about following Joseph Smith, but about following the ordained prophets of God ''whatever age in which they have been called.'' Joseph Smith is not alone in his witness&mdash;many prophets came before him, and many have come after. All of them were human beings with imperfections, but they delivered God's message to the best of their capacity. JR's caricature of LDS temple ordinances also dramatically oversimplifies and distorts the importance of the temple covenant and ritual.</span>
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:*[[Fallibility of prophets]]
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When I have asked questions in the past of bishops, or visiting and home teachers, I have been told I'm not to question anything. I have read the ten rules for following a prophet blindly, no matter how wrong I feel he might be. Am I to abandon my Holy Spirit when I do this? Or my Free Will? Or my Intelligence?) And where are some of these righteous people today? One recent visiting teacher is now in jail in Las Vegas for prostitution. One of my home teachers is in jail for child pornography, another in jail for murdering his wife. These are the ones that told me that my answers were not of God since they were different from theirs. While I am not judging the church based on these people, it does give me an indication that perhaps my prayers are correct.
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:<span style="color: blue">Latter-day Saints are mortal, fallible, and imperfect. Some of them commit very serious sins. Unfortunately, JR seems to have met more than her share of them.</span>
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:<span style="color: blue">There is nothing in LDS teaching that requires to "not to question anything," nor to "follow a prophet blindly." In fact, numerous scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants speak of using our God-given intelligence to study and learn, and to use that knowledge, coupled with inspiration from the Holy Ghost, to come to a knowledge of truth. (See {{s||DC|88|79}}; {{s||DC|88|118}}; {{s||DC|90|15}}; {{s||DC|130|19}}.)</span>
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It is interesting how questions seem to be answered with questions in your responses to the dvd. It is also interesting you quote Bruce McKonkie [''sic''] when it suits your argument, but slap his hand when he deviates from the teachings of the church. In the many years I was involved in the church I found that to be the case with the Book of Mormon as well. Very few Mormons have read the book cover to cover. Only a tiny bit is used to support lesson plans for Sunday school. It was frustrating to ask questions raised by reading the Book of Mormon, to be told "I don't need to read it - I prayed about it!" Many people told me this.
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:<span style="color: blue">Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote and spoke widely, and many of the things he wrote and said are correct. Some of the things he wrote and said were his own opinion, or ventured into areas where there is no definitive revelation on the subject, or where faithful Latter-day Saints disagree. As stated previously, we do not believe prophets are infallible, but they do have a special commission and it is in our best interest to consider what they say carefully.</span>
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:<span style="color: blue">It is difficult to respond to JR's claim that the Book of Mormon wasn't read or used much by Latter-day Saints she knew. Certainly leaders of the Church&mdash;especially over the last 20 years&mdash;have repeatedly asked the Saints to read the Book of Mormon. According to BYU's [http://scriptures.byu.edu/ General Conference Scripture Citation Index], speakers in General Conference since 1986 have quoted from the Book of Mormon 5,727 times, compared to 5,109 from the New Testament and 4,291 from the Doctrine and Covenants. We spend one year out of ever four in our Sunday School lesson cycle studying the Book of Mormon. In August 2005, President Hinckley challenged all Latter-day Saints to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover before the end of the year. So JR's criticism seems to be without merit. (In fact, one of the frequent criticisms we respond to at FAIR is that Latter-day Saints put ''too much'' focus on the Book of Mormon!)</span>
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:*[[General authorities' statements as scripture]]
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:*[[Book of Mormon basics]]
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:*[[Plain and Precious Book of Mormon doctrines]]
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Another point of contention I have with the church not working for me personally is the teaching that no matter how righteous a life I lead, it is solely up to the discretion of my husband to "call me over to the other side." This is why he is allowed to know my new temple name but I am given his. How can a loving God leave my fate up to another human being? Does a woman have no choices in the church?
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:<span style="color: blue">Since this involves temple ordinance, we are limited in what we can say in this case. Certainly, though, Latter-day Saints believe that the wife of an unrighteous or unbelieving husband would not be hindered by him in any way in receiving her exaltation.</span>
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I don't mean to denigrate Mormonism - it works for many people. But please consider there may be other avenues to the highest level of heaven. If Mormonism were more tolerant of other religions, then perhaps other religions would follow suit. It's called the Law of Attraction.
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:<span style="color: blue">Latter-day Saints believe there is much truth and much good in ''all'' religious beliefs, and that all truths should be believed, regardless of their source. Our loving Heavenly Father will give everyone the appropriate opportunity to accept the grace of his Son through the proper ordinances and covenants.</span>
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:<span style="color: blue">And JR is correct that Mormons ''do'' need to be more tolerant of others' beliefs. President Hinckley has said precisely that on several occasions recently.</span>
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:*[[Salvation of non-members]]
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:*[[Attitude to non-members|LDS attitude to non-members]] and [[Attitude to non-members:Primary sources|primary sources]]
 
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Revision as of 11:55, 29 March 2007

Reaction from FAIR's Readers

The following is a selection of the email messages FAIR has received since posting the response to the Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith DVD. Names and email addresses have been removed for privacy reasons.

We've included both positive and critical messages. Our editorial replies to criticisms appear in blue.

From: DM
Received: Saturday, March 24, 2007

I visited my daughter today and she had a whole scheaf of papers in her hands. "Have you read this, Dad? It's FAIR's rebuttal to the DVD on YouTube. It is really really good!" She was impressed. She had found it on her own. You guys are great.

From: JR
Received: Saturday, March 24, 2007

I have not viewed the anti-Mormon dvd, not will I waste my time with it. I have already read many books, both pro and con. However, after being an active member of the church for over 20 years, inactive for the last 5 or so, I can understand the sentiments. The church rarely mentioned Jesus Christ in most talks and Sunday school lessons when I attended. It was always about Joseph Smith and his importance. Oh, did I miss the stories and teachings of Jesus! Of course the church has since changed it's views, but a bit late for me.

Latter-day Saints do spend a lot of time focusing on the mission of Joseph Smith because he is the prophet who was called to restore the gospel the last days. This can feel unusual or unfamiliar to converts from Protestant or evangelical Christianity. But although Latter-day Saints discuss Joseph Smith, we also "talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ" (2 Nephi 25꞉26). Jesus Christ is the center of our devotion and worship. All prayers are given in his name, and all talks are closed with his name. The sacrament is administered in every regular Sunday meeting, memorializing Jesus' atonement and renewing the covenants Latter-day Saints have made with him. As important as Joseph Smith is to the Saints, he does not compare in any way to the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we do not follow Joseph Smith's "revelations" we will not be able to gain access to the highest level of Heaven and meet God personally. After many months of prayer and study I've come to realize that God would not admit us to the highest level of heaven only if we play a little game and pretend to meet him first and give him a secret handshake. Also, if God truly wants us to make it back to Heaven, he would not have left the instructions with only one human being, especially one with so many "imperfections", for all of humanity to follow. (In 1st or 2nd Corinthians it is mentioned the answer will be always be given to more than one).

The point is not about following Joseph Smith, but about following the ordained prophets of God whatever age in which they have been called. Joseph Smith is not alone in his witness—many prophets came before him, and many have come after. All of them were human beings with imperfections, but they delivered God's message to the best of their capacity. JR's caricature of LDS temple ordinances also dramatically oversimplifies and distorts the importance of the temple covenant and ritual.

When I have asked questions in the past of bishops, or visiting and home teachers, I have been told I'm not to question anything. I have read the ten rules for following a prophet blindly, no matter how wrong I feel he might be. Am I to abandon my Holy Spirit when I do this? Or my Free Will? Or my Intelligence?) And where are some of these righteous people today? One recent visiting teacher is now in jail in Las Vegas for prostitution. One of my home teachers is in jail for child pornography, another in jail for murdering his wife. These are the ones that told me that my answers were not of God since they were different from theirs. While I am not judging the church based on these people, it does give me an indication that perhaps my prayers are correct.

Latter-day Saints are mortal, fallible, and imperfect. Some of them commit very serious sins. Unfortunately, JR seems to have met more than her share of them.
There is nothing in LDS teaching that requires to "not to question anything," nor to "follow a prophet blindly." In fact, numerous scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants speak of using our God-given intelligence to study and learn, and to use that knowledge, coupled with inspiration from the Holy Ghost, to come to a knowledge of truth. (See DC 88꞉79; DC 88꞉118; DC 90꞉15; DC 130꞉19.)

It is interesting how questions seem to be answered with questions in your responses to the dvd. It is also interesting you quote Bruce McKonkie [sic] when it suits your argument, but slap his hand when he deviates from the teachings of the church. In the many years I was involved in the church I found that to be the case with the Book of Mormon as well. Very few Mormons have read the book cover to cover. Only a tiny bit is used to support lesson plans for Sunday school. It was frustrating to ask questions raised by reading the Book of Mormon, to be told "I don't need to read it - I prayed about it!" Many people told me this.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote and spoke widely, and many of the things he wrote and said are correct. Some of the things he wrote and said were his own opinion, or ventured into areas where there is no definitive revelation on the subject, or where faithful Latter-day Saints disagree. As stated previously, we do not believe prophets are infallible, but they do have a special commission and it is in our best interest to consider what they say carefully.
It is difficult to respond to JR's claim that the Book of Mormon wasn't read or used much by Latter-day Saints she knew. Certainly leaders of the Church—especially over the last 20 years—have repeatedly asked the Saints to read the Book of Mormon. According to BYU's General Conference Scripture Citation Index, speakers in General Conference since 1986 have quoted from the Book of Mormon 5,727 times, compared to 5,109 from the New Testament and 4,291 from the Doctrine and Covenants. We spend one year out of ever four in our Sunday School lesson cycle studying the Book of Mormon. In August 2005, President Hinckley challenged all Latter-day Saints to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover before the end of the year. So JR's criticism seems to be without merit. (In fact, one of the frequent criticisms we respond to at FAIR is that Latter-day Saints put too much focus on the Book of Mormon!)

Another point of contention I have with the church not working for me personally is the teaching that no matter how righteous a life I lead, it is solely up to the discretion of my husband to "call me over to the other side." This is why he is allowed to know my new temple name but I am given his. How can a loving God leave my fate up to another human being? Does a woman have no choices in the church?

Since this involves temple ordinance, we are limited in what we can say in this case. Certainly, though, Latter-day Saints believe that the wife of an unrighteous or unbelieving husband would not be hindered by him in any way in receiving her exaltation.

I don't mean to denigrate Mormonism - it works for many people. But please consider there may be other avenues to the highest level of heaven. If Mormonism were more tolerant of other religions, then perhaps other religions would follow suit. It's called the Law of Attraction.

Latter-day Saints believe there is much truth and much good in all religious beliefs, and that all truths should be believed, regardless of their source. Our loving Heavenly Father will give everyone the appropriate opportunity to accept the grace of his Son through the proper ordinances and covenants.
And JR is correct that Mormons do need to be more tolerant of others' beliefs. President Hinckley has said precisely that on several occasions recently.


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