FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Question: Should Latter-day Saints ("Mormons") reject "wayward" family members or those who leave the Church?
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Contents
[hide]Criticism
Some critics insist that the Church teaches such principles as:
- those who are less faithful to Church teachings should (or inevitably will) receive less love
- we should reject those who reject the Church
- children reject the Church through the fault of parents who "don't have enough faith."
These issues are also more generally relevent for those who seek help from FAIR, since readers may be struggling with family members who have left the Church because of anti-Mormon materials.
Source(s) of the Criticism
- Bob McCue, "Out of My Faith," 26 May 2003, 118-119. [1]
Response
Are parents to 'blame' when children go astray?
LDS doctrine consideres humans to be the literal spirit children of God. The LDS doctrine of premortal existence also mentions the fact that a third of God's spirit children rejected Christ to follow Satan (D&C 29:30). Biblical patriarchs such as Isaac (Genesis 26:34-35) and Jacob (Genesis 38:7, Genesis 38:12-26) had descendants who brought them great grief through wickedness. Book of Mormon prophets, from Lehi (1 Nephi 2:11-12), Mosiah , and Alma (Mosiah 27:8 had wayward children.
Modern leaders of the Church have taught the same doctrines:
How should parents treat wayward children?
Conclusion
A summary of the argument against the criticism.
Further reading
FAIR wiki articles
- Links to related articles in the wiki
FAIR web site
- FAIR Topical Guide:
External links
- LDS.org: Teaching Children through Example and Instruction [2]
- LDS.org: Roles and Responsibilities of Fathers and Mothers [3]
- Carlfred B. Broderick, "The Brothers of Jesus: Loving the Unbelieving Relative," Ensign (March 1987): 50.
- John K. Carmack, "When Our Children go Astray," Ensign, (Nov. 1994): 49-51.
- Jeffrey R. Holland "Because She Is A Mother," Ensign (May 1997): 35-37.
Printed material
- Printed resources whose text is not available online