Summary:
Daybell and Vallow allegedly claimed to have been prominent spiritual figures in past mortal lives. But reincarnation is not a Church doctrine, it violates the scriptures, and teaching it has been grounds for excommunication.
False Doctrine
One of Daybell and Vallow’s alleged teachings was the false doctrine of reincarnation. Because LDS leaders sometimes refer to this life, before our death and eventual resurrection, as our “mortal probation,” based on the scriptural term “probationary state,” Daybell and Vallow call their belief in reincarnation “multiple mortal probations.”
Their likely reason for promoting the idea of reincarnation was to increase their influence among their followers. Neither Daybell or Vallow was ever a prominent Church leader, either locally or generally. But by claiming they had, in past lives, been prominent figures such as prophets or friends of Jesus, they were able to claim greater spiritual authority among their followers.
Rationalizing Immorality
Moreover, the claim of “multiple mortal probations” can be used to rationalize around the commandment of chastity. Daybell and Vallow allegedly committed adultery with each other, which is flatly condemned by scripture and unanimous Church teaching. But they claimed they were married to each other in past lives, and by citing the true doctrine of eternal marriage, they claimed those past marriages were still valid in this life. This twisting of true doctrine is appalling and offensive to mainstream Church members.
Most of the historical statements used by proponents to argue for “multiple mortal probations” are easily dismissed. To begin with, they are all obscure and recorded with uncertain accuracy in the Journal of Discourses. As discussed in the introduction to this series, true Church doctrine is “not difficult to find.” Any claim that has to rely on obscure, old sources is almost certainly not true doctrine. True doctrine is taught repeatedly, often, and recently.
Reincarnation Denounced
Moreover, early Church leaders repeatedly denounced the doctrine of reincarnation and even excommunicated those who taught it. In November 1835, a man named Robert Matthews visited Joseph Smith. He eventually identified himself as Matthias the Prophet, who had recently started a religious movement.
Joseph recorded in his journal that Matthews claimed “he possesses the spirit of his fathers, that he is a literal descendant of Mathias the Apostle that was chosen in the place of Judas that fell, and that his spirit is resurrected in him, and that this is the way or scheme of eternal life, this transmigration of soul or spirit from Father to Son … he professed to be the spirit of truth itself, also that he possesses the soul of Christ.”
Joseph rejected the “transmigration of souls,” meaning a soul being born into a new body, in no uncertain terms: “I told him that his doctrine was of the Devil; that he was in reality in possession of wicked and depraved spirit.”
Precedence of Excommunication for advocating Reincarnation
Later in Utah, Church leaders excommunicated local leaders who publicly advocated for belief in reincarnation. In March 1894, First Presidency member George Q. Cannon wrote in his journal about a member who was excommunicated and appealed to the First Presidency.
Cannon wrote: “[John Wilkinson] has been teaching the doctrine of reincarnation and other follies, and adheres to this, despite all that the brethren have said to him. We wrote to him that we could not fellowship anyone who taught that doctrine, and that we would sustain the decision [to excommunicate Wilkinson] of the High Council.”
In December 1895, the First Presidency interviewed George Parkinson about claims Charles Stayner, Orson F. Whitney, and others were teaching reincarnation. After listening to Parkinson’s claim he had a vision in which an angel taught him Brigham Young had been the reincarnation of Peter, Cannon records that “If [Brother Parkinson] had any such manifestation, it undoubtedly was from the devil.”
He continued, “This extraordinary doctrine would convey the idea that men had bodies like suits of clothes – to be put on and off at will; or like actors, appearing in one part dressed in one garb and in another scene in another garb.” He continued: “We have been somewhat desirous to have this matter investigated in his case and Brother Whitney’s, because it will not do for influential men like they are to imbibe false doctrine and to go unquestioned concerning it.”
Reliable Sources Repudiate Reincarnation
The historical record is clear that no Church leaders have definitively endorsed the idea of reincarnation, statements used by figures like Daybell to promote the idea are ambiguous at best, and reliable sources like the Joseph Smith Papers and George Q. Cannon journals clearly repudiate reincarnation.
Alma 12:24 is clear we have to make the most of our one chance at mortal life: “therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.” There is no hint of multiple probationary states in this verse or any other.
