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A helpful article by John Behr, an Eastern Orthodox professor, on how second century church leaders understood apostolic authority

Mormonism claims that most of its male members are Aaron/Levitical priests. How does this claim hold up?

Quoting Hal Hougey from “Latter-day Saints—Where Did You Get Your Authority?”:

1. Qualifications for the Aaronic Priesthood:
   1. Limited to Aaron and his sons only Ex 28:1; 29:9; 29:44; Num 18:1-7; Lev 6:19-23; Ex 28:43; Neh 7:61-65
      1. The Levites helped - Num 3:5-6, 9-10; Heb 7:5
      2. Punishment for non-Levites who tried to become priests:
         1. Dathan and Abiram Num 16: 1-35
         2. King Uzziah - 2 Chron 26:1-3, 16-21
         3. Jeroboam’s priests- I Kings 13:33-34
      3. But Joseph Smith, of English stock, was not a Jew, a Levite, or a son of Aaron
      4. The Aaronic priesthood was hereditary, but not so in the LDS church
   2. Physical qualifications - Lev 21:16-23
      1. LDS ignore these qualifications today
      2. Joseph Smith had a leg operation when he was young, in which part of the bone was removed. He was, therefore, physically disqualified to be a priest (Lucy Mack Smith: Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith and His Progenitors for Many Generations Liverpool: 1853, p. 65)
   3. Other qualifications which LDS ignore: Lev 21:1-15: Num 4:35
2. How Were the Aaronic Priests Ordained in the Bible? - Exodus 29; Lev. 8
   1. Were washed with water v. 4
   2. Were dressed in the priestly robes - v. 5-6 (These robes were for “glory and beauty”-Ex 28:2-but the holy garments of the LDS are neither glorious nor beautiful.)
   3. Were anointed with oilv. 7
   4. Laid hands on the head of a bullock - v. 10
   5. The bullock was killed, and its blood was poured out at the altar, while the fat and the kidneys were placed on the altar, and the rest was burned outside the camp, as a sin- offering v. 11-14
   6. Laid hands on the head of a ram V.I 5
   7. The ram was killed, its blood was sprinkled about the altar, and the body was offered as a burnt offering on the altar-v. 16-18
   8. Laid hands on the head of another ram v. 19
   9. This second ram was killed, and some of the blood was put on the tip of the right ear, right thumb, and right great toe of Aaron and his sons, while the rest of the blood was sprinkled upon the altar v. 20
   10. Some of the blood on the altar and some anointing oil was then sprinkled on the priests and their garments - v. 21
   11. Were given parts of the ram and three kinds of bread, and these were waved as a wave offering, then they were burnt on the altar - v. 22-25
   12. The breast of the ram was given to the one who ordained them v. 26
   13. The shoulder was given to them v. 27
   14. They were to eat of the ram and the bread, but no one else was allowed to do so-v. 30-33
   15. For the next seven days, one bullock and two lambs were offered daily v. 35-44
3. How Do LDS Ordain to the Aaronic Priesthood?
   1. They lay hands on the priests being ordained and speak the words that are specified by the LDS church to confer the priesthood
   2. Nowhere in the Bible account do we find hands laid on the priests hands were laid only on the bullock and the rams!
   3. The LDS ignore completely the Biblical method of ordaining Aaronic priests
   4. It will not do to say these ordinances do not apply today; if the Aaronic priesthood exists today, the method for ordaining priests into that priesthood apply today
   5. LDS often apply Hebrews 5:4, “. . .as was Aaron,” to refer to the ceremony by which one is ordained to the priesthood, but they do not follow that ceremony in any way

Under a subsequent section (”F. The Mormon Priesthood Is an Assumption - Not a Restoration”), Hougey goes on to say:

1. There Is No Biblical Authority for the Aaronic Priesthood Today
   1. The Aaronic priesthood was part of the religious system under the Law of Moses. This law and its ordinances came to an end when Christ died on the cross Gal. 3:19, 23-25; Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 10:1-10.
   2. Christ’s will or testament came into effect after his death - Heb. 9:15-17
   3. There was a change in the priesthood; the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood was taken away - Heb. 7: 1 1-12
   4. Even Christ could not be a priest of Aaron because he was of the wrong tribe Heb. 7:13-14. (How can non-Jewish LDS qualify if Christ could not qualify?
   5. If Christ were on earth he would not be a priest at all - Heb. 8:4
   6. There is no example of Aaronic priests in the church anywhere in the New Testament, amazing if such priesthood existed in the church. Rather, the New Testament teaches the universal priesthood of all believers I Peter 2:5, 9

Discuss!

I was in an LDS bookstore browsing through the greeting cards. Nestled amidst the birthday, baptism, missionary, and priesthood cards I came across a card (blank-inside) depicting Joseph Smith cradling his brother, Hyrum, who had just been shot. The art on the card is a reproduction of a painting by LDS artist Liz Lemon Swindle called “Oh, my dear brother Hyrum!” The setting is Carthage Jail.

As I contemplated the greeting cards on display, I tried to imagine an occasion for which the card bearing the bloody picture of Hyrum’s death would be appropriate. Or desirable.

The back of the card quotes Liz Lemon Swindle’s words, “What a price was paid for each of us. May we never forget.”

• Would a Mormon send this card, then, to a new convert, welcoming him into the Church?
• Would it be sent as a sympathy card to someone who has lost a loved one?
• Would a parent send it as an encouragement card to a missionary son or daughter?
• Would a Latter-day Saint send it to a doubting Mormon in an effort to strengthen a waning testimony?

I honestly can’t come up with any occasion for sending this greeting card that makes sense to me. But I’m not LDS. What am I missing?

(Please be thoughtful and sensitive in your discussion.)

Free videos from “Mormonism and American Politics”, a recent Princeton University conference

February is Black History Month. In the United States, the observance is primarily a remembrance of the important people and events in African-American history.

On February 7 (2008) a Black History Month symposium lecturer at BYU suggested that the “Atonement is [the] Key to Quiet Misgivings” people may have about the Mormon Church’s previous ban on Blacks holding the LDS Priesthood. The ban was lifted in 1978, but, according to an article at the BYU News Net web site, speaker Ahmad S. Corbitt’s experience indicates that “the former priesthood restriction is the most referenced reason for discontinued activity in the church by African Americans.”

“The first step to building on the Atonement is recognition of each person’s true identity in relation to God, he said.

“‘Designations of our identities in relation to God are clearly first in rank and greatest in importance among all of our identifiers, because they most relate to our primary purpose in this life,’ Corbitt said. ‘Earthly cultural and societal designations, by contrast, are obviously secondary.’

“Corbitt cautioned students not to allow these secondary race-related concerns to violate primary principles that affect their relationship to God, not to ‘place the things of man higher than the things of God.’

“He also encouraged listeners to make the study of the Atonement a priority in their lives, and help others to do the same. Study must be balanced and mainly focused on subjects that are essential to salvation, Corbitt said.”

Mr. Corbitt has overlooked some significant issues related to the former priesthood ban. He makes the point that one thing of great importance in quieting misgivings about the priesthood ban is understanding our true identities in relation to God. According to LDS President John Taylor, a man who allegedly spoke for God, the true identity of a person of African descent is as an earthly representative of the devil:

“And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain [as evidenced by black skin] was continued through Ham’s wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? Because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God.” (Journal of Discourses 22:304)

As pertaining to priesthood/race restrictions in the LDS Church, it is impossible to classify the related teachings of LDS prophets and apostles throughout history as “secondary race-related concerns” of “earthly cultural and societal designations,” because they are 100% spiritual in nature. The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price both teach that dark skin is God’s way of marking people who are spiritually inferior (see 1 Nephi 12:23; 2 Nephi 5:21; 3 Nephi 2:14-16; Mormon 5:15; Moses 7:8, 22).

Furthermore, Mr. Corbitt suggests that as students make the study of the Atonement a priority and thereby quiet their misgivings, they should focus on subjects that are essential to salvation. Though people of African descent today have full access to things essential to their salvation as taught and required by the LDS Church, this has not always been so. The former priesthood ban denied Blacks the opportunity to receive essential temple ordinances –ordinances which were (and are) required for their attainment of the fullness of LDS salvation (exaltation). As LDS apostle Mark E. Petersen taught in 1954,

“If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get a celestial resurrection.” (Race Problems as they Affect the Church)

Though claiming spiritual authority and the right to receive special revelation from God, these LDS leaders certainly did not reflect the pronouncements of God as found in the Bible. There we learn of the spiritual equality of all people in Christ. Paul taught,

“…there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:28-29)

God has never placed any restrictions on who may receive full and complete salvation. Through His true apostle He tells us,

“’The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.‘” (Romans 10:8-13)

Teachings and practices contrary to the revealed Word of God, such as those taught by authoritative LDS leaders regarding the African race, should unsettle people to a much greater degree than to merely cause “quiet misgivings.”

May we be so deeply troubled by the teachings of false prophets and false apostles that we turn to the One who freely bestows His abundant riches, without racial distinction, to all who call upon His holy name.

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For more information please see Black Skin and the Seed of Cain by Bill McKeever.