Flying First-Class — Mormon Style

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Sharon Lindbloom

In reading the July 2013 Ensign, I came across a thoughtful story written by Bonnie Marshall in the Latter-day Saint Voices section of the magazine. Mrs. Marshall tells of a long flight she and her husband took when they returned to Utah from their mission at BYU-Hawaii. Because Mrs. Marshall’s husband was a large man, for the sake of his comfort, the couple upgraded his ticket to the only remaining seat in first-class, while Mrs. Marshall flew in coach.

StewardessMidway through the flight Mrs. Marshall decided to visit her husband, but she was stopped by a flight attendant and told she, as an economy-class passenger, was not allowed into the first-class section of the aircraft. Mrs. Marshall tried to explain and reason with the flight attendant, but could make no headway. She was told that her husband could go back in the plane to visit Mrs. Marshall, but she could not go to visit him. The flight attendant made it clear, “I’m sorry, you can’t come up here.”

As I read this I thought I knew where the story was going. I supposed that a kindly person in first-class would hear the conversation between Mrs. Marshall and the flight attendant and, giving up his first-class seat, offer to trade with Mrs. Marshall so she could sit by her husband through the rest of the flight. I may have forgotten for a moment what magazine I was reading because I thought to myself, in anticipation of this tender turn of events, “That is a sweet analogy of the Gospel – as if it were Jesus selflessly and sacrificially making a gift of His first-class seat to a woman who had no claim on it and no hope of acquiring it for herself.” But that’s not how the story went.

Mrs. Marshall was turned away at first-class and went quietly back to her economy-class seat. As she told the story, she explained that to her, this experience was an illustration of Mormonism’s three degrees of glory:

“We read that Christ will visit those in the terrestrial kingdom (see D&C 76:77), and administering angels will visit those in the telestial kingdom (see D&C 76:88), but those who are in the lesser kingdoms can never go up to the celestial kingdom (see D&C 76:112; see also D&C 88:22–24). Reflecting upon my experience, I felt that I just had a glimpse of what it might be like for those in the lower kingdoms. How would they feel upon hearing the words ‘I’m sorry, you can’t come up here’?” (Ensign, 7/2013, 72)

Rather than being a tale of grace and mercy, this narrative turned out to be about the contrasting harsh and merciless Mormon plan of salvation wherein you get what you pay for. As disappointing as it was in that there was no happy ending to the story with a Jesus character giving up his seat, the tragedy of the whole thing is this. Five months after the flight, Mr. Marshall died, leaving Mrs. Marshall clinging to this hope: “My experience on the airplane gives me extra incentive to live so that I never have to hear those words again—at least not on the other side of the veil.”

This broke my heart. Mrs. Marshall will live out the rest of her days striving more and more to keep the commandments, obey the prophets, and keep her covenants so she will merit the celestial kingdom, as she supposes, and be with her husband again. The tragedy is that all her striving will not get her what she hopes for — she cannot plead, persuade, or pay her way into first-class.

“You must understand that there is only one door to salvation, and that is Christ; there is one way, and that is Christ; one truth, and that is Christ; one life, and that is Christ. Salvation lies in Jesus only; it does not lie in you, in your doings, or your feelings, or your knowings, or your resolutions. In Him all life and light for the sons of men are stored up by the mercy of God the Father. …‘it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.’ (Rom. 9:16)” (“One Door to Salvation,” Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

Unless Mrs. Marshall’s hope is in Christ alone, in His freely given gift of eternal life as the Bible says, I fear the words she will hear on the other side of the veil will be, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

Posted in Afterlife, Gospel, Salvation | Tagged , , | 43 Comments

Mormonism and its “vital revelations flowing in a never-ending stream”

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Sharon Lindbloom

StreamJohn Taylor, the third prophet of the Mormon Church, explained:

“We require a living tree—a living fountain—living intelligence, proceeding from the living priesthood in heaven, through the living priesthood on earth. … And from the time that Adam first received a communication from God, to the time that John, on the Isle of Patmos, received his communication, or Joseph Smith had the heavens opened to him, it always required new revelations, adapted to the peculiar circumstances in which the churches or individuals were placed. Adam’s revelation did not instruct Noah to build his ark; nor did Noah’s revelation tell Lot to forsake Sodom; nor did either of these speak of the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt. These all had revelations for themselves, and so had Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jesus, Peter, Paul, John, and Joseph. And so must we, or we shall make a shipwreck.” (The Gospel Kingdom, 34, quoted in “What Is a Living Prophet,” Ensign, July 1973

Living prophets are essential to the Mormon faith, and one of the hallmarks of the Restoration. While all fifteen of the top leaders of the Mormon Church are considered “prophets, seers and revelators” (i.e., the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the members of the First Presidency), Thomas S. Monson is the prophet and president of the Church, and has been since February 2008. According to lds.org, as the current president, Mr. Monson is “the only person on the earth who receives revelation to guide the entire Church.”

In light of all this, hoping it will spark some good discussion here on Mormon Coffee, I’d like to re-ask a question that Aaron has asked elsewhere:

What is something Thomas Monson has revealed as a prophet that, if he hadn’t revealed, we wouldn’t have otherwise known?

—

*The quotation used in the title of this blog post is from Spencer W. Kimball, quoted in “The Living Prophet: Our Source of Pure Doctrine,” Liahona, January 1999.

Posted in Mormon Leaders, Prophets | Tagged , , , , , | 85 Comments

Where Did Mormon Leaders Go Wrong?

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Sharon Lindbloom

Dieter UchtdorfApart from excitement over the fly that plagued Mormon Seventy Terence M. Vinson during his General Conference talk on Sunday (October 13, 2013), much of the Conference buzz on the world wide web (sorry – I couldn’t resist) is focused on Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s Saturday Morning address, “Come, Join with Us.” Apostle Uchtdorf (of the First Presidency) talked about (and to) Mormons who doubt and/or have left the Church. Included in his remarks was what the New York Times called “a groundbreaking admission that ‘mistakes’ by fallible church leaders in the past have sown the seeds of doubt today.” In Mr. Uchtdorf’s own words:

“And, to be perfectly frank, there have been times when members or leaders in the Church have simply made mistakes. There may have been things said or done that were not in harmony with our values, principles, or doctrine.”

According to Mormon professor, author and speaker Terryl Givens, Mr. Uchtdorf’s concession was of great importance because “In a single blow, it shattered the cultural mythology that has been at the root of the doubt and disaffection that affects our members.”

Yet I wonder – was Mr. Uchtdorf’s “admission” really all that? It seems to me that his words were quite vague. Who are these “leaders in the Church” that are guilty of having made mistakes? What, specifically, has been said or done that is “not in harmony with [Mormon] values, principles, or doctrine”?

New York Times journalist Laurie Goodstein noted that two specific things done by Mormon leaders of the past, things that today’s Latter-day Saints find especially troubling, are Joseph Smith’s polyandrous polygamy (i.e., marrying multiple women who also had other living husbands) and Brigham Young’s barring of Blacks from the priesthood. Are these things that would fall under Mr. Uchtdorf’s admission of “mistakes” made that were out of harmony with Mormon doctrine?

In May 2012 a survey was conducted to better understand Mormon disbelief and the factors that contribute to that disbelief. Topping the resulting list (in addition to the two issues already mentioned) are: the Book of Abraham, DNA and the Book of Mormon, Masonic influences in the temple ceremony, multiple conflicting versions of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, and anachronisms in the Book of Mormon. A little further down the list are: Joseph’s use of peep stones in translating the Book of Mormon, changes in the temple ceremony, loss of credibility of the Three Witnesses, Brigham Young’s teaching on blood atonement, Brigham Young’s Adam-God doctrine, and Joseph Smith’s Kinderhook Plates fiasco. Are these the things Mr. Uchtdorf was referring to? It seems that Mr. Givens thinks so, if indeed Mr. Uchtdorf’s admission “shattered” the very thing that is “at the root of [Members’] doubt and disaffection.”

If we are to accept the interpretation of Mr. Uchtdorf’s words that is being promoted by Mr. Givens (and others), we would conclude that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, while speaking and acting within their calling and capacity as prophets, made an awful lot of mistakes that have led a lot of Mormons doctrinally astray.

I don’t think this is what Mr. Uchtdorf meant – do you?

I think it far more likely that he was referring to local leaders (like those who are blamed for the Mountain Meadows Massacre), Church-sponsored boy scout troop leaders (like those who have been accused of child sex abuse), and those unfortunate leaders who recently excommunicated Denver Snuffer for saying the exact same thing as is being attributed to Mr. Uchtdorf. As Alan Rock Waterman over at Pure Mormonism wrote, “I think what it was that put Snuffer in the doghouse with Church leadership was his assertion that Joseph Smith’s successors sometimes made mistakes.”

So, if Mr. Uchtdorf was not suggesting that Mormon prophets have made significant mistakes that were/are out of harmony with Mormon “values, principles, or doctrine” (in fact, he affirmed “an uninterrupted line of inspired, honorable and divine events” spanning the Church’s 200 years of history), his “admission” that God uses imperfect people to accomplish His purposes was hardly “groundbreaking” or myth-“shattering.” For decades Mormons have told me, “The Church is perfect, but its people are not.” This is not news.

Mr. Uchtdorf should have been more specific in his comments at General Conference. As it is, he’s left his remarks open to all manner of personal interpretation. But then, maybe that’s exactly what he intended after all.

Posted in Authority and Doctrine, General Conference, LDS Church, Mormon History, Mormon Leaders | Tagged , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

There are two fathers in heaven. Which one is yours?

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Aaron Shafovaloff

Everyone has a heavenly father. Which one do you have? There are two.

One tells you who are here to be tested, the other tells you who are here to love and be loved.

One encourages you to eat of the forbidden fruit, the other encourages you to wait and trust.

One is the “god of this world,” the other gathers a family for himself by adoption through his Only Begotten.

One tells you to hide from your history, the other tells you to own up to it and trust God for healing and forgiveness.

One tells you to get a temple recommend, the other tells you that Jesus IS your temple recommend.

One tells you to go through “priesthood authority,” the other tells you to boldly approach the throne of grace.

One tells you to pursue godhood, the other tells you to pursue humility and enjoyment of God alone.

One tells you to try filling up your cup before you arrive, the other tells you to empty your cup so he can fill it to an overflow.

One tells you to revile the lost sheep (apostates), the other tells you to pursue and understand them with love.

One tells you to sing “Praise to the Man,” the other tells you to praise the Son of Man.

One says that men become Gods, the other says that God became a man — because he loves you.

Yes, everyone has a heavenly father. But there are two heavenly fathers.

Posted in God the Father | 133 Comments

Is the “church” established on any man?

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Eric Johnson

549-joseph-fielding-smithI have just finished reading through the entire gospel doctrine series called “Teachings of the Presidents of the Church” series, including the newest volume dedicated to Joseph Fielding Smith. Smith was known for being a church theologian, penning the massive three-volume set Doctrines of Salvation as well as the five volumes comprising Answers to Gospel Questions.

Smith, who is a direct descendant of Joseph Smith’s brother Hyrum, is the son of sixth president Joseph F. Smith. He is known for stating things as they were. He didn’t mince words in his writings, an attribute that I believe his son-in-law Bruce R. McConkie later picked up and turned into his style.

After having read the 2013 manual made up of Smith’s teachings and how much of what he is quoted as saying is truly innocuous, I was seriously longing for the days of old when the leaders and the manuals were more upfront. From my shelf I picked up Smith’s book Selections from Answers to Gospel Questions, which was “a course of study for the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums 1972-73.” What makes this book different from Smith’s other writings is that this was published by the LDS Church’s First Presidency backed in the 1970s and was considered “official.”

Honestly, there are so many more “quotable” statements in this older book than what can be found in the newest manual. The church seems so much more cautious in what it prints these days. For example, I turned to Lesson 25 in Selections from Answers to Gospel Questions and, after quoting Matthew 16:13-19 (speaking about Peter and the “rock”), found the following quote in the section titled “The Church is Not Established on Any Man”:

“The interpretation placed on this conversation by the Catholics is extremely absurd. It is contrary to reason to think that the Lord would establish his Church upon any man, no matter how faithful and wonderful he might be.”

StPeterVaticanFirst of all, I love how Smith used the word absurd. Can you imagine seeing that word used in a manual today in reference to the Catholics or Protestants? I like it when the LDS leadership throws away political correctness and tells us what they really think rather than hide behind niceties.

What I find even more amazing is how Smith criticized the Catholics for placing too much emphasis on Peter. Yet let’s consider the life of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. This is a person of whom President Heber J. Grant once said, “The whole foundation of this Church rests firmly upon the inspiration of the living God through Joseph Smith the Prophet” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, p. 16).

In the Melchizedek manual referred to above, listen to what Joseph Fielding Smith said:

“No one else, but Joseph Smith, has ever made the claim that this restoration and setting up of the kingdom (i.e. Church of Jesus Christ) has ever been revealed. Joseph Smith as proclaimed to the world that power, keys, and authority were bestowed upon him. No one else has arisen to make such a claim; yet, this was revealed preparatory to these momentous and final restorations” (Selections, p. 338).

How important is Joseph Smith to the Mormon religion? Let me share several additional quotes that support my case:

Brigham Young: “I honor and revere the name of Joseph Smith. I delight to hear it; I love it. I love his doctrine” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, p. 345).

“Whosoever confesseth that Joseph Smith was sent of God to reveal the holy Gospel to the children of men, and lay the foundation for gathering Israel, and building up the Kingdom of God on the earth, that spirit is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that God has sent Joseph Smith, and revealed the everlasting Gospel to and through him, is of Antichrist, no matter whether it is found in a pulpit or on a throne” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 435).

Joseph F. Smith: “Where shall we go to find another man who has accomplished a one-thousandth part of the good that Joseph Smith accomplished?” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 18).

George Albert Smith: “Many of the benefits and blessings that have come to me have come through that man who gave his life for the gospel of Jesus Christ. There have been some who have belittled him, but I would like to say that those who have done so will be forgotten and their remains will go back to mother earth, if they have not already gone, and the odor of their infamy will never die, while the glory and honor and majesty and courage and fidelity manifested by the Prophet Joseph Smith will attach to his name forever” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, p. 34).

Harold B. Lee: “We must accept the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith as the instrumentality through which the restoration of the gospel and the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ was accomplished. Each member of the Church, to be prepared for the millennial reign, must receive a testimony, each for himself, of the divinity of the work established by Joseph Smith” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 71).

I’m not suggesting that Mormons somehow worship Smith any more than Catholics worship Peter—that’s not my case nor my point. What I am saying is that, according to LDS leaders, Mormonism truly has been established upon the name of Joseph Smith.

Posted in Joseph Smith, LDS Church, Mormon Leaders | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 75 Comments

True Mormonism

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Sharon Lindbloom

first_vision_1838On September 24th Mormon Apostle D. Todd Christofferson spoke to students at BYU-Idaho during the school’s weekly devotional. About halfway through his talk, “The Prophet Joseph Smith,” Mr. Christofferson explained,

“Joseph Smith’s prophetic calling is key to our religion. Without his commission from the Father and the Son, without his priesthood ordinations and the keys he received at the hands of duly appointed heavenly messengers, without the fullness of the gospel restored through his visions and revelations and his translations of the Book of Mormon and the Bible, what we would have is something much less than true Christianity.”

Past Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie clarified that

“Mormonism is Christianity; Christianity is Mor­monism; they are one and the same, and they are not to be distinguished from each other in the minutest detail” (Mormon Doctrine, 513).

Yet the fact remains that Mormonism is unique in its doctrines – it does differ from all Christian churches in many minute and momentous details. Mr. Christofferson’s clarification that true Christianity is only to be found within the Mormon Church resonates with the teachings of earlier Mormon apostles. Consider:

“However, true Christianity, so far as the latter days are concerned, is very young, less than one hundred years of age, for it has only been since the year 1830 that the Church of Jesus Christ has been organized in the earth, and the gospel restored…” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Conference Reports, April 1924, 41).

“This (LDS) Church is ‘the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth’ (D. & C. 1:30), the only organization authorized by the Almighty to preach his gospel and administer the ordinances of salvation, the only church which has power to save and exalt men in the hereafter.” (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 136)

In fact, calling other faiths “Christian” is misleading, according to Mr. McConkie:

“The term [Christendom] applies to the whole body of supposed Christian believers; as now constituted this body is properly termed apostate Christendom… A perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom.” (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 131-132)

Furthermore,

“…virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ…” (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 269).

If this is all true, why does the Mormon Church insist on telling the world that, “Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world is a Christian, regardless of differences in theology”? Is one a Christian, then, apart from Christianity? Is one a Christian while worshiping a mythical Christ?  This is nonsense.

IcebergMany Mormons are upset when evangelicals state that (and explain why) Mormonism isn’t Christianity. They may be upset, but at least they know where they stand in relation to Christ and salvation. Christians are honest and consistent in the defining of the Christian faith and in the defining of what it means to be a Christian. Mormonism, on the other hand, uses the terms “Christian” and “true Christianity” interchangeably with “apostate Christian” and “perverted Christianity.” It makes no distinction in the public square between “Christ” and what it calls Christendom’s “mythical Christ.” Apostle Bruce McConkie said, “there is no salvation outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Mormon Doctrine, 670), yet the Mormon Church tells people, “Faithful Christians who are not Latter-day Saints still go to heaven.”

From a biblical Christian perspective, as Aaron Shafovaloff has pointed out elsewhere,

The scandal isn’t that evangelicals won’t call Mormons “Christian.” The scandal is that Mormons are willing to call someone “Christian” who, in their present state and path, faces an eternity of separation from Jesus.

Mormons are willing to call someone who:

  • doesn’t have forgiveness
  • doesn’t have justification
  • doesn’t have eternal life
  • hasn’t been adopted by the Father
  • doesn’t have the gift of the Holy Ghost

…a Christian.

Of course, Mormonism can’t preach a gospel that it does not own. Nevertheless, God will hold all false teachers accountable. In the Book of Jeremiah the LORD exposes the false prophets who “have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11). Scandalous indeed are the false prophets who comfort the perishing with peaceful words when there is no peace – words that bring false comfort to those who desperately need Christ.

Posted in Christianity, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, LDS Church, Truth, Honesty, Prayer, and Inquiry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 63 Comments

General Conference Must Have Been Exciting

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Aaron Shafovaloff

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More Facebook Censorship

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Aaron Shafovaloff

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#ldsconf

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Aaron Shafovaloff

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Approaching General Conference

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Sharon Lindbloom

Mormon+General+Conference+Begins+Salt+Lake+3m1GmUxLtdil

As Mormons settle in this weekend to listen to their prophets, seers and revelators at General Conference, may these insightful and significant words from Christian pastor Charles Spurgeon be on their minds:

“Beloved, because Jesus is the sum of the gospel he must be our constant theme. ‘God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.’ So spake men of old, and so say we.

“When we have done preaching Christ we had better have done preaching; when you have done teaching in your classes Jesus Christ himself, give up Sunday school work, for nothing else is worthy of your pains. Put out the sun, and light is gone, life is gone, all is gone. When Jesus is pushed into the background or left out of a minister’s teaching, the darkness is darkness that might be felt, and the people escape from it into gospel light as soon as they can. A sermon without Jesus in it is savourless, and worthless to God’s tried saints, and they soon seek other food. The more of Christ in our testimony the more of light and life and power to save.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Jesus Christ Himself,” December 9, 1877)

All who love Christ: May Jesus ever be the constant theme of our testimonies.

Posted in General Conference, Jesus Christ | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments