Doubters, scoffers, and naysayers

See Elder Holland's very powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon from the October 2009 General Conference concerning this subject in my links section.

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 10:3-4)

There is a whole cadre of people out there, members of the Church and others, who feel the need to delve into history, journals, newspapers, and oppositionist rants to try to find incidents and events that they consider damaging to the reputation of early leaders of the Church. They almost gleefully include the prophets, especially Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, in their search. When they find some small foible or mistake, documented or not, they write learned papers about the damage their “revelation” does to the Church and the restoration, and then offer their solutions to the dilemma. Usually, they include a restructuring of doctrine and a re-examination of the direction of the Church to accommodate or mitigate the perceived flaw. They see themselves as the saviors of the Church in the great crisis caused by their discovery.


In August of 2008, a learned man and member of the Church lectured at the Sunstone Symposium in Salt Lake City concerning the Church’s lack of use of the cross as a symbol of our Christianity. He had found a picture of Brigham Young’s daughter (unnamed) wearing a cross. He took this as evidence that the early Church did not object to the use of the cross as a symbol. He argued that there was no reason why the Church should not use the cross, and that doing so would break down barriers between The LDS Church and other Christian denominations. Apparently, he has no problem ignoring or discounting the pronouncements of various prophets concerning the use of the cross. So, whether he would acknowledge it or not, by doing so he set himself as the source of inspiration and guidance the Church needs to find its way back into the light.

Another topic at the symposium was “You can be a Mormon and a Nudist.” WHAT?? The lecturer, a Mormon and a nudist (of course), proposed that nudity and Church membership are not mutually exclusive, but are in fact complementary. Again, he ignored the revealed doctrine about the sacredness of the human body and the need for modesty in dress. He argued that Brigham Young would be shocked by what women wear today, so current Church modesty standards have no basis in Church history, and nudity is only another step toward full freedom from the tyranny of clothing. He too offers himself as a substitute for the wisdom and inspiration of the prophets.

I write about this because it is easy to get caught up in these kinds of pursuits. It is easy to find ourselves dissenting on some point of doctrine because it doesn’t fit with our current view or doesn’t satisfy our own desires. Whenever I find myself at odds with doctrine or counsel from the prophet, I can be sure that it is me who is out of line, not the prophet, and I can be sure that it is not the Spirit of the Lord that is leading me to disagree.

President Hinckley’s simple request to the women of the Church to avoid multiple ear piercings is a perfect example. I still see women who are active members of the Church with more than one earring. A small thing. A simple thing. Yet apparently difficult for some. On the other hand, one of the ladies we work with on Saturday morning told us that when President Hinckley made that request, she removed her extra earrings in front of her grandchildren because she wanted to impress upon them her love for the prophet even though, in her own words, “I loved my extra earrings.”

For years, we have been counseled to avoid “R” movies. Yet, for some, this is a difficulty; for me too, at times. I confess to seeing “Schindler’s List,’ “Saving Private Ryan” and one or two others less memorable. I justified my choices by saying that they told important stories and I needed to understand what they would tell me. Afterwards, I realized that the story they told was indeed important, but I did not need to see the movies to understand the message. Even PG-13 movies (which at one time were rated “R”) are mostly unacceptable. Careful thought and reading of reviews is necessary to decide which of the many films offered each year might be viewable.

The Primary song teaches us to simply: “Follow the prophet, Follow the Prophet. In this there is safety. In this there is peace.” When we choose any other path, we are in danger.

I do not argue against prayerful intellectual examination of doctrine, or an understanding of Church history. I do not argue against an understanding that all of our prophets are human beings who make mistakes and repent, just as we do. What I do argue against is the idea that their mistakes or oversights or misunderstandings negate in any way their prophetic calling or their positions on doctrinal and Church governance matters. Nor do their mistakes give any pseudo-intellectual or dissenter the right to reconstruct Church doctrine or theology to appease those who oppose the Church.

May I respectfully suggest that true knowledge and understanding of the gospel does not come from doubting, scoffing, or nay saying, but from the simple process of study, prayer, and careful thought about the doctrines of the gospel and the teachings of the Savior? Or, to rephrase in the words of the children’s hymn: “Search, Ponder, and Pray.” Do not be sidetracked or even derailed by those with a willingness and desire to question the gospel and its teachings as a pseudo-intellectual exercise. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said:

“Do you want to know the truth of the holy scriptures? Do you wish to break the barriers that separate mortals from the knowledge of eternal verities? Do you wish to know—really know—the truth? Then follow Moroni’s counsel and you will surely find what you seek. Be sincere. Study. Ponder. Pray sincerely, having faith. If you do these things, you too will be able to stand with the millions who testify that God once again speaks to man on earth."

President Hinckley wrote a book called “Stand for Something.” Regardless of how unpopular it may make me in the eyes of Sunstone Symposium attendees, I do stand for something. I stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I stand for continuing growth in the Gospel and eternal progression as a beloved child of God. I stand for centering my life on the gospel. I stand for support of the prophets of the restoration, all sixteen of them. I recognize that they hold the same keys given to Joseph Smith that were necessary to restore the gospel, establish priesthood authority, perform ordinances, receive revelation for the Church, and govern the Saints. I recognize that they represent Jesus Christ who stands at the head of the Church on earth, and that they do receive revelation and direction from The Lord concerning the doctrines of the Gospel and the governance of the Church.

It is my prayer that I may never be swayed in this conviction. I pray daily for the strength to follow our Church leaders and their counsel for us. I pray the same prayer for each of you.