Deception, part 2

 Recently, I learned that a good friend and his wife have left the church.  These two both served missions, have a wonderful family, and are very good people whom I highly respect, admire and love.  Their decision saddens me greatly.  It is one I believe they will regret and if not corrected may have far reaching effects, particularly in the lives of their children.  The problem began when they learned that some of the Church’s history is different than what they had believed it to be.  This caused a crisis in their faith and led to them eventually throwing out the baby with the bath so to speak.  They didn’t reach their decision overnight nor without considerable distress and struggle.  The past few years have probably been one of the greatest trials of their lives.  Yet ultimately, they reached the wrong conclusion.  Hopefully they will repent and return.

They are not alone. Marlin Jensen, recently released as the Church’s Historian, stated speaking of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve, “They realize that maybe since Kirtland, we never have had a period of, I’ll call it apostasy, like we’re having right now; largely over these issues.” (Dr. Phillip Barlow interview of Marlin K. Jensen, January 18, 2012 at USU)  The explosion of information available via google and the internet has resulted in many people leaving the Church in a similar manner to my friends.  If Romney ends up as the Republican candidate in a presidential election this year, I can only imagine the kinds of weird “Mormon” things and odd statements from Brigham Young that will be paraded about in the national media.

This problem stems from a couple of sources:

1)  When we learn math or biology or any other subject, we first learn the basics and then move on to more advanced applications.  You can’t do calculus without first understanding algebra and geometry.  Otherwise, calculus is gibberish. It is the same in the gospel.  (It is one reason that the temple is kept sacred.)  The problem that we encounter as we move from the “milk” of the gospel to the “meat” is that we inevitably run into things that don’t make sense or that even seem wrong.  Sometimes we must set these things aside for a time, perhaps even for years, until we have more context and framework to finally understand them.  A wise religion instructor used to admonish his classes to, “never lose faith in the things you do know, because of the things you don’t know.”   This obviously applies to truths testified to our souls by the spirit and by spiritual communications.  We all have mistaken beliefs and ideas which we need to discard over time as we gain additional light and knowledge. 

One reason the Savior taught in parables was to not give his hearers more information than they were prepared for.  Nowadays, with the information availability of the internet, this precaution is gone and it is relatively easy to find things out of proper sequence.

Our testimonies should be based not upon our intellectual understanding, but upon personal revelation and interaction with Heaven.  This requires effort on our part.  We must first ask before heaven can respond.  That is one of the keys.  There must be a stirring on earth below before there can be a stirring in heaven above.  Otherwise the heavens are silent (Mormon 9:19-21).  Even Alma who had been raised with the gospel and called to repentance by an angel from heaven, declared that his testimony came by the Holy Spirit and that he had fasted and prayed many days to know for himself (Alma 5:46).  That is how we gain a testimony.

These spiritual communications may not be frequent in our lives, but they are real and unmistakable when they occur.  They are private and individually tailored to us and like the oil in the lamps can’t be given to others.  We should treasure and cling to these witnesses from heaven, particularly in moments of doubt and confusion.  Oliver Cowdery was admonished by the Savior to “cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.  Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter?  What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:22-23)

2) Church leaders have generally portrayed Church history in the most positive light possible.  Sometimes this is as simple as only telling one side of a given story (e.g. how the Saints were wronged or praising their virtues, but not mentioning their errors, mistakes, sins and/or actions that stirred the pot and contributed to their problems).  Other times in a Paul Dunn style, stories have been embellished or changed to be more “faith promoting”.  Whether this occurred intentionally in all cases or not, I don’t know, nor do I wish to presume to judge those leaders.  However, today this veneer is rapidly coming off.

Growing up, Joseph Smith was a hero set upon a pedestal to me.  In my limited view, he was beyond reproach and infinitely far above me and everyone else I knew.  I gained a testimony of Joseph as a prophet, of his first vision and some of the experiences he had.  They are true!  Joseph was a great prophet!  He is a hero and deserves our respect.  However, he was also a man who struggled with his temper, who often didn’t receive answers from God when he felt he needed them and was sometimes left on his own to muddle along, who made mistakes, who trusted people he shouldn’t have, and who had to learn many things line upon line just as we do.  Also God used many of the circumstances of Joseph’s environment to prepare and lead him along naturally and almost imperceptibly to where God wanted him to be.  Joseph often didn’t know the end from the beginning.  In other words, Joseph was very human in ways that we all can relate to.  Despite his weakness, he was a great servant and the Lord used him to restore the gospel.  Despite our weakness, the Lord can also use us to accomplish His work.  Richard Bushman’s work Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling was the first book on Joseph that ever gave this added perspective.  Contrary to damaging what I believed about Joseph, he is that much more relatable and dear to me.

3)  Joseph recorded an incident where he visited with a brother and sister who thought that “a prophet is always a prophet”.  Joseph’s response is that a prophet was a prophet only when he was acting as such. (HC 5:265)  To a large extent, we’ve lost sight of that in the Church today.  On another occasion, a man expressed disappointment that Joseph was only a man.  He supposed that a person to whom the Lord revealed his will must be something more than a man.  Joseph reminded him that Elias was also a man subject to like passions as we are, yet had such power with God as to shut the heavens from rain. (HC 2:302)  These mistaken assumptions are common in the church today.  Some accept as gospel truth anything spoken by a past prophet, whether Spencer W. Kimball or Brigham Young for example, without concern for whether the statement was given early in their life or later after they were called as a prophet.  Even if spoken later, were they giving an opinion or speaking prophetically?  Some saints accept everything without discernment.  Brigham Young often gave his opinion and was influenced by social circumstances and prevailing sentiments of his day in many areas just as we are today.  Not all of his statements are gospel truth or accurate.  Likewise, not everything taught by Bruce R. McConkie, Joseph Fielding Smith or others is completely without error.  I am not saying they weren’t great leaders or weren’t inspired.  I am saying that the Lord gives all of us agency; that sometimes we make mistakes even when acting with the best of intentions; that this applies even to the leaders of the church (from bishops to the President); and that all of us grow in our understanding over time.  I’m sure I taught things ten years ago in Elder’s quorum which I would not agree with today. 

The point is this.  Don’t let such things cause you to question your testimony or the truth that you have been given from God.  We all need the scriptures, the Spirit and oil in our own lamps.  When we encounter something new or something we don’t understand and can’t seem to reconcile, set it aside for a time or at the very least suspend your doubt and never let go of those experiences that form the basis of your testimony.  Over time, everything will fit into its proper place.