Scriptures

Mormons believe in the Bible, insofar as it has been translated correctly. Having studied a couple foreign languages, having taken classes in translation, and having done a little lay interpretation work, I know somewhat of the hazards of translation and interpretation. Even the simplest concept or sentence can lose meaning in the translation. Idioms can't be translated directly without becoming nonsensical and losing their meaning. Translating often becomes a balance between being true to the original text and communicating meaning properly.

Take for example the simple French phrase "de rien." If someone says "Merci" (meaning "Thank you"), someone might say "De rien" in reply. "De" can be translated most often as "of" or "from" into English. "Rien" is usually translated as "nothing." But it would be nonsensical to translate "de rien" as "of nothing" or "from nothing." What the phrase suggests in French is that what is being thanked is not a big deal. It could be translated into English as "It's nothing" or "Don't worry about it" or "No problem" or many other things. But each one is somewhat different and has a slightly different meaning in English from the French.

When you take a much more complicated sentence, the hazards multiply.

I'm not going to attempt to make this a linguistic discussion, but translation invariably loses something. Some translaters are extremely adept at maintaining meaning, but often they have to take great liberties in doing so.

The Bible is an ancient text. It has been translated, transcribed and even outright modified countless times. Even the sincerest errors have created wildly divergent meanings. I'm not sure how many versions of the Bible exist in English alone, but there are many. The different translations can help understand the original Hebrew and Greek texts. They can also contradict each other or create even slightly different meanings.

To illustrate, I'm going to choose just one verse of scripture from the New Testament. If you click on this link, you can see that Matthew 4:17 reads variously. Among the translations of this short sentence are:

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

From then on, Jesus began to tell people, "Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near!"

From that time Jesus went about preaching and saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin, for the kingdom of heaven is near.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

From that time began Jesus to proclaim and to say, 'Reform ye, for come nigh hath the reign of the heavens.'

As you can see, even this simple sentence can be interpreted to mean different things, each of which might support a different viewpoint. Do we need to repent? Turn to God? Turn from sin? Do penance? Reform ourselves? Is it the kingdom of heaven that is near? The reign of the heavens? Arguably, they mean the same thing. And yet they don't say the same thing. I'm no expert on language or on religions, but I can imagine that the translations result in different practices and doctrines and ideas.

And that's just English. I can only imagine how a Hmong translation as compared to a Xinca translation might differ.

My point is that LDS embrace the Bible as scripture, while acknowledging that it may not have been translated perfectly and that different groups have made changes over time to support their own teachings. Also, until the printing press, transcriptions were done by hand. Mistakes were carried forward from transcription to transcription.

Despite the problems of translation and transcription, the Bible contains important teachings and is an indispensable text. We learn about the purpose of life, the importance of moral living, the life of the Savior, the acts and teachings of the Savior and apostles, the commandments, etc. There are endless stories and teachings of great value. The Bible is the word of God, to the degree something isn't lost or changed in translation. The Bible itself refers to other books of scripture that are lost (perhaps dozens, such as the Book of Enoch)--it's apparent that much more was out there of great value that is not available to us today and that the Bible as a compilation of ancient texts is not the sum total of all revealed word.

LDS embrace other books of scripture, namely The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. Each is a sacred text that reveals the will of God and eternal principles and each helps us understand the Bible so we're not victims of lost meaning.

The Book of Mormon has been translated into 83 languages in whole, and 26 other languages in part (assuming Wikipedia is current and accurate). I imagine each of those translations carries different assumptions or meanings--again, the hazards of translation can cause problems. However, the manner in which the English version came about is unique and presents an interesting story about why we believe The BofM is of particular value and accuracy.

The Book of Mormon contains the writings of ancient prophets, which were inscribed at the time on metal plates. For the most part, the writings cover the period of about 600 BC to 400 AD. There is also a section that is much more ancient and contains an abridgement of the records of a group scattered at the time of the destruction of the Tower of Babel and the confounding of languages. Near 400 AD, one of the prophets, Mormon, compiled and edited many of those writings into what is now known as The Book of Mormon. His son, Moroni, witnessed the destruction of their people and took that compilation, also engraved on metal plates, and safeguarded them until shortly before he died. He then buried them in the ground.

In the early 1800s, after Joseph Smith had what we call the First Vision, Joseph Smith was visited by an angel--the deceased Moroni who had buried those plates. As Joseph Smith later explained:

"He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted “seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book." JS-History 1:34-5

Having been directed by Moroni, he went and uncovered the plates, as he recounts here:

"Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around was covered with earth. Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger." JS-History 1:51-2.

By means of the Urim and Thummim, Joseph Smith began translating portions of the plates he uncovered. In other words, Joseph Smith did not use a dictionary or even a Rosetta Stone, but claims he translated the text through divine revelation. His claim is unique: either he received the translation from God, or he made it up. If one believes his claim, then as a divinely revealed text, it's free from the hazards I described above of multiple translations and changes over centures and millennia. (If one does not believe it, then it's a hoax and fabrication.)

The Book of Mormon has since been translated into many languages, introducing the possibility of first generation error in the translation process in other languages. However, the original English translation can be referred to--so each subsequent translation in a particular language does not have to rely on the original and can improve on the previous translation. Not to mention that English is the closest thing we have to a universal language today, thus (not coincidentally, in my opinion) making it available to much of the world.

Having read The Book of Mormon more than any other book (I would estimate around 35 times), and having studied it with diligence over the past 20 years, I am quite familiar with it. I have used it as a source for finding answers to life's challenges, as a lift when I'm down, as a guide for when I'm lost, and a source of inspiration and intelligence. It has served me well. I can attest that it is true and has positively influenced my life. I have tested its principles and applied its teachings and found its fruit good. While reading it, my mind is frequently opened and I have found deep satisfaction, peace and joy.

Mormons believe that anyone can gain a similiar assurance and knowledge that The Book of Mormon is true. Moroni himself wrote as follows:

"And when ye shall receive these things [The Book of Mormon], 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 10:4.

The formula for receiving that knowledge is therefore: (1) to receive these things (i.e., read, study and ponder them); (2) ask God (through prayer) if they're true, with sincerity, real intent and faith in Christ; and (4) the truth will be manifested by the power of the Holy Ghost.

To recognize the Holy Ghost, you need only review your mind and heart. I will address this elsewhere, but in brief, the Holy Ghost communicates through thoughts and feelings. Not just any thoughts and feelings, but through enlightenment and strokes of ideas (thoughts) and exalted feelings (such as peace, joy, comfort, and other fruits of the Spirit). When we think and feel these things, we can have a spiritual confirmation that they're good and true. What is unique about a spiritual witness of the truth, however, is that accompanying those feelings is a sense of conviction or assurance or confirmation that something is just and true.

The invitation is extended to all to put The Book of Mormon to the test to determine for oneself whether it is true or a hoax. I have put it to the test time and time again and offer testimony that it's true and the word of God.

Literalism, Science and Stuff

I've been asked if I believe the Bible as a literal text. I've also been asked if I believe The Book of Mormon contains literally true stories, or if those stories are of useful value even if not true.

The answer to both questions is yes--I believe they are real stories and I believe there's some value to them even if they weren't real (although that value is quite limited). That doesn't mean, of course, that there aren't figurative passages or symbolism--of course the scriptures are replete with nonliteral literary devices. But LDS believe that Adam and Eve lived, that Noah lived and preached and that there was a Flood, that Jesus Christ lived and lives, etc. There is quite a bit of variation of thought about what was going on before Adam and Eve, whether the Flood was local or global, the age of the earth, among other things. The Church has never claimed it has all information on every subject--quite the contrary, it concerns itself with human improvement and bringing people unto Christ. Issues of evolution vs. creationism, how old the earth is, whether Adam has a belly button, and lots of other issues aren't terribly relevant to bringing people closer to God. They are interesting and worthy of study, but not really the point of Christ's Church. And yet . . .

LDS have a strong philosophical heritage favoring study and learning of all kinds. "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith. " D&C 88:118. Truth should be sought out in its many forms. Science, math, moral living--everything good. "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." Art. of Faith 13.

Like any community of people, LDS are going to have significant variation in beliefs. I asked a good (LDS) friend the other day why he thinks evolutionary theory (or any variation on it) is wrong. He pointed out some criticisms generally, but I think what I concluded was that it's aesthetically unappealing to him. I told him so--he disagreed at first, but I think he ended up agreeing with me. He's read a lot about it, studied it and generally disfavors it. In fact, I could say he has a degree of disdain for it. I think that his leaning pre-dated his study. I, on the other hand, have always leaned in the other direction--I'm aesthetically drawn to it. And so my studies confirm my biases.

I heard on NPR the other day "fundamentalism" defined as "believing that the scriptures are literal" and "seeing the world in black and white" and "having a clear sense of what's right and wrong." I'm paraphrasing. The gist of it was that they have a narrow view of the world and have greatly reduced the world to simple elements.

It's puzzling to me. Because I believe in right and wrong and believe the events in the scriptures really happened, but I don't see everything in black and white and don't always readily know what the best choice is or see the world as simple. So I'm not sure where I fall. What I do know is that reducing the existence of fossils to "a trick played by the devil to lead us astray" (which I heard once) really offends my sensibilities. I still puzzle over how the geological record is supposed to conflict with the Bible. I just don't tend to see contradiction, because I tend rather to synthesize science and religion.

Here are some quotations that I like (chosen pretty randomly from many of their sort). First, by Brigham Young, second Church president and prophet (mid to late 1800s):

“If, on the Sabbath day, when we are assembled here to worship the Lord, one of the Elders should be prompted to give us a lecture on any branch of education with which he is acquainted, is it outside the pale of our religion? Or if an Elder shall give us a lecture upon astronomy, chemistry, or geology, our religion embraces it all. It matters not what the subject be, if it tends to improve the mind, exalt the feelings, and enlarge the capacity. The truth that is in all the arts and sciences forms a part of our religion. Faith is no more a part of it than any other true principle of philosophy.” Journal of Discourses, v. 1, pp. 334-335.

And Orson Pratt, early apostle (1800s):

“The study of science is the study of something eternal. If we study chemistry, we study the works of God. If we study chemistry, geology, optics, or any other branch of science, every new truth we come to the understanding of is eternal; it is a part of the great system of universal truth. It is truth that exists throughout universal nature; and God is the dispenser of all truth – scientific, religious, and political. Therefore let all classes of citizens and people endeavor to improve their time more than heretofore – to train their minds to that which is best calculated for their good and the good of the society which surrounds them." Journal of Discourses, v. 7, p. 157.

So, in a sense, Mormonism comprises all truth.

I agree emphatically with that perspective. I don't see the need to create a false dichotomy between science and religion, to create an unnecessary conflict. Sure, a religious idea can be erroneous--I'm sure I have some religious opinions that are untempered and wrong. And science is certainly fallible--to the degree that we confuse a methodology with a body of thought, we can run amok. And paradigm shifts (in the Thomas Kuhn sense) suggest that significant changes in how we analyze data and view the world are going to continue forward.

So I believe "good" science and "good" religion. I don't believe every scientific fact or every religious idea. For example, I don't think biological classification is "true" science--it's useful and even cleverly arranged, but how do you classify a platypus? To me, it's not really science, but a good attempt at taxonomy in the most general sense. And, by way of another example, I don't believe in reincarnation. It's a religious principle that I reject.

Not great examples, but I think it illustrates the point that not all that is called science is true and not all that is called religion is true either. But true science and true religion go hand in hand. They are both subsets of the greater field of truth.

So I believe on the one hand that the Bible and The Book of Mormon are real stories about a real God and real people. And, on the other, I believe that the earth is really old, that fossils weren't planted to trick us, that space should be explored and that chemistry is worth knowing. These are all good things. They serve different purposes, but they're good. Understanding astrophysics isn't going to save your soul. And understanding the principles of morality isn't going to solve our fossil fuels problem.

There are certainly plenty of Mormons who are skeptical of some aspects of science. Most aren't, but some are. I suppose you have Mormons of every stripe. But my friend who rejects evolution isn't really rejecting science. I think that he would readily agree that science and religion go hand in hand. But I think first that he thinks evolution isn't all science (and I agree--much of it is not approached scientifically) and second he doesn't like the assumptions that go into it (and I don't fault him there either). For those LDS, and I think they're few, that are derisive of science, I think they are denying their own faith. I hope I don't offend. I think that someone who is LDS and understands the scriptures and the basic tenets of their faith is going to desire all learning out of the best books and seek understanding in all worthy fields. Sure, a certain percentage of scientific "fact" will ultimately be thrown by the wayside as incorrect, but that does not condemn the methodology. For empirically measurably stuff, it's a perfect method. For the non-empirical, it's flawed.

In the end, I'm both a man of faith and a man of science. I can't say that I'm proficient in any remarkable way at either, but what I mean to say is that I value them both and I believe in both. I believe in innovation and progress and I believe in fundamental morality. I believe in learning and understanding all good things and I believe in good and evil. I believe in life after death and I believe in biology and astronomy. I may not be well versed in religion and science, but I have the respect and reverence for both and I'm open to learning new things and using them to improve my life.

And that, to me, is what Mormonism is all about.

The Commandments

I think in a time and place where freedom is so emphasized and valued, the notion of commandments--such as the Ten Commandments--seems silly and outmoded to many. I think many people see the commandments as arbitrary constraints on freedoms. Others see them as outmoded morality guidelines. I think LDS tend to view commandments as freeing, not constraining.

I think a basic example can begin to illustrate the point. LDS believe in the Word of Wisdom. The Word of Wisdom is from modern scripture and is a commandment relating to the law of health. It was recorded in 1833 and encouraged eating grains, fruits and vegetables, while avoiding tobacco (among other things). As a commandment, faithful LDS live by it. But it is not constraining--it is liberating. By eating well and avoiding addictive substances (including alcoholic beverages and "hot drinks"--tea and coffee), I have more physical freedoms than I would have otherwise. I also am free from addiction to tobacco, which enslaves a lot of people. To reduce it quite simply, I have more freedom on whether to smoke right now than someone addicted to or formerly addicted to cigarettes. It doesn't tempt me or bother me in the least and I'm happy to choose not to. Nothing but my own decision stops me. Someone addicted to cigarettes can spend the day haunted by the compelling longing to smoke.

To be clear, I'm not gloating and find no pleasure in someone else's suffering. I'm merely trying to illustrate how commandments aren't there to arbitrarily confine. They're there to help and increase our personal freedoms. Whether it's a commandment to tell the truth (and not bear false witness) or to serve others or to keep the Sabbath holy or not to steal, there are good reasons for them and they bless my life and free me to be willing to follow them.

A modern apostle, Boyd K. Packer, has compared obedience to flying a kite. While it may appear at first that the string holds the kite down, in reality it holds it up. Not all that appears to confine actually does confine. Sometimes willing submission to wisdom is true freedom. As LDS, we don't think of commandments as constraints on behavior, but as guide posts to greater happiness and freedom. Just as a parent may counsel a child to go to bed at a reasonable hour so he isn't sleepy and incoherent the next day, so does our heavenly Father give us kind instruction to help us. The child who willingly submits to the counsel to go to bed early will be fresher in the morning because of it. A person who submits to God's commandments will have a similar blessing connected to the obedience. "And when we receive any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." D&C 130:21.

Willing submission to commandments is freeing and invigorating, not constraining and demeaning.

Here are some excellent thoughts on the subject for those interested.

Christ the Mediator

I mentioned previoiusly that in order to make full use of the atonement and to be freed of our bad choices and to be cleansed from them, Christ was sent by our heavenly Father as a mediator for us. As Mediator, He answers the demands of justice while also extending mercy to us. Justice demands that a violation of eternal law be punished. A lie violates eternal law. Murder does as well. If we commit any violation of any eternal law, justice demands that a punishment be paid.

Part of that punishment is simply the knowledge that we have violated a law: "Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness." 2 Nephi 9:14.

That guilt is inevitable when we understand fully, after we die, the gravity of our bad choices. Justice requires not only that we feel the guilt of violating the law, but that we suffer all the consequences of our choices.

Those without an understanding of the laws of happiness and goodness, such as young children, are not punished. The atonement answers for them. It would not be just for a person to be punished for a sin they don't understand is a sin. But for those of us who know we've done something wrong--whether an act of dishonesty or an explosion of temper--we cannot avoid the consequences. These princples are expressed in The Book of Mormon:

"Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!" 2 Nephi 9:25-27.

So the innocent are spared, according to the laws of justice, but the knowing are not.

Except that those who choose wrong over right can repent. This is where Christ as Mediator intercedes for us. An excellent article can be found here. Boyd K. Packer, a modern apostle, explains how Christ mediates for us and comes between us and punishment, not frustrating justice, but answering the demands of justice while extending mercy.

In brief summary, he compares a sinner to a debtor. A debtor borrows money from a man and promises to repay. But, foolishly, he wastes his time and when the loan is due, he doesn't pay his creditor. The creditor demands justice--payment or jail (debtor's prison). The debtor asks for mercy. The creditor demands justice. Neither one is satisfied. So the debtor goes to prison and the creditor gets his justice.

A friend of the debtor approaches and offers to pay the debtor's debt for the debtor. The creditor can't complain--he's getting justice (his payment). The debtor then agrees to pay back his friend according to his friend's specifications--it's far better than jail. Justice is satisfied, but the debtor's request for mercy is met as well. Mercy doesn't frustrate justice--both mercy and justice are satisfied.

Christ is the friend. He mediates for us. When we sin, justice demands that we pay the price. But we can't. Christ intervenes and pays the price. Justice is satisfied. But Christ also extends the mercy we hunger for when facing a moment of truth. We then agree to do things His way when we accept His payment. His way is to follow His commandments. Because He's selfless, the obedience is beneficial to us--it's obeying the laws that govern happiness. We willingly give ourselves over to Him.

That is the atonement. I'm grateful for the Savior's willingness to be punished despite His perfection and lack of guilt. I don't want Him to suffer for my errors and to pay my price, and yet that's the only way to be rescued from my own errors. I know He wants me to accept His offering. If I don't, His sacrifice was in vain for me. Through constant repentance, I can eventually free myself entirely from bad choices. I have experienced that cleansing process--it is real. And it's an essential part of the plan of salvation.

The Plan of Salvation

LDS believe that we have an eternal nature--that we've existed always (in one form or another) and that we will always exist. We believe that before we were born, we lived in the presence of our heavenly Father, that as His children, we have divine potential, and that He wants us to progress to be like Him, just as any parent would want for his or her children.

We were different from our Father in a couple significant ways. First, we were imperfect and capable of sin. Second, we did not have bodies, whereas God had a perfect, resurrected body. In order to become perfected and receive a body, we needed to come to earth. On earth, we would be given a body and retain our agency and choose what we would do with our bodies. We had never had bodies before and had existed only as spirits. When it was announced that we were going to have a chance to come on earth and experience physical bodies, we rejoiced.

And yet, on earth we knew we would sin and still be imperfect and therefore unlike God. And because of the Fall of Adam, and due to Adam and Eve's choice to partake of the forbidden fruit, we knew we would die and lose our physical bodies. But our Father was aware that we would still fall short if He didn't prepare a way for us to overcome our tendency to sin (and sin again) and to restore our physical bodies.

To do this, He sent His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ. Christ was the only perfect person to be born on earth. His mission, in part, was to suffer for our sins, taking upon Himself the punishment demanded by justice. Justice demands that laws be enforced. A broken law results in punishment. Only a perfect offering could satisfy the demands of justice. Christ, in His perfection, was able to pay the infinite price of mankind's evil deeds. And, in His mercy, He allows us to turn to Him and accept that offering. His willingness and act of taking our punishment is part of the atonement.

But even with the effects of sin being overcome, we still are unlike God because our bodies will die. This is where the other significant part of the atonement comes in--Christ allowed Himself to die in order for Him to overcome death. On the third day after His death, He was resurrected--He received a perfect, immortal body. Because of His resurrection, He unlocked the gates of death and all mankind will be resurrected.

Between these two aspects of the atonement, we are redeemed from the mortal experience. Our purpose in life--to become like our heavenly Father--can be accomplished.

However, while resurrection is given to all mankind, being redeemed from our sins is not automaticly given to us. We need to turn from our sins and repent. Repentance consists of acknowledging our mistakes, turning from them and turning toward God. Through repentance, we can be cleansed of our mistakes and errors and made new. We then, acknowledging that Christ paid the steep price for our sins, offer ourselves to Him willingly. Through this process, we progress bit by bit, day by day, year by year, and so forth until we are perfected (which will take us a long time after death).

In this manner, God's plan for us before we came to earth is fulfilled--we overcome our tendency to sin and receive a perfect, immortal body. Then we live forever in the presence of our Father.

After we die, our bodies and spirits are separated, though. Our bodies decay, but our spirits live on in the Spirit World. They await the resurrection. When all of our Father's spirit children have been born and the mortal experience comes to a close, Christ will return to earth to reign. During a period of 1000 years, there will be peace on the earth. At the end, all will be judged according to their choices in mortality and be held accountable for all they said and did. Each person (with a few exceptions) on earth will receive an inheritance in a kingdom of glory according to their use of the atonement and their willingness to repent and live as Christ has directed us. Those inheriting the highest kingdom of glory (the celestial kingdom) will be able to continue to progress.

This plan--to come to earth, to experience life, to repent and accept the atonement, to be resurrected and to inherit a kingdom of glory--is known as the plan of salvation. It is the purpose of life. It is why we came to earth. It's where we're going after we die.

This is a brief sketch and I've skipped some important elements, but it's enough to give an over-view and flavor of where we came from, why we're here and where we're going. What it ignores for the most part is how we get where we're going. In brief, it's to follow God's commandments and live as how he'd have us live. In order to understand that, it's important to understand Christ's role as mediator and how he balances the demands of justice and mercy. That will be the subject of another post.

I remember learning these things as I met with the missionaries. I think everyone that's lived to a certain age on earth has wondered about the purpose of life. It's given me great perspective and helped me to make better choices to understand what life is all about. While I make poor decisions all the time, I behave better and make better choices because I have a sense of the big picture. It enables me to make choices that are of eternal value rather than those that are merely of momentary value.

I also know that there's a reason to try and that change is truly possible. I think a lot of people feel powerless to break bad habits and really change their character. But through the atonement, real substantive change is possible. The foregiveness and cleansing that comes from being forgiven of my errors gives me freedom to start anew without the baggage of my past bad choices. And I can feel myself progress, bit by bit.

The plan of salvation also gives me a knowledge and assurance that there's a reason to make good choices, that every choice, good or bad, has a consequence. I may be free to choose as I will, but that does not mean that I can choose the consequences of my actions (or to avoid them entirely). Just as I can't turn off the laws of physics, I can't turn off eternal laws. Selfishness, dishonesty, anger, violence--in brief, any bad choice--brings consequences that can be painful and even destructive. Good choices, such as service, kindness, generosity, hard work, honesty--they all bring good consequences in our lives. It's inevitable.

And because there's a purpose to life, we shouldn't just slide through life as though it were some big vacation. We have a purpose on earth and we should be anxiously engaged in it while we're alive. It's a time to prove oneself and work hard to progress. Understanding the plan of salvation helps me spend my time wisely and fruitfully.

This Blog and LDS Doctrine

You can see in the header to this blog the statement that I don't speak for the LDS Church and what I say isn't LDS doctrine. While I'm trying my best to be accurate, I'm just one of around 14,000,000 people who is a member of the Church--I don't have any role or position in the Church that allows me to speak on its behalf. I'm just trying to present the teachings as I understand them. I doubt any two members of the LDS Church think alike. The ideas are as varied as the members.

I'd like to think that my blog is an accurate reflection of Church teachings, but I don't pretend that it won't reflect some of my biases, ill-founded assumptions and peculiar ideas. It's not my goal to reflect any of that, but it's an inevitable reality.

Even individual Church leaders (which I'm not) don't speak for the Church as a whole. Here is the Church's own statement on the subject, of which the following is an excerpt:

"Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four “standard works” of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted."

So while I hope that nothing I write here is at odds with LDS doctrine, it inevitably will be just my slanted view. I am open to comments correcting any misstatements or inaccuracies. Despite all this, I hope some readers find this blog helpful.

God the Father

LDS believe that God is the Father of our spirits. We believe that the soul consists of the union of a physical body and a spirit body, and that God is our heavenly Father. We believe that we lived prior to birth (as spirits) and have always existed and will live forever. We believe that this is true of everyone on earth. That makes each person on earth the literal brother or sister of everyone else.

We don't believe in a capricious god, but in a God of unwavering goodness, perfect in the attributes of love, justice and mercy. We believe that He is omniscient and omnipotent. There's no point in having faith or belief in or to rely on a capricious or vindictive or fallible god. Such a god could err and would deal with us according to whim or fancy, and be impossible to predict. We could not rest our hopes in good faith on His mercy or justice. Seeking wisdom from Him and following His counsels would be meaningless--they might change at any time and for any reason. They may lead to misery or error.

But by believing in a God of truth, wisdom, justice and love, we believe that there are absolute values and goodness and that we can rely on His promises without any degree of doubt or concern about whether He will abide by them.

As the Father of our spirits and an omniscient Being, He knows us. He knows our thoughts, our fears, our needs. As a Being of love, He is concerned with our well-being and happiness. He wants us to succeed and to find true joy. Being all-wise, He knows how we can do this. He is selfless, which means that rather than keep His happiness and knowledge to Himself, He wants to share them with us.

Being just and merciful in perfect proportion, He can balance the need for justice and fair play with the need for mercy and second chances. As a just Being, He will ensure that the injustices of life are repaired and that we are held accoutable for our good and bad choices. As a merciful Being, He has prepared a way for us to overcome our bad choices--a way that satisfies the demands of justice, while extending the greatest degree of mercy (more on this later). We believe that He blesses us to the fullest extent we allow Him to.

We believe that God the Father prepared this life for us as a way to progress and as an opportunity for growth and to prove ourselves before Him. We believe that He sent us to mortality to see if we would follow the road map to happiness and eternal life--His commandments.

Eternal life is the ultimate goal.. To quote from www.lds.org: "Eternal life is the phrase used in scripture to define the quality of life that our Eternal Father lives. The Lord declared, 'This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39). Immortality is to live forever as a resurrected being. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, everyone will receive this gift. Eternal life, or exaltation, is to live in God's presence and to continue as families (see D&C 131:1–4). Like immortality, this gift is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. However, to inherit eternal life requires our 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel' (Articles of Faith 1:3)."

Personally, I don't recall ever not believing in God. From my earliest recollection, I had a sort of awe at an all-knowing, all-powerful supreme being. I remember standing in front of my school in kindergarten with other kids talking about God and looking up at the sky and being quite impressed.

As I've matured, my feelings of respect and reverence have deepened. I have a deep, undeniable knowledge that God lives. I know He does. I am more sure of this than anything. My eyes can be fooled, my ears can be wrong--all my senses can lead me to error. But the imprint of surety left on my heart and mind can't be denied. God lives. He's real. He loves us and knows us and wants us to have every good thing. To know that we are all His sons and daughters--to realize that I, in my simplicity and place of minimal import in the world, am His son--is such an important and unfathomable (yet simple) concept. It makes all the difference if we can know and retain in our remembrance that fact.

I struggle when I try to communicate this surety to others and they don't accept it. I want everyone to try it on for size. In France, on my mission, there were many atheists and agnostics (as there will be any where) with whom I discussed my belief in God. They were often so consumed with how someone can't know that (which I disagree with, but I'll leave that for another post) that they wouldn't even give room in their hearts for the possibility. They refused even to consider it. It stuns me when someone can be so foolish as to try smoking or drugs for themselves (as though they don't know they're addictive and harmful until they try it for themselves), but are completely unwilling to try out a belief in God. I can't grasp it. Some reject the idea as "too good to be true"--as if because it implies and even promises all sorts of great things, it must be the product of wishful thinking.

It's a stunning conundrum because how on earth can you compete with that? It seems like there's a determination to believe that nothing can be all that good. That good hopes and dreams are mere fantasies. It's a deep-seated cynicism that everything ultimately has no purpose and meaning and is empty and death is the end. And it's couched in "rationality."

I would hope that I could at least convince people who doubt or disbelieve to give it a fair shake. If God lives and He has the characteristics I describe above, then He wants to give us every good blessing. And in order to do that, we need to do things that will bring those blessings. If you want to build a good house, you have to follow the plans. If you want to make a good cake, you've got to follow the recipe. If you want a good car, you've got to abide by the design based on sound engineering, which acknowledges and responds to the laws of physics and practical testing. If we want true happiness and the blessings God promises, we need to adhere to eternal laws and principles.

I invite anyone struggling with doubt or disbelief in God to plant the seed of belief and try it on for size. Don't rely on someone else's belief or disbelief--figure it out for yourself. If you give it a sincere effort and test it earnestly, you will find out for yourself that God lives. I know He does. It's a significant truth with great implications. I invite you to reflect on it, consider it, live as though it's true, try to be more just and merciful yourself, try communicating with Him. Like any study or worthy endeavor, you need to try and put in an effort and be willing to change and sustain your effort. Things of worth seldom come without effort--exercise, invention, learning, changing habits: all require sustained effort. Quick, short spurts do little. Then you can sincerely say you tried it out, tested it, and gave it a sincere shot. It moves you from the camp of the passive to the doers, from the academic to the real. Then you are qualified to speak from your own experience instead of others'.

The Mormon Church

It can be confusing reading news stories or listening to the news. The word "Mormon" is used variously and often inappropriately. Its original modern meaning is to refer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is how I use it. Since the Mormon Church was founded in 1830, various groups have attempted to use the name. So there are a variety of organizations that apply the term "Mormon" to themselves and often the media and others have picked up on that and applied the term accordingly. That approach, though, creates incredible confusion. The groups, as evidenced by their separation, have beliefs and teachings that vary widely from that of the Mormon Church.

Originally, the term "Mormon" derived from the book of scripture called The Book of Mormon. The name "Mormon" was the name of the prophet mentioned in The Book of Mormon who edited and compiled the scriptures contained in it. He lived around 400 A.D. People began calling the members of The Church of Jesus Christ "Mormons" after the book (nonsensically and, originally, pejoratively).

Members of the Church today may refer to themselves as "LDS" (for latter-day saint) or Mormon. (In fact, the Church's main website is http://www.lds.org/, but it also has a site called http://www.mormon.org/, which shows how both terms are still used pretty interchangeably.) But, as explained above, many people call themselves "Mormon" who are not members of the Church and who have practices and viewpoints that are at odds with the Church. In fact, many who were once members of the Church (and there are many) have been removed from Church membership because of their false claims and practices. So to confound the term by including those who have divergent beliefs and practices does nothing but create confusion. There are no practicing polygamists, for example, who are members of the Church. To call them Mormon has resulted in many people improperly thinking that Mormons today are polygamists.

My brief search on the internet of groups who call themselves Mormon shows that most if not all have fewer than 10,000 members and some as few as around 100, usually very geographically confined. I don't really know much about those groups and can't say that this information is accurate. I'm personally not aware of ever having met someone belonging to one of these groups. The Mormon Church, on othe other hand, has around 14,000,000 members throughout the world.

The term "latter-day saint" or "LDS" has reference to the Church's name, which was declared by modern scripture to be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as distinguished from the church established at the time of Christ. A saint is merely a term used in the New Testament to refer to a member of Christ's church. To borrow from the LDS Bible Dictionary: "The word saint is a translation of a Greek word also rendered “holy,” the fundamental idea being that of consecration or separation for a sacred purpose; but since what was set apart for God must be without blemish, the word came to mean 'free from blemish,' whether physical or moral. In the N.T. the saints are all those who by baptism have entered into the Christian covenant (see Acts 9: 13, 32, 41; Rom. 1: 7; 1 Cor. 1: 2; Philip. 1: 1; 1 Pet. 1: 14-15)." "Latter-day" simply refers to these days as opposed to those former days. We believe modern times are a time prophesied since the beginning of the world in which the promises of the Lord are being fulfilled.

I hope this helps dispel some confusion. But, in case it's still confusing, here's my boiled-down explanation:

1. "Mormon" properly refers to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. Other religions and groups sometime use the name "Mormon" and that error creates a lot of confusion and is compounded in media reports that fail to distinguish between completely different religions.
3. Mormons more often refer to themselves as "LDS" or simply "members" of the Church.
4. The term "saints" is a New Testament term referring to those members of Christ's church at the time.
5. The term "latter-day" refers to modern times as opposed to biblical (specifically New Testament) times.

Missionaries

I am a "convert" to the Church--in other words, I joined the Church at some time during my life and am not a life-long member. To join the Church, one participates in a series of lessons or discussion about the Church, presented by full-time missionaries. Full-time missionaries are usually around 20 years old. They usually serve in pairs. Upon completion of the missionary lessons, a person then may choose to join the Church through baptism and confirmation (more on this at some other time).

A person born a member of the Church is baptised at age 8 (the "age of accountability" in the Church). Generally speaking, someone joining the Church later must receive the missionary lessons, which explain Church principles and beliefs to create a foundation for joining the Church. After taking the missionary lessons, a person may then be baptised and confirmed a member of the Church.

Missionaries are volunteers who are assigned by the President of the Church to serve in a particular geographical area for around 2 years. I was called to serve in France. I had no say in the call to service--I could either serve there or not, but I didn't choose where I served. Having studied French, I was somewhat prepared for the language challenges. Many serve in countries and areas where they have never studied the language (and, in many cases, they've never even heard of the language). New missionaries receive training in a missionary training center in order to help them understand how to teach the gospel, how to be a missionary, etc. Those not learning a new language usually are there for three weeks before going to their mission. Those learning a new language are there about eight weeks before going to their mission. It may vary, but I think that's pretty standard.

When I served in France, some people occasionally were offended that I was sent as a "missionary" there. I think it's because the concept of a missionary there is usually to go to an undeveloped part of the world. But the role of an LDS missionary is to share the gospel and invite people to learn about the LDS church. So even where there are many, many church members (such as in Utah in the U.S.), the church still has a large amount of missionaries.

The basic LDS belief with regard to missionary work can be summed up as: "My life has been greatly blessed by virtue of my membership in the Church and my knowledge of its teachings, and I want to share with others what I have received." LDS missionaries are not paid and work hard to be able to save enough money to serve (although there are funds to enable those who can't afford to go to serve). They give up quite a bit to serve. When I was called to go to France, I did it out of a sense of duty and also a desire to serve, but I confess I was nervous and apprehensive. It took a lot of preparation and savings to go. It was a fantastic experience for me, but it was difficult. Most people we talked to had no interest in meeting with us or hearing us out. Sometimes whole days went by without anyone giving us an ear. And yet to feel the gratitude of those people whose lives were positively affected by the teachings we shared made all the challenges worthwhile.

I served in the Paris France Mission, which served about 1/4 of the geographic area of France. I served in six different cities, the smallest of which had a population of about 100,000. We had about 200 missionaries at any given time, paired up. Most were male missionaries ("elders"), while about 10-20% (I'd guess) were female missionaries. I had a total of 11 missionary companions I served with over the 2 years. Usually I lived in an apartment with 1-3 other missionaries. Most of my companions were American, although we had missionaries from many different countries serving in our mission when I was there.

While serving in Paris for about 6 months, my companion and I were assigned to an area by our mission president that included millions of people. We used the subway and buses and did quite a bit of walking. We would visit people who had expressed interest in the Church, met with former missionaries, who we met in the streets or subways, etc. Sometimes we would go to an area and knock on people's doors to meet people, although that was generally an ineffective method of meeting people (it could take a couple hours to meet someone interested, and sometimes much longer). We generally requested that people give us a few minutes to present a message about our Church. I met countless people over the two years. Some were very kind and uninterested, some were skeptical but curious, some invited us to their homes frequently and never chose to join the church, others were immediately interested and chose to be baptised after just a few lessons, etc. Everyone was different. Some wanted to meet with us to debate us--a usually unproductive endeavor. I was more interested in meeting with those who had sincere interest or curiosity and avoided people who wanted to engage in contentious argument.

One of my favorite activities was to set up a bunch of displays in a busy city center with pictures on them and talk to passers-by. Instead of bothering people at home (which was often the case if we were knocking on people's doors), we were able to have some interesting discussions in the street. Someone could chat for 30 seconds or an hour if they liked. We met a lot of people this way.

I think my main point with this post is to explain a little of what missionaries are doing and why they do it. In some parts of the world, the missionaries riding around on bikes in their suits and with their name tags (a common scene in my mission) have become an almost inconic sight. Missionaries often travel on bike and are always dressed well, in line with the seriousness of what they're doing (shorts or jeans would not be appropriate for sharing a serious, potentially life-changing message).

I also wanted to make the point that the missionaries are sincere in their work--they've all sacrificed a huge amount of time and effort to serve. It's a tough and life-changing experience. I gained a greater determination to be a good person, a love of other people, an appreciation of other cultures and languages (having taught people from all over the world), and a great respect for Jesus Christ, His life and teachings, and the principles of the gospel: honesty, hard work, love, kindness, virtue, etc. I was greatly strengthened and became a better person at a time in my life where many people are up to little good.

Serving a mission made an indelible impression on me that the work I was engaged in was good and the Church I served was Christ's.

What's Unique about the Mormon Church?

I served as a missionary in France for two years, where my primary purpose was to share my beliefs with others. Sometimes when I mentioned belief in God, the role of Jesus Christ as Savior and other commonly accepted ideas, someone would ask me "What makes your religion any different from others?" I think it's a good question. What unique claims does the LDS church make that perhaps others don't?

Here's a list, each deserving its own discussion:

1. We claim that we are Christ's Church (see previous post), that He's at its head, that He established it and that we're acting under his direction and authority, through a prophet and apostles.
2. We claim that we have a living prophet on earth, much like Abraham or Moses, and that he acts under the direction of God the Father and Jesus Christ, and is authorized to act in Their names.
3. We believe that we have apostles on the earth today, much like Peter, James and John, and like Paul. They lead the Church and assist the prophet in so doing.
4. We believe in continued revelation. We believe that the prophet and apostles can understand the will of the Lord for the Church as a whole, and that individuals can understand the will of the Lord in their own lives. We believe we're as much entitled to prophets and guidance as were those in ancient times.
5. Because we believe in revelation, we believe in modern scripture, specially attuned to our times. Among these is The Book of Mormon.
6. We believe that we are literally the children of God, our Father in Heaven. That we lived with Him prior to coming to earth, and that this life is a testing period to determine if we can return to live with Him again.
7. We believe in eternal progression, that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can progress not just throughout this life, but in the eternities ahead of us.
8. We believe that the priesthood of God is back on the earth and is the only power and authority to act in the name of God and that it can only be exercised in Christ's Church.
9. We believe that Jesus Christ requires us to make covenants with Him and to participate in certain priesthood ordinances, such as baptism and eternal marriage, in order to be entitled to return to our Father's presence.

These are just some of the unique claims of the LDS Church. The Church's invitation is for all souls to come unto Christ and to join His Church, and that in that course they will find peace and happiness in this life and in the life to come. We believe that God's sole desire for us is that we find true happiness and that He has prepared His Church as the organization through which we can achieve that happiness. And that the commandments, rather than restrictive, are a road map to guide us through mortality--much as parents' rules for their children (from bedtime to behavior to diet) are to bring joy to their lives--stemming from someone with perfect love, compassion and wisdom.

The Mormon Question

Whether convenient or not, or interesting to some or not, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes a bold claim (through modern scripture): that it is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually" (D&C 1:30). It's not a unique claim--many religions profess to be God's church, at least implicitly. The LDS church, however, claims that the Lord himself says that this is His church. We claim that Jesus Christ is at its head and that there is no other church in which the Lord is well pleased.

While perhaps offensive to some, it should be the claim of any Christian church, except perhaps those who believe that no church could receive His approval. And any "true" church--one professing to represent Jesus Christ on earth--should make that claim. The question then becomes: Is the claim legitimate or not?

The foundations of the LDS Church are believed to be ancient: that Christ established His Church when He was alive on the earth, and that the LDS Church is the same church organization, only restored in modern times. That restoration or re-birth of Christ's church took place in the early 1800s in the Eastern U.S. Joseph Smith, a 14 year old, claims to have been conflicted on the subject of religion and, after much study, retired to a quiet place in the woods of upstate New York and prayed with earnestness on the subject, to determine which of all the churches to join.

In response to his prayer, he claims that "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" JS-H 1:16-17.

Joseph Smith's claim is unique, quite obviously, and simplifies the Mormon question quite substantially: either Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, or he is either a liar or insane.

As he shared his story with others, he was met by many with open ridicule and mocking, as he describes: "I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me. . . . However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. . . . I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation." JS-H 1:22,24-25.

You'll note how bold his claim was. He retained that same claim until he died a martyr's death in 1844 for his testimony of what he had seen. During his life, he organized the LDS Church.

So the Mormon question isn't vague. It's crisp and clear: The Church of Jesus Christ claims that it is Christ's organization on the earth. It claims that there is a prophet on the earth again today, and 12 apostles. It claims that it is the Kingdom of God on the earth and has the authority to act in God's name. That's a bold, unambiguous claim.

The question is, is it true? Was Joseph Smith indeed called of God or was he a charlatan and a fraud? If his claims are true, then this life is the time to prepare to meet God and there are certain things we need to do to so prepare. If he's right, God lives, Jesus Christ lives, and there's a prophet on earth today whose sacred duty is to guide us and direct us through the challenges of the moral experience.

If he's right, we ought to test the claim to know for ourselves.

I have enough experience to know that the vast majority of people will hear of these claims and dismiss them without further consideration. I'm not sure I blame anyone for that. Certainly plenty of people have claimed to act in God's name--many of whom are unbelievable. But this is different. I think an honest inquiry into the question shows that we're not dealing with a casual claim. The life of Joseph Smith, the lives of Church members, the story of the LDS Church: all deserve special consideration. If it's by the fruits that a thing can be judged, the LDS Church can be judged by its good works, substantial growth over less than 200 years and a message that emphasizes the need for honest, productive, moral living.

The invitation I present here is simply to consider the claims and to study the question and judge for yourself. It's worth listening to and I can provide my witness that it's fruits are good and it is true. I invite you to read here or elsewhere to explore these issues and to make your own decision. If it is as Joseph Smith and tens of millions of other people have claimed, it's worth knowing.