Christmas Book Citations Gospel Doctrine

Answering Mormons questions by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson deals with 36 commonly asked questions by your LDS friends and neighbors. It's a great resource for Christians want to share their faith with friends and loved ones. Be sure to pick up your copy today at your favorite Christian bookstore viewpoint on Mormonism program that examines the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a biblical perspective viewpoint when Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism. Should a Mormon who has a full freezer engage in the sport of hunting welcome to this edition of viewpoint on Mormonism on your host, Bill McKeever, founder director Mormonism research ministry and with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM we continue looking at books that were given away by the first presidency between the years 1981 and 2017 as Christmas gifts to various employees in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as well as other various general authorities last week. We are looking at the book gospel doctrine that was given away at Christmas of 1990. It's a book that contained the sermons and writings of Pres. Joseph F. Smith, who was the sixth president of the LDS church.

Eric, how can people find a lot of the quotes were talking about here and we have read most of the books that were talking about in this series. All a person has to do is go to MRM.org and in the search engine type in Christmas gift that first article that comes up contains links to all of the books in the Christmas series that you just mentioned along with compiled quotes that we use as well as additional quotes from the different books that we are not able to use so if you hear a quote you like those quotes can be found by going to our website MRM.org today were to be talking about 1990 gospel doctrine in 1991 teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and were going to start by looking at page 266 because this is very pertinent to the question that I raised at the beginning of the show. What does Joseph F. Smith have to say on page 266 regarding the topic of hunting. He writes I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food.

And then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong and I have been surprised that prominent man whom I have seen his very soul seem to be a thirst for the shedding of animal blood, they go off hunting deer and antelope elk anything they can find, and what for just for the fun of it.

Not that they are hungry and need the flesh of their prey. But just because they loved to shoot and to destroy life that he finishes that paragraph with an interesting statement that he says I am a firm believer with reference to these things in the simple words of one of the poets in this book he does not give the name of the poet. But here is the little poem that includes take not away the life you cannot give for all things happen equal right to live in. This was originally found in the juvenile instructor April 1913, volume 48, pages 308-2309. Let's talk about this because he mentioned specifically those who go off hunting deer and antelope elk anything they can find, and what for now living in a Utah culture hunting is a big deal.

I mean we have huge stores here in the state of Utah. We have stores that specifically deal hunting so I would think that probably a lot of Latter Day Saints reading this might be a little bit confused but yet he is making it sound as if that this type of hunting should only be done for the food for man and if you are in need of this kind of food that's why asked the question that I did at the beginning of the show. If you have a full freezer of meat or at least a good supply of food in your freezer. Should Latter Day Saints be out hunting.

The reason why say this can be confusing is because when you start looking up some of the controversy regarding the topic of hunting and I admit it is controversy among a lot of people, I'm not personally a hunter, though I used two years and years ago. But here's the problem I see when you look at LDS scripture.

For instance, the doctrine and covenants section 4919 it says very clearly and here for, behold the beast of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth is ordained for the use of man for food and for arraignment and that he might have in abundance. He might have this in abundance, so it sounds like if you want to go out and hunt that seems to be okay now the reason why bring up section 4619 is because this seems to conflict with section 89 verse 12, which is in the middle of what is known as the word of wisdom the word of wisdom says that the use of meat should be only used sparingly. So here we have an abundance in section 989 it says sparingly. So what is a person supposed to do. Especially when you look at verse 18 of section 49 Eric and you and I have been going over this verse a number of times we haven't a clue what this verse means, let me read it to you folks. Maybe you can understand it.

Eric and I've been going over this. Eric is an English major. He doesn't understand what it's saying I don't understand what it same. I looked it up in the doctrine and covenants, commentary, and it doesn't really explain it very well at all.

But here's what it says in verse 18 and whoso for to abstain from meats that man should not eat the same is not ordained of God. Folks, what does that mean what does that mean whoso for dinner to abstain from meats that man should not eat. The same is not ordained of God. Okay, so if you want to forbid people from eating meat, then you shouldn't eat meat so I'm wondering what is it mean is not ordained of God is forbidding to eat meat not ordained of God. But I look up in the doctrine and covenants commentary that I have here and I look at that verse 18.

Here's what it says about verse 18 and whoso forbid it to abstain from meats that man should not eat the same is not ordained of God.

All it does is repeat the verse by taking a few portions of it out doesn't clarify anything, but there is a controversy among even some Latter Day Saints who feel that they shouldn't be hunting all that raises the question why not just because of the wild moly should be eaten, but it could be a domesticated animal. And that's okay where you draw the line on this. I don't think the LDS church is very clear on this. If you look at answers to gospel questions.

That's a book that was written by Joseph Fielding Smith. He cites his father Joseph F. Smith on page 45 through 47.

He cites this very passage that we just read from gospel doctrine on page 266 where he says I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food.

And then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man.

So what is a Mormon to do with this. How is he supposed to interpret what his church wants for him. What are the hunting guidelines for a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, though I was looking at an article on the Internet and ghosts back to the desert retinues October 7, 2000 and is called churches speak out on hunting and so they were asking the question to hunt or not to hunt. That question is pondered each fall by many times in the weeks preceding the annual deer hunting season. The state's largest hunting event and many look to their churches for guidance and so it talks about some of the quotes were talking about today. It mentions a talk by 12 Pres. Spencer W. Kimball in the October 1978 Gen. conference and that he had said this, the decision to hunt and fish, under appropriate regulations is left to the discretion of the individual. However, many clear guidelines have been supplied to assist those who may be involved in such activities.

These guidelines are designed to stop the unnecessary and wasteful slaughter of animals and birds not to define public policy on predator control and game management, and in this article. Again, it comes back to 2000, it says right after that, on official website on LDS church believes and it lists the website www.mormons.org/dailyhunting.htm lists many of the hunting guidelines from leaders while I went to that website and it just takes you to come unto Christ.org which is an LDS official site and it gives you nothing as far as the guidelines and so I typed in the word hunting not only to that website but also into the church of Jesus Christ.org and there are no guidelines that are given for the 21st century. Latter Day Saints trying to figure this out and I remember Bill this book that you're reading from his 1990 was given as a Christmas gift for people who would want to read this book by Joseph F. Smith gospel doctrine and when they read this, it can be really confusing as to okay what am I supposed to do with this. What are the regulations for today. We did some looking in other places we can't find anything that the church is now saying here's what you need to do. Let's switch gears now we've looked at gospel doctrine on this subject. The book that was given as a Christmas gift in 1990, containing writings of the six president of the church. Joseph F. Smith on that same topic, though working to switch now to another book that was given as a Christmas gift. The next year that his teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and he has a section in which it says kindness to animals required of man, and this can be found on page 71 of teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

It says the following incidents occurred while science camp was on the march from Kirtland to Missouri before you go on, let me just explain your listeners science camp was a failed expedition originated as a revelation to Joseph Smith put together in 1834 to regain land that was taken from LDS settlers by non-Mormons a year prior. In 1833 I should say it continues in pitching my tent, we found three prairie rattlesnakes which the brethren were about to kill, but I said let them alone. Don't hurt them.

How will the serpent ever loses venom while the servants of God possess the same disposition and continue to make war upon it. Men must become harmless before the brute creation and when men lose their vicious dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race. The lion, the lamb can dwell together in the sucking child can play with the serpents and safety. The brethren took the serpents carefully on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the brethren not to kill a serpent bird or an animal of any kind during our journey, unless it became necessary in order to preserve ourselves from hunger.

Now, I don't think any of us would have a problem with the wanton slaughter of animals for no apparent reason.

I know we look back to the 19th century in the slaughter of the Buffalo amine stacks and stacks of bones. We see pictures of this and certainly that is something I think most of us would find appalling that this goes a little bit too far in my estimation, Eric. He finds this prairie rattlesnake and he doesn't want anybody to kill the snake they found three of these prairie rattlesnake so the brethren take these serpents carefully on sticks and carry them across the creek that might put me ill at ease when I'm sleeping that night to know that there on the other side of the creek, but really is is going a little bit too far. I mean you can eat rattlesnake I've eaten rattlesnake before it's not bad but did go so far as to say that an animal that if it you could kill you even in that case, we should allow that animal to live. I don't know if I would agree with Joseph Smith, a metal, thank you for listening. If you would like more information and research ministry. We encourage you to visit our website www.mrm.org you can request a free newsletter research.

We hope you join us again as we look at another viewpoint is looking for strategies that will help you engage in meaningful conversations with members of the Mormon church.

So take a look at sharing the good news with Mormons a new book produced by harvest House publishers and headed to my Mormonism research ministries Eric Johnson and Shawn Miguel sharing the good news with Mormons includes 24 helpful essays from two dozen Christian apologist scholars and pastors pick up your copy of the Utah lighthouse bookstore for order directly from MRM.org