Trust In the Lord Part 4

.1 Mormonism examines the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a 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 welcome to this edition viewpoint on Mormonism. I'm your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM we continue looking at a conference message that was given by Dallen H. Oaks, a member of the first presidency title trust in the Lord and I need to recap this because the whole gist of this talk has to deal with the fact that the Mormon leadership really do not have a lot of detailed answers for many of the perplexing questions that some of its members have. He starts off by talking about a letter he received from a woman who was wondering about what her position was going to be in the next life based on the fact that she's married to a man who is sealed for eternity to another woman and of course in the context of Mormonism. That would mean that this man would have both wives in the next life. She's wondering what's my position going to be a Mike and I have my own house or am I going to have to live with this second wife along with her husband basically went down Oaks tells her is trust in the Lord.

In other words, he doesn't answer the question and what I get from this talk Eric, though he throws in a lot of other minutia into this talk the basic premises.

There's a lot of things that the Mormon leadership do not know when it comes to what life is going to be like in the next life and that's what I get out of this he quotes. For instance, Brent L. Topp, from Brigham Young University. When we ask ourselves what we know about the spirit world from the standard works.

The answer is not as much, as we often think we get many Latter Day Saints will tell us that the reason why Mormonism is far superior to what we have is because they have latter-day prophets who give them answers to a lot of these perplexing questions but yet something as simple as this. Dallen Oaks seems to be wanting all he can say is trust in the Lord, which of course means just put it aside or as Mormons often will say put it on your shelf will unfortunately folks, many ex-Mormons have said that they put so much on that proverbial shelf that at some point in their life that shelf broke and they end up losing all faith in Joseph Smith and in the restored gospel. Oaks goes on to talk about the resurrection, and he says that resurrection for all in the spirit world is assured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though it occurs at different times for different groups. But what he doesn't seem to explain. Here is how Jesus in John 528 makes it very clear that there are two resurrections one to eternal life, and another one to eternal damnation, condemnation or judgment. Certainly the faithful. Latter Day Saints hopes that they're not in that latter category, but the point that he's trying to make here is that the gospel is preached to the ignorant, the unrepentant and the rebellious, so they can be freed from their bondage and go forward to the blessings loving heavenly father has in store for them. But as we brought out yesterday. Eric those who have heard about the restored gospel in this mortality and did not embrace it did not follow its precepts did not live up to its standards. The best they can only hope for in eternity would be the terrestrial kingdom, not the celestial kingdom. So when he talks about being freed from the bondage and go forward to the blessings a loving heavenly father has in store for them the blessings in that context would be, at best, the terrestrial kingdom, but in this case, this loving heavenly father. According to Mormonism isn't even going to pay attention to those individuals for the rest of eternity because they will never be in his presence. According to Mormonism.

I think this is where the doctrine of assuming that we are all God's children can be very misleading because I remember having a conversation with Latter Day Saints who told me that God would never judge any of his children he would never send any of his children to quote and quote hell because he loves us all and I had to remind him that according to Mormonism all God's children, including the devil and his angels.

According to Mormonism. So yes, the God of Mormonism will most assuredly send his children to hell or outer darkness as it's understood in the context of Mormonism, but he goes on to talk about trusting the teachings of leaders and how even sometimes you can't be sure what you're hearing from the leadership is even believable. It says on the bottom of the middle, page 27 he says there is abundant speculation by members and others in published sources like books on near-death experiences in East he's criticizing those who are speculating about what happens after death and what precedes the final judgment saying that many members of the church. It had visions or other inspirations to inform them about how things operate or are organized in the spirit world and he's going to go" to fellow apostles and this is what he says that on the right side of page 27 he says the wise cautions of Elder D. Todd Christopherson and Neil L. Anderson, an earlier general conference messages are important to remember elder Christopherson taught quote.

It should be remembered that not every statement made by a church leader, past or present necessarily constitutes doctrine. It is commonly understood in the church that a statement made by one leader on a single occasion often represents a personal though well considered opinion not meant to be official or binding for the whole church."

What I find troubling. With this is many of these statements that many Latter Day Saints believe were made by the leadership in a setting that they should believe them, such as a conference message. We've often cited Dieter F Dorf who said that members should pay attention to what's being said and conference because this is God speaking through his servants, and a lot of the controversial teachings of Mormonism came through general conference. So, okay, I understand that even though it might be a mere personal or wealth considered opinion and may not be official in that kind of capacity. It was certainly believed by these leaders when they taught them so I think a fair question to ask whenever a Mormon says well that was just his personal opinion I like to ask, what was he speaking irresponsibly because it would seem to me that if he was speaking irresponsibly. He is to some point diluted in thinking that this irresponsible comment should be believed. And aren't these men supposed to be believed. When I'm listening to these guys at Gen. conference and I'm a Latter Day Saints I should be able to receive what they have to say when somebody goes and says something that's not what the official doctrine is.

Shouldn't they be reprimanded. Should net be made a public incident that this is not what we believe this is not what the church says this is speculation. If were going to say that Dallen H. Oakes knows what he's talking about. How do we know he's not speaking irresponsibly by saying what he just says in this entire speech. II just don't. I don't see the consistency here and I think is very dangerous for him to say that often.

He sees the word often represents a personal though well considered opinion if it's just an opinion. Why is that general authority, even giving it with you. See also the complications here for the average member of the LDS church.

When Christopherson teaches. It should be remembered that not every statement made by a church leader, past or present necessarily constitutes doctrine now.

That means that the individual latter-day St. has to come up with what is and what isn't. I mean, the LDS people are bombarded with information from their church on a daily basis.

They get information overload when they go to general conference twice a year and they have to sift through all this stuff. There needs to be a guideline for them to make it easier in order to understand what the Latter Day Saints should believe in what they should believe and I would argue, well, that guideline has kind of been given in the church in the past there told that if something is found on official website by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that that includes trustworthy material they been told, as I just mentioned with Dieter F Dorf that when the leader speaks in general conference that's God speaking through the leadership there told that the manuals they receive are vetted by the leadership of the church.

The first presidency I should say that can be trusted and, of course, they have the standard works should be trusted. There is your guidelines but yet I think a lot of the statements that are confusing. People are found within those parameters and yet what is Stella does get a say will just trust in the Lord what he goes on to say is also troubling to me.

On page 28. He says in the following conference Elder Anderson, Neil Anderson taught this principle quote, the doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the first presidency and the quorum of the 12.

It is not hidden and obscure paragraph of one talk." The family proclamation signed by all 15 prophets Sears and regulators is a wonderful illustration of that principal bill that came in 1995.

That's been a long time ago. That's the last time I can remember anything being signed by all 15 mean it takes that for me to know that I can trust that statement or that doctrine and yet I don't get that in general conference.

I don't know if all the others are agreeing with it. How do I know this obscure paragraph said in general conference might just be mere speculation rather than doctrine that that person is teaching it to be and when Delano excites elder Christopherson saying that not every statement past or present necessarily constitutes doctrine was at signed by all 15 people in the leadership of the church. No latter-day St. might just assume they're all in agreement because as I understand even conference messages are somewhat to a certain extent, at least vetted by the leadership of the church. Well, if that's true then again I go back to my earlier promise. Doesn't that seem to only confirm a lot of the questions that members have because some of the details that they seem to believe came forth from leaders who spoke in general conference. I know we don't have time to completely talk about this issue. Perhaps we can continue the discussion tomorrow, but haven't leaders in the past disagreed with each other on very important doctrines and I would say absolutely, there are a number of cases we can take a look at where they didn't all agree, there certainly have been, and I think tomorrow it will do his will look at a book that was written dealing with that very subject. I think a lot of Latter Day Saints are missed lead in assuming that somehow God speaks to their leaders in such a way that they are always in agreement when it comes to teachings that Latter Day Saints are supposed to believe that certainly is not the case and I guess it goes back to my earlier premises. Well Eric that while Mormons might look at Christianity as being a spiritual free-for-all were a lot of Christians don't tend to agree with each other. If you're going to be honest, latter-day St., you're going to have to admit that this same dilemma is also found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

These men do not just sit down around the conference table and agree on every single thing that you as a Latter Day Saints are supposed to believe. Thank you for listening. If you would like more information regarding this research ministry.

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