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A Century Doctrinal Revisions - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 27th Jul, 2012 - 11:12pm
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A Century Of Doctrinal Revisions
A CENTURY OF DOCTRINAL REVISIONS
Another hard hitting set of arguments against the current direction of the Church. Feel free to place opposing arguments.
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| A CENTURY OF DOCTRINAL REVISIONS 1890 - 1990 Presented at the Mormon History Association Annual Meeting Brigham Young University, Hawaii Campus Laie, Hawaii June 13, 1990 by Ogden Kraut [1] A CENTURY OF DOCTRINAL REVISIONS 1890-1990 Introduction What would have happened to the Mormon people if the 1890 Manifesto had not been issued? Would the Church have been destroyed, members killed, and the Priesthood of God obliterated? It is difficult to postulate on the probabilities, but it is not difficult to recognize the reality of what has actually happened in the past century. The year 1890 was a turning point for Mormonism. It was even noted in prophecy. For example, Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal: Thus ends the year 1889, and the word of the Prophet Joseph Smith is beginning to be fulfilled that the whole nation would turn against Zion and make war upon the Saints. 1890 will be an important year with the Latter-day Saints and the American nation. (Wilford Woodruff Journal, Dec. 31, 1889) The Prophet Joseph referred to the year 1890 in a revelation he received April 1, 1843: I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; . . . (D. & C. 130:14-15) [2] Joseph was born in 1805 and by adding 85 years to this date, you arrive at 1890. If Joseph had lived that long, he probably would never have considered a Manifesto--thus opening the way for the Savior to come and rescue the Saints. In February 1835 the Prophet said that "great things shall be accomplished" by the Elders ordained to the ministry, and they were to "go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh--even fifty-six years should wind up the scene." (DHC 2:182) What scene was he referring to that was to be wound up about 1890-91? Going back much further into history, this particular year was mentioned in another type of prophecy. It comes from the great pyramid of Giza in Egypt. President Anthony W. Ivins explained the accuracy of this prophetic pyramid: More than ninety percent of the events chronicled, according to measurements Sixty-one years from the organization of the Church brings us, according to pyramidal testimony, to the end of something. (Ibid., p. 87) What "impending wall" came in 1891--and what ended? Perhaps it was the end of the original social, political and economic policies of Mormonism. Keith Norman noted this when he wrote: It marks the beginning of an about-face which drastically altered the character of the church. |
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Revisions Doctrinal Century A
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| Within a few years of 1890, not only polygamy, but theocracy and communitarianism, the three most distinct practices of nineteenth-century Mormonism were relegated to the heroic past.... ("How Long, O Lord? The Delay of the Parousia in Mormonism," paper by Keith E. Norman, July 1982) It was at this time that a most interesting observation was made by the great Count Leo Tolstoi, the Russian author, statesman, and philosopher: If Mormonism is able to endure, unmodified, until it reaches the third and fourth generation, it is destined to become the greatest power the world has ever known. (Imp. Era, Feb. 1939, p. 94) However, instead of remaining unmodified and unchanged, the Church gradually compromised and gave up many of its principles and doctrines, a few of which will be discussed in this paper. [4] The U.S. Government enacted many laws against plural marriage in their efforts to stop that practice, but why did the Church also give up its political and economic practices? Why did they give the enemy even more than it asked for? Historian Leonard Arrington perhaps gave the best clue to this mystery: National leaders and church leaders are said to have entered into a "compact". We do not know whether such a "compact" was actually made, but at least the agreement and actions which it is said to have involved did take place. In the supposed "compact", national leaders are said to have promised statehood for Utah provided three things were done: (1) plural marriage was abandoned; (2) the church political party was dissolved; and (3) the church dissolve its relations with the economy. ("Religion and Economics in Mormon History", BYU Studies 3:31-32) History has shown that these three conditions were soon complied with, resulting in Utah statehood in 1896. Let's take a closer look at the abandonment of these three major principles and practices: 1. The Kingdom of God (political) 2. The United Order (economic) 3. Plural Marriage (social) [5] The Kingdom of God Jesus said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God...." (Matt. 6:33) If this kingdom is so important, then certainly we should know exactly what it is. Unfortunately, there are many varying definitions, and it seems to be the last thing people are seeking for. Even within the LDS Church, there are differing conceptions of the Kingdom of God. Dr. Hyrum Andrus, in describing three important phases of the Kingdom of God in Mormon history, states that "all this has escaped the student of Mormonism" and these facts "are of such importance that every student of the Church should become acquainted with them." (Flyleaf to Joseph Smith and World Government) Andrus clearly defines these three phases: 1. The Prophet 2. Joseph Smith laid the foundation of the Kingdom of God in its political, as well as in its religious, sphere. and organized it in its embryonic form upon the earth. 3. It was this body, not the Church, that carried out the Exodus The Church and Kingdom are one and the same." (Mormon Doctrine, p. 415) Thus, the definition of the Kingdom of God has evolved from being a powerful political government among men to being limited to just the spiritual church. The United Order When the LDS Church was less than a year old, the Lord directed the Saints to "let every man esteem his brother as himself" because "if ye are not one, ye are not mine." (D & C 38:24, 27) In 1832 the Lord revealed additional information on the "permanent and everlasting" nature of the United Order: That you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things. (D & C 78:5-6) This doctrine and practice of the United Order is eternal. Contrary to popular opinion, it has never been done away. It is the only law which abolishes the social evils that accompany inequality. Three years before Brigham Young died, the Lord was still commanding the Saints to organize themselves into the United Order: [9] Thus saith the Lord unto my servant Brigham, Call ye, call ye, upon the inhabitants of Zion, to organize themselves in the Order of Enoch, in the New and Everlasting Covenant, according to the Order of Heaven, for the furtherance of my kingdom upon the earth, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the salvation of the living and the dead. You can accommodate yourselves by calling this a new revelation, if you choose; it is no new revelation, but it is the express word and will of God to this people. (JD 17:154, Aug. 1874) During Brigham Young's administration, over 100 different United Orders were established, but only a few survived and prospered for any length of time. The weaknesses and traditions of men were too much to overcome! The tendency is to eagerly seek individual riches. J. Golden Kimball once said, "If I had a million dollars, I'd be the most popular man in the Church; but I haven't got it! darn it!" He experienced the error of such a philosophy when he invested everything he owned into a Canadian land scheme, thinking it would make him extremely rich. When it failed, he explained: And thus we were prevented from chasing the golden calf. Moral: Don't set your heart upon riches, don't speculate, and don't go into debt. (Book of Mormons, Wagoner and Walker, p. 142) There is nothing evil in the gaining of riches because the United Order was intended to make the people rich and insure that there were "no poor among them". The distinction is in how the riches are obtained and the purpose for which they are used. Brigham observed: If we are the people of God, we are to be the richest people on the earth, and these riches [10] are to be held in God, not in the devil. |
A Century Of Doctrinal Revisions Studies Doctrine Mormon
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| I am ashamed to see the poverty that exists among the Latterly Saints. They ought to be worth millions and millions, and millions on millions, where they are not worth a dollar. (JD 17:44) Today most Mormons are struggling for minimum wages--and feel grateful for that. But that's not what was intended in the early days of the Church. Brigham Young explained that the Prophet "Joseph said to the Elders, `Never put forth your hands again to build up a gentile city.'" (Teachings of Brigham Young, 3:276) But we continue to labor economically for gentile federal notes, in a gentile social order, under the gentile political system. We are further away from the United Order than ever before. But from our youth, we are programmed this way. Our high schools and colleges teach us financial "success" methods of how to get rich. Countless books are available on financial schemes for getting wealthy. But these methods seem to be driving the Saints further and further away from the United Order. Under our present system we are subject to all the inflations, depressions, high income taxes, real estate taxes and horrible interest rates! It is a system devised to keep people poor. This may be the fulfillment of a prophecy of Brigham Young: If we are not disposed to enter the Order, the curse of God will come upon this people. I cannot help it. (Annals of the Southern Utah Mission, Book B, p. 218) One of the greatest threats and fears of the future is the prophetic collapse of the gentile money system. So especially now we should have serious concern for the re-establishment of the United Order. [11] Plural Marriage In 1843 the Prophet Joseph called the High Council of Nauvoo together to see if they would accept the revelation on plural marriage. Thomas Grover, a bodyguard of the Prophet, wrote the following: Brother Hyrum was called upon to read the revelation. He did so, and after the reading said, "Now you that believe this revelation and go forth and obey the same shall be saved, and you that reject it shall be damned." We saw this prediction verified in less than one week. From that time forward there was a very strong division in the High Council. (Historical Record 6:227) This doctrinal schizophrenia persisted. Church leaders were publically denying plural marriage while at the same time they were living it. Ten years later the Church accepted it but 80% to 90% never entered into the principle during the next 40 years. When the Manifesto was issued, this division between the rank and file began again, but now it grew to visible proportions. Some authorities were endorsing and practicing it, while others were discouraging and denying it. Nearly a dozen manifestos and public denials were issued up to 1933. Some authorities really meant it this time, and they took every effort to cleanse the Church of polygamy. Test oaths and other tactics were used to flush out the polygamists. And today there continues to be a vibrant warfare between Mormons who won't give up plural marriage and the Mormons who are trying to destroy it. It is interesting to note that the practice of polygamy is legal in California--a state that contains more Mormons than the state of Utah. Regarding personal relationships, they have a law stating that anything between [12] consenting adults is legal. And yet the main reason given for discontinuing plural marriage was because it was against the law of the land. Samuel W. Taylor poses this categorical question: I wonder what today's Mormons would do if the repeal of sex laws swept away the only reason for not obeying Section 132? While my crystal ball license has expired, I expect that regardless of Section 132, the Saints would put up a ferocious fight against legislation that would result in the right to practice polygamy. (Rocky Mountain Empire, p. 104) The intent of the Mormon practice of plural marriage was to raise up large families--as the Bible says, "children are an heritage of the Lord" and "happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them." (Psalm 127:3, 5) But today the prevention of children through birth control and abortion seem to be the rule rather than the exception. We live in a very strange society when "the penalty for taking or destroying an eagle's egg is $5,000 and a year in jail, but the penalty for taking an unborn child's life is nothing." (Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 14, 1990) Eagles are protected by law, but our Government subsidizes the killing of unborn children. Commonplace immorality does not seem to bother very many people. For instance, one of the most famous singers of all time confessed that he "had made love to not less than 3,000 ladies." (Julio Iglesias, Ladies Home Journal, Aug. 1985, p. 69) The Government has not sought to prosecute him. There have been no warrants out for him nor the thousands like him. The general public seems to envy rather than condemn those promiscuous lifestyles. |
Revisions Doctrinal Century A
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| We have had a United States president that practically had a revolving door on his bedroom for the benefit of his mistresses, but they have named airports, streets, and memorials in his honor. [13] However, let a man take two or more women as wives, honor them and their children, and provide for them in the State of Utah, and that man is considered a felon! But the LDS Church is now facing the grim temporal consequences of abolishing plural marriage among its members. One example is found in the statistics revealed from a 1989 BYU survey: The old statistics were grim enough. But the more recent statement given at this year's BYU Education Week seems even more dismal: For those older than the regular marrying age in the Church, there are 14 Melchizedek Priesthood holders for every 100 women! (Utah County Journal, Church News, Oct. 14, 1989, p. 13, by Cheryl Higginson) In retrospect, then, the point should be made that when Joseph Smith first revealed the law of plural marriage, it was a law of the Priesthood and was practiced separate and apart from the organized LDS Church. After the Church gave up this principle in 1890, this law continued as an eternal Priesthood law. This is an explanation of why so many of the Church leaders continued advocating and living it after the Manifesto. Conclusion Entire books could be, and have been, written on each of these three important subjects, but hopefully sufficient information has been presented here to show that our political, economic and social views have changed radically in the past 100 years. * Instead of opposition from the U.S. Government, we have incorporated with them. [14] * Instead of a Mormon united economic order, we are competing for federal dollars. * Instead of the lifestyle of the prophets, we enforce the marriage laws of the Roman Caesars. Are we any closer to the Kingdom of God now than 100 years ago? Are we any closer to living the United Order? Could we ever encourage our children to obey the law of plural marriage? If the Prophet Joseph Smith should visit us today, would he be proud of what we have done with his restoration of the eternal Gospel? We have wanted to convert the world--but actually they seem to be converting us! In order to have peace with the world, during the past century we have abandoned many of the principles and doctrines restored by Joseph Smith. In addition to the three mentioned in this paper, there are many others, such as: * the literal gathering of Israel * missionary work without purse or scrip * blood atonement * doctrines of the Godhead * "Thus saith the Lord" revelations It might be appropriate to compare our situation to the old fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast. Remember when Beauty embraced the Beast and it suddenly turned into a handsome prince? Well, Mormonism is embracing the Beast, but instead of its turning into something wonderful and handsome, Mormonism is in danger of being transformed into the image of the beast! But all is not lost! There are at least 13 different prophecies foretelling about a portion of this people to be called to redeem Zion. A prophecy by Brigham Young stated: [15] God will preserve a portion of this people, of the meek and the humble, to bear off the kingdom to the inhabitants of the earth, and will defend His Priesthood; for it is the last time, the last gathering time. (Contributor 10:362) At that time the eternal laws of the United Order, Kingdom of God, and plural marriage will be accepted and practiced as God intended. It is an honor to have been a participant in this conference. I'm grateful to the M.H.A. board members for this opportunity. Thank you very much. |
Revisions Doctrinal Century A
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| God will preserve a portion of this people, of the meek and the humble, to bear off the kingdom to the inhabitants of the earth, and will defend His Priesthood; for it is the last time, the last gathering time. (Contributor 10:362) At that time the eternal laws of the United Order, Kingdom of God, and plural marriage will be accepted and practiced as God intended. It is an honor to have been a participant in this conference. I'm grateful to the M.H.A. board members for this opportunity. |
I am just curious who this portion would be. Will the portion not be found in the current organization of twelve apostles and the Prophet? Would not they (that Portion) also need to receive revelation from God in order to re-institute the United Order, Kingdom of God, Plural Marriage. I hope this is not the way of things. There would indeed have to be a re-re-organization of the Church in order to bring all these things to pass. I do not want to have to abandon the religion that I currently am in. If the arguments are true that is exactly what is being suggested that I do.
I am not assured that a conference at BYU is the forum for the need of Changes in the Church. It sounds a little like our own Nicean creed where we argue and debate where the direction of the Church is going.
As to the Church not being a Political entity instead of the Spiritual entity, I believe that Rendering unto Caesar's that which is Caesar's is the only way the Church could have ever grown and not remained a provincial, secluded organization.
How could the Church ever have been preached in England, Africa, Russia, Europe, Trinidad, and even the whole world without acknowledging that secular Governments deserved the respect due them because of fact that "Governments were instituted by God for the benefit of man" 134:1 from the revelation received in 1935.
As I understand it, the Church cannot become a Political organization until the King of Kings has had all keys of all dispensations handed back to him at Adam-ondi-Ahman. I do not foresee the time when we will be asked to treat the church as a Theocratic Political organization until that time.
I have put all of my Cards in the Doctrine that if one listens to the Prophet (if one believes that that man is the prophet) and follows his counsel then I am pretty safe. Historically, I believe the Same has always been true (listening to Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Lehi, Peter,) in all dispensations. It is only when Man has abandoned the need for Prophetic guidance that people have fallen into apostasy. I hold that the succession of Prophets has been unbroken since Joseph Smith and that Doctrinal Changes that have been made were inspired of God either because of our Faith and ability to follow a doctrine, or our because of our Unfaithfulness (the Church's or the World at large) and inability to follow that doctrine. Of course this is a matter of my own faith and opinions and I would not expect the same opinion from all individuals.
I just believe that where the True church has existed, there was a Prophet, and where it is not you have "wise" people in Universities discussing the mistakes of the Prophets.
A Century Of Doctrinal Revisions
The biggest theory presented here on this was by Nighthawk who claimed that it may likely be someone outside of the current leadership. An Advanced Search (not the regular one from the Search box above) of the Threads may tell you about this. Look for the "One mighty and strong" or something similar.
A Century Doctrinal Revisions
This all sounds like a conspiracy theory. I would not dwell much on it because in the last days men will try to tell us that the truth is no longer in the church because of a change somewhere. When you look at the change that was made it was actually for a better not for a worst.
TOPIC: A Century Of Doctrinal Revisions