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The Church 1830 To Present

The more I study the doctrines of the Church on and offline I often have to just stop, take a breath and think... wow... things sure was different in the 1800s. The question is... should it be? The tone of the Prophets have been one of more rebuke and stern statements in the early Church to one of 'be kind' and 'all is well in zion' now. The sacrifice in the early Church seems to be more abundant than now. What is your view - stand back, take a breath, how do you feel the Church differs from then and now?

Present Church The

The tone and the seriousness of the talks by the leaders have changed dramastically, the topics they used to speak before were deeper than nowdays where we concentrated on the basic of the doctrines...many more to come.

The Church 1830 To Present Studies Doctrine Mormon

It is very different today. I think as time passes and we learn more and more about what God wants us to do, we make those changes. Some of the things the Brethern taught in the 1800's would not go over well today because society is different. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and others didn't stop to think how their words would be taken. They told it like it was and it didn't matter what the world thought. God was once a man and we can become Gods. Adam is God. You must have 50 wives, blood atonement etc.

Today, the world would have a field day with this kind of teaching. it would be on CNN and all news shows. Journalists would twist the words to make them look ridiculous. For that reason, i think the Lord has warned the prophet to preach the basics... faith, baptism, repentence etc. Those members who want to learn the deeper mysteries have at their disposal the means to do so.

Present Church The

So what you are saying is that once again we are not teaching this doctrine to not 'offend' Babylon....

Present Church The

No, I do not think it is to not offend Babylon. I think because of the cunningness of the Devil, he will take these teachings, twist the meaning and use them out of context to try and make it appear that we are teaching something we are not. I've studied a lot of the anti-mormon attacks on the church and most use this tactic. When you study the original talks more deeply, you will see a completely different meaning that what is being proposed was taught by the anti's. I think the Lord is aware of this and has inspired our leaders today to stay away from deeper doctrine and preach the basics.

Think of the account where the Savior was asked a question in the Bible. I'm sorry I don't remember the specifics but it was a question designed to trick him. Either way he answered would make him out to be foolish. So, the Lord did not answer. He just sat there and drew in the sand. I think because of the attitude of the world today, we are using the same tecnique.

The Church 1830 To Present

"You have agency--'moral agency.' You are free to choose your standards.
[But] the Church you belong to, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, is the restored Church. . . . [It] is not a remodeled version of
another church, It is not an adjustment or a correction or a protest
against any other church. . . . There was opened to the early leaders
of the Church the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the standards
He requires of His disciples."

(Boyd K. Packer, "The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 24)