Today I had a great phone conversation with my mom. My Utah mom, to clarify. It was a great conversation and I really felt understood and loved. I'm so grateful that our relationship is healing, at least on some level. She offered me a great deal of advice, most - if not all - of which I think I shall take.
I also did a lot of research. Not school research; that much is done for now, thank goodness. Religious research. (I think I'm finally ready to post this out in the open. Guess it's a good thing I don't have many readers, lol.)
Basically, I have found several problems in the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I set out in my research to prove it right, to prove that the LDS Church is true, or at least could be. Well, that backfired... I instead started finding many things that simply didn't add up. Then I started finding evidence pointing to the fabrication of certain things that I found to be holy and sacred. I was so confused and lost, but the more research I did the more definitive I felt that it simply could not be true. After all, there is so much evidence proving the authenticity of the Bible. Yet upon studying, it seems the origins of the Book of Mormon - indeed, of the LDS Church itself - seem to deteriorate.
I have sorted through the mess that is my thought process and formed ten questions. These are questions I intend to ask both the LDS Missionaries, and my bishop. I do not, in any way, shape or form, ever plan to try to destroy the church. But these are questions that I think are valid, and deserve answering. They are listed below.
1. Why did Joseph Smith have 34 wives?? Were 29 of those really *before* the revelation of polygamy was made? Why did Emma not know about many of them? Did some really have *living* husbands (Lucinda Morgan Harris, Zina Huntington Jacobs, Presendia Huntington Buell, to name a few)?? If so, WHY?? (Links I found: http://www.youtube.com/
2. *Why* has the Book of Mormon changed so much if it was a perfect translation (remember, when he translated it he said that the letters that appeared would not disappear unless the scribe had written it exactly as it needed to be). Furthermore, why does the original copy support the Trinity view (1st Nephi Ch 11:32 in the original says "Yea the Everlasting God" but in today's it says "the Son of the Everlasting God", etc). Also, in Ether why does the Original say King Benjamin kept records, etc, but today's says King Mosiah?
3. Why does the law on Polygamy contradict with other things? For example, D&C 132:1 contradicts with Jacob 2:24 and D&C 132:64-65 contradicts with 1st Corinthians 7:3-4.
4. Why did the lecture at the veil in the temple in 1877 (at least, I don't know if it was *just* that year) talk about Adam *being* God??? Also, why are some in the church taught that Adam came here just like anyone else (born, etc) but the Bible says otherwise? (a link I found: http://www.
5. Why is the first written account of the 1st vision in the Sacred Grove (written in Joseph Smith's own hand) so very different than the first?? For example, the first only talks about seeing *one* person. No mention of the adversary trying to stop him. Also says no one believed him for a long time. (A link I found: http://
6. Why do the Temple Ceremonies resemble the Free Mason rituals so much? Furthermore, why is there no recorded revelation for the ceremonies? And isn't it just a little bit odd that the Temple Ceremonies came to be right after Joseph became a Mason?
7. Why does the Story of King Benjamin (when he gave his talk before he died) match so closely to a famous Methodist camp meeting held near where Joseph was on June 7th, 1826.
8. Why do the symbols at the back of Abraham that Joseph 'restored through revelation' match almost EXACTLY to the Egyptian Hypocephalus, which means something TOTALLY different and was actually traditional??
9. If we receive our glory and salvation by coming to Christ, then *why* would going to the Temple increase that glory??
10. There is no mention whatsoever of the Everlasting Covenant in the Bible. Why is that?
You have a lot of very valid questions. Two suggestions while you study these things out. First realize that almost anything can be faked. Alot of people would make up stuff just to spite the LDS religion. Am I saying it is all made up? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them were. Second don't let anything physical sway you too much. Trust the lord. Prayer is an amazing thing no matter what you believe. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" Matthew 7:7. Man will argue till the day he dies about religion only god is going to be 100% honest with you.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous, There is a lot of negativity and false accusations by many people toward the LDS religion, why do you think that it's the most picked on religion out there?. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to your own understanding." there are a lot of things that I don't know about the church and I've questions too, but in due time all the answers to life will be revieled and it will all make sense, the answers are so simple but for some reason or another we are not supposed to know at this day and time, I know this church is true, I have witnessed some rather remarkable things through the power of prayer, I know it's true and I know that everything has a purpose in this life and some of the answers will be revield to us in due time, follow your heart. pray and pray again.
Yes, and I've had many great things happen to me too, but only as Testament that Christ is the Savior, or that God loves us, etc. Never that the Church itself is true. Not that I want a sign, because I really don't. I just want answers. And so far the only 'advice' I've been given is to ignore all of that. Well honestly, I just can't. If it was something small I could, easily. But the sources I have used are *neutral* to the church, if not *friendly* (because a lot of the information I've gotten is from comparing photocopies of original church documents vs the currently available editions). And I understand that we're not going to have all the answers for everything, but I think I'd be a bit of a fool if I ignored solid evidence. After all, if someone came to you and said "Joseph Smith was never, ever involved with polygamy" you'd think he was silly, right? Well his own son denied it his whole life, despite the solid evidence. I'd rather not be 'silly' in the same regard.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughts, but I do hope that you can see my position here.
I found the Everlasting Covenant listed 15 times in the bible, which bible are you reading?
ReplyDeleteI've found the words "Everlasting Covenant" but no mention of *the* "New and Everlasting Covenant" which focuses on marriage - especially polygamy - and becoming Gods/Goddesses in the next life. When 'everlasting covenant' is said in the bible, it is referring to completely different things. I read the King James Version.
DeleteAlso, just to clarify - not that I'm accusing you of doing so - I hope that no one here is trying to be rude or hateful to others or to myself. Please make sure to be respectful in your responses. :-)
I went on a mission for the LDS church. I don't talk about it much but it was a bad experience for me. The mission president was not a man of God. But that isn't why I stopped attending...at least it wasn't the only reason. I had questions like yours. I decided to start over and figure out what I truly believed, and to do that I felt I needed to try to separate what I had been taught my whole life. I'm not saying I was brainwashed, but when you have something like that drilled into you from a very young age, by just about every person of authority you know in your life, you are definitely conditioned to believe it. It's not easy to walk away from that. I don't hate the LDS church, or any of its members. I still defend them (the members, not the church) quite often because I don't believe it's their fault. I have decided in my life that my relationship with God is a personal thing and that I will not let any religion dictate to me what that relationship is supposed to look like. I trust in Jesus's sacrifice. For fellowship, I attend a non-denominational Christian church called Lakeview Church. Look it up on Facebook. Some very good people there. Good luck and God bless.
ReplyDelete💗 I feel ya. Thank you for your comment!! I hope someone reading it will find peace and joy 💗
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