Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

REVERENCE FOR THE BIBLE -Mormon- (OPEN)
LDS Newsroom ^ | January, 2008

Posted on 02/23/2010 9:54:36 AM PST by greyfoxx39

During the past several years, scholars, religious leaders, journalists and the general public have steadily shown an increased interest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Much of this attention has been focused on the question of whether it is a Christian faith. Central to this inquiry is the Church’s relationship with the Bible. Many have wondered whether Latter-day Saints believe in the Bible at all. Still others have supposed that the Church uses the Bible only when convenient, while shrugging it off as an inessential part of scriptural canon. With so many conflicting voices participating in this discussion, it may seem difficult to know where the Church stands on this issue.

The truth is that the Church reveres the Bible as a sacred volume of scripture. Latter-day Saints cherish its teachings and engage in a lifelong study of its divine wisdom. Moreover, during worship and instruction services the Bible and its teachings are pondered and discussed. To increase biblical understanding, the Church provides extensive resources and tools: lesson manuals, cross-reference materials, Bible maps, a Bible dictionary, and articles in various magazines. Thus, the Bible is much more than simply a collection of antiquated writings and revelations that have only scant relevance to the modern world. On the contrary, it stands in the center of the Latter-day Saints’ spiritual lives.

In a recent sermon, Church apostle Elder M. Russell Ballard characterized the Bible as the “bedrock of all Christianity” and one of the “pillars” of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Furthermore, he described the Bible as a miracle: “It is a miracle that the Bible’s 4,000 years of sacred and secular history were recorded and preserved by the prophets, apostles, and inspired churchmen. … It is a miracle that the Bible literally contains within its pages the converting, healing Spirit of Christ, which has turned men’s hearts for centuries, leading them to pray, to choose right paths, and to search to find their Savior.” It instills real, tangible power in the lives of Latter-day Saints and offers practical solutions and spiritual guidance that inspire them to overcome challenges and trials.

There is a broad range of approaches within the vast mosaic of biblical interpretation. For example, biblical inerrancy maintains that the Bible is without error and contradiction; biblical infallibility holds that the Bible is free from errors regarding faith and practice but not necessarily science or history; biblical literalism requires a literal interpretation of events and teachings in the Bible and generally discounts allegory and metaphor; and the “Bible as literature” educational approach extols the literary qualities of the Bible but disregards its miraculous elements.

The Church does not strictly subscribe to any of these interpretive approaches. Rather, in the words of Joseph Smith, it regards the Bible to be the word of God, “as far as it is translated correctly” (8th Article of Faith). Accordingly, Church members believe that during the centuries-long process in which fallible human beings compiled, translated and transcribed the Bible, various errors entered the text. However, this does not override the overwhelming predominance of truth within the Bible. As Elder Ballard noted, “Without the Bible, we would not know of His Church then, nor would we have the fullness of His gospel now.” Part of that fullness is the Bible’s seminal instruction that God reveals Himself to those who seek Him. The Bible is a living invitation to know personally the sacred revelatory experience that fills its pages.

The scriptures, or “standard works,” of the Latter-day Saints comprise the Old Testament and New Testament of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. According to Elder Ballard, these scriptures constitute a “great, indivisible whole” of God’s revealed word that help humankind understand the past, present and future. The great gospel plan contained in these works does not apply to one generation or one people alone but to all of God’s children throughout all time. Thus, in the words of Elder Ballard, “those who think that one part is more important or more true than the other parts are missing some of the beauty and completeness of the canon of ancient scripture.”

During previous periods of time when God organized His church, He added new revelations to pre-existing scripture, forming a connection between believers of the present and believers of the past. For example, the Old Testament book of Isaiah gives shape and meaning to the Gospel of Matthew. The two revelations need not be viewed as rivals competing with each other: the existence of one does not negate the relevance or legitimacy of the other. This ongoing revelation of scripture gives uniformity and continuity to an unfolding gospel narrative and unites people under one standard of doctrine.

Of all the standard works, the Bible remains the best source for an intimate understanding of the character and personality of Jesus Christ during His mortal mission. While the Old Testament offers a prophetic foretelling of that mission, the New Testament provides an unmatched account of the events, experiences, teachings and personal interactions of Christ. The Book of Mormon strengthens and reinforces His teachings through additional witnesses and provides moving accounts of the personal experiences many individuals had with Him. According to Elder Ballard, “The Book of Mormon does not dilute nor diminish nor de-emphasize the Bible. On the contrary, it expands, extends, and exalts it.”



TOPICS: Apologetics; General Discusssion; Other Christian; Other non-Christian
KEYWORDS: antimormonthread; bible; christian; cult; deception; lds; mormon; mormon1
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 341-354 next last
To: Normandy

Throughout his life, Gordon B. Hinckley taught and testified constantly and consistently
______________________________________________

Yeah well we all know he blantanty LIED to Larry King...

“I dont know that we teach that”

You really think that sounds like a guy that could be trusted when he...

“taught and testified constantly and consistently”

lying about polygamy in mormonism on TV...

You really think that sounds like a guy that could be trusted when he...

“taught and testified constantly and consistently”

Lyin for the mormon lord...

Gutless wonder...


141 posted on 02/23/2010 1:28:51 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: svcw

no, but then I’m not the one in the todie bowl either ;P


142 posted on 02/23/2010 1:31:31 PM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 139 | View Replies]

To: Godzilla
No, that is not a point of agreement.

Now you are just being disagreeable. :-) If you make a point you agree with and I agree to the same point, we have a point of agreement.

143 posted on 02/23/2010 1:38:00 PM PST by TheDon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 137 | View Replies]

To: TheDon
That is a result of your insistence on being cryptic and an unwillingness to engage in conversation

THIS! From the King of caucus threads!

gobsmacked

144 posted on 02/23/2010 1:40:00 PM PST by greyfoxx39 ("The Economy Is So Bad, Even 'Rosy Scenario' Lost Her Job"-Jim Geraghty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]

To: TheDon

No, your attempted point is that a misspelled word invalidates the bible because it is an ‘error’ in perhaps 1000 ms - completely ignoring the fact that it is spelled correctly in 10,000 other ms.

Please Don, didn’t smith fix all of this with his ‘translation’ of the KJV - that is what God empowered him to do.


145 posted on 02/23/2010 1:40:38 PM PST by Godzilla (3-7-77)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

Nailed it!


146 posted on 02/23/2010 1:40:39 PM PST by greyfoxx39 ("The Economy Is So Bad, Even 'Rosy Scenario' Lost Her Job"-Jim Geraghty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies]

To: Normandy; reaganaut

Throughout his life, Gordon B. Hinckley taught and testified constantly and consistently
______________________________________________

LIED

Gordon B. Hinckley Tells Reporter All Tithe Payers See Financial Records - An Outright Lie

He told this to a German reporter just before the 2002 Mo’lympics:

REPORTER: IN MY COUNTRY, THE...WE SAY THE PEOPLE’S CHURCHES, THE PROTESTANTS, THE CATHOLICS, THEY PUBLISH ALL THEIR BUDGETS, TO ALL THE PUBLIC.

HINCKLEY: YEAH. YEAH.

REPORTER: WHY IS IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOUR CHURCH?

HINCKLEY: WELL, WE SIMPLY THINK THAT THE...THAT INFORMATION BELONGS TO THOSE WHO MADE THE CONTRIBUTION, AND NOT TO THE WORLD. THAT’S THE ONLY THING. YES.

http://www.mormonchallenge.com has the entire interview in both video and transcript.


147 posted on 02/23/2010 1:42:38 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: greyfoxx39

That is funny!


148 posted on 02/23/2010 1:42:48 PM PST by svcw (If you are going to quote the Bible know what you are quoting.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 144 | View Replies]

To: T Minus Four

My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die


149 posted on 02/23/2010 1:44:11 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: Normandy

Throughout his life, Gordon B. Hinckley taught and testified constantly and consistently
______________________________________________

LIED

Ten Examples Of Lies Told By Gordon B. Hinckley

Here’s a link to a transcript of the interview: http://www.lds-mormon.com/lkl_00.shtml

I’d suggest that you read through it because there are multiple instances in which Hinckley either lied or otherwise obfuscated the truth.

Example 1: When asked by King about the church’s annual income being $5.9 billion, Hinckley responded, “Well, I don’t know about that figure, but we get along.” As the senior officer of the LDS church, with its many holdings, combined with tithing from thousands of members (or tens of thousands), it is unimaginable that Hinckley would not know whether $5.9 billion was the figure for church annual income or not.

Example 2: Hinckley says in the interview, “I have an accountability. I carry a trust that’s incumbent upon me...” He also said, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, magistrates in honoring, obeying and sustaining the law.” The Mormon Murders and other books about Hinckley’s dealings with Mark Hoffman, and the ways in which he and other senior church officers hindered the police investigation to protect themselves and the church says a great deal about how Hinckley’s accountability and trustworthiness as a U.S. citizen, and his sense of responsibility concerning “honoring, obeying and sustaining the law.”

Example 3: In the interview, Hinckley said, “...we stand for something. We stand solid and strong for something. We don’t equivocate.” How many changes to “eternal” doctrines (e.g., polygamy, blacks and the priesthood, Adam-was-God, Blood Atonement), “eternal ordinances” (e.g., the temple endowment), and “true” church teachings (e.g., the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Hawaiian islands, and Polynesia descended from the Lamanites) have been changed or deleted from Mormonism during the past century? A great deal! So much for being a “solid” and unequivocating church. For more info., ref. http://www.utlm.org/navtopicalindex.htm and www.lds-mormon.com

Example 4: When asked by King about polygamy, Hinckley responded, “When our people came west they permitted it on a restricted scale.” What Hinckley did not say was that polygamy was practiced prior to the Mormon pioneer westward exodus. (Ref. http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no66.htm and http://www.signaturebooks.com/mp.htm). There are various books about Mormon polygamy. A search on Amazon.com will provide titles. As well, in the interview Hinckley states that, “In 1890, that practice [plural marriage] was discontinued.” It is inconceivable that, Hinckley, the president of the Mormon church, was not aware of the fact that after 1890, Mormon leaders continued to conduct polygamous marriages in Mexico, Alberta (Canada), and even on at least one ship in international waters.

Example 5: Referring to the FLDS polygamists (Mormon fundamentalists) in Utah and elsewhere, Hinckley says, “They have no connection with us whatever.” How could Hinckley, a life-time resident of Utah, not be aware that Mormon fundamentalists believe in “the Prophet” Joseph Smith, follow Smith’s “revelation” on plural marriage, and practiced Mormonism as Smith created it and it evolved in Utah in the latter 1900’s. Indeed, they believe that the LDS church has apostatized from Jesus Christ’s “true” religion, as “revealed” to Joseph Smith Jr.

Example 6: Also concerning polygamy, Hinckley said, “I condemn it, yes, as a practice, because I think it is not doctrinal. It is not legal.” First, the LDS church has never rescinded the doctrine of polygamy. It remains a part of LDS theology per Section 132 of the Doctrine & Covenants. The Manifesto of 1890 stated that church officers were to no longer conduct polygamous marriage ceremonies, and plural marriages were not to be conducted in church temples and other buildings (at least in the U.S.). For decades after 1890, the church continued to teach Latter-Day Saints that the Lord had temporarily stopped the practice of polygamy due to “the wickedness of men”, but after Christ returned, it would be re-instituted. As well, Mormons, including myself as a LDS teenager in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, were taught that if we were faithful members, we would practice polygamy in the afterlife. We were taught by the church that polygamy was essential to our “eternal salvation”, a concept that, quite understandably, no Mormon teenage girl or woman I knew got enthusiastic about. The church’s senior patriarchal leadership has never issued a declaration revoking the doctrine of polygamy or removing the verses in D&C Section 132 pertaining to that “revelation”. Born into a Utah Mormon family and fully “active” as a Mormon during his life, Hinckley was undoubtedly aware of the church’s teachings about the doctrine of plural marriage.

Example 7: When asked about the church and politics, Hinckley tells King, “The church does not become involved in politics.” As a General Authority during the 1970’s, Hinckley was fully aware of the church’s active campaign against the Equal Rights Amendment (for women). From http://historytogo.utah.gov/equalrights_.html:
“Donations to support the anti-ERA effort were solicited by ward bishops; speeches against the amendment were deemed appropriate at all church meetings, and church buildings were used as an anti-ERA literature distribution points. Church sponsored anti-ERA organizations operated in Florida, Nevada, North and South Carolina, Missouri, Illinois and Arizona.” The church was also active in supporting anti-homosexual marriage legislation (e.g., Proposition 22 in California; ref. http://www.lds-mormon.com/doma.shtml). To say that the church does not become politically involved was misleading of Hinckley.

Example 8: Regarding the church and censorship, Hinckley said, “No, we don’t censor books or films as a practice”. For years, the church published materials about Brigham Young which stated that he practiced polygamy and preached about the “doctrine of plural marriage”. But the 1997 church study guide/manual about Brigham Young excludes any mention of his polygamous marriages, and gives the reader the distinct impression that Young was married once (in fact, he had 55 wives). This is but one of many examples of non-faith-promoting facts being omitted from church materials. I doubt that the church’s propaganda film, Legacy, includes any mention of Mormon polygamy, the Kinderhook Plates (ref. http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/josephsmithkinderhookplates.htm), Joseph Smith marrying other men’s wives (ref. http://www.utlm.org/newsletters/no66.htm#OTHER%20MEN’S%20WIVES) and other facts about Mormonism that would cause investigators to leave LDS visitor centres and Mormons to question their church, its leaders, and their religion.

Example 9: When asked by King about the LDS church telling Catholics (for example) to leave their church and faith and become a Mormon, Hinckley said, “I say this to other people: you develop all the good you can. We have no animosity toward any other church. We do not oppose other churches. We never speak negatively of other churches. We say to people: you bring all the good that you have, and let us see if we can add to it.” This is a dramatic change in position for the LDS church’s senior “prophet” because for generations, senior LDS leaders were outspoken that people in other religions were being deceived by Satan and led astray. Hinckley’s predecessors repeatedly declared that the LDS church was the only “true and living church of Jesus Christ” on the Earth, the only church that had God’s authority to preach the “true” gospel of Jesus Christ and administer the “saving ordinances”, and the only church through which people could receive “eternal salvation” in the afterlife. That Hinckley did not take the opportunity, on national television, to share these fundamental “truths” with viewers, and instead, gave non-Mormons a message of your-religion-is-just-fine-and-ours-is-too says a great deal about his sense of responsibility as the pre-eminent “spokesperson of the Lord”.

Example 10: With regards to how LDS women feel about not being allowed to hold the priesthood (by Mormonism’s senior male leadership), Hinckley said, “The women of the church are not complaining about it.” and “They’re happy. They sit on boards and governance in the church. I don’t hear any complaints about it.” These statements by Hinckley are misleading and side-step a disturbing reality for many LDS women: depression resulting from their 2nd-class status in the church because Mormon men refuse to allow LDS women to hold the priesthood. As a result of this gender discrimination, capable LDS women are not only denied opportunities to administer the church, they are perpetually kept in a situation of inequality to Mormon men. In short, LDS women of all ages are disempowered by Mormon patriarchy. The fact that Hinckley refuses to be honest and acknowledge these facts/realities to Mormons says a lot about his transparency, ethics, and degree of enlightenment.


150 posted on 02/23/2010 1:44:51 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Nana; MHGinTN

XOXOXOXOXO


151 posted on 02/23/2010 1:44:53 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Nana

There you go again, quoting directly from ldsers. tsk tsk


152 posted on 02/23/2010 1:45:00 PM PST by svcw (If you are going to quote the Bible know what you are quoting.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: TheDon; Godzilla

Inconceivable!


153 posted on 02/23/2010 1:45:27 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: Normandy

Throughout his life, Gordon B. Hinckley taught and testified constantly and consistently
______________________________________________

sidestepped rules of mormonism...

Hinckley never wernt on a mission...


154 posted on 02/23/2010 1:47:31 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: greyfoxx39
Non-Mormons need to be very aware that Mormons, when they refer to the "Holy Bible," they are referring to their own version as well as Mormons believe that their Bible is but one of the scriptures in which they put their faith.

Non-Mormon Bibles would disagree with Mormon scriptures as do Christians disagree with Mormons views of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Bible and what it means to be a Christian.

Lastly, Mormons do NOT accept non-Mormon Christians as "real Christians" as they believe that they are the only "true Christians" and as such only they have the "true faith;" any other faith is an "abomination to God."

155 posted on 02/23/2010 1:48:24 PM PST by zerosix (A)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: svcw

Aint I the cheeky one ???

:)


156 posted on 02/23/2010 1:49:08 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 152 | View Replies]

To: svcw

Aint I the cheeky one ???

:)


157 posted on 02/23/2010 1:49:08 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 152 | View Replies]

To: Vendome

ROTFLMAO


158 posted on 02/23/2010 1:50:01 PM PST by svcw (If you are going to quote the Bible know what you are quoting.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 149 | View Replies]

To: Tennessee Nana

Actually he served as a missionary in Great Britain as a young man.


159 posted on 02/23/2010 1:51:07 PM PST by Normandy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 154 | View Replies]

To: zerosix

Bingo


160 posted on 02/23/2010 1:51:39 PM PST by svcw (If you are going to quote the Bible know what you are quoting.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 341-354 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson