LDS Contradictions: The Spirit Enters the Body When…

27 February

Job 31:15 “Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?”

Being raised in Utah Mormonism affords a person many experiences of being taught things that aren’t necessarily standard LDS doctrine. Today we’re looking at one of those.

A few weeks ago I came across a copy of the LDS General Handbook Vol. 1, provided by the Mormon version of WikiLeaks. This book serves as another reminder of how the Church goes out of its way to confuse people.a

As many of our readers know, our daughter Mallory was stillborn in October 1988. With that in mind, I’m obviously interested in what the Church’s thoughts are on this topic. What caught my attention in this go-round was the major contradiction they serve up as official doctrine.

Not only did they contradict themselves in what they believe about stillbirths, they also left those who are affected by the tragedy with absolutely no hope. Check out what they’ve said in the Handbook, and what Brigham Young said about babies.

General Handbook of Instruction 2010, p. 267 “Stillborn Children … Temple ordinances are not performed for stillborn children.However, this does not deny the possibility that a stillborn child may be part of the family in the eternities. Parents are encouraged to trust the Lord to resolve such cases in the way He knows is best. The family may record the name of a stillborn child on the family group record followed by the word stillborn in parentheses. … It is a fact that a child has life before birth. However, there is no direct revelation on when the spirit enters the body. 17.2.11” [emp. added]

Journal of Discourses 18:258 “When the body is prepared, at the proper time, the spirit enters the tabernacle, and all the world of mankind in their reflections and researches must come to this conclusion, for the fact is they can come to no other— that when the mother feels life there is an evidence that the spirit from heaven has entered the tabernacle.” — Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, October 8, 1876 [emp. added]

1.It’s shocking to us that the Church wouldn’t have a plan for stillborn babies in the afterlife considering how they’ve micromanaged every other aspect of who goes to heaven, and how they gain access. Furthermore, given the fact stillbirth is actually a topic in their handbook, it seems odd they wouldn’t have anything to offer the grieving parents.

In the US, approximately 1% of babies (24,000) are stillborn every year. Although stillbirths aren’t common, it was apparently enough of an issue for the Church to make a rule concerning it.

2.Why are they contradicting one of their premiere prophets?

At some point, most Mormons are usually taught when an expectant mother feels the baby kick it means the baby’s spirit had entered the body.

Please pray for those who read, and rely on this false doctrine! The bishops, and parishioners alike are truly in desperate need of prayer, and Jesus’ intervention!

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor 1:18

a.The Church’s Handbooks come in two volumes. Volume 1 is only available to church authorities who serve in the capacity of bishop, or higher. Volume 2 is available to everyone online – member, and non-member alike.

The reason Volume I became public is because someone in their PR dept. inadvertently published it without realizing their mistake. Although it was only public for about 15 hours or so, the damage was done. We obtained our copy from Reddit.

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