Mormon Dilemma 77

10 October

Lying for the Lord

Preach My Gospel, pg. 50; When first teaching this doctrine, do not teach everything you know about it. Explain very simply that God chose two of His children, Adam and Eve, to become the first parents on earth. After their transgression they were subject to both sin and death. By themselves they could not return to live with Heavenly Father. The Lord spoke to Adam and taught him the plan of salvation and redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ. By following that plan, Adam and his family could have joy in this life and return to live with God (See Alma 18:36; 22:12-14).

Proverbs 6:16-19; These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Well, the Bible passage above covers just about everything now doesn’t it? 

If  your message is the only truth there is (i.e. “the only true church on the face of the earth”), what is there to lie about or why keep information out of the presentation of what you have to offer?  This just doesn’t make sense.

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4 Responses to “Mormon Dilemma 77”

  1. shematwater October 11, 2011 at 9:46 pm #

    Answer this:
    Would you explain every detail of the acts necessary for procreation to a three year old girl?
    Would you explain advanced calculus to a sixth grade student?

    God tells us in Isaiah that he will teach us “line upon line” and “here a little and there a little.” (Isaiah 28: 9-13). We leave out that information that the people are not yet ready to receive, for “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” (verse 9).
    It obviously makes sense to God, so I wonder why you don’t accept it.

    • Melissa October 12, 2011 at 2:41 pm #

      LOL Shem! No three year old girl is going to ask about “the acts necessary for procreation”, and one might “explain advanced calculus” to a sixth grader if they asked. As a homeschooler I’m all for education and believe people need to be educated about the world around them.

      If my kids are interested in a subject we go as far into it as they want to go, if they have questions about something we do research until we find the answer. I don’t tell them they’re not ready to learn about this or that, but when they get a little older they will.

      The true Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple children can understand it, that is the way God designed it. He did this so when false religions came along that would add to the gospel people would be able to spot it a mile away. There’s nothing hidden, or secret about the way to God and eternal life,

      While the examples and verse you used is a very clever tactic with Mormons they can’t apply to how one learns about God, and his way to eternal life. Before you start throwing down the “line upon line” quote ask yourself who is speaking, who are they talking too, and what is the situation that made the speaker say those words?

      This verse wasn’t put there so Mormons would have an escape clause when they didn’t tell people about what they really believed. If someone is asking you a question they’re ready to hear the answer, to hear the truth, not some watered down twisted scripture answer but the truth, the whole truth.

      Because God loved us he sent his son to pay the price of sin for sinners. As in the OT the blood from a pure, unblemished lamb needed to be shed to wipe and wash away sin. In the NT Jesus became that lamb, he shed his blood on the cross for the sin everyone who’s ever lived. When we repent of our sins and accept Him into our hearts he becomes the controlling force in our lives. And when we die we are saved by His righteous not or own, and it’s only His righteousness that allows us to live with Him when we die.

      “It obviously makes sense to God, so I wonder why you don’t accept it.”

  2. shematwater October 12, 2011 at 9:06 pm #

    MELISSA

    Since you feel free to laugh at me you won’t mind if I return the favor, as some of what you said caused great humor in me.

    I have met three year old girls who have asked “where do babies come from?” So, what you are telling me, is that since they are interested in the subject you will teach them everything about it. I find that amusing.

    Speaking of a sixth grader, how is he going to understand advanced calculus when he does not yet understand simple algebra? But you go ahead with the calculus when he asks about it, and skip right over the algebra. See how well he learns.

    Of course, the part that gave me the best laugh was when you said we shouldn’t apply the Bible to our knowledge of God. That was truly unexpected, and I had to laugh just a little bit.
    Who is his audience? Unrepentant Israel, as it is for the entire book of Isaiah. Who is the speaker? Isaiah, speaking on behalf of God. Why does he say it? As a condemnation of the Israelites for having abandoned him even after receiving such knowledge.
    But this isn’t what is really important. Isaiah says, speaking of God “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.”
    So, Isaiah is telling Israel that God only teaches those who are prepared to receive the doctrine, and then condemns Israel for falling after having been taught.
    I agree the verse was not put there for the purpose that we could use it. It was put there to instruct all people the methods by which God teaches men, and that is “line upon line.”
    This same concept is again applied to by Paul when he says “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” (1 Corinthians 3: 2). It is the basics of all good teaching. Each concept and lesson builds on the ones before it, and some things must be learned in a specific order.
    In other words, you cannot do advanced calculus until you have learned algebra.

    “There’s nothing hidden, or secret about the way to God and eternal life.”

    I agree with this completely, but then we are not talking about the way to God and eternal life. The way to God and eternal life is simple: Believe, be baptized, and obey the commandments. Nothing could be simpler. So why do we need to be teaching the unlearned the mysteries of eternity that have no direct bearing on attaining Eternal Life? There is much in the way of knowledge and understanding that I know, and that many people know, that is not needed to gain this blessing. Among these are the nature of existence in the Garden of Eden and other things pertaining to events that have no direct baring.
    This is all that is being advocated. Teach the simple gospel that brings men back to God and into Eternal life. Teach only that which is needed for men to attain this. Then, if they are ready, God will unfold the mysteries of the kingdom to them.

  3. fred October 13, 2011 at 7:27 pm #

    Melissa—(19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”)

    There are many antiMormons that do not tell the truth about what Mormons believe. After planting the lie, these folks use thier lie as proof of what we teach.

    Many other folks believe these lies to be true and cause much discord amoung God’s children.

    fred

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