Today we’re looking at an event in Mormon history that should be surprising, but sadly it’s not. A few days ago TodayinMormonHistory.com provided info on when the Church decided they should hand out temple recommends based on a sliding scale system.

“110 years ago today – Jan 26, 1909 — [Joseph F. Smith Presidency]  … Where elderly people may be found to be more or less lacking in their observance of the Word of Wisdom, and the question of their worthiness to be recommended to the temple comes before you for consideration, it will be in order for you and the Stake Presidency to consider together all such cases, deciding each on its own merits, and showing appropriate leniency to elderly people, as there can be no rigid rule for each and every case.” — “Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund to William H. Seegmiller and counselors,  Jan. 26, 1909, in Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship”

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

In essence, this amounts to nothing more than a personal opinion on whomever the local leaders are interviewing.

Questions:

What if that leader was having a bad day?

Imagine if he came to that meeting after hearing his wife repeating unfavorable gossip about the person he was interviewing, could you trust his judgment?

If he didn’t personally like the person he was interviewing what happens next?

How much leniency is appropriate? If they were drinking coffee vs. decaf tea, would it be okay?

Old Testament Times

The OT model of temple attendance is nothing like the Mormon version. In biblical times people attended temple to either hear readings from scripture, offer sacrifices, or because they were members of the Levitical priesthood system. There was no such thing as temple recommends.

What about the words of their inspired founder who explicitly said that at no time should these things change? Less than a month ago we saw how they contradicted themselves by changing most of their sacred ceremonies. For more info, see Temple Endowment Changes Contradict Prophecy and BoM.

Finally beloved, how is one to trust this god who’s always in a state of flux? There’s simply no way for a Mormon to know with certainty whether or not they’ll make it to heaven under the myriads of confusing conditions they’ve drummed up!

Pray for Jesus’ intervention, and for Mormons to ask questions about what their leaders have done!

With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor 1:18