Ignoring The Truth

I think that I went a little crazy yesterday. I have had many benefits from being LDS? Well, maybe, maybe not.

I think that there were obvious benefits. I think I named them all. I do think the Book of Mormon was what Joseph Smith was on the earth to translate. He wasn't on the earth to do much else. Sure, he started a church. It seems natural.

But now that we are in the twenty-first century, that church is beginning to seem all wrong. There are many churches out there that have performed good social and spiritual functions without being completely right. But the LDS Church can't just give what it can give and move on. It has to tell people to box themselves in to a strange view and regard people of other cultures and belief systems as wrong. It is not automatically right. Any organization has to earn the right to say that they are the true religion. Have the people been earning the right?

No one has been earning the right. No one will try to break the Book of Mormon spell. Today's LDS person does not search the Bible, does not try other holy writing like the Indian Vedas or the Quran. They do not look at the Apocrypha to see what may be gleaned from those works. I don't even think that they are reading the entire Book of Mormon anymore. Is truth found by unexamined, incomplete, lazy readings done to appease a wrathful God? No, it is not found that way. Does God reward a lazy scholar? No.

LDS scripture itself seems to be against them. This scripture, 3 Nephi 28:34, is from the Book of Mormon: "And wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them; for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and there he will not receive them at the last day."

To me, some of the most important "words of Jesus" are the clear and correct words of the Old and New Testament. Basically, if you do not accept these words and barely accept other words of scripture or inspiration, you are not accepting Jesus. And you will not dwell where He dwells after this life. Basically, a church full of people slowly diluting and perverting every doctrine of goodness I know and then turning their backs on the words that are the true origins of their faith is a church I would best break from and warn others to avoid.

I really cannot avoid the impulse to tell the awful things I was being urged to accept. It doesn't seem right. Why?

First of all, any church professing to be the one true church on earth will attract lots of investigators, even if it doesn't convert many of them. And those it does convert, will be laden with responsibilities and activities of all kinds so that thinking about what one is converted to will not be a natural process. I don't think we should accept apocalyptic or unfamiliar truths without thinking about and testing them.

Alma Chapter 32 is a part of the Book of Mormon that tells you how to test any commandment or doctrine that you come across. I think that by this time I have tested a few interesting doctrines.

Alma 32: 28 says, "Now, we will compare the word unto a seed." And what follows is comparing a test of a doctrine to the growth of that "word" in your heart as a seed. If it begins to grow and becomes a good, or delicious thing, this is a good sign. If it grows to the height of a tree, this is good. Basically, there is a long passage that describes what the words of truth should really do in your heart, and in your life.

I have had some LDS doctrines flunk this test with ugly colors.

Basically, like any other religion in which people claim to believe in Christ, the Bible is a real spring board. The Bible is what got them where they are. To turn your back on the whole Bible so that you may constantly read and re-read and interpret and misinterpret one tiny book is not a good idea. Truth was never in one tiny spot. It seems to be scattered all over.

I will end with this Book of Mormon passage that I have been looking for and finally found. It is 2 Nephi 28: 29-31: "Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!

"For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

"Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost."