Why Are There So Many Religions?

There are wonderful people who do wonderful things from all faiths. M. Russell Ballard, a current apostle and leader in our church, said this: “I am inspired by the wonderful things being done by my learned and committed colleagues from other faith groups all around the world. These are noble men and women who have dedicated their lives to their faith, and the world is a better place because of them. They bring comfort to the sick, peace to the troubled, and hope to the weary and downtrodden. I am convinced that God works through them to bless the lives of His children in remarkable ways.” (M. Russell Ballard, Our Search for Happiness, pg. 26).

However, while we can find good people anywhere, God did not make innumerable religions. As the Bible says in 1 Cor. 14:33, “God is not the author of confusion…” A closer look at the basic beliefs of varying world religions will show a wide range of opinions on core religious principles. For example, Christianity says that Jesus is the Son of God. Jews believe the Messiah hasn’t come yet. Muslims, Buddhists, etc. don’t believe in a Messiah at all. There are plenty of examples just within Christianity itself: Should baptism be by sprinkling or by immersion?  Did the authority to act in Christ’s name continue down to Catholicism or was it lost with the death of the apostles?  Do you have to get permission to act in Christ’s name at all?  How does one receive that authority?

Paul taught the Ephesians that there is only “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). It’s our responsibility to find the truth and live it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims that the authority to act in God’s name was lost with the death of Christ’s apostles. It further proclaims that, that authority has been restored through a modern prophet and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His one and only true church on the earth today – with all of the truth, authority, and teachings necessary to live with God again after we die. We are invited to study the Church’s teachings and then pray and ask God whether what we’ve learned is true. We are promised an answer: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:4-5)

Shouldn’t there be one Church that is right for everyone?

I was watching the movie, “The Restoration”, which was released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints several years ago.  There is a particular scene in this movie that has caused me to contemplate the foundation upon which Christianity is built.

In this scene, young Joseph Smith is having a discussion with a minister about the correctness of various religions.  Joseph asks him how he can know which religion is the correct one, because their doctrines disagree.  The minister responds that each of us strives to find the answer that is right for us.  Joseph then asks the simple question, “but shouldn’t there be one answer that’s right for everyone?”

The question Joseph asked of this minister is a valid one.  Perhaps you have asked this question too.  Christ didn’t establish multiple, competing churches; why shouldn’t there be one Church that is “right for everyone?”

Joseph eventually went to God in prayer on a spring morning in 1820 to ask Him which of all the churches was the correct one.  God did answer him by visiting Joseph personally with his Son, Jesus Christ.  They told him that he shouldn’t join any of the churches, because while they all had some truth, they didn’t have all of it–truth had been lost over the centuries since the death of Christ’s apostles.  Through Joseph Smith, Christ restored His Church.  It is glorious and I am so thankful to be a part of it.  You can also be a part of Christ’s church and know the truth that is right for everyone.  If you would like to learn more about our church, please visit mormon.org.  You can also leave us a way to contact you through the, “ask a question” box on our side bar.

What has the Prophet said Lately?

Two of our meetings at church today focused on the same issue: What Has the Prophet Said Lately?

The first speaker in sacrament meeting related a story from her mission where a person they were teaching about the gospel got very excited about the idea of a living prophet and asked the two missionaries, “Well, what has the prophet said lately?” Unfortunately, the sisters were caught unaware and could not think of anything the prophet had said in recent months. It is a remarkable claim that we are able to make, that we have a Living Prophet who speaks to us as a mouthpiece for God; as such, we should be thirsty for any messages or information that comes from him.

I found myself unable to recollect anything the prophet has said recently. Fortunately I know where to look to find this information and will relay to you what I have found in links and brief summaries.
There are a few different avenues where we are able to hear from the Prophet. Most notably is the semi-Annual General Conferences of the church, held in the first weekend of April and October. (it’s coming up!) The church also publishes a monthly magazine (The Ensign) wherein the opening article comes from one of the three members of the First Presidency. The Ensign also publishes all the addresses from General Conference in the May and November issues.
In General Conference the Prophet generally addresses the church 4-5 times, usually the opening and/or closing remarks come from the prophet as well as other more instructive talks throughout the two day event. So in the past year (two conferences) here is what our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, has had to say to us:
April 2010 Conference
  • Welcome to Conference
    • Recent humanitarian aid, 25 years since humanitarian aid program began. Listing of Temples recently announced or built.
  • Preparation Brings Blessings
    • This message was given to the priesthood brethren (men ages 12+). Good choices in youth will lead to blessings later in life. Stay away from destructive thoughts, influences and environments. Blessings will result if faithful.
  • He Is Risen!
    • “Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed.”
  • A Word At Closing
    • Study the words which have been spoken at this conference. Look to the lighthouse of the Lord to direct your paths.

October 2009 Conference

  • Welcome to Conference
    • Temples recently built, temple work is important. Members should embrace new converts.
  • School Thy Feelings, O My Brother
    • This message given to the Priesthood Brethren (Men ages 12+). Refrain from anger and angry actions. “To be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice. If we desire to have a proper spirit with us at all times, we must choose to refrain from becoming angry. I testify that such is possible.”
  • What Have I Done For Someone Today?
    • “My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.” Focus on helping someone else everyday.
  • Closing Remarks
    • “We live at a time when many in the world have slipped from the moorings of safety found in compliance with the commandments. It is a time of permissiveness, with society in general routinely disregarding and breaking the laws of God. We often find ourselves swimming against the current, and sometimes it seems as though the current could carry us away…He is ever mindful of us. He loves us and will bless us as we do what is right.”
Ensign Articles since September 2009 written by President Monson:
  • Canaries With Gray on their Wings June 2010
    • To live greatly, we must develop the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility. You ask, “How might we achieve these goals?” I answer, i“By gaining a true perspective of who we really are!” We are sons and daughters of a living God, in whose image we have been created. Think of that: created in the image of God. We cannot sincerely hold this conviction without experiencing a profound new sense of strength and power.
  • On Being Spiritually Prepared February 2010
    • “In the search for our best selves, several questions will guide our thinking: Am I what I want to be? Am I closer to the Savior today than I was yesterday? Will I be closer yet tomorrow? Do I have the courage to change for the better? …”
  • Finding Strength Through Obedience October 2009
    • The best examples of Obedience can be found in the scriptures. “Obedience is a hallmark of prophets, but it should be realized that this source of strength is available to us today.”
These are the messages we have been given most recently. In the first weekend of October, we will be given some more. We believe as Amos taught, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets.”
We are privileged to get such access to the prophet and what the Lord wants for us through his messages.

The Original Sin

This post comes from the following question: “What do mormans [sic] believe about original sin?”

This question is most simply answered by a statement Joseph Smith gave about our beliefs: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.” (AoF 1:2)

We also believe that “every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning” (D&C 93:38). Additionally, men are “free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil” (2 Ne 2:27). In short, this means that we are not inherently evil because of an “original sin”. Rather, we are created innocent with the freedom to choose good or evil and are accountable for only the choices we make and not for the choices Adam made.

That being said, the fall of Adam did introduce the possibilities of sin and death to his posterity (i.e. us). Thus, while not being directly accountable to God for a decision we never made, Adam’s transgression does nonetheless affect us (Alma 42:5–9, 14).

For more information, see the following:

The Testimonies of Witnesses

If you take a close look at the Book of Mormon (and I hope you will), you will inevitably uncover a controversy:  its origin.

It was published in 1829 by Joseph Smith, but he did not claim authorship; his claims were a bit more extraordinary.  He said an angel led him to the buried book, written on metal sheets the color of gold.  The text was a form of hieroglyphics, and he was able to translate it into English over the course of a few months using “the gift and power of God” residing in a pair of special interpretive stones, the Urim and Thummim.  When the translation was finished, the angel came and collected the gold plates and then the manuscript was taken to the printer.

Joseph kept the gold plates hidden from the public at the Lord’s command; many find the story that the angel Moroni took them back to be suspiciously convenient.  Since the plates are not available today for examination, skeptics have contended that there were no plates to begin with.

Does his story hold water?

Some dismiss the question too easily before examining any evidence.  The story’s supernatural elements (an angel and a pair of interpreting stones) provide convenient rationale to attribute it to fiction.  Even those who believe in the power of God may feel more comfortable disregarding the story because it doesn’t jive with their current conception of God or simply because it is something of which they’ve never heard.  In essence they say, “Surely something so powerful and interesting, if true, would have been brought to my attention already.”

Joseph’s story is, admittedly, somewhat fantastical.  It stretches one’s worldview.  Fortunately, the Lord provided aid to the incredulous:  eyewitnesses.

Were there actual gold plates?

In the summer of 1829 in Manchester, New York, just after completing the translation, Joseph met with eight close associates and (with the Lord’s permission) showed them the gold plates.  They were permitted to see, feel, and hold the record and examine closely the inscriptions on each leaf.  They each signed the following testimonial, published with the Book of Mormon ever since (my emphasis):

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.

Christian Whitmer
Jacob Whitmer
Peter Whitmer, Jun
John Whitmer
Hiram Page
Joseph Smith, Sen
Hyrum Smith
Samuel H. Smith

This was not some idle piece of writing for them.  It implicated them.  They were interviewed, accused, and mocked.  From that day on, they each stood firm in their eyewitness testimony of these plates.  Five of the eight remained in good standing with the Church, enduring mobs, extermination orders, and repeated forced expulsion from their homes.  Jacob Whitmer and Hiram Page stopped practicing, but still believed; and John Whitmer was excommunicated in a later Church incident, but not one of them (not even John who had ample reason and opportunity to expose the prophet) rescinded his testimony.  If there were no plates, the reason for their steadfastness becomes a mystery.

Others had experiences that confirm the existence of the plates.  For instance, Joseph’s wife Emma described the following concerning the period of translation:

The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen tablecloth, which I had given him to fold them in. I once felt of the plates, as they thus lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper, and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book.

These testimonies, among others, corroborate the young prophet’s story of the gold plates.  It is strong evidence that they existed.

Was there an actual angel?

A few days prior to the eight witnesses’ encounter with the plates, three of Joseph’s closest friends were given a more miraculous manifestation.  The gold plates were revealed at the hands of the angel Moroni and the voice of the Lord declared the record to be true.  Their testimony accompanies each copy of the Book of Mormon as well:

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.

Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris

As you can see, these witnesses had a different type of encounter with the gold plates.  They saw an angel and heard the voice of God.  They were commanded to “bear record of it,” or tell people about it.

 

Now, just the testimony of these three alone would be solid ground for a case in a court of law, but there is another even juicier part of this tale.  Several years later, all three of these men struggled with Joseph Smith’s leadership and were excommunicated from the Church.  For some time they were among Joseph’s strongest critics, yet every time they were interviewed (and there were hundreds of interviews, usually with very skeptical interrogators), they would each enthusiastically stand by their commitment to bear record of the plates and the angel who revealed them.

Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris eventually made amends with the Church leadership and returned to full fellowship.  David Whitmer remained separate from the Church, but committed to believing in the Book of Mormon and the angel Moroni.  Every one of them testified of the plates on their death beds.

Is Joseph’s story true?

That is a question you must decide for yourself.  Eight eyewitnesses claimed to have seen and hefted the plates and committed their testimony to writing.  Emma felt them through a cloth on the table.  Three eyewitnesses had them presented by an angel and lived up to the command to testify.  Even when they most wanted to see the prophet fail and could have recanted and exposed him, they didn’t.  Even at death’s door, with nothing left to gain, they stood by their words.  And these are just a few examples among many more.

These things may be enough to convince you or not; I don’t know.  I only hope to illustrate that there are good, rational reasons to believe Joseph Smith’s story.

The witnesses weren’t what made me believe it, but learning about them helped solidify my belief.  Really what convinced me was reading the book that came from these gold plates.  Near the end of the book, Moroni (the angel) writes, “by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”  Read it yourself and take the chance to ask God in prayer if it is true.

The power of God is not a fairy tale.  When He brings forth scripture, He provides witnesses; when He calls a prophet, He gives reason to believe.  His actions make tangible marks on the world.  When you pray to Him, He will give distinct answers to your heart and mind.