Tom: don't you know that the Church teaches every worthy person who hasn't had the opportunity to be sealed in the temple in this life will have an opportunity after the resurrection?
TomMay 28, 2015
The only way any of us can make it back to Heavenly Father is as an equal couple, sealed together in the temple by priesthood power and remaining true to our covenants together (see D&C 131:1-4)
The above sentence makes me uncomfortable. What about spouses who remain faithful and committed to the Church and honor their temple covenants despite the fact that their companion has 'left' the Church and no longer honors their temple covenants? Is there no hope for the faithful spouse to enjoy eternal life because of a free agency decision made by their spouse?
Jo Ann OkelberryMay 28, 2015
I enjoyed reading your article. My husband and I attended a lecture for Richard Bushman at the Huntington Library a few years ago. Dr. Bushman is very well known for being an accurate historian. In his lecture he talked about the Book of Mormon. He said (as well as I can remember it) that he considers himself as a good writer and very educated, but there is no way he could write a book like the Book of Mormon without the direct revelations from Heavenly Father. He said that experts can tell when one writer takes over from another writer, and that is very difficult to do. I have found the more I study the scriptures, pray, listen to conference talks, etc., my testimony grows. I think we should do as Alma says and plant a seed and nurture it.
DaveMay 28, 2015
@Fred...While not all of us are on the verge of being translated like you, most members of the church deal with doubts, dips in testimony and questions arise. It's a normal part of being a mortal on this earth. I believe the church is true, but I have to work at strengthening my testimony always...otherwise it will fade away.
Clarke EcholsMay 28, 2015
Perry Marshall (not LDS) is an engineer and has provided an hour-long video totally demolishing the notion than man is an evolved being. He does it by an analysis of the structure and behavior of DNA. As an engineer myself with training and experience in the same field and specialty, I fully concur with his arguments. His thinking is very sound.
On his website, www.CosmicFingerprints.com, there is a link to the video in the upper-left area of the home page.
The only thing I disagree with is his statements at the end about the Trinity. But he's not LDS, so I let that slide. He does, however have some LDS friends, and he's a very decent person, married, with children.
The video is well worth watching. The entire site is the result of his mix-ups with atheists in online forums where he forced them to defend their thinking, using a challenge to prove the validity of their position -- a challenge nobody has yet successfully met. It drives 'em nuts!
Yet he does it in an entirely civil manner. It reminds me of the Lord's "strong reasoning" (D&C 45:10), and the Lord's referring to such indivduals as fools who hold truth in derision.
A Happy HubbyMay 28, 2015
I am happy to see that Brother Conrad has found some answers that work for him as he has struggled with trials of his faith. On some of the items he mentions, I have come to the same conclusions and I am at peace with the answers. Some other of his answers don't quite work for me and I am still working. On one of the items I have to say I am in actual disagreement with his answer.
I do have concerns that within the church we have no place (outside of the web) to generally talk about these issues. Most people struggling fear to dare talk about these issues. If they don't have the fear I am fairly sure they will if they ever bring this topic up with almost all members. Those that can openly talk about hard issues without being defensive are few and far between.
So when you hear someone in your ward - or even your family - think about if someone would have jumped on Brother Conrad and told him, "We can't talk about that! You shouldn't even have those thoughts! Just read your scriptures!" that this limits their ability to work through issues and what often happens is they feel if they are to have any integrity, the church (or at least it's members) are WANTING them to leave. We had a talk about "stay in the boat", but many questioning people say they feel they are being pushed out of the boat while they are trying with all their might to stay in the boat.
Wouldn't it be better to allow individuals with questions to feel they can work through them without being kicked out (shunned, censored, have their recommends taken, or being excommunicated)? I for one say "YES!" I want all people to have as much of a chance to come unto Christ and I feel we as a church could do better.
H ChristensenMay 28, 2015
“The Church doesn’t have an official policy about organic evolution.” Please consider the Proclamation of the First Presidency, “The Origin of Man” . . . Improvement Era, November 1909 . . . signed by Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund, First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Fred. BeijerlingMay 28, 2015
"Hard" questions, "doubts"?
In my opinion, if one has a true testimony of the restored Gospel, there cannot be doubts, nor can there be hard questions.
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EestiJune 1, 2015
Tom: don't you know that the Church teaches every worthy person who hasn't had the opportunity to be sealed in the temple in this life will have an opportunity after the resurrection?
TomMay 28, 2015
The only way any of us can make it back to Heavenly Father is as an equal couple, sealed together in the temple by priesthood power and remaining true to our covenants together (see D&C 131:1-4) The above sentence makes me uncomfortable. What about spouses who remain faithful and committed to the Church and honor their temple covenants despite the fact that their companion has 'left' the Church and no longer honors their temple covenants? Is there no hope for the faithful spouse to enjoy eternal life because of a free agency decision made by their spouse?
Jo Ann OkelberryMay 28, 2015
I enjoyed reading your article. My husband and I attended a lecture for Richard Bushman at the Huntington Library a few years ago. Dr. Bushman is very well known for being an accurate historian. In his lecture he talked about the Book of Mormon. He said (as well as I can remember it) that he considers himself as a good writer and very educated, but there is no way he could write a book like the Book of Mormon without the direct revelations from Heavenly Father. He said that experts can tell when one writer takes over from another writer, and that is very difficult to do. I have found the more I study the scriptures, pray, listen to conference talks, etc., my testimony grows. I think we should do as Alma says and plant a seed and nurture it.
DaveMay 28, 2015
@Fred...While not all of us are on the verge of being translated like you, most members of the church deal with doubts, dips in testimony and questions arise. It's a normal part of being a mortal on this earth. I believe the church is true, but I have to work at strengthening my testimony always...otherwise it will fade away.
Clarke EcholsMay 28, 2015
Perry Marshall (not LDS) is an engineer and has provided an hour-long video totally demolishing the notion than man is an evolved being. He does it by an analysis of the structure and behavior of DNA. As an engineer myself with training and experience in the same field and specialty, I fully concur with his arguments. His thinking is very sound. On his website, www.CosmicFingerprints.com, there is a link to the video in the upper-left area of the home page. The only thing I disagree with is his statements at the end about the Trinity. But he's not LDS, so I let that slide. He does, however have some LDS friends, and he's a very decent person, married, with children. The video is well worth watching. The entire site is the result of his mix-ups with atheists in online forums where he forced them to defend their thinking, using a challenge to prove the validity of their position -- a challenge nobody has yet successfully met. It drives 'em nuts! Yet he does it in an entirely civil manner. It reminds me of the Lord's "strong reasoning" (D&C 45:10), and the Lord's referring to such indivduals as fools who hold truth in derision.
A Happy HubbyMay 28, 2015
I am happy to see that Brother Conrad has found some answers that work for him as he has struggled with trials of his faith. On some of the items he mentions, I have come to the same conclusions and I am at peace with the answers. Some other of his answers don't quite work for me and I am still working. On one of the items I have to say I am in actual disagreement with his answer. I do have concerns that within the church we have no place (outside of the web) to generally talk about these issues. Most people struggling fear to dare talk about these issues. If they don't have the fear I am fairly sure they will if they ever bring this topic up with almost all members. Those that can openly talk about hard issues without being defensive are few and far between. So when you hear someone in your ward - or even your family - think about if someone would have jumped on Brother Conrad and told him, "We can't talk about that! You shouldn't even have those thoughts! Just read your scriptures!" that this limits their ability to work through issues and what often happens is they feel if they are to have any integrity, the church (or at least it's members) are WANTING them to leave. We had a talk about "stay in the boat", but many questioning people say they feel they are being pushed out of the boat while they are trying with all their might to stay in the boat. Wouldn't it be better to allow individuals with questions to feel they can work through them without being kicked out (shunned, censored, have their recommends taken, or being excommunicated)? I for one say "YES!" I want all people to have as much of a chance to come unto Christ and I feel we as a church could do better.
H ChristensenMay 28, 2015
“The Church doesn’t have an official policy about organic evolution.” Please consider the Proclamation of the First Presidency, “The Origin of Man” . . . Improvement Era, November 1909 . . . signed by Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund, First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Fred. BeijerlingMay 28, 2015
"Hard" questions, "doubts"? In my opinion, if one has a true testimony of the restored Gospel, there cannot be doubts, nor can there be hard questions.
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