FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "Detailed response to CES Letter, Other"
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[[File:Brigham the monogamist.jpg|800 px]] | [[File:Brigham the monogamist.jpg|800 px]] | ||
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| + | ===="The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy"==== | ||
| + | {{CESLetterItem | ||
| + | |claim=The author states, "Not only is the manual deceptive in disclosing whether or not Brigham Young was a polygamist but it’s deceptive in hiding Brigham Young’s real teaching on marriage: “The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.” – Journal of Discourses 11:269" | ||
| + | |answer= | ||
| + | *The Church responds to this directly: | ||
| + | <blockquote> | ||
| + | Note: Avoid sensationalism and speculation when talking about plural marriage. Sometimes teachers speculate that plural marriage will be a requirement for all who enter the celestial kingdom. We have no knowledge that plural marriage will be a requirement for exaltation. | ||
| + | <br><br> | ||
| + | — ''[http://seminary.lds.org/manuals/doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-seminary-teacher-resource-manual/dc-trm-6-124-38-dc132.asp Doctrine and Covenants and Church History: Seminary Teacher Resource Manual]'' (Intellectual Reserve, 2001, [updated 2005]). | ||
| + | </blockquote> | ||
| + | *This quotation is often used in critical sources. They do not include the surrounding text which explains what Brigham Young had in mind on this occasion: | ||
| + | <blockquote> | ||
| + | We wish to obtain all that father Abraham obtained. I wish here to say to the Elders of Israel, and to all the members of this Church and kingdom, that it is in the hearts of many of them to wish that the doctrine of polygamy was not taught and practiced by us...It is the word of the Lord, and I wish to say to you, and all the world, that if you desire with all your hearts to obtain the blessings which Abraham obtained, you will be polygamists at least in your faith, or you will come short of enjoying the salvation and the glory which Abraham has obtained. This is as true as that God lives. You who wish that there were no such thing in existence, if you have in your hearts to say: "We will pass along in the Church without obeying or submitting to it in our faith or believing this order, because, for aught that we know, this community may be broken up yet, and we may have lucrative offices offered to us; we will not, therefore, be polygamists lest we should fail in obtaining some earthly honor, character and office, etc,"—the man that has that in his heart, and will continue to persist in pursuing that policy, will come short of dwelling in the presence of the Father and the Son, in celestial glory. <span style="color:blue">The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.</span> Others attain unto a glory and may even be permitted to come into the presence of the Father and the Son; but they cannot reign as kings in glory, because they had blessings offered unto them, and they refused to accept them.{{ref|by1}} {{ea}} | ||
| + | </blockquote> | ||
| + | *It is clear that Brigham was making several points: | ||
| + | **The command to practice plural marriage is from God, and it is wrong to seek to abolish a command from God. | ||
| + | **To obtain the blessings of Abraham, the Saints were required to be "polygamists at least in your faith": i.e., it was not necessary that each enter into plural marriage ''in practice'', but that they accept that God spoke to His prophets. | ||
| + | **It was wrong to avoid plural marriage for worldly, selfish reasons, such as believing the Church would fail, and hoping to have political or monetary rewards afterward. | ||
| + | **Faithful Saints cannot expect to receive "all that the Father has" if they willfully disobey God. When the people have "had blessings offered unto them," and if they refuse to obey, God will withhold blessings later because of that disobedience now. | ||
| + | *Finally, it must be remembered that Brigham Young is speaking to a group who had been commanded to live the law of polygamy. There is no basis here for speculating about what he would have said to a group who did not have that commandment given to them, as we now do not. | ||
| + | }} | ||
====Church Finances==== | ====Church Finances==== | ||
Revision as of 08:21, 16 July 2013
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| [[../Scriptures Concerns & Questions|Scriptures Concerns & Questions]] | A FAIR Analysis of:
[[../|Letter to a CES Director]] |
[[../Conclusion|Conclusion]] |
A FAIR Analysis of the online document Letter to a CES Director section "Other Concerns & Questions"
- Response to section: "Church’s Dishonesty and Whitewashing Over Its History" [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "2013 Official Declaration 2 Header Update Dishonesty" [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "Zina Diantha Huntington Young"[Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "Brigham Young Sunday School Manual"
- Response to section: "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy." [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "Church Finances"
- Response to section: "Tithing"
- Response to section: "Names of the Church"
- Response to section: "Some things that are true are not very useful"
- Response to section: "Criticizing leaders"
- Response to section: "the scary internet"
- Response to section: "Going after members who publish or share their questions, concerns, and doubts"
- Response to section: "Strengthening the Church Members Committee [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: "When the prophet speaks the debate is over"