A Parable About Truth.

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A Parable About Truth.

In the Mormon Church, truth is defined to be whatever is consistent with the prophet's latest statements. Compare Benson's 14 points, from the First Presidency Message.
[1]

This means that if the prophet says that the sun is green, but a member of the church or an "opponent" to the church says that the sun is yellow, then obviously this member or that opponent is lying; and clearly out of malice, because they are evil and because they want to harm the church.

Obviously the sun is green, if the prophet said so. That is self-evident, and need not be discussed or questioned. Anything else is apostasy.

Suppose that I am the member: I know that I lie.

How?

Well, I lie since everything the prophet says is true. If the prophet says that the sun is green, well, then the sun really is green. And I, saying that the sun is yellow, am obviously lying.

I know that I don't have the Spirit.

How?

Because I allow reality to affect my faith. With the Spirit, I would have believed, irrespective of reality.

But what about reality then? Does reality speak the truth or does it lie? And does reality have the Spirit?

In 1837, the moon was populated by men and women like those found on this earth. They could become almost 1000 years old, and they dressed somewhat like Quakers. We know this, because the prophet Joseph Smith Jr. said so. Additionally, the prophet's father gave a patriarchal blessing the same year to a young man saying that he would preach the gospel before his 21st year, to the inhabitants on the islands of the sea, and that he would also preach the gospel to the inhabitants of the moon. He testifies faithfully of this in "The Young Woman's Journal" on the sixth of February in 1892, and concludes that since the first two promises already have been fulfilled it is reasonable to believe that the last promise will also be fulfilled. In the same article we are told that beyond the north pole there is a warm and fruitful country inhabited by the ten tribes of Israel, because the prophet has said so.
[2]

So far there is no problem, because when the prophet has spoken, all is clear, and need no longer be discussed or questioned. Anything else is apostasy.

But on the Sunday of May 14, 1961, everything changed. Because then the apostle Joseph Fielding Smith (who later became the president of the church) announced at a stake conference in Honolulu that man would never go to space. This earth is the sphere that is meant for mankind, and it was never intended that he should leave it, says the apostle. And he added that the moon is a superior planet to the earth, and it was never intended that man would walk on it. ``You can write it down in your books that this will never happen,'' he said. In 1962 he also privately instructed that this view should be taught to ``the boys and girls in the Seminary System.''
[3]

Now the truth is instead that man will never travel in space, and never walk on the moon, if we are willing to accept the prophecy of the soon to be prophet as true, because if it was not true it would be apostasy, and therefore it must be true.

But here comes reality with its lies! Reality appears on the 20th of July 1969 and says that now American Astronauts walk as the first men on the moon. Not even the young man was allowed to come there and do missionary work among the natives of the moon, not even that did reality allow! One can hardly say that reality had the Spirit, right? And one can hardly say that reality told the truth either?

No, reality lies and reality does not have the Spirit. Reality has apostatized from the Truth!

In the church we have a way of dealing with those who apostatize from the truth. We can subject them to disciplinary punishments or expel them from our midst. Obviously this is what we must do with our former friend reality, who has now apostatized and become evil, and wants to hurt us. Who wants to lure us away from the Only True Church and from our inspired leaders and from the Gospel.

Now things will start to get a little complex, because we know that truth always is what our general authorities have said. But Apostles Boyd K. Packer and Dallin H. Oaks, who are righteous and upright men, sometimes use the word truth like those who do not understand its proper meaning, in the sense of reality that is. Therefore, read "reality" when it says "truth" in the following.

The Apostles Boyd K. Packer and Dallin H. Oaks thus know what must be done. In 1976 Packer explained in a private conversation with a historian at the church's university that he is having a hard time with historians because truth [reality] is so important to them. ``The truth [reality] is not uplifting; it destroys,'' he said. And he said that ``Historians should tell only that part of the truth [reality] that is inspiring and uplifting.''
[4] At a Church Educational Seminar in August 1981 Packer also said that ``In the Church we are not neutral. We are one-sided. There is a war going on [against the evil, fallen reality that is] and we are engaged in it.'' [5] Some years later, also in August and also at a Church Educational Seminar, in 1985, Dallin H. Oaks explained that balance is to give the versions of both sides and that this is neither the mission of the church nor of anti-Mormon literature. Neither has any responsibility to present both sides of the issue. [6]

This is truly inspired!

We have already concluded that reality lies and that reality doesn't have the Spirit. That reality has apostatized from the Truth! How wonderful then, that we have inspired leaders who protect us from evil reality!

Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!


Leif Erlingsson, apostatized to reality and the kind of "truth" that corresponds to evil and malicious reality. Wednesday, March 10, 2004.

Published [in Swedish] Monday March 15, 2004, see note 7. [7]


References


   
1.   "Benson's 14 points" -- First Presidency Message; Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University, became First Presidency Message June 1981. Available through search here: http://lds.org/

Excerpt of concluding summary:

         1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.

         2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.

         3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.

         4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.

         5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

         6. The prophet does not have to say ``Thus Saith the Lord,'' to give us scripture.

         7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

         8. The prophet is not limited by men's reasoning.

         9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.

        10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.

        11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.

        12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.

        13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency -- the highest quorum in the Church.

        14. The prophet and the presidency -- the living prophet and the First Presidency -- follow them and be blessed -- reject them and suffer.

        Several of the above points are also available from D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. Appendice 5; "Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996", page 873, with additional very interesting comments:

        ``Feb 26, 1980 - Apostle Ezra Taft Benson instructs BYU students in televised address "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet," including: "1. The Prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything. 2. The living Prophet is more vital to us than the standard works [of scripture]. 3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet. 4. The Prophet will never lead the church astray. 5. The Prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time. 6. The Prophet does not have to say `Thus Saith the Lord,' to give us scripture.... 11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich." In the national publicity resulting from his this talk, Some Mormon academics interpret this as Benson's way of preparing for his own presidency over the LDS church. First Presidency's spokesman publicly states that it is "simply not true" that LDS president's "word is law on all issues -- including politics." Privately, church president Spencer W. Kimball is "concerned" about Elder Benson's talk and wants "to protect the Church against being misunderstood as espousing ultraconservative politics, or -- in this case -- espousing an unthinking `follow the leader' mentality." However, these concerns have neither the circulation nor publicity of Benson's original talk. Next week Kimball requires Benson to explain himself and his motives to private meeting of all general authorities.''

        Whatever came out of Benson explaining his motives to all the other general authorities, the fact is that this became a First Presidency Message the following year, in June 1981.


   
2.   "In 1837 the moon was populated" -- Oliver B. Huntington, The Young Woman's Journal, Vol. 3, p. 263-264, Sat. Feb. 6, 1892, under the heading of OUR SUNDAY CHAPTER:

        ``Nearly all the great discoveries of men in the last half century have, in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, contributed to prove Joseph Smith to be a Prophet.

        As far back as 1837, I know that he said the moon was inhabited by men and women the same as this earth, and that they lived to a greater age than we do - that they live generally to near the age of a 1000 years. He described the men as averaging near six feet in height, and dressing quite uniformly in something near the Quaker style.

        In my Patriarchal blessing, given by the father of Joseph the Prophet, in Kirtland, 1837, I was told that I should preach the gospel before I was 21 years of age; that I should preach the gospel to the inhabitants upon the islands of the sea, and - to the inhabitants of the moon, even the planet you can now behold with your eyes.

        The first two promises have been fulfilled, and the latter may be verified. From the verification of two promises we may reasonably expect the third to be fulfilled also.''
         . . .

        ``The inspiration of God caused men to hunt for a new continent until Columbus discovered it. Men have lost millions of dollars and hundreds of lives to find a country beyond the north pole; and they will yet find that country - a warm, fruitful country, inhabited by the ten tribes of Israel, a country divided by a river, on one side of which lives the half tribe of Manasseh, which is more numerous than all the others. So said the Prophet. At the same time he described the shape of the earth at the poles as being a rounded elongation, and drew a diagram of it in this form:
                       _____
                     _/     \_
                    [_       _]
                      \_____/       ''

        The above excerpt from "The Young Woman's Journal" is also available at http://lds-mormon.com/moon.shtml.

        Also see Journal of Discourses, Vol.13, p.271, Brigham Young, July 24, 1870: ``I will tell you who the real fanatics are: they are they who adopt false principles and ideas as facts, and try to establish a superstructure upon a false foundation. They are the fanatics; and however ardent and zealous they may be, they may reason or argue on false premises till doomsday, and the result will be false. If our religion is of this character we want to know it; we would like to find a philosopher who can prove it to us. We are called ignorant; so we are: but what of it? Are not all ignorant? I rather think so. Who can tell us of the inhabitants of this little planet that shines of an evening, called the moon? When we view its face we may see what is termed "the man in the moon," and what some philosophers declare are the shadows of mountains. But these sayings are very vague, and amount to nothing; and when you inquire about the inhabitants of that sphere you find that the most learned are as ignorant in regard to them as the most ignorant of their fellows. So it is with regard to the inhabitants of the sun. Do you think it is inhabited? I rather think it is. Do you think there is any life there? No question of it; it was not made in vain. It was made to give light to those who dwell upon it, and to other planets; and so will this earth when it is celestialized.'' (LDS Collectors Library 1995 Edition, Journal of Discourses, Vol.13, p.271, Brigham Young, July 24, 1870)


   
3.   "Sunday of May 14, 1961" -- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. Appendice 5; "Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996", page 848:

        ``May 14, 1961 - Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith announces to stake conference in Honolulu: "We will never get a man into space. This earth is man's sphere and it was never intended that he should get away from it." Smith, the Twelve's president and next in succession as LDS president, adds: "The moon is a superior planet to the earth and it was never intended that man should go there. You can write it down in your books that this will never happen." In May 1962, he privately instructs that this view be taught to "the boys and girls in the Seminary System." On 20 July 1969 U.S. Astronauts are first men to walk on moon. Six months later Joseph Fielding Smith becomes church president.''

        Same source, page 862:

        ``Sep 14, 1971 - Apollo 15 astronauts present to President Joseph Fielding Smith a Utah state flag that has traveled with them to the moon.''


   
4.   "In 1976 Packer explained" -- D. Michael Quinn, Faithful History, Essays On Writing Mormon History, chapter 6; On Being a Mormon Historian (and Its Aftermath), text of note 22 that will be found on page 103:

        ``When Elder Packer interviewed me as a prospective member of Brigham Young University's faculty in 1976, he explained: "I have a hard time with historians because they idolize the truth. The truth is not uplifting; it destroys. I could tell most of the secretaries in the church office building that they are ugly and fat. That would be the truth, but it would hurt and destroy them. Historians should tell only that part of the truth that is inspiring and uplifting."''


   
5.   "August 1981 Packer also said" -- Boyd K. Packer, The Mantle is Far, Far Greater than the Intellect, presented 22 August 1981 to seminary, institute, and Brigham Young University religion instructors, and published in Brigham Young University Studies 21 (Summer 1981): 259-78:

        ``In the Church we are not neutral. We are one-sided. There is a war going on and we are engaged in it. It is the war between good and evil, and we are belligerents defending the good. We are therefore obliged to give preference to and protect all that is represented in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we have made covenants to do it.''

        Previous to the above quote, this quote was excerpted:

        ``Church history can be so interesting and so inspiring as to be a very powerful tool indeed for building faith. If not properly written or properly taught, it may be a faith destroyer.''

        This talk was also immediately published as a pamphlet by the Church Educational System. Similar, but less developed, views subsequently appeared in the following general authority talks: Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stop Looking for Storms and Enjoy the Sunlight," Church News, 3 July 1983, 10-11; Hinckley, "Be Not Deceived," Ensign 13 (Nov. 1983): 46; Packer, "Dedication of Museum of Church History and Art," Ensign 14 (May 1984): 104; Hinckley, "Keep the Faith," Ensign 15 (Sept. 1985): 3-6; Hinckley, Remarks at Priesthood Session in October 1985 Conference Report, 63-69; and Russell M. Nelson, "Truth--and More," Ensign 16 (Jan. 1986): 69-73.

        In fact, at request of students, then BYU history professor D. Michael Quinn gives his perspective on Elder Packer's talk and role of historical inquiry to a Phi Alpha Theta meeting of BYU's history majors on 4 November 1981. About forty people attended. This is the original "On Being a Mormon Historian" presentation. See D. Michael Quinn, Faithful History, Essays On Writing Mormon History, chapter 6; On Being a Mormon Historian (and Its Aftermath), page 89, or D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. Appendice 5; "Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996":

        ``Summarized within days by off-campus student newspaper Seventh East Press, this conflict between some apostles and some Mormon historians is subject of Feb 1982 Newsweek article which quotes BYU professor that "a history which makes LDS leaders flawless and benignly angelic would border on idolatry."

        [See page 84 of Essays On Writing Mormon History for the text of the source of the Feb 1982 Newsweek article.]

        The last quote is also available from D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. Appendice 5; "Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996", page 875.


   
6.   "in 1985, Dallin H. Oaks explained" -- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. Appendice 5; "Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1848-1996", page 880:

        ``Aug 16, 1985 - Apostle (and former Utah Supreme Court Justice) Dallin H. Oaks instructs educators and administrators of LDS Church Educational System: "Balance is telling both sides. This is not the mission of the official Church literature or avowedly anti-Mormon literature. Neither has any responsibility to present both sides."''

        A lawyer commented that this requires members of the Church to become the impartial judge. And an impartial judge must hear both sides. This requires members of the Church to investigate not only the Church version.

        Dallin H. Oaks himself stated 4 October 2003 in the 173rd Semiannual General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session, in his "Repentance and Change" address that:

        ``Some cultures allow lying, stealing, and other dishonest practices. But dishonesty in any form -- whether to appease, to save face, or to get gain -- is in direct conflict with gospel commandments and culture. God is a God of truth, and God does not change. We are the ones who must change. And that will be a big change for all whose traditions accustom them to thinking that they can lie a little, cheat a little, or engage in deceit whenever it brings personal advantage and is not likely to be detected.''


   
7.   Published [in Swedish] Monday March 15'th, 2004. This also being the day that I and my family announced our resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

        For those who are reading [the Swedish original of] this text on sdh@lege.net, I therefore want to announce that while the purpose with sdh@lege.net is to be a forum that respects the faith and teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I therefore plan to spend less time myself in this forum and more time in a new forum that I will start. It will become a support forum for those who like myself no longer feel at home in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

        If you know anyone who might want to participate in such a new forum [in Swedish], please let me know!

        sdh@lege.net will remain as before, but not even in the future will subjects be discussed that are contrary to the theology of the church. What is acceptable is to discuss the political positions of the church (extreme right) and how the theology is shifting here and there somewhat like slalom during the history of the church.

        Leif Erlingsson
        Mon Mar 15 20:01:18 MET 2004


        Corrections after the initial [Swedish] publication:

        Oliver B. Huntington was of course a man. The gender of the young man in the beginning is now corrected (from woman to man). The information came from The Young Woman's Journal, a Latter-day Saint magazine of the 1890s, hence the mistake.

        Leif Erlingsson
        Wed Apr 14 13:58:52 MEST 2004


An English text version can be downloaded here:  http://ldsvstruth.lege.net/reality.txt
A Swedish text version can be downloaded here:  http://ldsvstruth.lege.net/verkligheten.txt

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Updated 16 April 2004