Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

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_Stormy Waters

Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Stormy Waters »

I found a copy of the speech here

Heresy two concerns itself with the relationship between organic evolution and revealed religion and asks the question whether they can be harmonized.

There are those who believe that the theory of organic evolution runs counter to the plain and explicit principles set forth in the holy scriptures as these have been interpreted and taught by Joseph Smith and his associates. There are others who think that evolution is the system used by the Lord to form plant and animal life and to place man on earth.

May I say that all truth is in agreement, that true religion and true science bear the same witness, and that in the true and full sense, true science is part of true religion. But may I also raise some questions of a serious nature. Is there any way to harmonize the false religions of the Dark Ages with the truths of science as they have now been discovered? Is there any way to harmonize the revealed religion that has come to us with the theoretical postulates of Darwinism and the diverse speculations descending therefrom?

Should we accept the famous document of the First Presidency issued in the days of President Joseph F. Smith and entitled "The Origin of Man" as meaning exactly what it says? Is it the doctrine of the gospel that Adam stood next to Christ in power and might and intelligence before the foundations of the world were laid; that Adam was placed on this earth as an immortal being; that there was no death in the world for him or for any form of life until after the Fall; that the fall of Adam brought temporal and spiritual death into the world; that this temporal death passed upon all forms of life, upon man and animal and fish and fowl and plant life; that Christ came to ransom man and all forms of life from the effects of the temporal death brought into the world through the Fall, and in the case of man from a spiritual death also; and that this ransom includes a resurrection for man and for all forms of life? Can you harmonize these things with the evolutionary postulate that death has always existed and that the various forms of life have evolved from preceding forms over astronomically long periods of time?

Can you harmonize the theories of men with the inspired words that say:

And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

And they [meaning Adam and Eve] would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. [2 Nephi 2:22­26]


These are questions to which all of us should find answers. Every person must choose for himself what he will believe. I recommend that all of you study and ponder and pray and seek light and knowledge in these and in all fields.

I believe that the atonement of Christ is the great and eternal foundation upon which revealed religion rests. I believe that no man can be saved unless he believes that our Lord's atoning sacrifice brings immortality to all and eternal life to those who believe and obey, and no man can believe in the atonement unless he accepts both the divine sonship of Christ and the fall of Adam.

My reasoning causes me to conclude that if death has always prevailed in the world, then there was no fall of Adam that brought death to all forms of life; that if Adam did not fall, there is no need for an atonement; that if there was no atonement, there is no salvation, no resurrection, and no eternal life; and that if there was no atonement, there is nothing in all of the glorious promises that the Lord has given us. I believe that the Fall affects man, all forms of life, and the earth itself, and that the Atonement affects man, all forms of life, and the earth itself.


Emphasis mine.

It would be bizarre to bring this up in a speech on the "seven deadly heresies" if he were not condemning it. If the reconciliation of evolution and the gospel is not the 'deadly heresy', what is?
Should the talk be renamed, 'the six heresies, and the one thing you should study out for yourself'?
Last edited by _Stormy Waters on Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
_Morley
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Morley »

bcspace wrote: Notice also he hasn't provided a reference show that the article in full or in part has been published by the Church so there really isn't anything to comment on.


The Church sells them here.
_Stormy Waters

Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Stormy Waters »

Morley wrote:
bcspace wrote: Notice also he hasn't provided a reference show that the article in full or in part has been published by the Church so there really isn't anything to comment on.


The Church sells them here.


I recommend for anyone interested to listen to the audio version of the talk. As Morley noted several key phrases have been omitted from the text version. He states several times that evolution 'cannot be harmonized' with the gospel.
_Equality
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Equality »

Stormy Waters wrote:


I recommend for anyone interested to listen to the audio version of the talk. As Morley noted several key phrases have been omitted from the text version. He states several times that evolution 'cannot be harmonized' with the gospel.[/quote]

That's unfortunate. I can predict bc's response: the original talk is not doctrinal, but the printed version, which softens the "cannot be harmonized" stuff leaves wiggle room, ad is the "official" doctrine.
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_Morley
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Morley »

Equality wrote:
Stormy Waters wrote:
I recommend for anyone interested to listen to the audio version of the talk. As Morley noted several key phrases have been omitted from the text version. He states several times that evolution 'cannot be harmonized' with the gospel.


That's unfortunate. I can predict bc's response: the original talk is not doctrinal, but the printed version, which softens the "cannot be harmonized" stuff leaves wiggle room, ad is the "official" doctrine.


Yep. Though both the printed and audio versions are published.
_bcspace
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _bcspace »

The Church sells them here.


I don't see the Church selling them there, much less published.
Machina Sublime
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_Morley
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Morley »

bcspace wrote:
The Church sells them here.


I don't see the Church selling them there, much less published.


I forget your bifurcation.
_bcspace
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _bcspace »

I don't see the Church selling them there, much less published.

I forget your bifurcation.


And I often forget your bouts with Fortigurn's Lazy Research.
Machina Sublime
Satan's Plan Deconstructed.
Your Best Resource On Joseph Smith's Polygamy.
Conservatism is the Gospel of Christ and the Plan of Salvation in Action.
The Degeneracy Of Progressivism.
_Morley
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Morley »

BC: Please explain how "© Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved" isn't published by the LDS Church.
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Re: Seven Deadly Heresies Speech Is Now Doctrine

Post by _Morley »

bcspace:

McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine was published by Bookcraft for about a decade, while Bookcraft was owned by the LDS Church. Was it doctrine?
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