Ah yes, the classic title to begin most anti-mormon rants. “5 things the Mormon church doesn’t teach you,” 56 things Mormons won’t say publicly,” et cetera, et cetera. Anytime you see an anti-mormon piece with something like this as its title, rest assured there is an easy answer for everything inside. These types of articles are by far the easiest anti-mormon propaganda to debunk; why? Because the answer is in the title. “10 things the Mormon church won’t teach you;” yes! We don’t teach those 10 things in our church. In other words, what you are listing is not a part of our doctrine.
Like other religions, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a strict canon; meaning actual standard content encompassing its beliefs. Anything outside of the canon is therefore not doctrine. So, what is their canon and how do they get it? The answer is also very easy. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a doctrinal canon that consists of The Old Testament, The New Testament, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. That is their canon, with one addition. The Saints consider their leader’s inspired words to be scripture as well (namely the President of the Church, his counselors, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). If it isn’t from there, then it isn’t our doctrine, full stop.
Where anti-mormon enthusiasts think they found a loophole is that there are much better records of what leaders of the Church have said and done throughout their lives compared to historical records of ancient prophets. What ends up happening is anti-mormons find some single line quote that was recorded in a personal diary of someone who stood in a circle with a prophet outside the market on a Wednesday afternoon and heard him say this thing. Therefore, it is Mormon doctrine and they are trying to hide it from you, right? Or it is simply not our doctrine because you can’t find it in any other record? Sometimes anti-mormons get really excited when they hear something that seems out of place that is delivered from the pulpit. This is because everything that a leader of the church says or does over the pulpit is automatically doctrine, right? Wrong. Just because something was said over the pulpit or in a church setting does not make it doctrine either.
Thankfully, this anti-anti-mormon knows a few things about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If something is said in a church setting or over the pulpit there is a simple test to know if it is or will be a part of the canon. Do the other Presidents and Apostles and General Authorities repeat it? Elder Neal L. Anderson taught: There is an important principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve (emphasis added). It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine is not difficult to find (Neal A. Anderson, "Trial of Your Faith," Ensign (November 2012)). A modern example of this is from the documents, The Family: A Proclamation to the World, and The Living Christ, which the church produced and is considered canon. A one-off statement (especially when it is likely misinterpreted) that has not been repeated by other church leaders does not constitute doctrine, no matter who said it; including Brigham Young and Joseph Smith.
The next time you see an article with a title about what Mormon’s don’t teach, just rest assured that that article is actually right; we don’t.
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