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	<title>What Do Mormons Believe? &#187; Uncategorized</title>
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	<description>&#34;We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men.&#34;   -Joseph Smith</description>
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		<title>Was Jesus an American?</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/11/was-jesus-an-american/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/11/was-jesus-an-american/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:25:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaddeus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3674</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nope. He was Jewish.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><strong>Q.</strong> <em>Don&#8217;t you find it stupid that Mormons think Jesus was American?</em></p>
<p>Thank you for providing us with an opportunity to teach our readers a short lesson in rhetoric! Your question is an example of a loaded question, a question which contains controversial assumptions and that limits direct replies to those that serve the questioner&#8217;s agenda. The most famous example is:</p>
<p>“Have you stopped beating your wife?”</p>
<p>To answer either “yes” or “no” is to implicitly admit that I did beat my wife at some point in the past, which is an assumption that (in my case) is thoroughly false.</p>
<p>So, we first need to address your hidden assumption: <em>Do Mormons think Jesus was American?</em></p>
<p>No. We believe He was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, and limited most of his traveling during his mortal life to the region of Palestine (he made a brief trip to Egypt when he was very young). He was thoroughly Jewish in ethnicity, culture, and nationality.</p>
<p>Mormons do believe that following his crucifixion (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/27">Matthew 27</a>), resurrection (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/20">John 20</a>), and ascension (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/acts/1.9?lang=eng#6">Acts 1</a>) in Jerusalem, Jesus visited the peoples living in the Americas (Book of Mormon, <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/11?lang=eng">3 Nephi 11</a>). He descended from heaven, lighted upon their temple and said,</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jesus did visit the American people because he died for them as much as for Peter or Mary. He loved them all, despite nationality. You can read about his teachings and miracles among them in the <a href="http://mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon/">Book of Mormon</a>, 3 Nephi chapters 9 through 28.</p>
<p>He loves you, too. He will visit you through the Holy Ghost and he will show you that he is the God of the whole earth. He has been slain for your sins. Search diligently for His hand in your life and you will find it.</p></div>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<title>Question Box: Will Jesus Rule from Jackson County, Missouri?</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/10/question-box-will-jesus-rule-from-jackson-county-missouri/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/10/question-box-will-jesus-rule-from-jackson-county-missouri/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:49:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3624</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Question: Do Mormons believe that when Jesus returns, he will rule Earth from Jackson County, Missouri? Prior to Christ’s Second Coming we know certain events will take place. Among the many signs of His coming, scriptures teach that prior to Christ’s return the 12 tribes of Israel and the saints of God will be gathered [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>Question:</strong> Do Mormons believe that when Jesus returns, he will rule Earth from Jackson County, Missouri?</em></p>
<p>Prior to Christ’s Second Coming we know certain events will take place. Among the many signs of His coming, scriptures teach that prior to Christ’s return the 12 tribes of Israel and the saints of God will be gathered together both spiritually and physically (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/jer/23.3?lang=eng#2">Jeremiah 23:3</a>).  The city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt and the Lord will then bring again Zion, the New Jerusalem, down from heaven (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/21.2?lang=eng#11">Rev. 21:2</a>, <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/3.12?lang=eng#11">Rev. 3:12</a>, <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/7.60-64?lang=eng#59">Moses 7:60-64</a>).</p>
<p>Latterday revelation revealed to Joseph Smith in 1832 teaches us that this Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be built upon the American continent. In <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84.1-3?lang=eng#primary">Doctrine and Covenants 84:2-3</a> the Lord reveals: <em>“Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of this prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.  Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri….”</em>  This is the region known as Jackson County.</p>
<p>Following Christ’s return, Jerusalem and Zion (the New Jerusalem) will exist as two great capitals where Christ’s people will live and where Christ will dwell and reign personally on the earth (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/micah/4.2?lang=eng#1">Micah 4:2</a>) in some sort of divine government (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/45.59?lang=eng#58">D&amp;C 45:59</a>, <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/dan/7.13-14?lang=eng#12">Dan. 7:13-14</a>). Thus the scripture, <em>“For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”</em> (<a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-admin/Isaiah%202:3">Isaiah 2:3</a>) will be fulfilled. While we do not know the details of how this divine government will work, we do know that Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be located in Missouri and will be a central place for the ruling and running of the Lord’s Kingdom during the Millennium.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>You are invited&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/09/you-are-invited/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/09/you-are-invited/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:19:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaddeus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3560</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is holding the 181st semi-annual general conference this weekend, and we would like you to attend! It’s an opportunity to hear from the Lord’s authorized spokesmen on the earth: his prophet and apostles. There are four sessions of the conference over two days, each one unique and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is holding the 181st semi-annual general conference this weekend, and we would like you to attend! It’s an opportunity to hear from the Lord’s authorized spokesmen on the earth: his prophet and apostles.</p>
<p>There are four sessions of the conference over two days, each one unique and inspiring. Mormons all around the world watch these sessions; they listen to the sermons, take notes, and resolve to press forward on their paths of discipleship to the Lord.</p>
<p>The first session starts on Saturday (Oct. 1, 2011) at 10:00am MDT and lasts for two hours. You can <a href="http://lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng">watch the whole thing live online</a>. The other sessions begin Saturday at 2:00pm and Sunday also at 10:00am and 2:00pm.</p>
<p>If you would like a little taste right now of what a Mormon general conference is like, here is a video from last April’s conference, featuring one of the Apostles, Jeffrey R. Holland. He was one of the final speakers and he gave a conference talk <em>on the topic of conference talks</em> (how meta is that?). Below are a few quotes I pulled from his sermon that illustrate what these conferences are all about.</p>
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<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">… I ask you to reflect &#8230; on the unique phenomenon that general conference itself is—what we as Latter-day Saints believe such conferences to be and what we invite the world to hear and observe about them. We testify to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people that <span style="text-decoration: underline;">God not only lives but also that He speaks</span>, that for our time and in our day the counsel you have heard is, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, “the will of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation” (D&amp;C 68:4).</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the course of a general conference, we always stress the eternal verities of faith, hope, charity, and <a href="http://jesuschrist.lds.org/">Christ</a> crucified even as we speak forthrightly on very specific moral issues of the day.</p>
<p dir="ltr">… we are under a solemn charge to issue warning calls to those who are [guilty] —wherever they may be in the world. […] Every sermon given is always, by definition, both a testimony of love and a warning.</p>
<p dir="ltr">[The modern prophet, President Monson is] one of those angelic messengers called from before the foundation of the world to wave the ensign of the gospel of <a href="http://mormon.org/jesus-christ">Jesus Christ</a> to all the world. [...] Of that gospel being declared, the salvation it provides, and He who provides it, I so testify in the grand and glorious name of the Lord Jesus Christ.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/an-ensign-to-the-nations?lang=eng#3-PD50028768_000_5070">Read it in full</a></p>
</blockquote>
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		<item>
		<title>Was God born according to Mormons?</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/09/was-god-born-according-to-mormons/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/09/was-god-born-according-to-mormons/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:40:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3547</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q:  Was God born according to Mormons? Not too long ago, Bus wrote an excellent post aimed at answering this very question.  Here is the link: The Origins of God. We do have quotes from some contemporary prophets that in more words or less say that God was once like man is now.  However, whether [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Q:  Was God born according to <a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/" class="external_link_tool">Mormons</a>?</p>
<p>Not too long ago, Bus wrote an excellent post aimed at answering this very question.  Here is the link: <a title="The Origins of God" href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/07/3490/">The Origins of God</a>.</p>
<p>We do have quotes from some contemporary prophets that in more words or less say that God was once like man is now.  However, whether he was born, where it all began,  and so on, we just don&#8217;t know everything yet.  Nevertheless, we do have the promise from God that in the future all things will be made known (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/101.34?lang=eng#33">D&amp;C 101:32-34</a>).</p>
<p>Thanks for your question.</p>
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		<slash:comments>37</slash:comments>
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		<title>Question Box: Taking the Sacrament</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/08/question-box-taking-the-sacrament/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/08/question-box-taking-the-sacrament/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:56:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lis</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3536</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Question: Say you have to work every Sunday, can a Mormon take the sacrament on a weekday or any other day besides Sunday? A: The sacrament is administered by members of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods under the direction of the Bishop of each ward. There are situations, such as when an individual is ill and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;">Question: Say you have to work every Sunday, can a <a class="external_link_tool" href="http://www.mormonperspectives.com/">Mormon</a> take the sacrament on a weekday or any other day besides Sunday?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">A: The sacrament is administered by members of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods under the direction of the Bishop of each ward. There are situations, such as when an individual is ill and unable to attend Sunday meetings, when arrangements are made under the direction of the Bishop for priesthood holders to administer the sacrament outside of sacrament meeting to that individual.  Theoretically, an individual can take the sacrament on any day of the week, as long as it is under the direction of the priesthood leader and administered with the proper authority. In fact, in some parts of the world, sacrament services are held on days other than Sunday, depending on the customs of the country and the needs of the individuals, but it is always administered under the guidance of the bishop or priesthood leader in the area. If an individual is unable to attend Sunday meetings, but wants to partake of the sacrament, they should discuss their situation with their Bishop.</p>
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		<title>The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST)</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/07/the-joseph-smith-translation-of-the-bible-jst/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/07/the-joseph-smith-translation-of-the-bible-jst/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:42:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thaddeus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bible]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[continuing revelation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joseph Smith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mormons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prophets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[truth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3413</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Joseph Smith created an Inspired Version of the Holy Bible. Why don't Mormons use it as their official version of the Bible?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Q.</strong><em> Why does the LDS use the KJV of the Bible and not the Inspired V</em><em>ersion that Joseph Smith translated himself? I am a member of a Baptist church now but  I grew up and was in the RLDS. I still have my three-in-one and and I find that the inspired version speaks to me more and I get more out of it than any other translation there is.  I eagerly await your reply. Oh and although I am a Baptist now, I do not agree with people claiming Mormons and other LDS-based churches are not Christians and I respect what your church as done over the years. Keep up the good work; I know you are winning souls for Jesus. -Ivan</em></p>
<p><strong>A. </strong>Thank you for your kind words, Ivan. I&#8217;m glad you are reading from the Inspired Version. I agree that it&#8217;s a tremendous resource for Bible study and worship and I pray you will continue to study it.</p>
<p>For the rest of our readers, let me explain a few things about your question before I get to the answer:</p>
<p><strong>RLDS </strong>is an acronym for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now known as the <a href="http://www.cofchrist.org/">Community of Christ</a>, an off-shoot religion based on the one Joseph Smith founded in 1830. When the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. was martyred in 1844, there was some confusion among the latter-day saints who should rise to lead them as the next prophet and president of the Church. A majority recognized the prophetic mantle had fallen upon Brigham Young and followed him west to the Utah desert. Some believed that eleven-year-old Joseph Smith III was supposed to succeed his father; this group remained in Illinois and eventually coalesced into the RLDS Church in 1860.</p>
<p><strong>The Inspired Version </strong>of the Bible is also known as the Joseph Smith Translation (JST). It is an English-language translation of the Holy Bible based upon the King James Version (KJV). More details to follow.</p>
<p><strong>A Three-in-One</strong> is a printing of the RLDS scriptures, including the Inspired Version of the Bible (JST), the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. It is similar to an LDS <strong><a href="http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category3_715839595_10557_23501_-1_N_image_0">Quad</a></strong>, except we have four books (including the Pearl of Great Price), our Doctrine &amp; Covenants is a bit different, and our Bible is KJV instead of JST. This is what prompted Ivan&#8217;s question (why don&#8217;t Mormons use JST?)</p>
<h3>The Joseph Smith Translation</h3>
<p>When Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he learned that the Bible was incomplete. An angel taught the Book of Mormon prophet-king Nephi that, &#8220;when [the Bible] proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, [but corrupt groups] have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away&#8221; (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/13.24-26?lang=eng#23">1 Nephi 13:24,26</a>). In other words, the Bible lost some of its original teachings over the centuries and it needed to be corrected.</p>
<p>Fortunately, God&#8217;s work cannot be thwarted. Jesus taught, &#8220;Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away&#8221; (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/24.35?lang=eng#34">Matthew 24:35</a>). After Joseph had completed his translation of the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God, the Lord instructed him to do a similar work on the Holy Bible, but instead of being a translation from one language to another, it would be a translation from corruption to purity by the gift and power of God. In many instances, the original writings of the ancients were restored. Some of the changes Joseph implemented were meant to give verses a &#8220;plainer&#8221; meaning (clarifying archaic phrases or harmonizing doctrines), and a majority were simply grammatical improvements.</p>
<p>One of the most significant changes was made to Genesis. Instead of starting with &#8220;In the beginning&#8230;&#8221;, the JST opens with an encounter Moses had with God on Mount Sinai. Moses asks the Lord about the earth and why it was created. The Lord shows Moses a vision of the seven days of creation, and of Adam and Eve, etc. At this point, it jumps into the familiar KJV story, and it also includes more details on various other things, including the mysterious character named Enoch, who &#8220;walked with God&#8221; (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/5.24?lang=eng#23">Genesis 5:24</a>). This section of the JST is included in the Pearl of Great Price and is known as the Book of Moses. You can (and should!)<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses?lang=eng"> read the Book of Moses</a>. It gives wonderful insights into the fall of Adam and Eve, knowledge of the plan of redemption in ancient times, the purpose of life and much more.</p>
<p>There are many other JST changes throughout the length of the Bible. Most of the doctrinally-relevant ones can be found in the LDS edition of the Bible (in the footnotes, or in <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/jst?lang=eng">an appendix</a> for lengthier passages). The full text is also available online <a href="http://www.lafeuilledolivier.com/TraductionJosephSmith/JSTrenumbered.htm">at this link</a>.</p>
<h3>How Do Mormons Use the JST?</h3>
<p>The Joseph Smith translation is not the official Bible of the LDS Church; the King James Version is. Among the reasons for this are the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>It was never formally published by Joseph Smith. Although he clearly worked his way through the entire Bible by 1833, he was still making minor edits at the time he was killed in 1844, and it is unclear in some cases whether the notes he left in his margins and on his manuscripts were private thoughts or revealed truths.</li>
<li>At Joseph&#8217;s death, the manuscripts for the JST were in the possession of his widow, Emma. As Brigham Young was preparing to move the latter-day saints west, he requested that she provide them to him but he was denied (Emma had some animosity toward Brigham that led her to stay in Illinois; she became part of the RLDS Church when it was formed).</li>
<li>When the RLDS Church began publishing the Inspired Version, LDS Church leaders in Utah were suspicious that the RLDS publishers may have made some illegitimate changes. Decades later, they finally allowed the Utah Mormons to examine the original manuscripts and their fears were allayed.</li>
<li>For many years the RLDS Church maintained the copyright.</li>
</ul>
<p>Even though the KJV is the LDS official Bible, the Book of Moses and the <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-m/1?lang=eng">JST of Matthew 24</a> are officially canonized in the Pearl of Great Price. And, like I mentioned above, we have footnotes (I highlighted all of mine with green colored pencil) and an appendix full of JST notes as valuable resources to study. So, Ivan, we do believe in and study the Inspired Version.</p>
<p>The JST is a tremendous blessing for anyone seeking a better understanding of Bible teachings; I encourage you to use it often in your Bible study.</p>
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		<title>CNN Video: Explain it to me: Mormonism</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/06/cnn-video-explain-it-to-me-mormonism/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/06/cnn-video-explain-it-to-me-mormonism/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:06:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3464</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[They got this right.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object width="416" height="374" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&#038;videoId=living/2011/06/24/eitm.mormonism.cnn" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&#038;videoId=living/2011/06/24/eitm.mormonism.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object></p>
<p>They got this right.</p>
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		<title>Question Box: How Far Can I Go?</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/06/question-box-how-far-can-i-go/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/06/question-box-how-far-can-i-go/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:22:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3148</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q. How far can I go with my boyfriend, whom I love with all of my heart and am planning on being right here waiting for him when he returns off his mission, before he leaves his mission? A.  I have toddlers.  I wasn&#8217;t expecting to answer this question for 10 years from now!  The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Q. How far can I go with my boyfriend, whom I love with all of my heart and  am planning on being right here waiting for him when he returns off his  mission, before he leaves his mission?</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/dating-couple2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3421" title="Dating" src="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/dating-couple2-220x300.jpg" alt="Long walks on the beach..." width="220" height="300" /></a>A.  I have toddlers.  I wasn&#8217;t expecting to answer this question for 10 years from now!  The answer is: Hold hands.  Kiss innocently and sweetly.  Hug while standing up.   Make your interactions as pure and selfless as you can<em>. </em>Instead of showing your love physically, show it through service to each other.  When you are dating a person that you are madly in love with, it feels like you are sitting on top of a little piece of matter that could EXPLODE at any instant and create an entirely new universe.  It&#8217;s intense and fresh and wonderful.  But you <em>have </em>to keep it under control.  Make it your hobby to keep it innocent.</p>
<p>The best reason is because God told us to.  Lots of times, and lots of places.  &#8220;Bridle all your passions that ye may be filled with love&#8221; <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/38.12?lang=eng#11" target="_blank">Alma 38:12</a>. And having His blessing on your physical union is SO important after you are married.  If you give way to Satan and your own lust while you are dating, you risk losing God&#8217;s help right after you are married.  And Satan doesn&#8217;t want married couples to have perfect intimacy, he wants to destroy that.  So he wants you to have exciting, sinful, distorted intimacy before marriage and guilty, self-conscious, marred connections once you finally are married.  That&#8217;s Satan&#8217;s plan.  And it leads to all sorts of unhappiness in every phase of your life.  God&#8217;s plan is the opposite:  You have sweet, pure interactions (not intimacy) before marriage, even though it is SO. HARD. and you keep from arousing that universe within each of you until you are married, and then after marriage, you have wonderful, satisfying and holy intimacy, blessed by God.  You will be so glad you waited.  The atonement is very real and very good at healing these relationships, but why even cause Christ to suffer for that?  Why not just follow God&#8217;s plan through from the beginning?  It will come soon enough after you are married&#8211;and if you don&#8217;t end up marrying him, you won&#8217;t have wasted your precious self on someone you won&#8217;t be with forever.</p>
<p>More links:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2009/01/mormon-dating-question/">Mormon Dating Question</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2008/05/what-cant-mormons-do-part-2-the-law-of-chastity/">What Can&#8217;t Mormons Do: Law of Chastity</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHJoMvJadBg&amp;amp;feature=channel_video_title">Mormon Messages Video</a></p>
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		<title>Are Mormons Honest?</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/06/are-mormons-honest/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/06/are-mormons-honest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:04:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3253</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the lessons taught today in church was about honesty.  It came from the Gospel Principles book.  This book contains very succinct teachings, structured in lesson format, about the major doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As I was listening to the lesson, there were several principles of honesty that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Abraham-Lincoln.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3417" title="Abraham Lincoln" src="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Abraham-Lincoln-229x300.jpg" alt="" width="229" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>One of the lessons taught today in church was about honesty.  It came from the <a href="http://lds.org/manual/gospel-principles?lang=eng">Gospel Principles</a> book.  This book contains very succinct teachings, structured in lesson format, about the major doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As I was listening to the lesson, there were several principles of honesty that stood out to me that I need to be better at, or had never thought about.</p>
<p>Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strive to be honest in all things.  Occasionally I do hear stories of how some church members have been dishonest.  I apologize if you have been wronged or lied to by one of our church members.  No one is perfect, so please don&#8217;t let the actions of an imperfect person cloud your view of our church.</p>
<p>I would encourage you to read the lesson by clicking <a href="http://lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-31-honesty?lang=eng">here</a>, but here are some excerpts that really stood out to me.</p>
<blockquote><p>Lying is intentionally deceiving others. Bearing false witness is one form of lying. The Lord gave this commandment to the children of Israel: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/ot/ex/20.16?lang=eng#15">Exodus 20:16</a>). Jesus also taught this when He was on earth (see <a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/19.18?lang=eng#17">Matthew 19:18</a>). There are many other forms of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by a gesture or a look, by silence, or by telling only part of the truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest. . .</p>
<div>
<p>Jesus taught, “Thou shalt not steal” (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/19.18?lang=eng#17">Matthew 19:18</a>). Stealing is taking something that does not belong to us. When we take what belongs to someone else or to a store or to the community without permission, we are stealing. Taking merchandise or supplies from an employer is stealing. Copying music, movies, pictures, or written text without the permission of the copyright owners is dishonest and is a form of theft. Accepting more change or goods than one should is dishonest. Taking more than our share of anything is stealing.  .  .</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>We cheat when we give less than we owe, or when we get something we do not deserve. Some employees cheat their employers by not working their full time; yet they accept full pay. Some employers are not fair to their employees; they pay them less than they should. Satan says, “Take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor” (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/28.8?lang=eng#7">2 Nephi 28:8</a>). Taking unfair advantage is a form of dishonesty. Providing inferior service or merchandise is cheating.  .  .</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>People use many excuses for being dishonest. People lie to protect themselves and to have others think well of them. Some excuse themselves for stealing, thinking they deserve what they took, intend to return it, or need it more than the owner. Some cheat to get better grades in school or because “everyone else does it” or to get even. . .</p>
<p>These excuses and many more are given as reasons for dishonesty. To the Lord, there are no acceptable reasons. When we excuse ourselves, we cheat ourselves and the Spirit of God ceases to be with us.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p>It was a good reminder to me how easy it is to be dishonest in our world today and that I need to watch myself in everything I do and say.</p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Brigham Young University&#8217;s Honor Code: Integrity and Athletics</title>
		<link>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/03/brigham-young-universitys-honor-code-integrity-and-athletics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2011/03/brigham-young-universitys-honor-code-integrity-and-athletics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Mar 2011 07:39:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Benjamin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/?p=3126</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Recently, the nation has been talking about a series of recent events at Brigham Young University (BYU), a college of 30,000+ students located in Provo, Utah. BYU is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and (as of last week) featured the third-ranked men&#8217;s basketball team in America, as well [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Recently, the nation has been talking about a series of recent events at Brigham Young University (BYU), a college of 30,000+ students located in Provo, Utah. BYU is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and (as of last week) featured the third-ranked men&#8217;s basketball team in America, as well as (arguably) the nation&#8217;s best player, Jimmer Fredette. On Tuesday, March 1, as the BYU Cougars were gearing up for a possible run at the NCAA basketball Final Four, news broke that the team&#8217;s starting center, 19-year-old Brandon Davies, had been suspended for a &#8220;BYU Honor Code violation.&#8221; Several news sources later reported that Davies&#8217; violation consisted of premarital sex with his girlfriend.</p>
<p>For the past several days, newspapers, blogs, celebrities, and individuals all over the country have been sharing reaction, thoughts, and opinions about Brigham Young University, the Honor Code, and Davies&#8217; suspension. In this post, we&#8217;d like to help set the record straight by answering a number of questions that we&#8217;ve seen in a variety of locations.<br />
<strong><br />
What is Brigham Young University, and what is the Honor Code?</strong></p>
<p>BYU is a private university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Provo, Utah, 98.5% of its students are LDS. These students come from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 different countries. The Honor Code is a code of conduct that BYU students are required to sign if they wish to attend the university. It is meant to help keep the atmosphere on campus consistent with the teachings of the LDS Church and includes standards on being honest, living a chaste and virtuous life, abstaining from alcohol and tobacco, and using clean language.  All students are required to renew their commitment to the Honor Code each year by signing a form before being able to register for classes. The Honor Code website says: &#8220;Violations of the Honor Code may result in actions up to and including separation from the university.&#8221;</p>
<p>Note that not everything in the Honor Code corresponds to a doctrinal teaching in the LDS Church, although most of the standards in the Honor Code—including strict adherence to the Law of Chastity—do have their basis in the doctrines of the Church.</p>
<p><strong>Do <em>all</em> college-aged Mormons sign the Honor Code, or only those at BYU?</strong></p>
<p>An Honor Code of some sort exists at all of the colleges operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but students who don&#8217;t go to a Church-owned school do not sign an official Honor Code. I went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for a semester before I decided to transfer to BYU. At UMass, there was no Honor Code, but because of my beliefs and standards as a member of the Church, I adhered to most or all of the elements of the Honor Code even though I was not at a Church-operated school. (I ultimately transferred because I wanted to be around more people my age who shared my beliefs, including adherence to many of the standards in the Honor Code.)</p>
<p><strong>How can you possibly go through college with no drugs, no sex, and even no coffee?</strong></p>
<p>It&#8217;s not always easy for everyone, but it&#8217;s often not as hard as it sounds—especially at BYU, where members of the Church are surrounded by many others who feel the same way they do. Tens of thousands of students do it every year. (And it&#8217;s not just for Mormons. My sister, a Unitarian, spent her freshman year at a small liberal arts college in New England living in a dorm that had a non-religious honor code that forbade most of these same things.) See <a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2008/04/what-cant-mormons-do-part-1-the-word-of-wisdom/" target="_blank">this post</a> and <a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2008/05/what-cant-mormons-do-part-2-the-law-of-chastity/" target="_blank">this post</a> for an explanation of why we believe that premarital sex and certain substances don&#8217;t need to be a part of &#8220;growing up in America today.&#8221; I&#8217;ll tell you one thing: I&#8217;m extremely grateful for the principles behind the Honor Code. And yes, I had plenty of fun in college without promiscuous sex or drugs/alcohol.</p>
<p>Note that caffeine, although not served on BYU campus, is not explicitly against the Honor Code, and I (for one) enjoy a good caffeinated Diet Coke and/or Dr. Pepper from time to time. So why no coffee or tea? There are a number of potential reasons, but as Dave wrote on this blog, &#8220;The Lord doesn’t often provide a clear <em>why</em> with His commandments. If you believe the Lord said it, then you’ll just have to trust Him. Frankly, He would know.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Does Brandon Davies&#8217; suspension mean that someone &#8220;told on him?&#8221;</strong></p>
<p>Absolutely not. This has been one of the main criticisms of BYU during the past few days by those who likely don&#8217;t understand the Honor Code or the environment at BYU. It is extremely rare for someone to be &#8220;reported&#8221; to school authorities for a violation of the Honor Code. One of the most important beliefs present in Mormonism is that of individual responsibility. Those who violate the Honor Code are invited to follow their own standards, and to remember that they promised to live by these rules before they came to school. In fact, many of these principles are core to Mormons&#8217; faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. In Davies&#8217; case, he felt genuine, personal remorse over having violated what he believes (and we agree with him!) to be a commandment of God. I can certainly tell you from personal experience that, when things aren&#8217;t right between me and my Heavenly Father, my first priority is always to fix the situation. That&#8217;s how Davies felt, according to those close to the situation.</p>
<p>Technically, he didn&#8217;t <em>need</em> to talk to his bishop—again, confession is voluntary—but he wanted to make things right between himself and his God; nobody could possibly have &#8220;told on him,&#8221; and nobody was trying to get him suspended due to any sense of self-righteousness or vengefulness. As a church leader at BYU, Davies&#8217; bishop is obligated to approach university authorities when any student (basketball player, artist, engineer, or otherwise) violates one of the most important elements of the Honor Code, which is what this bishop did.</p>
<p>In rare cases where someone (for a variety of reasons, most of them bad) reports another student to university authorities, the school takes no action unless the person willingly and contritely admits to the violation (or unless there is hard and irrefutable evidence of a violation). There is no coercion or pressure put on students to confess such things, and nothing is done based on hearsay.</p>
<p><strong>Is it BYU policy to publish the specifics of an Honor Code transgression?</strong></p>
<p>All of these proceedings are typically handled privately, with  extreme concern for the emotional and spiritual well-being of the  student. It is regrettable in the extreme that Davies&#8217; personal  spiritual life became a matter of public interest. That should never have happened. Note that BYU took  care not to release information about the nature of Davies&#8217; Honor Code  violation; when asked, BYU officials would only say &#8220;that Davies wasn&#8217;t involved in anything criminal that resulted in his dismissal from the team.&#8221; Information about the sexual nature of the violation came from an unknown source, but  definitely not through official Brigham Young University channels.</p>
<p><strong>Would Davies&#8217; have been suspended for any violation of the Honor Code?</strong></p>
<p>Almost certainly not. I&#8217;ve heard this question in a variety of forms over the past couple of days. Because the powers of procreation are so sacred, the Law of Chastity is one of the most important tenets of Mormon life. That&#8217;s the primary reason why the Honor Code takes that particular commandment so seriously.</p>
<p><strong>Why are the standards different for a BYU student than they are for a member of the Church?</strong></p>
<p>For the most part, the standards are no different for a BYU student, but the consequences may be. Attendance at BYU (and participation on its sports teams) is dependent on a student&#8217;s willingness to live by the Honor Code. In this case and others, a young person sought to begin the repentance process—just as any member of the Church might—but because Davies had agreed to uphold the Honor Code, there was an additional consequence that a non-student would not face. The Law of Chastity (and most of the Honor Code) reflects standards held by all members of the Church. Even though I am not a BYU student anymore, I still believe that my Heavenly Father wants me to keep the commandments described in the Honor Code, and I try to do so. (There are a few Honor Code rules that don&#8217;t correspond to church doctrine, such as rules surrounding facial hair for men, but that isn&#8217;t the issue here.)</p>
<p><strong>Does everyone at BYU live by the Honor Code all the time?</strong></p>
<p>Of course not. We&#8217;re all human, and that means we&#8217;re imperfect. We slip up. We fail. I don&#8217;t know anybody who lived by the entire Honor Code for four consecutive years while I was at BYU. It&#8217;s hard to do! But we certainly try. When we make mistakes, <a href="http://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/2008/07/what-do-mormons-believe-repentance/" target="_blank">we repent</a>. The fact that we all sin is one reason why the BYU community has been so loving toward Brandon Davies since this news broke. The two BYU basketball games since his suspension was announced have been filled with fans holding signs supporting Davies and letting him know that we want to see him come back strong (both athletically and spiritually), and that to at least a certain extent, each of us knows what he&#8217;s going through.</p>
<p><strong>Couldn&#8217;t they have dealt with this after the basketball season?</strong></p>
<p>Sure. Or they could have brushed it under the rug entirely. One NBA star weighed in and encouraged BYU to &#8220;let it slide&#8221; because Davies is just a kid. That isn&#8217;t the point. When students come to BYU, they agree to live by these standards. If BYU sacrifices its integrity just to keep a player on the basketball floor for a few weeks, then what does it stand for? It would become just like the large number of other colleges and universities throughout the country who do this sort of thing all the time. If you look around, you see student-athletes who get arrested for serious crimes and miss a game or two (or none at all!). You see teams vacating seasons and going on probation, and you see star players giving back awards that they won, only after scandals come to light. You see coaches who violate NCAA rules (to which they have also agreed) and are met with a minor slap on the wrist and are glorified by their fans.</p>
<p>BYU is different. It was designed to be different—a place where young people could come and succeed academically, athletically, and spiritually. BYU men&#8217;s basketball head coach Dave Rose explained it this way: &#8220;A lot of people try to judge if this is right or wrong, but it&#8217;s a commitment they make. It&#8217;s not about right or wrong, it&#8217;s about commitment.&#8221;</p>
<p>So yes, BYU could have done the questionable thing by dealing with this after the season and would have certainly enjoyed better odds of going deep into the NCAA tournament, but that isn&#8217;t what the university stands for. And, frankly, doing so wouldn&#8217;t have been fair to Davies, who wanted to deal with this situation right away regardless of the consequences.</p>
<p>A number of media members and national pundits have applauded BYU for valuing integrity more than winning. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/2011-03-03-lopresti-byu-davies_N.htm" target="_blank">One wrote</a>, &#8220;There should be respect for a school that stands by its values, apparently without any athletic department member saying, &#8216;Yeah, but what will this do to our [basketball ranking]?&#8217;&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Now that the BYU basketball team is clearly struggling, why not reinstate Davies?</strong></p>
<p>See previous answer. It comes down to integrity. Either the commandments of God are important to BYU, or they aren&#8217;t. If they are important (and I promise you that they are), then you need to stick with the program, and you can&#8217;t waver just because there is a big carrot dangling in front of your nose. Believe it or not, there are still some things more important than basketball. (And I say that as a die-hard sports fan who is as big a BYU fan as anyone.)</p>
<p><strong>Does an Honor Code violation mean that you are kicked out of school or shunned on campus?</strong></p>
<p>In most cases, it actually means the opposite. As BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe described the situation with Brandon Davies, &#8220;The first thing we did was put our arms around him.&#8221; Davies (and anyone who violates the Honor Code) will be treated with love, respect, and compassion, not with derision, exclusion, or spite. As I mentioned above, you can see this in the way that BYU students and fans have responded to this news. Hundreds have joined Facebook groups such as one entitled &#8220;We Love Brandon Davies,&#8221; not to complain about the Honor Code, but rather to show their support for both the Honor Code and for a tremendous young man who deserves every bit of the kindness he is receiving.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s also worth noting that BYU president Cecil O. Samuelson, a church authority at nearly the highest level, took a whole day off of work last week to spend it with Brandon Davies to make sure he was doing well, given not only his transgression and the suspension, but also the unfortunate news leaks surrounding the nature of his Honor Code violation.</p>
<p>There may be a few small-minded and self-righteous people who would look down on someone for having violated the Honor Code, but that attitude is not in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ.</p>
<p>Also, there may be certain Honor Code violations (such as crimes), or repeat offenses, which <em>do</em> warrant suspension or expulsion from BYU, but that is not the case with Brandon Davies.</p>
<p><strong>What happens when a non-Mormon comes to BYU? Does he/she still need to obey the Honor Code?</strong></p>
<p>Yes. All students and faculty are required to sign the Honor Code before coming to BYU, whether or not they happen to believe in the spiritual principles behind it. In some cases, this leads to a cultural dissonance where the individual isn&#8217;t happy living by these standards. Occasionally, we see a non-LDS athlete come to BYU and then end up transferring to another school rather than continue to support the Honor Code.</p>
<p><strong>Where can I learn more about all of this?</strong></p>
<p>By now there are countless articles, sound bytes, and video clips discussing BYU, the Honor Code, and Brandon Davies&#8217; suspension. Many are clouded with opinion or blatant misinterpretations, but here are a few that I have enjoyed.</p>
<p><a href="http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/2010-2011ucat/GeneralInfo/HonorCode.php" target="_blank">Full content of the BYU Honor Code</a><a></a><br />
<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700115768/BYU-praised-for-Honor-Code-enforcement-in-Brandon-Davies-case.html" target="_blank">BYU praised for Honor Code enforcement in Brandon Davies case</a><br />
<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110304/sp_ac/7986742_is_byus_honor_code_too_tough_for_todays_college_students_1" target="_blank">Is BYU&#8217;s Honor Code Too Tough for Today&#8217;s College Students?</a> (Hint: The author says it isn&#8217;t.)<br />
<a href="http://audio.weei.com/a/37354448/danny-ainge-on-byu-s-brandon-davies-and-the-celtics.htm" target="_blank">Former BYU star Danny Ainge discusses the Honor Code and Brandon Davies on Boston sports radio station WEEI</a></p>
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