Official Lds Doctrine Is:

[MatthewG]

There has been a lot of talk recently in several threads, about what is and isn't LDS Doctrine. So what is it? Has the Church released an official statement I haven't seen recently? I'm sure most of our enemies would love to know as they seem to be totally at a lost dragging things up from random discourses and books written by GA's. So what exactly is LDS Doctrine?

Your thoughts,

Liberal Mormon Chef

[CMZ]

I will tell you what it is: whatever is spoken by the Spirit is true. People will come up with all sorts of definitions about what constitutes doctrine and think they have come up with the most idiosyncratically perfect definition and look down on others who don't feel exactly the same way. For instance, "How can you believe that McConkie quote? Sure he was an apostle but he made that statement when he wasn't speaking in general conference and the First Presidency never signed a letter stating that what he said was true so obviously what he said was wrong and I refuse to believe a word of it. As for me I refuse to believe anything that's not spoken by an ordained apostle in General Conference and/or signed by every member of the First Presidency," or some such nonsense.

[John Larsen]

The Church doesn't have official doctrine.

[hordak]

I vote what ever i feel like it to be. I think most if not all members do this whether or not they like to admit it. I've meet people who abstain from caffeine, and meat because of their interpretation of the WoW.Decisions about rated R movies, 1 or 2 piece bathing suits, multiple earrings or piercings in general etc. are made by our personal views. This might not be what people think of when they think "Doctrine" but i can't imagine someone would give up drinking Coke when joining the church if they didn't it was such.

[Bee Eff]

There has been a lot of talk recently in several threads, about what is and isn't LDS Doctrine. So what is it? Has the Church released an official statement I haven't seen recently? I'm sure most of our enemies would love to know as they seem to be totally at a lost dragging things up from random discourses and books written by GA's. So what exactly is LDS Doctrine?

Your thoughts,

Liberal Mormon Chef

God's Word.

[MatthewG]

God's Word.

exceptionally vague, why not explain that.

[blueadept]

There has been a lot of talk recently in several threads, about what is and isn't LDS Doctrine. So what is it? Has the Church released an official statement I haven't seen recently? I'm sure most of our enemies would love to know as they seem to be totally at a lost dragging things up from random discourses and books written by GA's. So what exactly is LDS Doctrine?

Your thoughts,

Liberal Mormon Chef

The best explanation I've been given is the 4 standard works and whatever under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

So critics will use anything such as JoD or statements by GA's believing they were under the guidance of the HG.

It's easier to nail jello on the wall than to talk to LDS what exactly official Doctrine is. President Hinckley sounded wishy washy on the Larry King show when asked if the Church teaches certain things. Hmmm.....

A Catechism would be nice and I believe that was the intent of McConkie when he wrote Mormon Doctrine but that is OBVIOUSLY not accepted as such.

My 2 cents

[MatthewG]

The best explanation I've been given is the 4 standard works and whatever under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

So critics will use anything such as JoD or statements by GA's believing they were under the guidance of the HG.

It's easier to nail jello on the wall than to talk to LDS what exactly official Doctrine is. President Hinckley sounded wishy washy on the Larry King show when asked if the Church teaches certain things. Hmmm.....

A Catechism would be nice and I believe that was the intent of McConkie when he wrote Mormon Doctrine but that is OBVIOUSLY not accepted as such.

My 2 cents

Do you post on CARM? That exact phrase was used over then last night concerning the same topic

[hordak]

The best explanation I've been given is the 4 standard works and whatever under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

So critics will use anything such as JoD or statements by GA's believing they were under the guidance of the HG.

It's easier to nail jello on the wall than to talk to LDS what exactly official Doctrine is. President Hinckley sounded wishy washy on the Larry King show when asked if the Church teaches certain things. Hmmm.....

A Catechism would be nice and I believe that was the intent of McConkie when he wrote Mormon Doctrine but that is OBVIOUSLY not accepted as such.

My 2 cents

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

The Church doesn't have official doctrine.

/Yawn/

Yeah it does.

Do you make it a habbit of posting lame responses?

Ok I am just ribbing you.

I chose other.

THe church does have offical doctrine. It is the Cannon of scripture and pretty much most anything spoken at GC. AS Cinepro and I have discussed before not every pronouoncement at GC is offical solely becuase we know that the prophets and apostles are humans are are not infalliable. How ever I can think of no place else were you would be more likley to here offical doctrine.

Even talks given by apostles at none GC events generally dont represent offical doctrine. But even then I would still wager that there is a good chunck that is.

[gmormon]

I have always thought officially it was the four standard works and then every 6 months the Conference Reports for the following 6 months to deal with current issues

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

I have always thought officially it was the four standard works and then every 6 months the Conference Reports for the following 6 months to deal with current issues

I concour. Simply put too.

[Tsuzuki]

"For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.

For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it."

-

1 Nephi 29:11-12

http://www.sacred-texts.com/

[gmormon]

I concour. Simply put too.

Thanks! I been told I am a very simple person or is that simple minded?

[blueadept]

Do you post on CARM? That exact phrase was used over then last night concerning the same topic

Never been there and it doesn't sound like I ever want too. Understanding my TBM wife's faith is best done here. Peace

Thank you for the morning laugh

[1Peter]

technically that jello is on a board, not the wall. Try nailing it to an already vertical platform! That should put some jello in your engine...

[SeattleGrunge]

I think that there is only 1 source of 100% official doctrine, and that is the BOM. Maybe Moses/Abraham and D&C as well, but my point is mainly that all else said in GC, Ensign, etc. is part of a continuum. Similar to law, the more precedent something receives, the higher the doctrinal value it receives. Yet, it can be overturned at anytime.

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

The Standard Works plus anything that comes over the signature of the whole First Presidency or the whole Quorum of the Twelve, or both such as official proclamations.

[John Larsen]

/Yawn/

Yeah it does.

I am completely serious. Virtually all doctrines have changed to one degree or another. The current doctrines have superseded the old doctrines, but there is nothing to preclude these doctrine from being superseded by later doctrines. "Line up on line" includes the possibility of a complete reversal or discarding of previously important doctrines.

As to the standard works, we can easily find things in all 4 volumes that the Church does not currently regard as doctrinal or doctrinally binding. These are not a good guide to the doctrine of the Church without commentary from the brethren, which is often not regarded as doctrine.

Maybe someone can provide me a fixed immutable doctrine that has not, nor will ever change.

[SeattleGrunge]

As to the standard works, we can easily find things in all 4 volumes that the Church does not currently regard as doctrinal or doctrinally binding. The are not a good guide to the doctrine of the Church without commentary from the brethren, which is often not regarded as doctrine.

Maybe someone can provide me a fixed immutable doctrine that has not, nor will ever change.

Or, provide 1 from the BOM...I would be very interested to know of one, b/c as I said in my post above, I really don't think there is one.

[Bee Eff]

exceptionally vague, why not explain that.

God tells the prophet things, whatever he says is current doctrine, everything else may or may not be doctrine dependant on the universal state of affairs combined with the localized state of affairs. The scriptures are full of exceptions to various supposed doctrine, it appears, given Biblical history that doctrine is a fluid concept and probably not a concept that means what we as Man have interpretted it as.

[blueadept]

God tells the prophet things, whatever he says is current doctrine, everything else may or may not be doctrine dependant on the universal state of affairs combined with the localized state of affairs. The scriptures are full of exceptions to various supposed doctrine, it appears, given Biblical history that doctrine is a fluid concept and probably not a concept that means what we as Man has interpretted it as.

The reason that LDS faith appears to be like science to an outsider where things change as your understanding (or period of time) changes.

The reality is that members believe their faith is more like math where 1+1 always equals 2 because of the testimony of the Church.

Now members and non-members get to talk about why the other one doesn't get it.......Yikes.

[Bat-Man]

I voted "Other and I will explain".

Explanation: Official Church doctrine is any teaching (doctrine) taught by one or more official (authority) of the Church.

And btw, I don't expect everyone everywhere to agree with my definition of anything.

[thesometimesaint]

These Doctrine will not change.

The Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paulâ??We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Joseph Smith

[Bat-Man]

These Doctrine will not change.

(Articles of Faith)

Joseph Smith

I agree, and I think it's interesting to note that this doctrine (teaching) was given in a letter written by Joseph Smith to someone who was not a member of the Church to explain his (Joseph's perception) of what the Church believes, and then at some point later it was accepted by the Church as "official Church doctrine" of our (LDS) Church.