Official Lds Doctrine Is:

[Bat-Man]

Great... Now we are trying to define core doctrines?? Could you please list these for us?

I had this discussion before. I believe it was LoaP that boiled the core doctrine of the church down to Faith in Jesus Christ. The rest were all "appendages" as he called them.

So, I agree. All these are consistent with the core doctrine of Faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, now the LDS church is no different than an EV who has been saved because he has Jesus in his heart. Works become meaningless.

No. Works become and are the evidence of the faith (motivation) that is in our heart.

[HiJolly]

I'm waiting for BCSpace to pipe up with his iron-clad editorial article written by some unknown, but well meaning member.

It's pretty clear that the LDS leaders have never declared what they believe is official doctrine. Thus members are free to subjectively decide for themselves what they deem to be doctrine.

More often than not, this turns into a cultural thing rather than a doctrinal thing. Don't shop on Sunday, go to church, read your scriptures, pray, do your home teaching, pay your tithing, only wear 1 pair of earrings, etc. because that is what everyone else does... not because it's doctrine.

BCSpace, where are you? ... silence ...

Approaching Mormon Doctrine

Give it a read.

HiJolly

[Bat-Man]

Brian's father passed away just this last Saturday. Give him some time.

[Scottie]

Brian's father passed away just this last Saturday. Give him some time.

Gosh, sorry to hear that.

[Lightbearer]

From the link provided by HiJolly:

(Approaching Mormon Doctrine) "Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church. With divine inspiration, the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors) and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest governing body of the Church) counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official Church publications. This doctrine resides in the four â??standard worksâ? of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted."

So with the above in mind I choose #3 in the poll.

[emeliza]

Brian's father passed away just this last Saturday. Give him some time.

That is very sad to hear. I hope he is okay.

[Scottie]

From the link provided by HiJolly: So with the above in mind I choose #3 in the poll.

The link HiJolly gave was from the editorials section of the LDS website.

It has no more doctrinal bearing than a nice FPR sent in to the Ensign by a 14 year old Mia maid. For all we know, a 14 year old Mia maid sent this article into the editorial section and the editors thought it was cute and decided to post it.

[emeliza]

I think one thing that is stick is that something I consider to be policy someone else considers to be docrine. We all have our own opinions....and if you are like me you might have two or three and some contradict each other. I can understand the confusion.

[Bat-Man]

I can understand the confusion.

Beautiful.

[LifeOnaPlate]

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

1. Doctrine can change.

2. Doctrine does not necessarily equal truth.

[Bat-Man]

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

God, our Father in heaven, will always tell the truth.

That will never change.

[consiglieri]

God, our Father in heaven, will always tell the truth.

That will never change.

Have you read D&C 19 lately?

[Bat-Man]

Have you read D&C 19 lately?

Define lately.

... and just tell me what are you getting at, my most precious and dear Boy Wonder.

[wenglund]

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

My thoughts are: some people are intent on defining what exactly is LDS doctrine. Others of us are more intent on trying to live LDS doctrine. To each their own.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[consiglieri]

Define lately.

Since you rejected Paul Ray for Bat-Man (otherwise known as Batman).

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[Bat-Man]

My thoughts are: some people are intent on defifining what exactly is LDS doctrine. Others of us are more intent on trying to live LDS doctrine. To each their own. Thanks, -Wade Englund-

I've noticed that the people who can define it the best are those who are living it the best, and I've never seen anyone who can define it while not living.To each their own, in deed.

Since you rejected Paul Ray for Bat-Man (otherwise known as Batman).All the Best!--Consiglieri

I've never done that. I have always been who I am.

[wenglund]

I've noticed that the people who can define it the best are those who are living it the best, and I've never seen anyone who can define it while not living.

To me, those who are living the doctrines best are those engaged in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, visiting the widowed and fatherless, and doing other acts of love, rather than those who are dogmatically engaged in seemingly endless and fruitless online debates over what is doctrine.

Again, to each their own.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[blueadept]

To me, those who are living the doctrines best are those engaged in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, visiting the widowed and fatherless, and doing other acts of love, rather than those who are dogmatically engaged in seemingly endless and fruitless online debates over what is doctrine.

Again, to each their own.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

I put my time in early this week at the hospital and one of the senior homes! Discussing LDS faith/beliefs is something I seem to do as well.

I seem to enjoy doing both.

[Tchild2]

My thoughts are: some people are intent on defining what exactly is LDS doctrine. Others of us are more intent on trying to live LDS doctrine. To each their own.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Doesn't defining what is doctrine from what might merely be a fallable opinion, help members to better live the doctrines, without worrying excessively about the opinions that are mixed in?

To me, those who are living the doctrines best are those engaged in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, visiting the widowed and fatherless, and doing other acts of love, rather than those who are dogmatically engaged in seemingly endless and fruitless online debates over what is doctrine.

[Bat-Man]

To me, those who are living the doctrines best are those engaged in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, visiting the widowed and fatherless, and doing other acts of love, rather than those who are dogmatically engaged in seemingly endless and fruitless online debates over what is doctrine.

Again, to each their own.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

If you replace the words "rather than" in your post to "in addition to", I believe you will then be in more agreement with official Church doctrine regarding living the gospel.

You don't have to give up anything that is good in your life, Wade.

You can just keep adding more and more good things to your life, forever.

[consiglieri]

I've never done that. I have always been who I am.

You are in such need of a psychiatrist, man.

[Bat-Man]

You are in such need of a psychiatrist, man.

Define psychiatrist.

If you're talking about a mental health expert, I already have the very best.

Would you also like to see Him?

[wenglund]

Doesn't defining what is doctrine from what might merely be a fallable opinion, help members to better live the doctrines, without worrying excessively about the opinions that are mixed in?

Certainly, I think that teaching general principles of the gospel (and even certain specifics) are important to better gospel living. But, I think the spirit of the gospel/doctrine may become somewhat lost when trying to put too fine a point in defining the letter of the gospel/doctrine (the law of diminishing marginal returns?).

I just don't see that it matters much whether an obscure statement by BY in the Journal of Discourses, or a comment by President Hinckley on Larry King Live, etc., may legitimately be labeled "official doctrine" or not, when striving to live a good and decent and righteous life.

My point is, in the eternal scheme of things (as I believe and understand it), I think it will matter far more to God how edifying one lives one's life than how precisely and accurately one may be able to define "official doctrine".

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[Bat-Man]

My point is, in the eternal scheme of things (as I believe and understand it), I think it will matter far more to God how edifying one lives one's life than how precisely and accurately one may be able to define "official doctrine" in words alone.

By adding the words I highlighted in bold to your statement I believe I am now more in agreement with you.

[wenglund]

I put my time in early this week at the hospital and one of the senior homes! Discussing LDS faith/beliefs is something I seem to do as well.

I seem to enjoy doing both.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that there is something wrong with participating in online discussions. In fact, I believe online discussions may rightly be viewed in a way as feeding the spiritually hungry with a feast of wisdom and enlightenment, administering to the spiritually sick with healing words of comfort and health, and clothing the spiritually naked with breastplates and shields and swords of truth and righteousness.

It is just that feasts here are less likely to materialize if all the cooks in the kitchen are busy quibbling over what is the "Official Cook Book", rather than busying themselves putting together some tasty gospel morsels. Healing is less likely to happen if all the doctors in the examination room are quibbling over what is the "Official Medical Manual", rather than busying themselves running tests and writing out proven perscriptions. Clothing the naked is less likely to happen if the tailors are quibbling over what is the "Official Fashion Guide", rather than busying themselves putting sizzors and thread to cloth.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-