Whether The Voice Of God Or His Servant It Is The Same.

[DH]

Maybe they leave what is "official," "canonical," and "binding on the Church" purposely vague. Plausible deniability, and all that.

[pogi]

By the time the conference address makes it to the official conference reporter (and there are changes) it has gone through review and correlation and is binding on the church. But, technically, it is binding on the church until overruled, corrected or explained by an equal authority. As we can easily see from the scriptures, God isn't limited by what His prophets said last year.

So, if you want to see the best position of the church on modest dress by teenagers, you would look to the most recent conference address on the subject (or an official pamphlet), and not something published 50 years ago.

Simply not true.

"No new doctrine is binding as the official doctrine of the Church unless it has been received by the President of the Church and until it has been sustained by the Church in general conference."

Mere official publication by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without disclaimer or caveat. If it makes it to the Ensign, or the web site, or some manual etc. it is official doctrine.

This is also not true.

No teaching or doctrine is binding on the church until it is received by sustaining vote in conference. This has only happened a few times. The new "official" doctrines are published in the scriptures as D&C and Official Declarations 1 & 2. Of course you have the Pearl of Great Price, Articles of Faith, Book of Mormon, and Bible which have all been accepted by sustaining vote. There is no other official doctrine of the Church. This is not to say that other teachings are false, they are simply not officially binding. The only exception to the rule of sustaining vote during conference is whenever those holding the keys of that ministry unitedly declare them to be official doctrine and binding.

This is a great article for anyone wanting to understand official doctrine.

http://www.lightplan...s/doctrine.html

Edited December 3, 2012 by pogi

[KevinG]

God knows His doctrines. We are looking through a glass darkly. Some of us are more gifted than others.

I have a very high level of trust for those who God has called as His spokespersons on earth. However if we want to know for sure if the doctrines of the Kingdom are faithfully transmitted from that place where truth dwells to our mortal ears than Brigham has some good counsel.

I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inqire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. (Brigham Young, JOD 9:150)

[pogi]

God knows His doctrines. We are looking through a glass darkly. Some of us are more gifted than others.

I have a very high level of trust for those who God has called as His spokespersons on earth. However if we want to know for sure if the doctrines of the Kingdom are faithfully transmitted from that place where truth dwells to our mortal ears than Brigham has some good counsel.

I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inqire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. (Brigham Young, JOD 9:150)

I agree, but God's doctrines are not necessarily the officially binding doctrines of the Church. We know, for example, that there are higher laws and doctrines of God that the Church is not officially bound to follow at this time. Additionally, a person is bound to any truth or doctrine by which he has received a witness of the Spirit and covenants to obey, this same truth may not be binding on the Church as a whole. The Church's "official" doctrine is found within the cover of your scriptures and no where else. We are bound to it and to whatever else the Spirit has revealed to us and nothing else.

Edited December 4, 2012 by pogi

[Azariah]

Mere official publication by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without disclaimer or caveat. If it makes it to the Ensign, or the web site, or some manual etc. it is official doctrine.

This is only for determining what an individual will believe as doctrine. Official publication is the standard for the Church as it implies (see the Church's definition of doctrine in my siggy) the Church has already gone through the "Holy Ghost process" (inspiration/revelation) in making the decision to publish.

This is good to know. Thanks!

[canard78]

This is good to know. Thanks!

Azariah, unfortunately that's not correct (perhaps your reply was ironic... I can never tell on a board).

There's no church reference that states that the ensign and manuals are doctrine. They are not doctrine.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/approaching-mormon-doctrine

I still embrace the contents of the Ensign, general conference and manuals as good principles, but they are not binding doctrine on the whole church.

[Azariah]

Azariah, unfortunately that's not correct (perhaps your reply was ironic... I can never tell on a board).

There's no church reference that states that the ensign and manuals are doctrine. They are not doctrine.

http://www.mormonnew...mormon-doctrine

I still embrace the contents of the Ensign, general conference and manuals as good principles, but they are not binding doctrine on the whole church.

This is one of the problems I have with Mormonism. One Mormon says this is doctrine and another Mormon says it isn't. One Mormon says church published manuals contain sound church doctrine and is a good source of information and another says only the standard works contain 'church doctrine'. Each, convinced in their own minds, that they are correct.

[Calm]

Show me a faith where every member agrees on what is and is not doctrine and I will show you a faith with one adherent.