| Response |
Thank you for your generous comments about me and my family. I really appreciate it.
Now to your question. You make reference to the boundaries created by our faith as helping guide our family
through the crazy world of showbiz. I agree with you, except I
would change the word boundaries to standards. Boundaries implies
limitation or restriction and I certainly don't consider the standards of the LDS church as restrictive. I am sure if anyone would take an honest look at the problems in the world
today, the terrible chains that seem to bind people and cause them such devastating problems, it's clear that much of these are caused by the
absence of standards and self control. I'm speaking of destructive indulgences such as chemical addictions of all kinds, immorality, infidelity, pornography, selfishness, abuse and even discrimination and
hate.
Now, regarding the King James version of the Bible, I read that King James I, appointed a group of scholars to create a translation of the Bible that
would heal the differences between the Puritans and the Anglicans. These
scholars used all possible versions that were available to them at the time
to do their best in the new translation. I'm sure there may have been some political
motivation, but certainly the spirit of the teachings of Christ in the New
Testament of this or any version of which I'm aware of would not inspire the witch hunts, murders, oppression, or persecution that you mention. I believe that anyone who practices those kinds of atrocities back then or even now, are inspired of Satan and not of the Lord nor his gospel as taught in the Bible. Christ's teachings were of peace, love, kindness, forgiveness, patience and
tolerance.
As you indicated, the King James Bible was the English language version that
was in use when Joseph Smith was called as a Prophet and the Church was
restored in the early 1820s. The LDS church is now organized in over 165
countries, and of course there are translations in many other languages. We
know there are some mistranslations, but by and large, the true gospel of
Christ is taught in the Bible. That is why "We believe the Bible to be the
word of God as far as it is translated correctly;" (Pearl of Great Price |
Articles of Faith 1:8) this is the very reason why we place so much importance on the
Book Of Mormon, Another Testament of Christ, written by prophets whose
descendants left Jerusalem about 600 BC and migrated to Ancient America.
The very first prophet writer in the Book of Mormon, Nephi, foresaw what you've described about the Bible as he wrote: "...that there are many plain and
precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of
God. And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth
forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto
all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou
hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou
seest because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken
out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of
men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God because of these
things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly
great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13:28 - 29) Nephi, then prophesied of the Book of
Mormon, a record of his descendants or seed, coming forth. He said,
"... These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall
establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been
taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and
people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the
Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be
saved. And they must come according to the words which shall be established
by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in
the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one
God and one Shepherd over all the earth." (Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 13:40 -
41)
You then ask how an intelligent and educated man (which may not necessarily describe me, but I appreciate the compliment) could place so much faith in a record which has flaws. The
answer to that is best explained by the fact that we believe that Christ's
church was restored by virtue of direct divine communication and revelation
through a modern day prophet. We believe that the Prophet and Twelve
Apostles living today who head the church continue to receive revelation for
us. This obviously is a more current and direct source of truth than ancient records; however truth is consistent through the ages and we use the Bible
considerably to substantiate the tenants of our faith.
I also would add that I often quote 1 Peter 2:20-21 where it states: "Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." And another quote from the Book of
Mormon that I love: "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye
would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things
are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent,
having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the
power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the
truth of all things. (Book of Mormon | Moroni 10:4 - 5)
In other words, Susan,
understanding the truth whether from scripture or modern day prophets,
transcends the intellect or any amount of education. The only absolute source is personal revelation as described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:9-14
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even
so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that
we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things
also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the
Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:9 - 14)
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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