Jersey Girl wrote:This came up in discussion. I'd like to know what you think.
I am not sure where Nehor was coming from but of course the teaching of a great apostasy is LDS doctrine. It is a topic in the missionary discussions, it is prophecied in the Book of Mormon, and in seminary for high school kids they have scripture mastery verses from the Bible that LDS belive predict a great apostasy. I think Nehor is all wet on this one.
If the Apostasy is a doctrine/teaching. What do we teach about it except that it happened?
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics "I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
The Nehor wrote:If the Apostasy is a doctrine/teaching. What do we teach about it except that it happened?
It's been a while since I gave the missionary discussions (the six discussion format in the 90's). I think we taught that the apostasy was a necessary part of the plan of salvation--there had to be an apostasy so there could be a restoration in the last days. I know that's circular logic and all, but I didn't write the things.
The Apostles of Jesus Christ Were Rejected Jesus Sent his apostles into all the world to teach his gospel and establish his Church. But many people rejected and persecuted them. Even Church members fell into error and unrighteousness.(2 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Mormon 8:28)
Priesthood Authority Was Lost Because of the wickedness of the people, the apostles and many of the righteous Church members were killed. The Lord took the priesthood authority and his Church from the earth. There was no longer a church on earth directed by revelation. Because men relied on human wisdom to understand the scriptures, many plain and simple truths were lost. (Amos 8:11-13; 2 Nephi 28; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Galatians 1:6-8; 2 Timothy 1:5-7; 2 Timothy 2:18; John 2:18)
Confusion and Apostasy Resulted As a result, there has been great disagreement and confusion in the world about the truths of the plan of God. Many false ideas of men have been taught as truth. This general falling away from the truth is called the Apostasy. (read and discuss 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Find Out-
. Whether the investigators understand that the apostasy occured.
. Whether they understand why the loss of direct revelation to apostles and prophets would lead to confusion and error.
I can remember teaching this lesson when kids were involved, and to keep their attention, building a church by stacking plastic cups up on the coffee table, with twelve apostles as the base, and writing different gospel principles on the cups, and when the apostles are killed, the church tumbled down. Then you have the kids take different cups and build up little churchs, which of coarse arent the same.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
Polygamy Porter wrote:Like many doctrines of LDS Inc, over time it evolved into official doctrine.
Ok Scrat, go chase your nut somewhere else.
2 Nephi chp. 28 covers this, as does the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants. It was doctrine from the start. Its even spoken about in the First Vision.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato
Gazelam wrote:I dug mine out : ) I can remember teaching this lesson when kids were involved, and to keep their attention, building a church by stacking plastic cups up on the coffee table, with twelve apostles as the base, and writing different gospel principles on the cups, and when the apostles are killed, the church tumbled down. Then you have the kids take different cups and build up little churchs, which of coarse aren't the same.
The Apostasy is core doctrine. In the world of "official" and "unofficial" LDS doctrine, the Great Apostasy is as official as doctrine gets. I know of no authoritative source within the Church that has ever promoted this concept as an "explanation" for the Restoration. The Restoration was necessitated by the apostasy of the primitive church, and although this apostasy does, indeed, explain the Restoration, its also a fundamental doctrine of the Restoration.
Gazelam wrote:The Apostles of Jesus Christ Were Rejected Jesus Sent his apostles into all the world to teach his gospel and establish his Church. But many people rejected and persecuted them. Even Church members fell into error and unrighteousness.(2 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Mormon 8:28)
But hasn't this happened in our day?
Priesthood Authority Was Lost Because of the wickedness of the people, the apostles and many of the righteous Church members were killed. The Lord took the priesthood authority and his Church from the earth. There was no longer a church on earth directed by revelation. Because men relied on human wisdom to understand the scriptures, many plain and simple truths were lost. (Amos 8:11-13; 2 Nephi 28; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Galatians 1:6-8; 2 Timothy 1:5-7; 2 Timothy 2:18; John 2:18)
Apostles from our Church were killed. Some LDS teachings have been abandoned - Polygamy, Adam-God, Blood Atonement, etc...
Confusion and Apostasy Resulted As a result, there has been great disagreement and confusion in the world about the truths of the plan of God. Many false ideas of men have been taught as truth. This general falling away from the truth is called the Apostasy. (read and discuss 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Our Church split from those who remained in Illinois and those who remained claimed polygamy was not true. When we abandoned it, some split from us and claimed that it was so true they could not stop doing it.