Do the LDS Conspire to Change History?

The problem with the conspiracy theories concerning the LDS Church is that the detractors of the LDS faith do not accept history unless it fits their preconceptions. An honest reading the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants as well as LDS Church history reveals there was no effort to cover up anything. For example, if I had been writing the Bible I might have attempted to cover up the following;

• The Lies of Abraham
• The Anger Fits of Moses
• The Sins of David
• Paul and Barnabas not being able to get along and having to part ways

I might have had a “public relations office” cover up all of these things. The fact remains that the Bible uses such events as teaching opportunities as well as to teach us that even those who have authority are not perfect. So it is with LDS Church history and scripture.

have studied the Early 1st and 2nd century Church as well as LDS Church history for the last 10 years and I am amazed at what is recorded about some of the key leaders that we regard so highly in history of both the ancient church and the modern restored church. These histories tell stories of authorized leaders and their short comings, sins, and failures. It is laid right out there in a most honest way. Just as it was with the ancient Church leaders so it is with the Modern Church leadership. They learn as we do line by line precept by precept. [1]

Often times what is drawn from Church leaders of the past is, like the matter of blood atonement, misquoted, misrepresented, or taken out of context. Not everything that was ever spoken or written by the Prophets and Apostles is part of what we teach today. Can a prophet have a personal opinion? Did Prophets and Apostles past and current make mistakes? I think that is established in my earlier comments on Moses, Abraham, Paul and Barnabas as well as others like Jonah. We as LDS do not believe a prophet or apostle is perfect. We love and sustain them as authorized by the Lord. Just as Paul made mistakes we admire his boldness and dedication and treasure his epistles. James pointed out that Elijah "was a man subject to like passions as we are" [James 5:17]. Joseph Smith taught "a prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such.[2] On one occasion the prophet Joseph Smith declared: "I told them I was but a man, and they must not expect me to be perfect; if they expected perfection from me, I should expect it from them; but if they would bear with my infirmities and the infirmities of the brethren, I would likewise bear with their infirmities" [3] Lorenzo Snow commented; if he does not know everything I know... I saw the... imperfections in [Joseph Smith]... I thanked God that He would put upon him... for I knew that I myself had weakness, and I thought there was a chance for me. [4]

The detractors of the LDS faith somehow think that history is a plot or conspiracy to hide and manipulate truth. Truth has a way of emerging on top especially in light of such opposition. After all just because there is a lot of opposition does not make the LDS Church any less true especially in light of all the materials that the LDS church makes available. What these same detractors do not realize is that the Sadducee’s and Pharisee’s attempted to squash or twist the eternal truth of Jesus Christ in Christ’s day and these same type of detractors are doing the same thing now calling on the traditions of men instead of an authorized priesthood. True messengers of God are builders—not destroyers. We send our missionaries into the world to teach and to assist people in receiving truth line upon line until the fullness of the gospel is received. [5]

My opinion is that detractors of the LDS faith seem to have an over active imagination claiming some history is doctrine of the LDS church that simply isn't so and twisting good doctrine into unrecognizable forms. One has to wonder why so much effort is put into attempting to discredit the LDS faith.

Wer62

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Footnotes:
[1] Isa 28:10, 13, 17
[2] Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 278
[3] Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 268
[4] Lorenzo Snow, as cited in Maxwell, Conference Report October 1984, 10
[5] Elder Carlos E. Asay, as cited in Sunday Afternoon session October 4, 1981