What LDS Teachings Are Essential?

[tomhardman]

This is a post from my blog in which I ask my fellow Mormons the following question: What teachings of the LDS church do you consider to be essential? In other words, what church teachings are so important – so foundational – that if you found out they weren’t true you’d probably leave the church?

What LDS Teachings Are Essential? | In Fide Scientiam

[Guest Doctrine]

The one that would be a deal breaker would be, if Jesus were not the Christ. But I know that to be true, that he is the Christ.

Also the Book of Mormon if it were not the words of god.

[Magen_Avot]

Good one from Doctrine.

I don't lean on the arm of flesh but on Christ so it'd take a minimum of the still small voice to depart...

Hey! It saved my marriage!

[applepansy]

The foundation of the Church is Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

[MrShorty]

It seems like, at least for a long time, there were talks and such about 4 "pillars" of a testimony:

1) There is a God.

2) Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior and Redeemer.

3) Joseph Smith was a prophet of God

4) The Book of Mormon (along with the Bible and other standard works) is scripture.

[Palerider]

I have always said and feel that if Joseph is a Prophet and the Book of Mormon is true everything falls into place. Those would harm me more if I found out otherwise.

[Traveler]

I am a big proponent of Chaos theory. According to Chaos theory all components are essential elements in a complex system. I would point out that all the arguments concerning ecological disruption over loss of endangered species rely on chaos theory regardless of how seeming insignificant the species appears to be to the ecosystem. This is because of what we call coupling which means interrelationships and dependencies which often are not realized or understood.

According to LDS theology all truth is related and part of a whole. This tells us that there are no truths that are non essential or in other words disconnected from other truth deemed essential.

As for leaving the church? I would leave it all behind in a heartbeat if I could verify something to better deal with the complexity of this life and prepare for inheriting all G-d offers in eternity. And as I have discussed possibilities - it seem thus far to me that my personal efforts are vastly farther reaching and more conclusive than those that think they have found something better.

The Traveler

[bytebear]

Article of Faith #4.

[justinc]

  Traveler said:

I am a big proponent of Chaos theory. According to Chaos theory all components are essential elements in a complex system. I would point out that all the arguments concerning ecological disruption over loss of endangered species rely on chaos theory regardless of how seeming insignificant the species appears to be to the ecosystem. This is because of what we call coupling which means interrelationships and dependencies which often are not realized or understood.

According to LDS theology all truth is related and part of a whole. This tells us that there are no truths that are non essential or in other words disconnected from other truth deemed essential.

As for leaving the church? I would leave it all behind in a heartbeat if I could verify something to better deal with the complexity of this life and prepare for inheriting all G-d offers in eternity. And as I have discussed possibilities - it seem thus far to me that my personal efforts are vastly farther reaching and more conclusive than those that think they have found something better.

The Traveler

Is the Chaos theory only coherent within an LDS worldview? I'm just curious how you relate that back to LDS belief.

[Dravin]

Fundamentally those teachings that distinguish it from the rest of Christianity; such as the Apostasy, Restoration, and Priesthood. While a falsity of doctrines critical to Christianity, such as the atonement and resurrection, would also have me leaving I'm inclined to think of that as leaving Christianity rather than leaving the Church specifically.

[Blackmarch]

  tomhardman said:

This is a post from my blog in which I ask my fellow Mormons the following question: What teachings of the LDS church do you consider to be essential? In other words, what church teachings are so important – so foundational – that if you found out they weren’t true you’d probably leave the church?

What LDS Teachings Are Essential? | In Fide Scientiam

1 God exists.

2 God has a son whom was sacrificed and resurrected so that we may return to God.

3 God speaks to prophets so we may know how to do so

4 Joseph smith was such a prophet

5 the books of scripture we have from such prophets.

[atseem]

  tomhardman said:

... I ask my fellow Mormons the following question: What teachings of the LDS church do you consider to be essential? In other words, what church teachings are so important – so foundational – that if you found out they weren’t true you’d probably leave the church?

Okay, Tom, your question was successful -- it caught my attention, got me thinking.

At first I was annoyed, because I solidly identify with Brigham young's reaction when he heard Joseph Smith say that he (Joseph) could tell him some things that would cause him (Brigham) to leave the church. It is reported that Brigham said, "Then don't tell me, because WHAT I know -- I KNOW!" Brigham had a perfect knowledge (testimony) by the power of God through the Holy Ghost that the things he then knew were true -- that the work and events of restoration were truly of God. He understood that when a truth is revealed by the Holy Ghost to any person, that person must cling to the truth and not cast it off, for, as he walks in obedience to the truth he already has, the Holy Ghost will add line upon line until eventually a perfect knowledge is obtained.

None of us has a very thorough knowledge of the things of God and it is quite easy for the adversary (or education or other people) to put distractions in our path, including some new idea that may seem to contradict what has already been revealed to us. And, you know, our culture is permeated with "science." The 'scientific method' requires that even if you now hold something to be true, you must always allow for new evidence that may appear to invalidate your former belief or theory. This is the situation foreseen by Paul in Timothy 3:7 in which he warns of people who are, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

But we CAN come to a knowledge of the truth. That is the great message the Lord asks us to share!

There is a spirit of truth given to all -- the light of Christ -- by which the intelligence and the heart of every individual is pointed to that which is good and true. As any individual makes choices to obey and respect the light he or she has, thus acting in faith, the light increases and, because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost is sent with the specific mission to bear witness of the truths the person has begun to understand and to lead him or her on to greater knowledge -- even to know of God the Father and of Jesus Christ and the full plan of salvation. When the person knows of and accepts the covenant of baptism and repents and truly and sincerely takes on the commitment to be a disciple of Christ, then the power of the Holy Ghost is given as a continually abiding gift so long as that person persists in living up to the light and knowledge he or she has obtained.

The Lord declared in D&C 121:

26 God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that has not been revealed since the world was until now;

27 Which our forefathers have awaited with anxious expectation to be revealed in the last times, which their minds were pointed to by the angels, as held in reserve for the fulness of their glory;

28 A time to come in the which nothing shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many gods, they shall be manifest.

(It is highly instructive to read and understand all the rest of Section 121. I totally recommend it.) The last verse says:

46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant acompanion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of brighteousness and truth; and thy cdominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

So, to answer the question: I see the doctrine of the Holy Ghost leading us to a correct knowledge of Jesus Christ and his commandments, covenants and exaltation as the most essential thing we teach. But if that were not true, there would be no LDS church to leave.

“…Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come”

(Doctrine and Covenants 93:24)

[RipplecutBuddha]

All of them are essential.

God would not give us frivolous doctrine. It is his work and glory to bring us to our fullest potential. Everything he's throwing at the problem is essential. He wouldn't waste time and effort with unessential material or knowledge.

Now, there are parts of the Gospel that he allows us to discover for ourselves, versus those parts of the Gospel he revealed directly to his servants to make sure they were known. I suppose using that dividing line could determine what doctrines are 'essential', but to my mind it's just splitting hairs at that point.

We need to know and understand the Gospel through and through, else why repeat what we are taught over and over?

For instance, Faith is an essential principle. It's where we all start off at in the plan of salvation. However a talk given by Elder Holland caught my attention. I'd been listening to it over and over for years. It's one of my favorites. One statement caught my attention the other day that I hadn't considered before. He said that the Lectures on Faith documents were given to us so that we could "understand the nature of Godliness".

Now, how does one go from a beginner's principle of faith to understanding the very nature of God himself? As I read through the lectures myself, I have new eyes and a greater understanding than I could possibly expect.

So, to the OP's question, is this an 'essential doctrine'? Depending on your definition it could be yes or no. Again, I think it's all essential, but hey, very interesting question.

[atseem]

Sorry, I left the footnote letters in verse 46. Here it is again:

46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

[Canuck Mormon]

For me it all hinges on Joseph Smith. If I were to find out that he made up the book of Mormon and never had the first vision, I would be gone. Everything stems from that. Otherwise we are just another Christian denomination.

[mrmarklin]

  tomhardman said:

This is a post from my blog in which I ask my fellow Mormons the following question: What teachings of the LDS church do you consider to be essential? In other words, what church teachings are so important – so foundational – that if you found out they weren’t true you’d probably leave the church?

What LDS Teachings Are Essential? | In Fide Scientiam

Thirteen Articles of Faith are a good and fairly comprehensive summary of what we believe.

I'm not sure which of these beliefs could not be true.