Mormon scripture teaches that faith is hope in things that are not seen but true. If we can see that they are not true, then how can we still have faith in them? Faith is required when there is an absence of facts. It is a hope for things that are true but not seen. What happens when we have facts that show things are not true? Should we continue to hope or maintain faith that they are true despite the facts?
Faith is Hope in Truth
If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
Alma 32:21
If we have facts to the contrary though, it’s no longer faith that keeps us holding on, it’s denial! Church leaders are encouraging and asking members to stay in the church but live in denial and stupidity. They don’t want our brains, they only want our butts in the pew. They want our meek, humble, and submissive hearts. They want our willing hands to put money into the church’s coffers. They don’t want us to think. They honestly don’t even care if we believe, as long as we don’t talk about it.
Facts No Longer Matter
Sometimes there is a difference of opinion as to what the “facts” really mean. A question that creates doubt in some can, after careful investigation, build faith in others.
Come, Join with Us, Dieter F Uchtdorf, General Conference 2013 October
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/10/come-join-with-us
Keep Faith Despite Facts
In today’s Mormon church, faith is no longer the hope for true things that are not seen but the hope in spite of what we have seen. Faith is no longer about believing in things we cannot see, but about continuing to believe things in spite of what we can see, read, and understand. Today leaders debate the definition of “facts,” but with honesty and integrity we must declare that facts are more important than beliefs. Facts are not open to interpretation or opinion. Facts are more important than any cherished mistaken beliefs, as Elder Hugh Brown once taught.
This is a priority shift from doing what is right and letting the consequences follow, to only considering the consequences and only doing what leads us to stay in the church. The priority is now staying over being honest or inquisitive or standing with integrity. The problem is though, when an honest person learns they are mistaken, they can either cease to be mistaken, or cease to be honest.
Contrary Facts Must Be Fake News
Studying even the church history published by the church which they have finally admitted to in the Gospel Topic Essays leads us to the conclusion that the church narrative is not true. The church is not what it claims to be. These historical facts cannot be disputed. Facts are not open to a “difference of opinion” as Elder Uchtdorf claims. Facts are not opinions, we can’t simply choose to believe something is a fact when it is not. If desire alone determined the truth, the world and reality would be a much different place than it is. These statements are like the church asking members to collectively stick their heads into a hole in the ground and avoid even looking at supposed “facts” that may challenge their “testimony.” The only thing the church wants is to keep members in. They don’t care about the well-being of the members or the principles of honesty and truth. They would rather call facts “fake news” in hopes that members will be scared away from looking at them.
Facts matter. History matters. Faith also matters, but not at the expense of honesty, facts, and history. Do what is right and let the consequences follow. Did you struggle to reconcile facts and a testimony of the church? Share your story at wasmormon.org.
More reading:
- Doubt your Doubts?
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng&id=p21#p21
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/10/come-join-with-us
- Facts More Important than Cherished, Mistaken Beliefs
- Demonizing Doubt: Nelson’s Talk on Lazy Learners and Lax Disciples
- Truth and History are Anti-Mormon
- Yesterday’s Anti-Mormon “Lies” Are Today’s Church Essays
- The Mormon Church Published The Gospel Topic Essays
- Personal Mormon Faith Crisis Report – Introduction and Overview
- When an honest man discovers he is mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or cease to be honest