Useful quote of the day…

Love it. Count me in. I scribble so many of our quotes on note cards so that I can read them in especially challenging times.

BRIGHAM YOUNG, made in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, January 12, 1862

Quote:

I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inqure for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourse 9:150)

http://pt.fairmormon.org/Journal_of_Discourses/9/27

Amen!!!

Quote:

I have a question’ What is the relationship of The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints to the non-Christian

religions of the world?

R. Lanier Britsch, vice-president for academics,

Brigham Young University—Hawaii Campus.

In 1975, I received a letter from a young man who was investigating the Church. He was

involved with a popular Hindu group in

America and felt that he had found

considerable truth in Hinduism. He told me

that he was having trouble gaining a

testimony of the restored gospel because of the problem of “diluted truth.” In answer, I wrote, “By ‘diluted truth,’ I

suppose you mean that it seems strange to

you that elements of truth can be found in

more than one church or religious movement.

… Why, then, if [the Latter-day Saints] claim to

have the only true church, is it so easy to see that other religious movements also have

truth in them?” Continuing, I wrote, “We should never be

surprised to find truth anywhere. … The Light

of Christ is in and upon all men, and all men

who are honest have the right to enjoy the

rewards of their goodness.” I quoted Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21:

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven

before the foundations of this world, upon

which all blessings are predicated— “And when we obtain any blessing from God,

it is by obedience to that law upon which it is

predicated.” I then told him that “if anyone obeys any

eternal principle he will automatically reap the

reward for living that law. God will give any

and all men his or their reward.” We as Latter-

day Saints do indeed believe that there is truth

in many religions and philosophies. Many good and great religious leaders have walked

the earth. Through their teachings, they have

raised the spiritual, moral, and ethical

awareness of their people. When we speak of The Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints as the only true church,

we mean that it is the only organization

authorized to administer the ordinances of

salvation. We mean that it is the only

organization led by Jesus Christ, through the earthly ministries of prophets and Apostles.

Although the Church teaches the true

doctrines of salvation, we do not mean that it

is the only teacher of truth. Ever since the early days of the Church,

various General Authorities have expressed

the Church’s position toward non-Christian

religions: we should not only be tolerant of

their beliefs, but we should also respect them.

On 15 February 1978, for example, the First Presidency, consisting of President Spencer

W. Kimball and his counselors, President

Marion G. Romney and President N. Eldon

Tanner, issued an official statement regarding

the Church’s position toward other religions.

The statement reads: “Based upon ancient and modern revelation,

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints gladly teaches and declares the

Christian doctrine that all men and women

are brothers and sisters, not only by blood

relationship from mortal progenitors, but also as literal spirit children of an Eternal

Father. “The great religious leaders of the world

such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the

Reformers, as well as philosophers including

Socrates, Plato, and others, received a

portion of God’s light. Moral truths were

given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of

understanding to individuals. “The Hebrew prophets prepared the way for

the coming of Jesus Christ, the promised

Messiah, who should provide salvation for all

mankind who believe in the gospel. “Consistent with these truths, we believe

that God has given and will give to all people

sufficient knowledge to help them on their

way to eternal salvation, either in this life or

in the life to come. “We also declare that the gospel of Jesus

Christ, restored to his Church in our day,

provides the only way to a mortal life of

happiness and a fullness of joy forever. For

those who have not received this gospel, the

opportunity will come to them in the life hereafter if not in this life. “Our message therefore is one of special

love and concern for the eternal welfare of

all men and women, regardless of religious

belief, race, or nationality, knowing that we

are truly brothers and sisters because we are

the sons and daughters of the same Eternal Father.” This statement declares that (1) all human

beings are children of God and therefore

brothers and sisters, (2) the only way to obtain

a fulness of joy is through the gospel as

restored to The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, (3) everyone will have the opportunity to accept the gospel, if not in

mortality, then in the life to come, and (4)

“great religious leaders of the world” (those

specifically listed in the statement, as well as

many others), have received “a portion of

God’s light.” Certainly, Mohammed raised the religious consciousness and ethical awareness

of his nation as well as that of many beyond

its borders. Confucius gave the people of East

Asia a higher ethical standard than existed

throughout most of the world. Of course, there is much in other religions that

we cannot accept or condone. In them, truths

are frequently found side by side with

superstition, sorcery, and error. Within many

religions, one may find ethics, doctrines, or

beliefs that are clearly of worth and that contain eternal truths. At the same time, one

may find incorrect doctrines and possibly

even practices inspired by the powers of

darkness. The phrase “buyer beware” is

certainly appropriate in the study of religions. Simply put, the world is better because good

people of all races, nations, kindreds, and

tongues have recognized truth and appropriate

ways of living and have endeavored to share

those truths. Those truths, in turn, have helped

to prepare the way for the restored gospel. With regard, then, to the religions of the world

—Christian or not—we as Latter-day Saints

need to cultivate an attitude of friendship and

goodwill toward all people of all religions.

“Our message,” as the First Presidency stated,

“is one of special love and concern for the eternal welfare of all men and women.” Re: God’s Love for

(I believe wuwei formatted SamBee’s quote and linked to it. I only remember because I printed it for myself, my kids at home and our Asia-bound missionary.)

Joseph Smith:

Quote:

“I never thought it was right to call up a man and try him because he erred in doctrine, it looks too much like methodism and not like Latter day Saintism. Methodists have creeds which a man must believe or be kicked out of their church. I want the liberty of believing as I please, it feels so good not to be tramelled. ”

I can’t find this from an “official” source. But I think it’s in “Words of Joseph Smith, p. 183-184 and also (partially) quoted in Rough Stone Rolling.

Find it online here: http://bycommonconsent.com/2012/02/09/joseph-smith-handbooks-and-the-evolution-of-church-liturgy/

Quote:

“I admire men and women who have developed the questing spirit, who are unafraid of new ideas as stepping stones to progress. We should, of course, respect the opinions of others, but we should also be unafraid to dissent – if we are informed. Thoughts and expressions compete in the marketplace of thought, and in that competition truth emerges triumphant. Only error fears freedom of expression. . . This free exchange of ideas is not to be deplored as long as men and women remain humble and teachable. Neither fear of consequence or any kind of coercion should ever be used to secure uniformity of thought in the church. People should express their problems and opinions and be unafraid to think without fear of ill consequences. . . . We must preserve the freedom of the mind in the church and resist all efforts to suppress it.”

(Hugh B. Brown, The Abundant Life: The Memoirs of Hugh B. Brown, ed. Edwin B. Firmage (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988), 137-39; Hugh B. Brown, “An Eternal Quest—Freedom of the Mind,” a speech delivered at Brigham Young University, 13 May 1969, in Speeches of the Year (Provo, UT): Brigham Young University Press, 1969); rpt. In Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 17 (Spring 1984): 77-83

I don’t own the book, so can’t verify. But my sister made reference to this recently and I thought I’d pass it along….