11yo son: Mom, how do we know…

[Anonymous]

How do I respond to my son who asks often: how do we know that OUR church is true when al other religions think that their church is true?

I wonder that as well.

I just tell him that we all have to come to know the truth on our own.

But … How do I explain that our “church” is the group of people…that it’s just an organization …that it’s not the gospel when I don’t even know what the “gospel” is?

And, please…no one say that the gospel is to “love your neighbor” b/c that launches too many other issues.

[Anonymous]

I think when most members testify of the truthfulness of the church they are really testifying of the truthfulness of the gospel but don’t know that’s what their really saying. Is it clear as mud now? I really do believe that most people who testify of the truthfulness of the church do believe they are saying something along the lines of the church having the restored gospel, holding the keys, and probably even being the only way into heaven. But the only thing I’m pretty sure they might actually be testifying of is the truthfulness of the gospel. Members tend to parrot that which many have heard their whole lives and the rest of us our whole “church lives” without really deeply thinking about what they’re saying.

So to answer your question, I think most people don’t know any such thing. In my TBM days, I also knew the church was true, and it may be – but I don’t know it. I believe it might be, and I even hope it might be, but I don’t know it. Those who do claim to actually know it claim they know by personal revelation. I am not in any position to know or judge what has been revealed to anyone else, but I do believe personal revelation is very rare and since it so often works closely in tandem with emotions, I don’t believe we can rely on a purely emotional revelation. I’m sure others will disagree with that, but I have learned from my experiences and such has been my experience. So, you could tell your son that the way to know is to pray about it and perhaps fast about it (he might be a bit young to fast) and see what happens – the decision is going to be up to him, as you said.

Separating the church and the gospel is very difficult for those of us that didn’t have the gospel before – I am struggling mightily with it. It does launch many other issues, but when it boils down to it, and please don’t be offended because that is not my intent, it really is the two great commandments, the atonement of Jesus Christ, repentance, and so forth. These things exist independent of the church and can be true whether or not the church is true – hence the truth that other churches have (and most of them actually have quite a bit of it).

Just as a side note, I don’t think all other religions or churches believe theirs is the only true church or religion in the same way it is taught in Mormonism. Most Protestant churches I have looked into actually believe they, along with other Protestant churches, are the “body of Christ” and as such recognize rites performed by other Protestant churches and even recognize ordinations by others. Catholics and “non mainline” religions like Mormonism or Jehovah’s Witnesses are not included in this body, so I suppose in that way they see their collective brand of Christianity as “true.”

[Anonymous]

Quote:

I just tell him that we all have to come to know the truth on our own.

This.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like your 11 year old is onto a very important concept, and part of that is that spiritual truth can be found in every religion and culture in the world, spiritual truth being factual principles that lead people closer to God or, in other words, help them become better people, more able to help others and in tune with God’s will. That being said, how do we know if Mormonism actually has the amount of truth and divine investiture it claims? I think the only way is to be a seeker and to develop a deeper and closer relationship with God. That recognition that we don’t necessarily have all the answers, at least to me, drives me to figure out things for myself. If God is all that many spiritual leaders of various faiths have proclaimed He will teach us and mold us as we seek him and his guidance, and I do find that to be true. With that increased spiritual truth we are more able to evaluate Mormonism. There is definitely a gradient or a sliding scale to how much we trust in any set of teachings. I believe we can eventually have a perfect knowledge of whether something is true (through angelic ministration or otherwise), but I think it is very logical to recognize that until you arrive to that point (and you might never though many get close) it requires faith and there is certainly that recognition that others might be right.

[Anonymous]

I also might emphasize Joseph Smith’s statement that true Mormonism embraces all truth no matter its source – that we are supposed to be open to exactly what he said and learn from all faith traditions and religions.

[Author]

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