Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #25 - President Russell M. Nelson’s Teachings about Evolution and the Origin of Man

(by Dennis B. Horne)

            President Nelson’s teachings on the creation of man and his rejection of evolution are the most important of our time simply because he is the prophet of the Lord right now. Yet pro-evolutionists like Ben Spackman and others in the BYU biology department seek to marginalize his voice and views. Of President Nelson, Spackman said:

 

            He’s said some things on occasion, and it has never been enough to be able to pin down what camp he falls into. He’s very obviously against the new atheist camp that says science and evolution disprove that there’s a God. That’s not a surprise. Whether he would be in favor of say, Steven Peck’s views of evolution, a BYU biology professor who talks about evolution a lot, or theistic evolution or, the kind of evolution in the way the Catholic Church has gone for it, he’s never really said enough to pin down his views. . . .

Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #24 - The False Scientific Theories of Men and Women

(by Dennis B. Horne)

Elder James E. Talmage:

            Science, if properly taught in our associations, cannot fail to add to the testimony and devotion of the members. If false science be taught it will tend to lead astray. A very proper question is, “How may success be acquired and danger avoided?” See that a clear line of distinction be drawn between fact and theory. Truth is of divine origin; theories are man-made. I would urge that no discussion of the latter be introduced under the name of science in our associations. Theories are invented to explain mysteries, and they do so oftentimes mysteriously, and mysteries are not easily assimilated in the human mind. To the members of the associations I would say, for the present, let us leave such matters alone, and deal only with the things about us. To be informed upon the things with which we are personally brought in contact is the characteristic of a useful education. . . .

Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #23 - Joseph F. Smith Discourses on the Theories of Men/Women

 (by Dennis B. Horne)

            One of the best and strongest reasons to interpret the First Presidency document “The Origin of Man” (see #12 & 13) as it is written, being a clear refutation of evolution and superb teachings about the origin of Adam and Eve, is because when you look at everything else President Smith taught on the subject, it all agrees and harmonizes. President Joseph F. Smith knew the true doctrine of the origin of man and the falseness of evolution—and often said so.

 

President Smith:

            I believe, too, that the most of the Latter-day Saints are wise enough, that they have sufficient intelligence and a sufficient portion of the Spirit of the living God in their hearts, to decide between truth and error, between right and wrong, and between light and darkness; and I will say I believe they have sense enough to abide by the simple, pure, truthful principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in preference to all the vagaries of philosophers, or of scientists, or of anybody else. There is no science, nor philosophy that can supersede God Almighty's truth. The Lord has said, "My word is truth," and indeed it is and I believe that the Latter-day Saints know enough about the word of God to know it is His word when they see it and shun whatever is not; and that they will abide by the word of God, for it is truth. As the Savior said, "If ye will abide in my word, then are ye my disciples, indeed; ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." I believe that the Latter-day Saints, and especially the leading men in Israel, have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the principles of the gospel that they know the truth, and they are made free by its possession—free from sin, free from error, free from darkness, from the traditions of men, from vain philosophy, and from the untried, unproven theories of scientists, that need demonstration beyond the possibility of a doubt. We have had science and philosophy through all the ages, and they have undergone change after change. Scarcely a century has passed but they have introduced new theories of science and of philosophy that supersede the old traditions and the old faith and the old doctrines entertained by philosophers and scientists. These things may undergo continuous changes, but the word of God is always true, is always right. (Conference Report, April 1911, 7-8.)

Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #22 - Elder Joseph Fielding Smith’s article, “The Origin and Destiny of Man with a side-light on Evolution”

 (by Dennis B. Horne)

            In 1920 there appeared in the Improvement Era a long treatise by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith on “The Origin and Destiny of Man.” From today’s perspective, it has the same weakness as his book of similar name—the scientific quotes he used are now over 100 years old and becoming obsolete. But what else was he to do? Today’s scientists will be obsolete in the future also.

            An editorial comment accompanying the article noted that Joseph Fielding Smith, “Whose dissertation in this number, on ‘The Origin and Destiny of Man,’ with a side light on evolution, and telling arguments showing its inadequacies and inconsistencies, is worth careful study and a double reading.” We reproduce this document here because its doctrinal teachings remain strong and true, and because BYU biologists need to dismiss President Smith’s teachings else their theories are groundless nonsense:

            My Brethren and Sisters:—Throughout the discussion of this topic, I would like you to keep in mind the following passages of scripture:

Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #21 - Selections from Doctrines of Salvation, by President Joseph Fielding Smith

(by Dennis B. Horne) 

            In the 1950s Elder Bruce R. McConkie spent much free time going through copies of his father-in-law’s correspondence that answered doctrinal questions. This work of selecting and organizing these letters and papers eventually became three published volumes of President Smith’s gospel teachings, titled Doctrines of Salvation.

            These volumes soon became very popular and influential in the Church and many orthodox gospel scholars readily acknowledge that they read them deeply and owe much them. These facts are well known to most students of the gospel, at least of the older generations. What is much less-well known is that in the year 2000 the First Presidency authorized the creation of a book (only one volume) containing selections from the three volumes of Doctrines of Salvation. This work was done and the resulting volume was reviewed and approved by Church Correlation, and then published by the Church in 2001 to be given as a Christmas present to church employees.

             The Brethren kept in the approved Selections book the teachings against evolution, and those about the true origin of man:

Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #20 - President Joseph Fielding Smith’s work Church History and Modern Revelation

(by Dennis B. Horne)

             Church History and Modern Revelation is a book or manual written by President Joseph Fielding Smith for use in priesthood quorums for 4 years in the late 1940s. The work began as a four-volume paperback manual subtitled, “Being a Course of Study for the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums.” It was later reprinted in a (much scarcer) 2-volume hardback set in 1953. It was formally published by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and copyrighted by David O. McKay as Trustee-in-Trust for the Church. The preface, written by President George F. Richards of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said in part: “We are living in momentous times. The Gospel has been restored ‘for the last time.’ It will never again be taken from the earth, but shall be here when our Lord comes to reign as Lord of lords and King of kings. However, the Church today, like the Church in the first centuries of the Christian Era, is constantly in danger. As it was in the first century, so now, we must guard against the introduction of false doctrines, theories and practices into the Church. . . .” (Preface)

            Many evolutionists and liberals take delight in shouting from the rooftops that President Smith’s book Man: His Origin and Destiny was a privately written and published and therefore unofficial work, so they don’t have to believe anything in it that refutes evolution. This in itself is not the wisest course to take, but setting that foolishness aside, it would seem that they either choose to forget or don’t know that President Smith wrote a lot of other books and articles teaching the same doctrines—including this formally reviewed and approved and published manual. It contains the below doctrinal teachings and warnings that engage the issues of evolution and teach the doctrine of the origin of man and the fall and redemption. In Church History and Modern Revelation, President Smith wrote this formally approved doctrine:

Refuting and Correcting BYU’s False Doctrine on the Origin of Man #19 - President Joseph Fielding Smith’s book, Man: His Origin and Destiny

(by Dennis B. Horne)

            President Joseph Fielding Smith’s famous book, Man: His Origin and Destiny, was published in 1954, by Deseret Book, and is now fairly rare. It is also hated by BYU (and all) evolutionists and is therefore one of the most demeaned and slandered books ever written by an apostle (up there with Mormon Doctrine). It was not written by assignment from the First Presidency (as such older books as Jesus the Christ and Articles of Faith were), but is instead a privately written and published doctrinal book.

            But that “unofficial” designation also covers almost every book ever written by any general authority in the Restored Church, from the Prophet Joseph Smith to President Russell M. Nelson. President Nelson’s superb gospel-explanation books are also unofficial private publications, the same as most of President Smith’s. People who think that status makes such volumes false or less-valuable or trite are fools.

            Only a few books (like those mentioned above by Elder Talmage and 2 or 3 others) have been published by the Church. Such is really not of great import. The real issue is whether the doctrine in a particular book is true or not. On a side note we should notice, however, that two of President Smith’s book have been officially published by the Church. A two-volume hardback set (or four volume paperback) titled, Church History and Modern Revelation, subtitled: “Being a Course of Study for the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums 1949,” and also a special abridged one-volume edition of Doctrines of Salvation. Both of these were approved and published by the Church itself and contain instruction condemning evolution and teaching the true doctrine of the origin of man. Other blogs will explore these books more fully.