Hi,
By the “standard works” we mean the scriptural canon of the Church, which consists of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. I had explained that in my blog post, if you read it carefully enough. I will here try to cover briefly as many of the points you have raised in your last two posts as possible.
First, let me make it clear that the LDS Church is not “individualistic”. It is anything but! Anybody who thinks that it is has not understood it. It is indeed true that Church members are encouraged to “think for themselves;” but the LDS church has a very well-defined and strict organizational or ecclesiastical structure that is perfectly capable of defining its basic doctrines, so that its members need not be in doubt about that. In this respect it resembles a lot the Catholic Church. It has a prophet-leader at its head whose function in many ways resembles that of the Pope. It has a priesthood line of authority through which cannel instruction from the leadership is passed on to the members. Twice a year a general conference of the Church is held in which the general members of the Church are instructed by their leaders. You state:
I feel the problem with looking at the Bible alone is that it is subject to interpretation to many people. Two people looking at the same passage will derive two different (if not more) meanings from it. So how do you know which interpretation is correct? This, I believe, is the reason there are soo many other religions in the world- because everyone is left to interpret divine scripture for themselves and then argue over who’s right and who’s wrong.
Our experience is that this simply does not happen. The only way that I can explain it is to ask you to give me an example. Do you know of any instance when members of the LDS Church have wondered off and organized a new church because they were not clear what the Church’s position on a certain doctrinal matter was? I don’t know of even one. There
have been people who have left the Church and organized their own religion; but they have never done so because they were not clear about what the Church’s position was. The have always known exactly what the Church’s position was, and just disagreed with it. You also state:
This would be true if random people put it together, but it is a combination of teachings, most of which has been given to us from our pope (see previous reply) and Tradition.
And we do not see the Catechism as replacing the Bible in any way! Please don’t accuse us of that, it’s just wrong!!!
I did not say that the Catechism completely replaces the Bible. But I have seen in many instances on this board when Catholics use the Catechism as the primary reference point for defining the theology of their religion. In the LDS Church that primacy is given to the scriptural canon of the Church. It is not true that that approach leads to a multiplicity of interpretations. You must give me some examples. I don’t think that you can find any. LDS generally agree on the fundamental principles of their religion. We believe that all Church members receive the gift of the Holy Ghost when they are baptized and confirmed members of the Church, and hands are laid upon them for the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that when they retain the companion of the Holy Spirit, they are able to agree among themselves, and with the leadership of the Church what the basic doctrines of the Church should be. Experience has shown that in practice that is in fact the case. Jesus commanded His disciples to “be one” (John 17:11, 21, 22). I think that you will find greater unanimity of belief among the members of the LDS Church regarding its basic doctrines than among many other churches.
What would you do if the Bible and the Catechism disagreed? Perhaps you will say, they don’t! Well, we have reasons to disagree.
zerinus
