Do Mormons really endorse "Lying for the Lord"?

Question

I recently saw an answer by Mr. Peepers that 'suggested' that Mormon leaders regularly lie in the name of the lord. He referenced this google search: http://www.google.com/search?q=lying+for+the+lord&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I find this HIGHLY disturbing if this is a regular practice. Why would the Mormon prophets need to lie? If they are the true prophet, aren't they working with the only true church? Why would they need to lie about that? What possible reason could be made to rationalize the need to lie in "the only true church?"

Is this real? Even though I am an exmormon, I cannot believe that this is something that really happens. When I was a Mormon, I would have never beleived this. Not for a second.

What do you think?

Ok I extend this to all religions. However, the specific phrase seems to be coined by the Mormons.

Answer 1

I really wanted to stay out of this one, but it still needs to be addressed. The full text is found in BYU's library. I've taken as much as necessary to preserve the intent on the message.

Elder Boyd K Packer's talk to Mormon historians and teachers, titled "The Mantle is Far, Far Greater Than The Intellect," on 22 August, 1981, at BYU, and later published in Brigham Young University Studies, Summer 1981 "There is no such thing as an accurate, objective history of the Church without consideration of the spiritual powers that attend this work...Church history can he so interesting and so inspiring as to be a very powerful tool indeed for building faith. If not properly written or properly taught, it may be a faith destroyer. If we who research, write, and teach the history of the Church ignore the spiritual on the pretext that the world may not understand it, our work will not be objective. And if, for the same reason, we keep it quite secular, we will produce a history that is not accurate and not scholarly. There is a temptation for the writer or the teacher of Church history to want to tell everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not.

Some things that are true are not very useful."

Or Dallin Oakes comment on PBS's 'The Mormons'. These are mormons themselves, not anti mormons. It started with J Smith with his outlandish claims of visions and gold plates and how god commanded him to take many women.

The truth, hibby? "vous ne pouvez pas manipuler la vérité!"

Answer 2

Your citation comes from other apostates. I would not believe a fraction of what comes from them. I have been a member all my life, have studied the Gospel as presented by the Church all my life. I am a sixth generation LDS. My family joined the church in 1831. We were there when the Church was growing and being persecuted. Many of the lies perpetrated about us now have been around for 150 years or more. They have never been proven and never will be. The prophets have never lied about the Church or the Gospel. They have no need to lie about such things. All of our enemies have lied about us and are still doing so.
Look at the trial of Jesus in the New Testament to understand what is going on here. The Pharisees, Priests, Scribes and rulers sought false witnesses against Christ, paid people to lie about Him and still could not get anybody with sufficient lies to corroborate any wrong doing on His part. Finally, they took Christ's own words and said He was worthy of death. That is what happened to Joseph Smith and other Church leaders. Our enemies have taken us to court and have never proved any wrong doing. Finally they took matters into their own hands and murdered him with mob violence.
I repeat, there is no such thing as lying for the Lord. We do not do this and never will. We stand by the truth and if the world cannot handle it then we will rely upon the Lord to help us and get us through the subsequent persecution.
Jesus said that the world hates His disciples because they are not of the world. If we were of the world, the world would love us but because we are not like the worldly people, the worldly people do not love us and try to find fault against us. I have seen this in many instances, using a phrase here and a phrase there to appear to be something bad. When placed into proper context and read with a spirit of understanding, there is nothing amiss, whatsoever.
Do not fall for their lies.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is indeed the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I know it, I feel His spirit working in me and I discern the truth and falsehood of those things that are said about us.
I so declare it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Answer 3

First off, missionaries don't "dodge" questions. Don't you think it would get confusing if the missionaries fed ALL the information to people in one big load? They have to break it down in bits and pieces so that other people can gain a better understanding. That only seems natural to me. So many details and intricacies about religious beliefs without providing reasoning behind those beliefs would do nothing but make people's heads spin.

Lying is never right. If someone has a question about my beliefs, they can ask me. I will answer truthfully, and to the best of my ability. I won't try to justify any lying. Most people I have met in the church are the same way.

The insinuation that all LDS people lie and justify lying is a little offensive.

Answer 4

The responses to the above link look greater often than not unfavorable to the theory. That exhibits there seems to be a resistance to quit using the interest yet, a minimum of people who felt moved to respond to. the choice to proceed this is utilization or no longer might ought to come from the final government, no longer the club. it somewhat is purely how the church is prepared: from the ideas-blowing down. My turn: now and lower back a query would be published in a definite vogue that exhibits a 'facet' has been chosen, and responses could be everywhere in the board. i'm to blame on that regard, yet i do no longer, or a minimum of attempt no longer, to objective to be 'inflammatory'. Being advesarial does not inevitably recommend 'foe'. Answering placed as much as maintain a attitude is the two complicated, and now and lower back it somewhat is a chore to chop up the poster from the placed up. as quickly as lower back i'm as to blame as a results of fact the subsequent, yet i attempt to a minimum of analyze the 'different facet of the coin', as a results of fact the 1st facet has often been provided. I truly by no potential meant to alter right into a vicious 'anti' and preceived as a villainous cretin, yet I knew from the start this exchange into no longer likely to be a walk interior the park. i've got reread a number of my previous posts, and that i will say that some have been dealt with with out too lots sympathy or compassion; others i think of are spot on. discovering to stay with distinctive attitudes is the start of popularity. with out that, human beings will proceed to run on emotions the place reason would desire to stay away from a disaster. Like, Peace

Answer 5

I watched that talk by Bro. Millett and I didn't hear a thing about lying. He has some really great ideas. Things I've heard and things I've not heard, but are good ideas.

The thing is, that it really does all come back to "The Sacred Grove". Do you believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, another testament of Jesus Christ, and do you believe that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God? If you can't accept that, then you can't accept anything else. If you do accept it, then everything else is either acceptable, or superfluous. It has nothing to do with lying.

Answer 6

I read that article that is in that link and it clearly states that while some of the early members lied to protect loved ones, lying is still wrong and while there circumstances will be taken into account they will still be judge for that lie. I don't believe that your sources have all there facts right. But I know the Mormon church condemns lying. Here is a quote from one of the articles on the link:
Lying is sinful, as it has always been, and there is no exempt category for so-called “lying for the Lord.” Lying is simply outside the range of permitted or condoned conduct by Latter-day Saints—members or leaders.

Answer 7

Since some complained that you posted the info from an anti website, I an posting the quote with the original Mormon source.

Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle, "Gospel Teachings About Lying", Clark Memorandum BYU (Spring 1994 pg. 16-17). In this Oaks acknowledges 'Lying for the Lord' by early Mormon leaders. Joseph Smith lied about many of his activities and the overwhelming historical evidence forced Oaks to admit the lies. Among Mormons and former Mormons it has become known as "Lying for the Lord".

If any Mormons doubt their church's practice of lying they can look this up from the Mormon source- if the church will let them.

Answer 8

First of all, this was written by an ex-mormon. Can you really trust it? I would say probably not.

I don't believe in lying for anyone, and I don't think that our leaders would endorse this practice either.

Since our thirteenth article of faith states: We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. I don't really think that lying would go along with this, no matter the reason.

Answer 9

How else do you think they would win gullible converts and keep born in the faith members? This is called desperate survival.

I think maybe they should make all the missionaries place there hand on the BoM and swear to tell the "whole truth and nothing but the truth".

Answer 10

Why do all religions lie? To get and keep members of course. Why single out mormonism? Why not ask this of all religions?