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| Our values are made up of a set of beliefs to which we have come
through a process not unlike the scientific method except for one major
distinguishable difference. In the scientific method, perhaps through
necessity, a major component of human life is voluntarilly sacrificed. That
component is spirituality.
We believe that spirituality is as integral to human life as eating is to physical survival. It is not unsurprizing then that we place great value on our spiritual development. We feel it would be just as hazardous to our total, or holistic, development to ignore our spiritual self as attempting to give up eating or sleeping would be to our physical health. | |
| So, to aid in explaining our values, let us begin by sharing a document written during the 1800s by Joseph Smith, the prophet of the restoration, in answer to the question, "What do you believe?" He wrote this in a document now commonly referred to as the Wentworth Letter. |
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The Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | |
| 1 | We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. |
| 2 | We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. |
| 3 | We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. |
| 4 | We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. |
| 5 | We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof. |
| 6 | We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. |
| 7 | We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. |
| 8 | We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. |
| 9 | We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. |
| 10 | We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. |
| 11 | We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. |
| 12 | We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. |
| 13 | 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. |
| Joseph Smith. | |
| We adhere to these beliefs as closely as we are able. Each of our children memorize these Articles of Faith before they are 12 years old, as we, their parents did. | |
| The following quote deserves our adherence and serious consideration; more especially in these troubled times. | |
| "Of all the dispositions and habits
which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable
supports. -- In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who
should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these
firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. -- The mere Politician,
equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. -- A
volume could not trace all their connections with private and public
felicity. -- Let it simply be asked, where is the security for property,
for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the
oaths which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?
And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be
maintained without religion. -- Whatever may be conceded to the influence
of refined education on minds of peculiar structure -- reason and
experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail
in exclusion of religious principle." —George Washington´s Farewell Address, Harvard Classics (1910), Vol.43, p.260 | |
| If you would like to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please visit www.mormon.org or you can go to the Church's home page, www.LDS.org. | |
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Addendum |
| The first is a talk given by Hugh Nibley (a cousin) at the 1983 Brigham Young University commencement exercises. This is the talk where he explains what he meant when he called the graduation robes the robes of a false priesthood. |
| The next added page is Federalist #29 from The Federalist. This paper makes it abundantly clear that the purpose of a militia as outlined in the 2nd amendment was to provide the citizens ample and equal protection from a "standing army" controlled by the government. In other words, we should each be armed and meet once or twice yearly to maintain our skills to afford us protection from the federal government. It's very plain though it uses very big words for our modern little mouths. |
| Another added page is The Bill of No Rights by Lewis Napper of Mississippi, a self-described "amateur philosopher and professional geek." |
| The next one is a prayer issued before the Kansas State Legislature in 1996 by Paster Joe Wright. |
| The last added page is reprinted here by permission. It's an article by Rafael X entitled Out The Truth which he sent to WorldNetDaily.com as an editorial. They were so impressed that they printed it as a guest editorial. I print it here for your quick access, and so it doesn't get lost at WorldNetDaily. |
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And finally... |