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COMMENTARY

(by Price Publishing)

PAPER #1 THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH, pages 1-11

Since this paper begins with the caption, "First Presidency Meetings," the Presidency is responsible for its contents.

The first thing in this paper is a statement that these Presidential Papers contain the message of the church, 1A; and that they are not "superficial discussion" papers, 1B. Their purpose is to establish a "sound belief structure" for the church's beliefs, 1D. (In this way the Presidency makes it certain that these papers are definitely official.)

GODHEAD AND INCARNATION

Next the First Presidency proceeds to expound a new set of beliefs about the nature of God and the Godhead which are contrary to what the scriptures and the RLDS Church has always proclaimed. At first the reader does not discern that the Presidency believes that there is but one person in the Godhead and that his being incarnated in the flesh was the most important event in history. The Presidency sees the incarnation as the most important doctrine because it reconciled, they say, God and humanity by the fact that God became "like us" and associated with us. If this were true salvation would come through reconciliation and association.

On the other hand the RLDS Church has always proclaimed the scriptural doctrine that the most important event in history was the atonement, for in it human sin was paid for through the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God. In this belief salvation comes through repentance from sin, and from our being redeemed by God the Son through the shedding of his blood for us. The basic question raised by the Presidential Papers then, is whether redemption or salvation comes by God's condescending to associate with men on their level (incarnation), or whether redemption comes by repentance from sin, and propitiation through Christ's atonement.

After discarding the doctrine of atonement, they fill the void by declaring, "Through faith we see in Jesus Christ the incarnation of God in man. This incarnation is at the heart of the Christian faith, 4B. (This is not true, for salvation through the sacrifice of God the Son (Jesus Christ) is at the heart of the Christian faith.) The First Presidency also states, "The incarnation of God in Christ is the revelation of God's eternal plan of salvation which exists from before the foundation of the world" 5B.

The First Presidency not only has misinterpreted in these papers the method of salvation, but has also revealed that they believe there is but one person in the Godhead. They believe that God the Father is a personality rather than a person, and that God the Son (Hebrews 1:1-12) does not exist. When this one-God personality entered a human body, he was called Jesus Christ. They do not speak of God the Father and Christ together as two individuals, nor do they mention Jesus as God the Son.

The Presidency has held these beliefs for a number of years. They expressed them first in 1967-68 in the Position Papers, which are now available in book form. They published these beliefs in a

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series of articles titled, "Basic Beliefs Series," in the Saints Herald for January 1968, pp. 17-20; February 1, pp. 87-92, and March 1, pp. 61-64 . And now President Wallace B. Smith has joined with the previous Presidency in perpetrating these two heretical beliefs by publishing them as his own "Foundation of Our Faith" in these Presidential Papers.

With the above explanation as a background, the following references take on real meaning:

Implication that there is but one individual in the Godhead, 2B, 4ABC, 5AB, 6AD, 9C, and 13C. They speak of him as "the God," 2CD, 3CD, 18C, as though he were a stranger to them. They say that the one-God entered the world in the body of Christ, 11B, 2BC, 3DE, 4AC, 5AB, 6AFH, and 9C. They see the one-God as Jesus by saying that he is the shepherd, 2C, and the redeemer, 4B.

They imply that God the Son does not exist, 9BC, 13C. They believe that the one-God can be known only through the incarnation and through the Holy Spirit, 6D. (The scriptures indicate that God the Father has revealed himself directly to individuals--see Doc. and Cov. 22, 67:3, 83:3. And they reveal that Christ has also appeared many times. Also the Father and Son appeared together to Joseph Smith.)

They seem to think that God is not a person, but only a personality, 5C, 6EFG, 9D. They say God's purpose is unchangeable, but that his laws of salvation are changeable, 5C (the scriptures declare that the gospel is everlasting (Rev. 14:6), and therefore the laws of salvation are not changeable).

The Presidency speaks of God as having become a human in the incarnation, 4B, 7B, "like us," 58F. They emphasize that Jesus was a man, 15E, 22H, and seem to neglect his divinity. (This is the same doctrine as that held by modern liberal theologians who teach that Christ was merely a man who grew into Godhood. The scriptures teach that Christ was God-the-Son before coming to earth (Hebrews 1:1-12), and though he suffered the same temptations as we, he still was always divine.)

They quote that every man would like to be like God, but that it is impossible, 7DE. (The first part of this is untrue because "the natural man is an enemy to God" (Mosiah 1:119), and most people do not want to be like him. The second part is also untrue because people are able to become like him in many ways, if they live worthy to enter celestial glory.)

The Presidency continues to say that RLDS beliefs about Christ (Christology), the atonement, and the Trinity as found in the Book of Mormon are not found in the New Testament, but in "medieval theology," 29DE. This is another way of saying that Restoration doctrines on these subjects come from Catholic doctrines of the Middle Ages, and are therefore false. The Saints though are well aware that these beliefs are in the New Testament--that it does speak of God "The Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and atonement for sin through the shedding of the blood of Christ.

These teachings by the Presidency are new doctrines to the Saints, perhaps, but they are not new to Christianity. They are part of the dogmas of liberalism. Liberalism had its beginning when Cain decided to change God's way of doing things and offered

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a sacrifice of "the fruit of the ground" (Genesis 5:6) instead of a lamb, which was symbolic of the Lamb of God. Liberalism was found in New Testament times, and has been strong in Europe from time to time, and is rampant throughout the religious circles today. Now it has found its way into the minds of the Presidency.

THE SCRIPTURES

After introducing these heretical implications about the Godhead, the Presidency proceeds to downgrade the scriptures. They are only experiences which are "declared to be scripture by the church," 10B (as though God's declaring them to be scripture is meaningless). They say the scriptures must be flexible so they may be adapted to the needs (or wishes) of each person, 10C. In order to be faithful to "truth" the scriptures must be "evaluated," 11A. Each generation must rediscover religious meaning for itself, 12A. (This is a polite way of saying that the scriptures have no value--the "flexibility," which the Presidency emphasizes here, allows them to discard RLDS doctrines at will. Of course only those who accept the scriptures as the true Word of God can have deep spiritual experiences and can be instrumental in converting others to the Restored gospel.)

It should be noted that the Presidency quotes from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, 3A. Of all the Bible quotations checked, none were from the Inspired Version. This is an important evidence that the Presidency has foresaken the Restoration and is favoring ecumenism.

These papers express the theological stance of President Wallace B. Smith, for he read them extensively to the appointees at the January meeting, and this paper says "I invite your continued attention to these important subjects," 12B

The two important subjects in paper #1 are that the scriptures are not binding because they are flexible, and that the Presidency has repudiated the RLDS doctrine of the Godhead, and now believes the one-person-theory which is presently believed by many liberals and ecumenists.

The title of this paper #1 is "The Foundation of Our Faith." This means that the Presidency considers it extremely important that our faith be founded upon their one-person-in-the-Godhead theory, instead of believing in God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Doc. & Cov. 17:5a). All who accept their one-person theory are in spiritual darkness.

The second doctrine which they emphasize in this paper is the "flexibility of the scriptures." This is the very same dogma that Brigham Young used to lead the Saints into the Utah apostasy. Young called it the "living oracles," meaning that doctrinal interpretations (oracles) proclaimed by the Presidency superseded the doctrines contained in the scriptures. This gives the Presidency supreme directional control in all matters, with no checks and balances.

The Saints must decide now whether the foundation of our faith shall be a literal interpretation of the scriptures and an adherence to them, or whether they will allow the Presidency to lead them by "flexibility."

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PAPER #2, THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH, pages 13-21

In this paper the Presidency subtly rejects the idea that the RLDS Church was divinely established to be the New Testament church restored, and that it is to build Zion.

They project the concept, as in the Position Papers. that the true church is not an institution nor an organization, but that it is only people. In their thinking all Christians together are the true church, 14AC. (If this were true, then Christ would have accepted the Pharisees, etc., as part of His New Testament Church, but he did not.) They call the mass of "persons," who supposedly make up the universal church, the "ecclesia," 13E. They call denominational churches (including ours) "institutional churches," 18C.

Since they look upon all Christian people together as the true church, they see the National and World Councils of Churches as the "visible church"--or the organization which has the right to represent all Christians. This would make the RLDS Church only a section of the WCC.

They emphasize that the true church is not an organization, but only people. They call it "the community," 13D, 18A; "a new universal community," 14A, and "a confessing community," 19B. They insist that the true church needs no "structure" (officers, doctrines, and laws), 14G; that all can be saved in the universal church, 14B (so the RLDS Church is unnecessary); and that all people shall be drawn into this universal church, 15CD; that it is part of the world, without any special privilege before God, 16D. The true church is only "reconciled persons," 16E; it does not establish "isolated communities" (build Zion), "to exert power over against the world," 17B.

In the last paragraph at the bottom of page 18 the Presidency indicates that in a church which does not deeply concern itself with man s predicament" (the social gospel), its people will seek "the spirit" (true spiritual experiences), which will make it become a denomination, instead of remaining "the unassuming and provisional people of God" (the ecclesia). They indicate that is bad by quoting that "When religions fail, cults appear," 18E. By this they imply that the ecclesia is the true religion, and that the RLDS Church is a cult.

They also imply here that the RLDS Church (the institutional church, 18C) failed when "opting to be a relevant social force," 18D. In other words, they are saying that when our church became a definite denomination (a social force) with the dual task of providing salvation and building Zion, it failed its true purpose--which is to be a part of the ecclesia. All this implies that the church should be human-centered with its emphasis on service and the social gospel, instead of being God-centered with emphasis on God's plans for salvation and kingdom building.

They speak of the church's sin and assurance of salvation, 19C (Christ's church, being a divine institution, cannot sin--only the people in it can).

The Presidency continues to downgrade the RLDS Church by saying that the true church must not be in "isolation from the world," 17A (meaning that the RLDS Church must not remain separate from the N.C.C.-W.C.C.), because to do so would make it a "nonparticipant whose word is angry judgment," 17A. (By believing that our church is the true one, and refusing to join the W.C.C., we make other churches angry. In other words, being a "non-

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participant" is, in the Presidency's thinking, "angry judgment" 40 against other churches.)

They say the church is not noted for its power to "compel others to obedience," 17C, but the Presidency itself does seek to compel obedience in Paper #5, "Coping with Conflicting Messages." They say that combining religious idealism and political power creates "tyranny," 19A. (Is this what they do in Paper #5?)

The Presidency admits that since it has turned "away from the authority of the past," that the RLDS Church is "called into a new country where the landscape is strange and the road maps have not even been printed. In fact, there are no roads, but dim paths are beginning to appear," 20AA, A,B. In closing, they call for the building of a temple, 21A, but at the same time say that we must "be a part of the community of reconciliation," 21B, which they believe the W.C.C. to be.

Inspite of all these things which the Presidency has said against the church, we must remember that the true church is an institution (denomination) with structure. Jesus said, "I will build my church," even though there were already many churches whose members worshipped God and used the same scriptures. He did not join them nor combine them into a World Council.

Also, inspite of the fact that we have good will toward all other churches, the scriptures call them the whore and her harlot daughters (Revelation chapter 17). On the other hand the New Testament Church (which God restored through Joseph Smith) is called the Lamb's Bride.

The Bible lists both officers (structure) and principles of salvation (codes and laws) as being a part of the church. Also, the church does have God-given power to convert and reconcile people to God, contrary to 16E; and to help them develop faith, 16F.

Again, Paper #1 taught that the scriptures are invalid as the standard by which to judge the church--which leaves the Presidency free to change the church any way it pleases. Paper #2 then says that the true church has no particular form, but is all Christians (Catholics and Protestants) together. This frees the hierarchy to discard the RLDS Church and its distinctive beliefs, and to take the Saints into the National and World Councils of Churches.

PAPER #3 THE IDENTITY OF THE CHURCH (pages 22-35)

Here the Presidency discusses the RLDS Church's message, distinctive beliefs, authority, relationship to other churches, and the meaning of the word "Restoration," 22A-F. It asks if the RLDS Church has a right to exist, 22G.

THE CHURCH

The Presidency states that the church offers no solutions for the problems of collective evil, sin and death, 23A. (Of course the church does, through the gospel, the scriptures, and the guidance and the comfort of the Holy Ghost.) This paper emphasizes the N.C.C. stance that religion is only concerned with "here and now," 24A (thus ignoring the hereafter which is so important). They say that the "efficacy" of the ordinances is in their "internal coherence," 25A (rather than saying that the power of the ordinances is in their ability to bestow divine blessings and bring us into the presence of God--see Doc. and Cov. 83:3).

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By giving new liberal meanings to familiar RLDS terminology the Presidency can sound like Saints, while actually they are teaching ecumenism. As the Saints accept the new meanings for the old terms, they are gradually being weaned away from the Lord's true gospel.

Thus the Presidency states in this paper that the fullness of the gospel is the "total range of human experience" with the gospel, 24D, 31H (while the Doctrine and Covenants says it is that complete set of doctrines which permit the fullest degree of salvation). They say "the message of the gospel is about communion in community," 25B. (It is really that people may have salvation through accepting Christ's atonement and serving him.)

The Presidency continues by stating that "Restoration" is the continual reworking of the church's beliefs, or the "constantly creating of new occasions" in which the knowledge of Christ can be shared, 26AB. It is a process, 28B. which is "continually at work among us 28C. (Restoration actually means the restoring of the New Testament Church.) They speak of the founding of the church in the 1830s as a new church, 26C, while the Saints know that it was only the restoring of the old New Testament Church. (This change of definition shows how ecumenical the Presidency has become in their thinking.)

The Presidency says that "when we are honest" we must agree "that the apostasy and the Restoration were not events that happened" in history, 28C. (This is an alarming statement, for it is saying that the Presidency does not believe in the apostasy of the Dark Ages, nor in the restoring of the New Testament Church at all. They are implying that the Lord and Joseph Smith were wrong in claiming that there was an apostasy and Restoration Movement. By discarding these two beliefs, the Presidency destroys the RLDS Church in a single blow, and leaves the Saints to be only a part of the "universal church," to be taken into the N.C.C.-W.C.C. No wonder they ask the question, "Does the church have a right to exist?" (22G). Without the apostasy and Restoration, the answer is "No!

The Presidency declares that religion is evolving, page 28. (This is strictly an ecumenical idea; the RLDS Church has always taught that God and true religion are the same yesterday, today, and forever.) The Presidency says it has evolved from the worship of Baal, to Old Testament animal sacrifices, through the New Testament gospel; then from the Renaissance and Reformation into the Restoration--and now it is evolving away from the RLDS Church's separatist tendencies to the present insights that the Restoration is a process," 28AA-C. (This leaves the implication that the RLDS Church is now supposed to evolve into ecumenism and the W.C.C.)

THE BOOK OF MORMON

Next in this paper on the "Identity of the Church" the Presidency severely downgrades the Book of Mormon. They say its only purpose or "singular intention," 26D, is to testify that Jesus is the Christ; and that the church "will continue to value the Book of Mormon for this purpose," 29A, (but they show that they do not believe in its divinity 29C-F.)

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The Position Papers of 1969 listed fourteen things supposedly wrong with the Book of Mormon and implied that it would be phased out completely. But in the Presidential Papers the Presidency has made a very shrewd change by deciding to keep the book. It is shrewd because the Saints will be pacified by being able to keep it, while officials of the N.C.C.-W.C.C. will be able to see in the Position Papers and Presidential Papers that the church officials believe that it is not really true, but is only an oddity from our 19th century heritage. When viewed in this manner, the RLDS Church becomes eligible for membership in the N.C.C.-W.C.C.

The Presidency says that our "history gives divergent answers regarding" how the Book of Mormon came forth, and that its historicity "cannot be proven," 29C. (There is much doctrinal and archaeological evidence of its truth. Also see Moroni 10:4-5.)

The faults that the Presidency names against the Book of Mormon include that its doctrines are those of the Puritans in Joseph's time, 29D, which were formed during Medieval times, 29E. (True doctrine is the same in all ages.)

As an example of their unbelief, the First Presidency stated, "The development of its [the Book of Mormon's] Christology [what it has to say about Christ], doctrines of the atonement [of Christ], the Trinitarian [God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost] concepts are not found in the New Testament but in the development of medieval (Middle Ages] theology," 29CDE. (These statements by the Presidency are a subtle way of saying that the book is not divine, but is a lie which Joseph made up--which is the same theme as that found in the Position Papers.)

They say it is an error to claim that either the Book of Mormon or the Restoration Movement are true, 29F. The most "demonic" thing we could do, they say, is to judge the Book of Mormon and the New Testament by their historicity, 31ABCD (to insist that they are historically true).

(Here the Presidency is charging the Saints today with being demonic if they "judge" (believe) that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon actually happened as Joseph Smith and others testified. This is a harsh charge. Demonic means demon-like or of evil spirits. It is astounding that the First Presidency would have such an attitude against the miraculous events in early church history.)

We should only lay claim to the testimony of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon that Jesus is the Christ, 31CE. It is "the sin of our kind," 31EF, to worry about their origin. (The marvelous story of how the Book of Mormon came forth is just as important as its contents--both show God at work in the same miraculous ways that he used in Biblical times.)

The Presidency says the Book of Mormon will be accepted by the church as scripture in the same way as the Bible and Doctrine and Covenants are, 30A, and then they proceed immediately to point out "reasons to doubt" all of them, 30A-B. (In other words, they will be called "scripture" but are not to be thought of as coming from God, but only as the writings of men. This is the same theme found in the Position Papers, which said that the scriptures were full of myths and legends.)

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AUTHORITY

Paper #3 ends with a discussion of authority. The Presidency says it is erroneous to believe that only the RLDS Church has authority from God, 33A. Our faith would be diminished if we believed that only our church had authority, 33CD. Believing that other churches have authority enhances our authority, 33E (not if we believe we are Christ's true church restored). It is dangerous and "borders on the spirit of arrogance" to believe that other churches do not have authority, 34AB. Our church has "a measure of the fullness of the gospel" to share with other churches 34CD, and the way to share it is in ministerial alliances, 34D, and ecumenical fellowships, 34E. God is reaching out through "many instruments" (other churches), 35A. (If other churches have as much authority as ours, then what need is there for the RLDS Church?)

(It is obvious from the above that the Presidency believes that other churches have as much authority as ours, and that we should join them in the W.C.C. This, along with their desire to give up RLDS distinctives, evidences that they are not Latter Day Saints, but are only ecumenists. The RLDS Church definitely has special and exclusive authority as the Lamb's bride--Rev. 12 & 17).

PAPER #4 THE MISSION AND FUTURE OF THE CHURCH, pages 36-46

The Presidency continues to emphasize that the church is only a "community of people," 36B,"a fellowship," 36C. Its purpose is to "make disciples of all nations," 36A (how incomplete). It's holiness is only "pietistic hypocracy," 37B, and its light "is reflection of its own sin," 37C. (Instead, the church is a divinely created institution which God has made holy, and Christ is its light.)

They say that the gospel is only the "assurance that we can stop denying what we actually are," 37D (when it is really that set of doctrines through which we may obtain salvation).

The rest of Paper #4 is devoted to downgrading RLDS concepts of Zion, pages 39-46. President Wallace B. Smith and his councilors say that Zion is only a symbol for hope, 39B; that Jesus rejected the building of Zion in his time as Satanic, 40A, 41A.

The Presidency says that when we have thoughts of a literal Zion, we must remember that Jesus rejected the idea when he was here, 41ABCD.

(Of course Jesus did not reject the idea of Zion in Jerusalem, but taught that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He wanted to "gather" his people as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but the people were not righteous enough to build Zion then. How weak and uninspired are the examples given by the Presidency, saying that because Christ rejected Satan's plans during his great temptation, that he was rejecting the plan for Zion.)

They continue that the RLDS idea of Zion was a product of the American frontier dreams, 42A; it comes from John Calvin, 42B. (Here the Presidency is saying that Joseph Smith fabricated the RLDS concepts of Zion himself from his own cultural background, which would make him a false prophet for claiming that God revealed to him the concepts of Zion. The Presidency's claims, if true, would make the Doctrine and Covenants a book of falsehoods!)

The Presidency says the concept of Zion is an Old Testament

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idea, 42CD; and is a hope of the "radical reformation," 42C; that Zion could not exist inside a nation which is already established, 42EF; that Zionic ideas cause confusion and distrust, 43AB; that Zion would cause withdrawal from the world, 43C; that Zionic ideas would set the church against society, 43D; that Jesus rejected the idea of Zion having its own civil government, 43E; that he rejected it as an exclusive community, 44A, or as an ensign, 44B.

They claim that Zion would cause barriers and separation 44C; that since Jesus did not build Zion while in Palestine, there should be none, 44D; that Joseph Smith's desire for Zion caused him to attempt to build an "image" in the likeness of the frontier beliefs of his times (Zion after his own imagination), 45B; that Zion cannot be in human history, 45C; that instead, the church will build communities of "justice and peace," 46B, (these last words are borrowed from the N.C.C.), and Zionic communities throughout the world, 69B.

(Note: Actually at first Zion shall be like the New Testament Zion after Christ's resurrection (a society within another nation). Later, during the tribulation period after civil governments have collapsed, it will become independent like Enoch's City--Genesis 7:15-22. The Presidency is fighting against believing in this last concept of Zion because it is repulsive to liberal Protestants and ecumenists, and because they refuse to face the fact that the tribulation period is coming. The hierarchy is erasing RLDS concepts of Zion in order to make the church acceptable to the W.C.C.)

"All they who fight against Zion, shall be cut off"--First Nephi 7:42.

PAPER #5 COPING WITH CONFLICTING MESSAGES, pages 47-54

The gospel which the hierarchy is now promoting is different from the gospel of the Restoration Movement which Joseph Smith taught. The Presidency is now teaching liberal ecumenism (see the current church school curriculum). They call this their present program goals, 51A, the church program, 47D. and the current position, 50F (since it is only "current," it too may change at any time.) The RLDS distinctive doctrines, which have "their roots in our particular history," 47H, are the "conflicting messages," 47G, which are in conflict with their ecumenical beliefs. They continue by saying that if the "conservatives" (Restorationists) and the "Progressives" (ecumenists), 47F, both continue to publish materials to the Saints, it will "tear the church apart," 49A. (Actually, it is the Presidency's new liberalism which is really tearing the church apart, and sapping its strength.)

The church officials discuss "pluralism," 47D, and page 104. Pluralism means that there are two theologies or sets of doctrines in the church at the same time. The two theologies at present are Restorationism and ecumenism. When the Presidency first introduced pluralism in 1969, they spoke of it as a good thing (see Position Papers). That was because their liberal ecumenism was then weak and Restorationism was very strong in the church. But now that they believe that ecumenism is dominant, they insist that pluralism must be stopped lest it tear the church apart, 49A. It is the Restoration

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theology which must be eliminated, according to them, 47GH, 62A. In this way it is apparent that the dogma of pluralism has been used by the officials only when it has been to their advantage, and that it is only a tool which they have used to blind the Saints.

At the present time the church officials are against pluralism as it pertains to Restoration materials, but they are now using it in a new field--the field of joining the World Council of Churches. Apostle Cole says the church must use pluralism in regard to joining the W.C.C. during the 1980s--see page 104. This means that the Saints will be appeased by allowing part of the church to keep its "separatist attitudes," (remain pro-Restoration), while other segments of the church (known as Progressives, 47F), will join the W.C.C., and that the Saints will become so accustomed to ecumenism that they will allow the W.C.C. to take over the church completely. Then pluralism will become outlawed in this field also. Pluralism is one of the tools used to maneuver the Saints.

In the Presidential Papers the Presidency implies that there must be only one message or gospel, 59B-60C (which of course is their ecumenical gospel). This means the Restored gospel with its RLDS distinctives must be "coped" with, 47A, or forced out of the church. They imply that the appointees must convince the Saints to stop teaching Restoration beliefs, 49ABCD, 54B.

The Presidency states that the purpose of this seminar is to make the church's leadership (appointees and executives) united, 47BC, in achieving unified goals (their ecumenical liberalism). The Presidency is anxious that they can "own together" (jointly accept) the new ecumenical position, 47D.

They call Restoration beliefs "conservative" and their ecumenism "progressive," 47F (while just the opposite is true).

The Presidency says that in the past the church has been guilty of separatism, 48D, and isolation (from other churches), 48A, by which they mean that the Saints have opposed joining the N.C.C. and the W.C.C. They continue by saying that their current educational resources and worship materials have been developed "to free ourselves [the church] from the weight of our separatists attitudes," 48D.

They add that they must "help our people grow in this direction [ecumenism] and respond affirmatively to the recent expressions of prophetic direction to the church in meaningful behavioral changes," 48E. The term "prophetic direction" is a reference to Doctrine and Covenants 151:9 which states that "My disciples must be found in the forefront of those organizations and movements which are recognizing the worth of persons... ." Apostle Cole has interpreted this statement to mean that "those organizations" are the W.C.C. and its divisions. He wrote that the church, or parts of it, should join such bodies as the World Council of Churches ..."--see page 104 of this book.

They say Restorationists in the church have been publishing materials which seem to oppose the Presidency's program, 48F. They admit, "It is often impossible to fault the specific content of much of the 'alternate' [Restoration] material." 48G. (This is because the Restoration material is based upon the scriptures, and they cannot publicly find fault with its message without losing control of the Saints.

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They think that the Restoration materials are bad because they "limit" the Saints by keeping them from participating with other communities (churches) and joining "forces" with them 48G (joining forces with them in the W.C.C.).

They continue that "if some of our units (groups of Saints] are reinforcing a pietistic separatist stance [remaining separate from other churches] supported by alternative curriculums and literature [Restoration materials] while others are engaged in outreach and community participation [the social gospel] supported,by the World Church leadership [ecumenical] materials it will not be long before we are torn apart," 48H-49A. In order to avoid a division, the appointees must give leadership "clearly" to the Saints, 49B. If any member or group takes "extreme (Restoration] positions" the appointees must "labor" with them, 49C. Early labor is best, 49D.

The Presidency says a few groups have distributed "alternative" (Restoration) materials, 50A. They have even crossed jurisdictional lines, 50B (the boundaries between branches, districts, etc.). Their publishing of RLDS distinctives has confused some members, 50B, 51B, because those members thought that the Presidency may have authorized them 50B. The ' Restoration Voice magazine and School of Saints, 50D, are two of these group which are "in conflict with the editorial policy, of the First Presidency," 50C, 51C.

They who publish anything contrary to the Presidency's "present program goals," 51A, are in violation of church law, 52B, 53B. (This would mean that it is a violation of church law to publish that the history of the Book of Mormon is true or that the Restoration Movement is an act of God. Actually, it is the Presidency's new program that is a violation of church law, because it is in direct conflict with the gospel as found in the Three Standard Books. When Saints circularize Restoration material by putting it into writing and sharing it with others, they are "compromising the First Presidency's" authority, 53AB. The Presidency has no authority when it teaches doctrines contrary to the Three Standard Books--see Doctrine and Covenants 43:2bc.)

Paper #5 continues by saying that members may express dissent to the leaders, 53C (who for years have ignored their implorations to return to the gospel), but the members do not have the right to "circularize" the church by telling other Saints what they believe, 53D, if it conflicts with the Presidency's program, 53E. Such violators are to be "persuaded" by the appointees, 54C, to conform to the Presidency's current beliefs, 54A. A lack of conforming cannot be tolerated, 54B. The Presidency will assist the appointees "to persuade" the Saints to conform "in whatever ways are" needful, 54C.

(Regarding the right of the members to publish Restoration materials, the Saints have that right by virtue of common consent. This means they have the right and duty to accept or reject everything the Presidency produces. The Saints have the ultimate authority in the church--the Presidents are only their servants. The Saints have the right to dissent as well as to consent. If the Saints reject the Presidency's ecumenical program, the Presidency must abandon that program.

(Common consent means that the Saints have the duty to study everything the Presidency does. When the Saints believe that basic doctrines have been violated, it is their duty to publish

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their concerns as widely as possible, in order that all the Saints may hear both sides of the issue--so they may consent or dissent intelligently.

(The Presidency does not have the right to change doctrines, nor to institute new programs and positions, without publishing them to the Saints. They must publish their inner intentions openly, call for free and open discussion, and secret voting. Anything less than this is dictatorship and supreme directional control. It is a spiritual crime for the church officials to attempt to change doctrines without the knowledge and consent of the Saints.)

COMMON CONSENT DEMANDS OPEN DISCUSSION

PAPER #6 A UNIFIED PROGRAM, pages 55-67

The Presidency declares in this paper that the church must have corporate repentance, 58A; change, 58B; and renewal, 58R. (They mean that the church must repent of Joseph Smith's divinely given teachings. This repenting is the justification they give for changing the church's basic beliefs to ecumenism.)

They say the church lacks vitality and direction, 58D (how true, since twenty years of this ecumenical program has discouraged many). They call the church away from the Master's true doctrine's and emphasize the need to minister to the needs of people," 59A, and to teach them to interpret the "meanings, of the universe," 55B.

The Presidency then demands a unified program, 59B, 60AC; or set of goals for the church. (This means only one program, or a monopoly for them, so they can implement their ecumenical beliefs.) These papers contain their program for the 1980s, 60B, 68A, 76C, 95AB. To support the Presidency in having a unified program is to be positive, 60C. (Actually, obeying the scriptures and keeping the RLDS distinctives intact is being positive.)

The Presidency speaks of decentralization, 61A. Decentralization must not mean, though, that others can dilute or alter the Presidency's program. Only the Presidency has the right to create programs, and the appointees must see that they are implemented, 61B-62C.

One of the goals of the Presidency in the future will be to cause our local churches to use the World Church's program and materials, 63A. Local leaders as well as World Church leaders are to promote Herald House resources (the ecumenical church school curriculum), 63B.

The Presidency discusses "Basic Qualities of Leadership," pages 63-67, in which it is pointed out that organizations which have leaders "with a sense of mission," "outperform" others, 63C.

(When the Saints have a deep sense of mission about original Restoration beliefs, they become more devoted and the church flourishes. In contrast,, when a deep sense of mission exists for liberalism and ecumenism, the church dwindles.)

The Presidency states that appointees must have an adequate theological base, 65A. (This is impossible until the church returns to Restoration beliefs. Only RLDS distinctives can make an adequate base.) The Presidency urges the appointees "to try new approaches, to depart from that which may be thought of as 'standard' approaches," 66A. (Do these "new approaches" include such things as

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open communion, women's ordination, and interpretive dancing in the name of worship?)

PAPER #7 FAITH TO GROW, pages 68-96

This paper is significant because it explains that the foregoing papers are to be the basis of the church's program for the 1980s, 68A, 76C, 95AB. The theme for the 1980s is an intense missionary effort, 68A, 69A.

The Presidency indicates that the church must yield to various cultures, 72AC, 74B. (God's scriptural culture is the only true one, and the one to which the church and Saints must yield.) They say the World Church Objectives have enhanced the worth of persons, 73B. (These objectives have eroded RLDS distinctives instead.) They laud the Women's Ministries Commission for helping women to find their "place in the church," and said that this would increase "an ever expanding population available for evangelistic ministry," 74A. (Does this mean that women will be ordained in order to have more missionaries?)

The Presidency tries to analyze why there is so little evangelism occurring at present, 75A to 76B. Part of the reason they say is because the gospel is perceived as a set of doctrines, 75B, (which it is--see Hebrews 6:1. 3 Nephi 5:32-36; and 12:25-28). They say that some members conceive themselves as "keepers of the standard faith" and are "overly concerned with heresy within the church," 75C.

(All Saints are to be defenders of the faith, and the Presidency's liberalism is definitely heresy. Jude 1:3 states, "Ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." It is the Presidency's ecumenism that is preventing the church from growing.)

They continue by listing reasons why there is no evangelism--they name embarrassment over poor quality preaching, 76A. (This is very true--only strong scriptural doctrine can make superior preaching--Alma 16:82.) A suggested problem and weakness is listed, 75A, as the widespread belief within the church that "evangelism is effective only when it leads to church membership," 76B.

(Since they believe in ecumenism, and that other churches have equal authority, pages 33-35, they think it is only necessary to convert people to Christ, but not necessarily to the RLDS Church. This contradicts the purpose of "Faith to Grow," which is "a steady expansion of the church," 77B.)

The Presidency speaks of steady expansion of the church, 77B, and the goals needed to accomplish it, 77C. (But all the goals and methods in the world cannot convert people and cause expansion, as long as the Presidency is teaching the social gospel, instead of original Restoration doctrine, which is true religion. The Mormon Church is expanding ten times faster than ours because they are teaching Restoration beliefs. As an example, since the Presidency presented these ecumenical papers in January, the World Church income greatly decreased.)

The Presidency speaks of "developing Zionic communities throughout the world," 77A. (They have already established several "metropoles" which have greatly reduced attendance in those areas and discouraged the Saints.) They talk of "strengthening the Center Place," 77A (even though they oppose building Zion.)

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They de-emphasize the priesthood by suggesting that they intend to broaden the base of leadership by using women and unordained persons as leaders 79A, 84A. In their plan for developing leaders, they plan to have the leaders take Temple School courses, 82AB. The leaders will then be required to pass "minimal leadership criteria" (tests), 83C, and "competency tests for Aaronic men," 83D, and an "Aaronic diploma with inactive Aaronic priesthood," 83A.

In view of all the foregoing, it is apparent that this program means that the leaders on local, stake, and district levels will have to pass tests showing their acceptance of the social-ecumenical gospel, and their rejection of RLDS distinctives. If this Temple School program is enacted, it will prove to be devastating. They project as a "key" RLDS belief the development "of every personality to its potential and the protection of the total environment," 80A. (No wonder the baptism ratio is 0%; the real goals of the church are to preach salvation and build Zion.)

The Presidency's goals are to practice "the principle of leaven," 81A. (By leaven they mean to spread the social-ecumenical gospel. Jesus told his disciples that the kingdom of heaven is "like unto leaven" (Matthew 13:32). He also warned them to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees," (Matthew 16:6-13). He explained that leaven represented doctrines. His warning of false leaven is timely today. Saints must be engaged in distributing the pure leaven of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to go into the W.C.C. or its subdivisions and still proclaim strong Restoration doctrine, and be accepted. The Saints will be judged by which leaven they help to spread!)

Another goal is to generate communities of quality people, 81A. They continue that "the Cause of Zion is the cause of good communities and good relationships," 81B (rather than buildings, the Holy City).

(The divinely given doctrines of the Restoration cannot be improved upon. If the leaders will return to God's theology as found in the Three Standard Books, the church will grow automatically. There is no other way to make it grow.)