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Sticky issues — Answers from modern revelation


Sticky issues and how to address them (answers from modern revelation):

  • Abortion: The Church’s stand on abortion.  (Doctrine and Covenants 59:6)
  • Angels: Surely angels no longer appear to mankind.   (Moroni 7:29)
  • Answers: There are no clear, definitive answers to religious questions today.  (Doctrine and Covenants 101:32-34)
  • Apostasy: Apostasy that has occurred due to family tradition.  (Doctrine and Covenants 138:44)
  • Apostasy: Apostasy due to following worldly philosophies and influences.  (Joseph Smith History 1:19)
  • Apostasy: All churches are ‘true’.  There is no ONE church that is correct.  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30)
  • Apostasy: There is no one specific church that is more ‘true’ than others.  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30)
  • Apostasy: It is proper and even expected that there are many churches.  (2 Nephi 26:20-21)
  • Apostasy: I have my own beliefs, or I have formed my own beliefs.  (1 Nephi 13:41, Doctrine and Covenants 1:16)
  • Apostasy: Organized religions or churches are not necessary or needed.  (2 Nephi 28:7-9)
  • Atonement: Is there really a need for an atonement?  (Alma 7:11-13)
  • Authority: It is self-serving to think that ‘true authority’ can only come from God.  (Article of Faith #5)
  • Authority: I can and should interpret the Bible by myself.  (Alma 13:20)
  • Authority: How does God reveal His will?  (Doctrine and Covenants 28:2, 7)
  • Baptism:  What is the proper mode, power, and result of baptism?  (3 Nephi 11:25-26)
  • Baptism: Is baptism really a commandment?  (3 Nephi 27:20)
  • Baptism: What are the rewards of baptism?  (2 Nephi 31:12, 3 Nephi 11:33)
  • Baptism: Why is baptism necessary?  (2 Nephi 31:5, 9, 10)
  • Baptism:  When should baptism be performed?  (Mosiah 18:10, Alma 7:15)
  • Baptism:  Does baptism really require certain authority to be performed?  (Doctrine and Covenants 22:1-4)
  • Baptism:  At what age should baptism be performed?  Is Infant baptism appropriate?  (Moroni 8, D&C 68:25-27)
  • Baptism:  Was baptism performed in Old Testament times?  (Moses 6:64-68)
  • Baptism for the dead:  Is baptism for the dead proper?  Why is it performed?  (Doctrine and Covenants 128:6-8)
  • Baptism for the dead:  When were baptisms for the dead first performed?  (Doctrine and Covenants 127:4)
  • Baptism for the dead:  Where and how should baptisms for the dead be performed?  (Doctrine and Covenants 124:33)
  • Bible: We already have one, and we don’t need another one.  (2 Nephi 29)
  • Bible: You say that some precious parts have been removed?  (1 Nephi 13:24-29)
  • Bible: I can interpret it myself!  (Alma 13:20)
  • Book of Mormon: Why do you feel that we need more scripture?  (2 Nephi 29:8-10)
  • Book of Mormon: I feel that the Book of Mormon adds to the Bible inappropriately.  (1 Nephi 14:25-27)
  • Book of Mormon:  The Book of Mormon has the words of Jesus, and you can know that it does. (2 Nephi 33:10-11)
  • Book of Mormon: Do you claim that Jesus visited the Americas?  (3 Nephi 15:21-22)
  • Chastity: Is it possible to be chaste and also participate in plural marriage?  (Jacob 2:27-30)
  • Chastity: What is the the law of chastity and what are the consequences of breaking this law?  (3 Nephi 12:27-30)
  • Chastity: How can I can I obey the law of chastity?  (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45)
  • Chastity: Is it possible to be forgiven for breaking this particular law? (Doctrine and Covenants 42:22-26)
  • Chastity: Why does this commandment receive so much emphasis?  (Alma 39:3-5)
  • Christ: Salvation is found only in Him, and in no one else or anything else (2 Nephi 33:10-11)
  • Christ: We must heed the Book of Mormon’s teaching concerning Christ!  (2 Nephi 25:26)
  • Christian:  Are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS Christians? (2 Nephi 25:26, Helaman 5:8-12)
  • Christians: I feel that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not Christians! (3 Nephi 11)
  • Church attendance:  What is the purpose of Church attendance?  (Moroni 6:5-6)
  • Church attendance:  When should I attend church?  (Mosiah 18:25)
  • Church attendance:  Who can and should attend?  (Alma 6:5)
  • Church attendance: Why is church attendance needed or even necessary?   (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9)
  • Churches:  I feel that ALL churches and religions lead to God.  (Doctrine and Covenants 1, Joseph Smith History 1)
  • Churches:  The Book of Mormon teaches that ‘there are only two churches’. (1 Nephi 14:10)
  • Churches:  Why are there so many different churches? (2 Nephi 28:1-16, Joseph Smith History 1:5-10)
  • Church:  What is the proper name of the Lord’s church?  (3 Nephi 27:3-11)
  • Color: Shed some light on the question of persons of color and the Priesthood.  (Official Declaration # 2)
  • Color: Is there a relation between persons of color, Cain’s mark, and darker skins?  (Alma 3:6)
  • Commandments: How do you explain contradictory commandments?  (Bible Dictionary, page 670)
  • Creation: What role did Jesus play in the Creation?  (3 Nephi 9:15, Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24)
  • Creation: How many things were created? (Moses 3:5)
  • Creation: How many worlds are there? (Moses 1:33)
  • Dancing: Is it evil or harmless?  (Doctrine and Covenants 136:28)
  • Dinosaurs:  Explain the existence of dinosaurs in light of Bible teachings?  (Doctrine and Covenants page 197, note)
  • Divorce:  What are the appropriate conditions for divorce?  (3 Nephi 12:31-32)
  • Evolution, organic: How do you explain evolution in light of Bible teachings?  (Doctrine and Covenants 101:32-34)
  • Exaltation: Can men and women truly become gods and goddesses?  (Doctrine and Covenants 76:58)
  • Exaltation: What exactly is exaltation?  (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-23)
  • Exaltation: What are the three degrees of glory?  (Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-90)
  • Exaltation: What is celestial marriage, and how does it lead to exaltation?  (Doctrine and Covenants 131:1-4)
  • Faith: Why is faith in God so necessary?  Why do we need it?  (Ether 12:6)
  • Faith: I want a sign or a miracle first, then I will have faith and will believe.  (Doctrine and Covenants 63:7-12)
  • Faith: Faith without works is dead.  (Moroni 7:33)
  • Faith: Doubt your doubts first, not your faith.  (Alma 56:47-48)
  • Fall: What exactly is the ‘fall of Adam and Eve’?  (2 Nephi 2:22-26)
  • Fall: Did the human race descend from Adam and Eve?  (2 Nephi 2:20)
  • Fall: Was the Fall of Adam and Eve a good thing or a bad thing?  (Moses 5:10-11)
  • Fall: is Adam truly God?  Didn’t Brigham Young teach that doctrine? (Doctrine and Covenants 107:51-55)
  • Family: My family is opposed to my joining the LDS Church!  (Matthew 10:34-38)
  • Few: Why so few members of the LDS faith, ‘the only true.. church’?  (1 Nephi 14:12, Doctrine and Cov 128:22)
  • Gather Israel: Why and how are we to help gather Israel?  (Doctrine and Covenants 133:26-35)
  • God: Is there truly a God?  (Alma 30:40-49)
  • God: What does God look like presently?  (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22, Joseph Smith History 1:17)
  • God: What does Jesus look like presently?  (Doctrine and Covenants 110:1-4)
  • God:  God does indeed have a personality and passions?  (Alma 12:15, 3 Nephi 17:20-22)
  • God:  How does God rule, reign, and act?  (Mosiah 4:9)
  • God:  What is the nature of God?  (Doctrine and Covenants130:1-3 and 130:22-23)
  • God:  You cannot see God and live!  What about Joseph Smith?  (Exodus 33:11-20, Joseph Smith History 1:17)
  • Godhead:  Three separate beings in the Godhead?  (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24, Joseph Smith History 1:17)
  • Godhead:  How can three beings be referred to as one God?  (2 Nephi 31:21, 3 Nephi 28:10-11)
  • Godhead:  How can Jesus be both the Father and the Son?  (Mosiah 15:1-5, Doctrine and Covenants 93:3-5)
  • Healing:  How is a person healed?  (Doctrine and Covenants 42:48-51)
  • Healing:  How does one bless a person to be healed?  (Doctrine and Covenants 42:44)
  • Hell: What is hell actually like?  (Doctrine and Covenants 19:15)
  • Hell:  Who will actually end up in hell?  (Doctrine and Covenants 76:84)
  • Hell:  Is consignment to hell actually ‘eternal’, or will hell have an end?  (Doctrine and Covenants 19:6-12)
  • Hell:  Who will be in hell forever?  (Doctrine and Covenants 76:31)
  • Holy Ghost:  Who is the Holy Ghost?  (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22)
  • Holy Ghost:  What is the mission and role of the Holy Ghost?  (2 Nephi 33:1, Doctrine and Covenants 39:6)
  • Holy Ghost:  How does the Holy Ghost influence our thoughts and feelings?  (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3)
  • Holy Ghost:  Did Nephi actually see and talk with the Holy Spirit?  (1 Nephi 11:11)
  • Holy Ghost:  Did the Holy Ghost function here on earth before Jesus’ mortal ministry?  (Moses 1:24, Moses 5:9)
  • Idolatry:  What is an ‘idol’?  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:16)
  • Idolatry:  Should statues, paintings, or flags be considered ‘idols’?  (John 3:14-15, Mosiah 13:12, Alma 46:12-13)
  • Infant baptism:  Most Christian religions ‘baptize’ infants.  Why don’t the Latter-day Saints?  (Moroni 8)
  • Jehovah:  Do you claim that Jesus Christ is Jehovah?  (1 Nephi 19:10-13, Doctrine and Covenants 110:1-4)
  • Jehovah:  Salvation is possible only through Jehovah, Jesus Christ.  (2 Nephi 22:2, 2 Nephi 25:20)
  • Jehovah:  Jehovah is Jesus Christ, according to the Bible.  (Isaiah 45:22-23, Romans 14:10-11)
  • Jehovah:  Jehovah states that “I am He that gave the Law”.  (3 Nephi 15:1-5)
  • Laying on of hands:  How does one perform an ordination?  (Alma 6:1)
  • Laying on of hands:  How is the Holy Ghost received?  (Moroni 2:1-3)
  • Laying on of hands:  What is the purpose of the ‘laying on of hands’?  (Bible Dictionary, page 723)
  • Less-active members:  Wo unto him or her.  (2 Nephi 9:27)
  • Less-active members:  A sacred invitation to ‘come back’.  (Mormon 9:27)
  • Less-active members:  Now is the time to hearken and to believe again!  (3 Nephi 28:34-35)
  • Marriage:  God blesses marriages.  (4 Nephi 1:11)
  • Marriage:  We are counseled to marry within the Church and to make sacred covenants.  (Alma 3:8-9)
  • Marriage:  What are the appropriate conditions for divorce?  (3 Nephi 12:31-32)
  • Marriage, civil:  Why is civil marriage necessary?  (Doctrine and Covenants 49:15-17)
  • Millennium:  What exactly is the Millennium?  (Doctrine and Covenants 29:9-13)
  • Millennium:  What will life be like during the Millennium?  (1 Nephi 22:24-26)
  • Millennium:  What will happen at the end of the Millennium?  (Doctrine and Covenants 43:30-33)
  • Millennium:  What is the goal or purpose of the Millennium?  (Doctrine and Covenants 77:12)
  • Miracles:  Are miracles happening today, in our time?  (Moroni 7:29)
  • Miracles:  It is true that belief must precede miracles.  (Doctrine and Covenants 35:8)
  • Miracles:  Do theyreally happen?  (3 Nephi 17:6-10)
  • Miracles:  Faith is a prerequisite to the blessing of miracles.  (Ether 12:12)
  • Offended:  I have been offended at church and will not be returning.  (Mormon 9:31)
  • Petitioning the Lord:  Should we petition the Lord, ask for specific blessings?  (Mosiah 27:14)
  • Plates of gold:  Really?  Show them to me and then I will believe.  (2 Nephi 27:6-23, Mormon 8:13-26)
  • Plural marriage:  Why was it practiced by early members of the LDS church?  (Doctrine and Covenants 132:61-63)
  • Plural marriage:  How can you or your church justify the practice of plural marriage?  (Jacob 2:29-30)
  • Plural marriage:  Do the scripture allow for or call for plural marriage?  (Doctrine and Covenants 132:34-38)
  • Plural marriage:  If it is a correct practice, why are you not practicing plural marriage now!  (Official Declaration #1)
  • Prayer:  What precisely is prayer?  (Bible Dictionary, page 752)
  • Prayer:  Why is prayer necessary?  (2 Nephi 32:8-9)
  • Prayer:  How can prayer benefit or bless me?  (Doctrine and Covenants 31:12)
  • Prayer:  How or in what manner should I pray?  (3 Nephi 18:19-20)
  • Prayer:  What do I do if my prayers are not answered?  (Luke 22:42, Moroni 10:3-5)
  • Prayer:  How does God answer prayers?  (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3, Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-14)
  • Prayer:  When should I pray?  (Alma 37:37, Doctrine and Covenants 6:36)
  • Premortal life:  Where was this premortal life and what did we do there?  (Doctrine and Covenants 138:56)
  • Premortal life:  In a real way, men and women are spirits.  (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33)
  • Premortal life:  What does the phrase ‘we were born spiritually before we were born physically’ mean?  (Moses 3:5)
  • Premortal life:  What exactly was the ‘war in heaven’ or the ‘war in premortal life’?  (Doctrine and Coven 29:36-38)
  • Premortal life:  What are ‘intelligences’ that existed in premortal life?  (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29)
  • Priesthood:  What exactly is the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Covenants 84:17-20)
  • Priesthood:  How does one obtain the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Covenants 20:60)
  • Priesthood:  What is the purpose of the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Covenants 86:10-11)
  • Priesthood:   Who can hold the priesthood?  (Official Declaration #2)
  • Priesthood:  How was the priesthood restored?  (Doctrine and Covenants 13:1, Joseph Smith History 1:68-73)
  • Priesthood:  How was the Melchizedek Priesthood restored?  (Doctrine and Covenants 27:12)
  • Priesthood:  What is the difference between the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods?  (Doct and Cov 107:1-17)
  • Priesthood:  How is the priesthood structured?  (Doctrine and Covenants 20:34-67)
  • Priesthood:  What is the ‘oath and covenant’ of the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Covenants 84:33-44)
  • Priesthood:  How does one honor and respect the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-41)
  • Priesthood:  Should women be allowed to hold and exercise the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Covenants 107, insert)
  • Prophets:  What is a prophet?  (Jacob 4:4)
  • Prophets:  Why do we need prophets?  (Doctrine and Covenants 5:9-10)
  • Prophets:  Do prophets truly see God?  (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24, Doctrine and Covenants 110:1-5)
  • Prophets:  Do prophets exist on the earth now, today?  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:17-18)
  • Prophets:  Can more than one prophet preside at the same time?  (Doctrine and Covenants 43:1-6)
  • Prophets:  What are the consequences of rejecting prophets or their teachings?  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:14)
  • Prophets: All the words of true prophets will be fulfilled!  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38)
  • Prophets:  Biblical prophecies will all be fulfilled as well.  (Doctrine and Covenants 84:2)
  • Prophets:  Modern day prophecies will all be fulfilled.  (Doctrine and Covenants 87:1)
  • Questions:  There often is no clear answer to a difficult question.  (Doctrine and Covenants 101:32-34)
  • Repentance:  What is repentance, why necessary, how to repent?  (Doctrine & Covenants 58:42-43, Bible Dictionary page 760)
  • Repentance:  We are commanded to repent or face spiritual destruction.  (Alma 9:1-34)
  • Repentance:  Alma shares a wonderful 20-step repentance process.  (Alma 13:27-30)
  • Restoration:  What is the restoration?  (Bible Dictionary, page 761)
  • Restoration:  Why was the restoration needed or necessary?  (Doctrine and Covenants 138:44)
  • Restoration:  What exactly was restored?  (Doctrine and Covenants 128:17-18)
  • Restoration: Who participated in the restoration, how were things restored, and when did it take place?  (3 Nephi 29:1, Doctrine and Covenants 13 and 110)
  • Resurrection:  What is the resurrection?  (Alma 40:23)
  • Resurrection:  Who exactly will be resurrected?  (Alma 11:44)
  • Resurrection:  How is the resurrection made possible?  (2 Nephi 2:8)
  • Resurrection:  Why is resurrection necessary?  (2 Nephi 9:6-7)
  • Resurrection:  Was Jesus truly resurrected?  (3 Nephi 11:10-14)
  • Resurrection:  Is reincarnation possible?  No.  (Alma 11:45)
  • Revelation:  What is revelation?  (Jacob 4:8)
  • Revelation:  Who can receive revelation?  (Bible Dictionary, page 762)
  • Revelation:  Why does revelation seem to be limited to only certain things?  (Doctrine & Covenants 93:27-28 and 101:32-33)
  • Revelation:  How can we receive revelation?  (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61)
  • Sabbath: What exactly is the Sabbath?  (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9)
  • Sabbath:  How do we keep the Sabbath holy?  (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-15)
  • Sabbath:  What is the purpose of the Sabbath?  (Moroni 6:6)
  • Sabbath:  What does the Sabbath symbolize?  (Bible Dictionary, page 765)
  • Sabbath:  What blessings come as a result of keeping the Sabbath day holy?  (Doctrine and Covenants 59:23)
  • Sacrament:  What is the Sacrament?  (Doctrine and Covenants 20:40)
  • Sacrament:  Why do we partake of the Sacrament often?  (Doctrine and Covenants 20:75)
  • Sacrament:  Why do we use water instead of wine as a Sacrament emblem?  (Doctrine and Covenants 27:2-4)
  • Sacrament:  What were Jesus’ instructions concerning the Sacrament?  (3 Nephi 18:1-14)
  • Scripture:  What exactly is scripture?  (Doctrine and Covenants 68:4)
  • Scripture:  Is there authority to be found within the scriptures?  (Doctrine and Covenants 18:34-36)
  • Scripture:  What is the purpose of reading the scriptures?  (2 Nephi 32:3)
  • Scripture:  Who should read scripture?  (3 Nephi 10:14)
  • Scripture:  How often should we read the scriptures?  (Doctrine and Covenants 26:1)
  • Second Coming:  When will the Second Coming occur?  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:12, Joseph Smith Matt 1:40)
  • Second Coming:  What events will precede the Second Coming?  (Joseph Smith Matthew 1:26-36)
  • Second Coming:  What will it actually be like when the Second Coming occurs?  (Joseph Smith Matthew 1:41-43)
  • Science and non-believers:  How do we mesh religion and science?  (2 Nephi 9:28-29, Alma 30)
  • Science:  We don’t know all things at this time.  (Doctrine and Covenants 101:32-3
  • Spirit:  Does man have a spirit or does he not have a spirit?  (Genesis 2:7, see notes)
  • Spirit world:  Where do we go when we die, and where is the spirit world?  (Alma 40:11-13)
  • Spirit world:  What is it like in the spirit world?  What are the conditions?  (Doctrine and Covenants 138:50)
  • Temple work:  Why do we have temples in these times?  (Doctrine and Covenants 124:40-41)
  • Temple work:  What is the purpose of going to the temple?  (Doctrine and Covenants 95:8-9)
  • Temple work:  What are the benefits of temple service for us and for our ancestors?  (Doctrine and Covenants 2:1-3)
  • Tithing:  Why is the payment of tithing required today, what blessings come from paying tithing?  (3 Nephi 24:8-12)
  • Tithing:  Tithing is actually an ancient law.  (Alma 13:15)
  • Tithing:  Why is it based on income and how is tithing money used?  (Doctrine & Covenants 119:4 and section 120)
  • Tongues, Gift of:  What is the gift of tongues?  (Article of Faith #7)
  • Tongues, Gift of:  This gift is manifested when it is appropriate & circumstances call for it.  (Doctrine & Covenants 109:36)
  • Tongues, Gift of:  What is the purpose of this gift, is it a spiritual gift?  (Doctrine and Covenants 46:24-26 and 90:11)
  • Visions:  Why are visions given and to whom are they given?  (1 Nephi 5:4, Joseph Smith History 1:16-20)
  • War and death:  Why does God allow wars to happen?  (1 Nephi 14:10)
  • War and death:  What is the purpose of war?  What are the causes of war?  (Alma 46:12, Moses 6:15)
  • War and death:  Should we serve in the military?  (Article of Faith #12)
  • War and death:  Why must the innocent die?  (Alma 14:8-11)
  • Women in the Church:  What is the role of women in the Church?  Become goddesses?  (Doctrine & Covenants 132:19-20)
  • Women in the Church:  Women should be on a status equal to men!  (2 Nephi 26:33, Alma 11:44)
  • Women and the priesthood:   Should women hold and exercise the priesthood?  (Doctrine and Coven 107 note)
  • Word of Wisdom:  What is the Word of Wisdom?  (Doctrine and Covenants 89)
  • Word of Wisdom:  Why is it necessary for us to observe the Word of Wisdom?  (Doctrine and Covenants 1:31)
  • Word of Wisdom:  Is it an ancient law?  Should we not eat meat?  (Doctrine and Covenants 49:18-19)

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