by Charlotte Wilson | Nov 15, 2013 | Mormon Reflections
Why do bad things happen to good people? It’s probably the oldest question in the book, and no one really has a good answer. In a world where children get cancer, where college students are abducted, where marriages dissolve, and where typhoons rage across archipelagos, it’s easy to wonder where God is in all those sorrows. If God encompasses everything good, why is this world full of so many bad things?
1. Perfect truth in an imperfect world
Yes, God is perfect. He’s perfectly good. This world, however, and the people in it, are not perfect. When God sent us here, He gave us our moral agency – the ability to choose between right and wrong. This means that He won’t ever interfere with someone’s right to choose, even if that choice is a harmful one. Sometimes we make choices that may be right for us individually, but that may still hurt others (like breaking off a relationship).
This earth is also imperfect. This means that natural disasters are par for the course: earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, tsunamis, and typhoons. In the Bible God sometimes used natural disasters to wipe out wickedness, but there’s no way we can make those judgments now. Our job is simply to prepare as much as we can, and give as much as we can in time, money, and supplies to those who need it. (more…)
by brady | Dec 19, 2011 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
Encyclopedia of Mormonism summarizes Eve’s role in the Fall as follows:
Satan was present to tempt Adam and Eve, much as he would try to thwart others in their divine missions: “and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he knew not the mind of god, wherefore he sought to destroy the world” (Moses 4:6). Eve faced the choice between
selfish ease and unselfishly facing tribulation and death (Evidences and Reconciliations, by John A. Widtsoe, page 193). As befit her calling, she realized that there was no other way and deliberately chose mortal life so as to further the purpose of god and bring children into the world. (s.v. “Eve”)
Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught about the vital contribution of Eve in partaking of the fruit and of the difference between transgression and sin.
It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. And thus Eve and “Adam fell that men might be” (2 Ne. 22:25). (more…)
by brady | Dec 19, 2011 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
Were Adam and Eve Cursed?
The answer to this question is no. Unfortunately, many view the Fall as having brought a curse upon both Adam and Eve. Such a view casts a false negative light on the fairness of the work of god. Such people mistakenly tend to use the scriptures that describe the scene right after the partaking of the forbidden fruit to teach that the Fall was a very negative thing, with resulting curses on Eve and also on Adam. They even engage in debates as to who got the worst curse, Adam or Eve. In so doing, they sadly and badly misinterpret the scriptures. The fact is that neither Adam nor Eve was cursed. The Fall was good for them and good for us. It worked in harmony with the Atonement. Satan was cursed and the earth was cursed “for their sake.” We will read the relevant verses and add some commentary as we go. First, we see that Satan was cursed.
14 And the Lord god [the Father] said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above [limited more than] all cattle, and above every beast of the field [one aspect of this curse is that even “cattle” and “every beast of the field” get a physical body to go with their spirit; Satan will never get a physical body]; upon thy belly shalt thou go [Satan will be looked upon as the lowest of the low], and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life [perhaps meaning that he will always be behind the Savior, in effect, “eating the Savior’s dust”; this could also be a play on words, saying, in effect, that Satan will be “eating dust,” in other words, associating with mortals, trying to swallow them up in spiritual destruction, but never receive a mortal body himself, one made of the “dust of the ground”—see Moses 3:7]: (more…)
by brady | Dec 19, 2011 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
The Fall of Adam and Eve
The Atonement cannot be properly understood without an understanding of the Fall. The two go hand in hand. The Fall refers to the partaking of the forbidden fruit by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and their being cast out of the garden into mortal life (genesis 3). It can be said that they “fell forward.” It was a necessary and planned step in the Father’s plan of salvation for us. It brought with it physical death and also brought spiritual death (being cut off from the direct physical presence of god). The Atone- ment of Jesus Christ overcomes physical death for all, through the universal resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:22). It also makes it possible for those who will to repent and overcome spiritual death and thus return to the physical presence of the Father, to live with Him forever in celestial glory.
While other churches teach that the Fall was a terrible tragedy and brought unfortunate misery upon all mankind, the true gospel teaches that it was good and is a great blessing for all of us. While many churches criticize and even vilify Adam and Eve, especially Eve, for partaking of the forbidden fruit, we honor them and hold them in highest esteem for taking this vital step which opened the door for all of us to come to earth. The fact that the Fall was good and was part of the Father’s plan is clearly taught by Lehi in the Book of Mormon as he gives a brief and concentrated overview of the Fall and Atonement. As you read the verses quoted next, note the important points emphasized by the Savior through His prophet, Lehi, including: (more…)
