Commonalities: a Positive Look at Latter-day Saints from a Baha'i Perspective

CONTENTS Preface

xi

Introduction

1

1

2

3

Origins: Who was Joseph Smith?

The darkness before the dawn The mission of Joseph Smith The rise and spread of the Church Joseph Smith as the herald The martyrdom of Joseph Smith How can Bahá’ís view Joseph Smith?

12 12 17 19 23 27 31

The Mormon Scriptures The Book of Mormon The Doctrine and Covenants The Pearl of Great Price

35 35 43 44

The Articles of Faith The First Article of Faith The Second Article of Faith The Third Article of Faith The Fourth Article of Faith The Fifth Article of Faith The Sixth Article of Faith The Seventh Article of Faith The Eighth Article of Faith The Ninth Article of Faith The Tenth Article of Faith: The Eleventh Article of Faith The Twelfth Article of Faith The Thirteenth Article of Faith

52 52 55 57 58 59 61 74 75 80 81 88 89 91

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4 Revelation Revelation not final Dispensations The nature of Joseph Smith’s revelatory experience Personal revelation The infallibility of the head of the faith Twofold language

93 93 98 101 104 105 107

5

The Nature of the Soul and the Afterlife The lower nature of man Pre-existence The Fall of Adam Free agency Life after death A material view of the afterlife Exaltation Baptism for the dead Eternal families Souls are not idle after death

113 113 116 117 120 123 134 141 143 146 152

6

Physical and Spiritual Health Alcohol, drugs and tobacco A healthy diet and lifestyle Chastity

155 155 164 169

7

Family Responsibilities The purpose of marriage The role of the father The role of the mother The role of the children

177 177 182 183 187

8

Acts of Worship Prayer Fasting Daily reading of scripture Sacrament meetings and the Nineteen Day Feast Tithings and offerings

190 190 191 193 199 203

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9 Teaching Every believer is a teacher Attitude for teaching Missionaries

209 209 211 215

10

Science and Religion The Bahá’í view of the Creation The LDS view of the Creation The harmony of science and religion Technological advances The existence of other worlds

224 224 228 234 241 244

11

Some Additional Bahá’í Themes The oneness of religion The oneness of mankind Unity Diversity The Kingdom of God on earth

249 249 252 253 255 260

12

Fulfillment of Prophecy The coming of the Son of Man Joseph Smith to prepare the way for two Manifestations The end of a cycle The light will come from the East and shine on the West The Greatest Name Other Mormon prophecies fulfilled by Bahá’u’lláh Joseph Smith expected the imminent Return of Christ Barriers to Mormons’ acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh Mormon expectations of the Return

268 269 273 274 275 277 279 283 288 294

13

Learning from Mormons Spiritual education Strong social bonds in the community Home teaching and visiting teaching Community support Everyone has a calling ‘A peculiar people’ A personal testimony A framework for action

302 302 306 307 310 314 315 318 323

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14

324

The Next Step

Appendices 1 The History of Polygamy in the LDS Church 2 Racism in the LDS Church 3 Mormons and Religious Tolerance 4 Stories involving Mormons and the Bahá’í Faith

332 348 371 380

Bibliography

383

References

395

Index

427

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the nature of the soul and the afterlife

CHAPTER 5

THE NATURE OF THE SOUL AND THE AFTERLIFE In this chapter we examine how Mormons and Bahá’ís understand human nature as it pertains to this earthly existence and beyond. We begin by discussing man’s lower nature, and move on from there to explore views on the nature of the eternal soul and the afterlife. It should be noted here that there are significant differences between the two faiths where the afterlife is concerned. These differences are discussed in more detail later in this chapter, but for now we will focus on the similarities.

The lower nature of man The basic Mormon belief in the nobility of the human spirit has been addressed in the previous discussion about the second Article of Faith (Chapter 3). Here we deal with the other side of that equation, the evil of man’s lower nature.

Like the majority of Christians, Mormons believe that Satan is an intelligent being, actively working to lead us astray. However, while they generally see the devil as man’s greatest enemy, their scriptures identify an even greater peril: For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man . . . and becometh as a child . . .1 Our first enemy we will find within ourselves. It is a good thing to overcome that enemy first and bring ourselves into subjection to the will of the Father, and into strict obedience to the principles of life and salvation which he has given to the world for the salvation of men.2 A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man.3

The Bahá’í Writings hold the source of all evil to be man’s attachments to the world, manifested as selfish desire: 115

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When a reporter of the New York Globe visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Haifa, He gave her this message: ‘Tell my followers that they have no enemies to fear, no foes to hate. Man’s only enemy is himself.’4 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was once asked, ‘What is Satan?’ He replied in three words: ‘The insistent self.’5

Conversely, by ‘putting off the natural man’ and ‘becoming like a child,’ we allow our spiritual nature to dominate our actions: In man there are two natures; his spiritual or higher nature and his material or lower nature. In one he approaches God, in the other he lives for the world alone. Signs of both these natures are to be found in men. In his material aspect he expresses untruth, cruelty and injustice; all these are the outcome of his lower nature. The attributes of his Divine nature are shown forth in love, mercy, kindness, truth and justice, one and all being expressions of his higher nature. Every good habit, every noble quality belongs to man’s spiritual nature, whereas all his imperfections and sinful actions are born of his material nature. If a man’s Divine nature dominates his human nature, we have a saint.6

The preceding quotations demonstrate that while Mormons and Bahá’ís may disagree about the existence of a ‘personal Satan,’ they can certainly come to agreement on the overriding evil of self and passion. Concerning those who have let their lower nature control their actions, the Book of Mormon and the Bahá’í Writings both promise that their deeds will be exposed in the end. In the words of the Book of Mormon: I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.7

While in the Hidden Words we read: O Children of Fancy! Know, verily, that while the radiant dawn breaketh above the horizon of eternal holiness, the satanic secrets and deeds done in the gloom of night shall be laid bare and manifest before the peoples of the world.8 116

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Hell and spiritual death The Mormon view of hell diverges somewhat from the traditional Christian model. Instead of hell, Mormons refer to three separate environments known as spirit prison, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness. These are thought to be physical places which – while perhaps not geographically or spatially identifiable – are more than simply a state of being. Mormons have a profoundly material view of the afterlife, and interpret the words ‘life’ and ‘death’ as found in the Bible in a very literal sense. With this in mind, it is interesting to highlight some LDS scriptures that portray a different notion of hell as a state of spiritual torment resulting from the reflection on our own transgressions, and of life and death as spiritual conditions. The Book of Mormon states: And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls . . . And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever.9 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal.10

These share a number of similarities with the Bahá’í Writings: The root cause of wrongdoing is ignorance, and we must therefore hold fast to the tools of perception and knowledge. Good character must be taught. Light must be spread afar, so that, in the school of humanity, all may acquire the heavenly characteristics of the spirit, and see for themselves beyond any doubt that there is no fiercer hell, no more fiery abyss, than to possess a character that is evil and unsound; no more darksome pit nor loathsome torment than to show forth qualities which deserve to be condemned.11 They say: ‘Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?’ Say: ‘The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self, O thou who dost associate a partner with God and doubtest.’12 117

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