Dangerous Ideas and the Church
Beware the Internet
Dieter F. Uchtdorf opened Fall 2015 General Conference by warning members again about the dangers of checking the Church’s narrative on the Internet. As of this writing, the full transcript is not available, but Deseret News summarized it as follows:
[Uchtdorf] said after a recent medical procedure, his capable doctors explained what he needed to do to heal properly. “But first I had to relearn something about myself I should have known for a long time: as a patient, I’m not very patient. Consequently I decided to expedite the healing process by undertaking my own Internet search. … It took me a little while before I realized the irony of what I was doing. Of course, researching these things for ourselves is not a bad idea. But I was disregarding truth I could rely on and instead found myself being drawn to the often-outlandish claims of Internet lore.”
Neil L. Anderson followed up in priesthood session with an admonition to “give Brother Joseph [Smith] a break” and not to believe negative information about him found through “Internet search engines.”
Continuing a trend
To the standard Conference themes it appears we can add this: researching the Church online is dangerous. Don’t believe anything that discredits us.
Some recent examples:
Neil L. Andersen, “Trial of Your Faith”, Fall 2012
There have always been a few who want to discredit the Church and to destroy faith. Today they use the Internet. Some of the information about the Church, no matter how convincing, is just not true.
Adrián Ochoa, “Look Up”, Fall 2013
So much information of man is now at our fingertips. But the Internet is also full of much that is filthy and misleading. Technology has augmented our freedom of speech, but it also gives an unqualified blogger false credibility based on the number of viewers.
Marcos A. Aidukaitis, “If Ye Lack Wisdom”, Spring 2014
The Internet provides many opportunities for learning. However, Satan wants us to be miserable, and he distorts the real purpose of things. He uses this great tool to promote doubt and fear and to destroy faith and hope. With so much available on the Internet, we must carefully consider where to apply our efforts. Satan can keep us busy, distracted, and infected by sifting through information, much of which can be pure garbage. One should not roam through garbage.
Neil L. Anderson, “Joseph Smith”, Fall 2014
How should we respond to a sincere inquirer who is concerned about negative comments he or she has heard or read about the Prophet Joseph Smith? … We might remind the sincere inquirer that Internet information does not have a “truth” filter. Some information, no matter how convincing, is simply not true.
A Kindred Spirit
Warnings about the dangers of unapproved information is common among the Jehovah’s Witnesses as well. Here is the warning from Anthony Morris of the Governing Body of earlier this year:
Don’t be bogged down by apostates. Be careful on the Internet; they’ll suck you in. Some of this stuff, it can seem so innocent. Stick with what we have authorized, and you’ll be safe. If you go out there, it’s at your spiritual risk.
What happened to the confidence of earlier Mormon leaders?
At least some previous Church leaders were not afraid of members researching Mormonism’s truth claims and applying the tools of study and reason to them.
[C]onvince us of our errors of doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the word of God, and we will be ever grateful for the information, and you will ever have the pleasing reflection that you have been instruments in the hands of God of redeeming your fellow beings from the darkness which you may see enveloping their minds.
If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed.
I admire men and women who have developed the questioning spirit, who are unafraid of new ideas and stepping stones to progress... Thoughts and expressions compete in the marketplace of thought, and in that competition truth emerges triumphant. Only error fears freedom of expression… Neither fear of consequence nor any kind of coercion should ever be used to secure uniformity of thought in the church. People should express their problems and opinions and be unafraid to think without fear of ill consequences. We must preserve freedom of the mind in the church and resist all efforts to suppress it.
Continuing Uchtdorf’s analogy
It’s true that medical professionals study for years and are far more knowledgeable than laypeople.
But would you place your confidence in a doctor who warned you about investigating your own condition, and told you that only his words could be trusted? Or would you prefer a doctor who explained what factors contributed to his diagnosis, what terms you could use to research further, and encouraged you to get a second opinion if you were uncomfortable?
