Asking questions is not a problem for Mormons

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded by a 14-year-old boy who asked which of all the churches active in the US were the true church. The First Vision and the restoration of the gospel are now history in our church.

It is often claimed lately that Mormons are not allowed to be critical, that they are not allowed to ask questions. That would in itself be hypocritical for a church founded by a boy who was critical. It would also not be consistent with what we recommend to everyone who wants to get to know our church: “Read the Book of Mormon and pray to God to feel whether it is true or not.”

I can give many more examples of how teaching is done in our church by asking many questions and doing a lot of research.

Occasionally all critics go into overdrive. And believe me, there are a lot of people who have made it their daily task to criticize our church. This overdrive happens when someone is excommunicated because of  preaching against the doctrine of the church.

That is often translated that  people (read: the leaders of the church) want to silence people with criticism or expel them from the group for asking questions.

This criticism is simply not true. I myself have often had questions, I know people who have been less active for years because of criticism or belief in false doctrines that can be found in abundance on the internet.

In recent weeks, a case has been revived within the Mormon church: Kate Kelly. I do not intend to retry her case here. Mormon tradition is that a case of excommunication is something very personal, that only plays out between the local leaders and the member involved. The fact that Kate has caused a lot of polemics has to do with the fact that she herself chose to plead her case publicly (which in part has to do with her  problem).

Kate Kelly was not excommunicated for asking questions

To be clear: Kate Kelly was not excommunicated because she has questions about the priesthood. Nor because she asks church leaders to pray about the question of whether women the priesthood here and now should receive.

Kate Kelly was excommunicated because, despite many conversations, she encouraged other people to follow her, to demand that the church change its doctrine. Kelly no longer asked questions: she clearly stated that she  believes that women should receive the priesthood. Read the mission statement of her organization:  “Ordain Women believes women must be ordained.”

For information, for non-members reading this: without going too deep into the doctrine: in my opinion, it is not necessary to hold the priesthood here and now to return to Heavenly Father later. It is important to  ultimately receive and whoever goes to the temple knows that everyone there receives the promise that this will happen if you  remain faithful, man and woman.

For those who think that women all feel disadvantaged among Mormons, I recommend to once this research read: 90% of Mormon women believe that women do not belong in the priesthood.

If you find it necessary to change official doctrine for yourself AND try to convince others of this teaching, then you are on the path that you no longer support the leaders of our church. Each year, every member individually supports the local and general leaders in our church. Entirely voluntarily, by raising their right hand. This is not a democratic vote, but an act of faith in which you accept that Christ is the head of this church and that He has established some rules.

Only the prophet has revelation for the entire church

One of those rules is that everyone has the right to revelation within  their jurisdiction (to use that word in an attempt to explain it). A ward president has the right to revelation over his ward, a stake president over the entire stake, but the only one we accept to receive revelation for the entire church is our prophet, supported by his two counselors and the twelve apostles. Whenever you support our leaders, you accept the rules of our church.

That doesn't mean you can't ask questions. Everyone can ask questions, but you also have to accept that you will then receive answers. If you don't agree with these answers, that's also your freedom of choice. It only changes when you also want to convince others of your right and, on top of that, ignore the wise advice to stop doing so. And that also doesn't mean that no mistakes have happened, are happening, or will happen in our church: that our leaders readily admit.

I feel sorry for what happened to Kate. For someone who believes as a Mormon, excommunication means that everything you have believed in is simply not valid for you. Fortunately, everyone can repent, and you can be readmitted to our church even after excommunication.

But Kate seemed more intent on gaining a following herself, from what I observe from a distance. Her question is not a wrong question. After all, it could be that a change will come someday, and that women can also hold the priesthood in daily life. But if our leaders, under inspiration from God, decide that it is not currently appropriate, then it is an act of faith to accept that. Our church is a theocracy, not a democracy. God determines when we are ready for changes: He is unchangeable,but we are not.

And if you go against that on the public forum despite being asked not to, then afterwards you shouldn't claim that you were excommunicated because you asked questions.