33 Reasons Revisited

By my "rough" calculations, 18 of Bro. Andersen's 33 reasons for leaving the LDS Church were "valid", meaning, he spoke the whole truth. (Whether he was "justified" in leaving is a different matter.) Six of his reasons were "invalid" (untruthful) and nine were "iffy" (partly true and partly false). So he mostly spoke the truth.

However, he doesn't give a "valid" reason until #5 and his first "reason" contains at least 12 falsehoods, inaccuracies or misrepresentations about the Mormon Church! If he relies upon those to "deny the faith", he gravely errs.

If he's wrong (or misinformed) about the "bigger" things, does it matter if he's right about so many "smaller" matters?

Seeds of doubt are sown whenever and wherever falsehoods are allowed to flourish and germinate. Bro. Andersen has provided more than enough anecdotal evidence to show that the LDS Church has purposefully (or unintentionally) "sowed" (or "allowed to flourish") falsehoods to "justify" his loss of faith. That is truly unfortunate.

But Moroni warned his readers this might happen:

Mormon 9:31:
31 Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.

Mormon 8:12:
12 And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you.

We must be careful not to judge others uncharitably, for we shall be judged by the same standard we use to judge.[1] If we condemn others for their imperfections, they shall condemn us for ours. Imperfection, in and of itself, is not evidence of lack of divinity. Upon creating this world and populating it with all manner of life, God declared it "very good".[2] He did not call it perfect. We must remember the purpose for which our imperfections are given: to make us humble.[3] A "perfect" world would be devoid of sorrow and sadness, mishap and misfortune. In other words, it would be devoid of experience.[4] What purpose would that serve?

Knowing we are children of Divine Beings, destined for eternal glory, can make us proud.[5] It can go to our heads. Acknowledging the truth about our weaknesses helps us to become and remain humble. Conversely, covering up weaknesses and mistakes beguiles us into becoming proud. The former -- when coupled with a desire and effort to repent -- leads to godliness. The latter only leads to greater evil.

Bro. Andersen, bless his heart, threw out the baby with the bathwater, being unable to discern the "baby" midst all the "mess". Mixing metaphors, he tossed away the "pearl of great price", not discerning it among the rubble and the rubbish.

Those who claim there is no "rubbish" in the LDS Church -- that it's all "good" and all "perfect" -- do their audience a disservice. They are minstrels to an emperor who wears no clothes. The informed honest in heart will accurately report and acknowledge the truth. The proud will be flattered and deceived if they allow falsehoods to be sown and to flourish.

Joseph taught "A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge."[6] God's priesthood is bound up in "pure knowledge".[7] In fact, knowledge (aka "priesthood") is the power of God!

“Knowledge is necessary to life and godliness. Woe unto you priests and divines who preach that knowledge is not necessary unto life and salvation. Take away Apostles, etc., take away knowledge, and you will find yourselves worthy of the damnation of hell. Knowledge is revelation. Hear, all ye brethren, this grand key: knowledge is the power of God unto salvation.”[8]

Embracing falsehood renders God’s priesthood inert.[9] Those who conceal or reject the truth damn themselves and all those who follow them.[10] Hence, Lucifer's "priesthoods".[11]

Joseph taught:

“I say to all those who are disposed to set up stakes for the Almighty, You will come short of the glory of God. To become a joint heir of the heirship of the Son, one must put away all his false traditions.”[12]

Bro. Andersen has shown that the LDS Church has plenty of them.

Be warned.
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[1] Matthew 7:2; Moroni 7:18.
[2] Genesis 1:31.
[3] Ether 12:27.
[4] 2 Nephi 2:11-13.
[5] Psalms 82:6.
[6] History of the Church, 4:588; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 10, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff.
[7] Doctrine and Covenants 121:42.
[8] Quoted by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 21, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Notebook, Church Archives.
[9] Doctrine and Covenants 121:37.
[10] Doctrine and Covenants 76:97-112.
[11] Alma 30:52-53.
[12] History of the Church, 5:554; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton.