Today’s dilemma is a look at a subject matter in LDS scripture, its chronological evolution, and how the Church uses it today in their teaching manual ‘Preparing for Exaltation’.
The Preparing for Exaltation Manual is used in Sunday school classes for 12 to 13 year old kids which provides lessons on how to follow God and receive Mormon salvation.
The subject matter in this part of their manual is known as ‘the iron rod’ which is promulgated to students as scripture for the Mormon people.
After reading off a couple of quotes from various leaders and being told the iron rod is what they should hold onto for guidance, the teacher is prompted to ask kids for their interpretation for the meaning of iron rod and is then instructed to read the following quote from Harold B. Lee (11th prophet);
“If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an ‘iron rod’ as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 351).
They’re asked again for the meaning of what this is and then told to read over several other LDS scriptures which includes a dream in the Book of Mormon the prophet Lehi had.
And this is where the bad goes to worse. They use Lehi’s dream which is remarkably similar to a dream Smith’s father had almost two decades before Smith began translating the Book of Mormon.
You can read about all this in the article we wrote last year; Lehi & Joseph Sr.’s Dream
Why would they teach kids about this dream and not teach them about the dream Joseph Smith, Sr. had as well?
Lying by omission is still a lie no matter how you candy-coat it. What 12 year old kid is going to know about these two dreams and connect the dots?
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