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Monday, March 04, 2013

"Adam and Eve fall, and death enters the world." (2013 edition, LDS scriptures.)

"The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have approved the incorporation of various adjustments in this new [2013] edition." (First Presidency Letter, March 1, 2013.) Below is a comparison of the Book of Moses chapter headings from the 1981 and 2013 editions of the Pearl of Great Price. The title of this post is taken from the newly revised heading for chapter 4.

Blue text was removed. Green text was added.


CHAPTER 1.

1981 1. (June 1830) Gad reveals himself to Moses-
2013 1. (June 1830) God reveals Himself to Moses-

1981 1. Moses    transfigured-
2013 1. Moses is transfigured-

1981 1. Confrontation with                    Satan-
2013 1.                   He is confronted by Satan-

1981 1.            Many inhabited worlds seen-
2013 1. Moses sees many inhabited worlds     -

1981 1. Worlds without number      created by the Son-
2013 1. Worlds without number were created by the Son-

1981 1. Gad's work and glory    to bring to pass
2013 1. God's work and glory is to bring to pass

1981 1. the immortality and eternal life of man.
2013 1. the immortality and eternal life of man.


CHAPTER 2.

1981 2. (June-October 1830)
2013 2. (June–October 1830)

1981 2. God creates the heavens and the earth-
2013 2. God creates the heavens and the earth-

1981 2. All forms of life     created-
2013 2. All forms of life are created-

1981 2. God makes man and gives him dominion over all else.
2013 2. God makes man and gives him dominion over all else.


CHAPTER 3.

1981 3. (June-October 1830) God created all things spiritually
2013 3. (June–October 1830) God created all things spiritually

1981 3. before they were naturally upon the earth-
2013 3. before they were naturally upon the earth-

1981 3.            First man 
2013 3. He created       man,

1981 3. and    first flesh created              -
2013 3.    the first flesh,       upon the earth-

1981 3. Woman    a help meet for man.
2013 3. Woman is a help meet for man.


CHAPTER 4.

1981 4. (June-October 1830) How Satan became the devil-
2013 4. (June–October 1830) How Satan became the devil-

1981 4. He tempts Eve-
2013 4. He tempts Eve-

1981 4. Adam and Eve fall  and death enters the world.
2013 4. Adam and Eve fall, and death enters the world.


CHAPTER 5.

1981 5. (June-October 1830) Adam and Eve bring forth children-
2013 5. (June–October 1830) Adam and Eve bring forth children-

1981 5. Adam offers sacrifice,    serves God-
2013 5. Adam offers sacrifice and serves God-

1981 5. Cain and Abel     born-
2013 5. Cain and Abel are born-

1981 5. Cain rebels, loves Satan more than God,
2013 5. Cain rebels, loves Satan more than God,

1981 5. and becomes Perdition-
2013 5. and becomes Perdition-

1981 5. Murder and wickedness spread-
2013 5. Murder and wickedness spread-

1981 5. The gospel    preached fram the beginning.
2013 5. The gospel is preached from the beginning.


CHAPTER 6.

1981 6. (November-December 1830)
2013 6. (November–December 1830)

1981 6. Adam's seed keep a book of remembrance-
2013 6. Adam's seed keep a book of remembrance-

1981 6. His righteous posterity preach repentance-
2013 6. His righteous posterity preach repentance-

1981 6. God reveals himself to Enoch-
2013 6. God reveals Himself to Enoch-

1981 6. Enoch preaches the gospel-
2013 6. Enoch preaches the gospel-

1981 6. The plan of salvation was revealed to Adam-
2013 6. The plan of salvation was revealed to Adam-

1981 6. He received baptism and the priesthood.
2013 6. He received baptism and the priesthood.


CHAPTER 7.

1981 7. (December 1830)
2013 7. (December 1830)

1981 7. Enoch teaches, leads the people,     moves mountains-
2013 7. Enoch teaches, leads the people, and moves mountains-

1981 7. The City of Zion is established-
2013 7. The city of Zion is established-

1981 7. Enoch foresees the coming of the Son of Man,
2013 7. Enoch foresees the coming of the Son of Man,

1981 7. his atoning sacrifice,
2013 7. His atoning sacrifice,

1981 7. and the resurrection of the saints-
2013 7. and the resurrection of the Saints-

1981 7. He foresees the restoration,
2013 7. He foresees the Restoration,

1981 7. the gathering,
2013 7. the Gathering,

1981 7. the Second Coming, and the return of Zion.
2013 7. the Second Coming, and the return of Zion.


CHAPTER 8.

1981 8. (February 1831) Methuselah prophesies-
2013 8. (February 1831) Methuselah prophesies-

1981 8. Noah and his sons preach the gospel-
2013 8. Noah and his sons preach the gospel-

1981 8. Great wickedness prevails-
2013 8. Great wickedness prevails-

1981 8. The call to repentance    unheeded-
2013 8. The call to repentance is unheeded-

1981 8. God decrees     destruction of all flesh by the flood.
2013 8. God decrees the destruction of all flesh by the Flood.

9 Comments:

Anonymous Dave said...

Gary, I'm guessing the next new edition of the LDS scriptures will feature new language in the preface to this book of scripture that will say something like this:

"Early in its history, Church leaders believed death entered the world only upon the Fall of Adam and Eve. Church records offer no clear insights into the origins of this doctrine. Church leaders believed that a revelation from God was needed to alter this doctrine and prayerfully sought guidance. The revelation came to Church President David A. Bednar and was affirmed to other Church leaders in the Salt Lake Temple on February 12, 2039. The revelation removed all restrictions with regard to the origin of mankind and human evolution."

3/05/2013 05:11:00 PM  
Blogger R. Gary said...

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Dave: In 1997, Gordon B. Hinckley was asked by ABC Television in Australia whether the Church was wrong in not allowing Blacks to be priests prior to 1978. President Hinckley said, "No I don’t think it was wrong." The new introduction to Official Declaration 2 is 100 percent compatible with Hinckley's assessment.

Your alleged insight into the "the next new edition of the LDS scriptures" is impressive. It implies knowledge that goes beyond today's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. And, actually, I really do believe you have received such inspiration. But I don't believe it is from the source you suppose.

3/05/2013 07:25:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Gary, I'm not 100% converted either way on NDBF but I would say that I lean towards NDBF (for other forms of life than humans)--seems like some scriptures can be interpreted that way.


However, I'm questioning NDBF for non-humans with the new Bible Dictionary changes.

Please let me know your view of what the changes DO mean if they are not implying that pre-fall death for life other than mankind is a possibility.

3/06/2013 11:14:00 PM  
Blogger R. Gary said...

Anonymous: The newly revised entry for Flesh says, "Since flesh often means 'mortality,' Adam is spoken of as the 'first flesh' upon the earth, meaning he was the first mortal on the earth, all things being created in a nonmortal condition and becoming mortal through the Fall of Adam."

The newly revised entry for Fall of Adam and Eve says, "After Adam fell, the whole creation fell and became mortal."

The newly revised entry for Restitution, restoration says, "These terms denote a return of something that was once present but that has been taken away or lost. It involves, for example, the renewal of the earth to its paradisiacal glory as it was before the Fall of Adam."

Seems pretty clear to me....

3/07/2013 01:37:00 AM  
Anonymous log said...

R. Gary,

"It is a doctrine of the Gospel of Salvation to all the descendants of Adam and Eve, that if you know anything, you obtain that knowledge by experience.... That which you have experienced, you know." - Brigham Young, 10/1/1854, Sunday Afternoon Session

Do you have a knowledge of NDBF?

3/08/2013 09:24:00 AM  
Blogger R. Gary said...

log: Out of context statements from early leaders do not nullify the teachings of living apostles and prophets. The witness of the Holy Ghost is that today's apostles and prophets are true servants of our Heavenly Father. Their teachings should not be taken lightly. That is what I know.

3/08/2013 10:46:00 AM  
Anonymous log said...

I believe NDBF - it is a logical deduction from the scriptures. But I am not inclined to foist it on people. I really don't like the notion of using NDBF as a type of creed to which one must assent or be thought a bad Mormon.

3/08/2013 10:37:00 PM  
Blogger R. Gary said...

log: The LDS Church has no creed—you may believe whatever you want to. The thing you should NOT do is make misrepresentations about what the Church teaches, including what it teaches about NDBF.

The revelation given in the Book of Moses contains an eye-witness account of the origin of the earth and man. As understood by today's apostles and prophets, that account describes a paradisiacal (i.e. NDBF) creation. The official position of the Church is that Moses spoke revealed truth:

-------------- quote --------------
"Moses, the prophet-historian—'learned,' as we are told, 'in all the wisdom of the Egyptians'—when making this important announcement was not voicing a mere opinion, a theory derived from his researches into the occult lore of that ancient people. He was speaking as the mouthpiece of God, and his solemn declaration was for all time and for all people. No subsequent revelator of the truth has contradicted the great leader and lawgiver of Israel." (Ensign, Feb. 2002.)
-------------- end quote --------------

And let me emphasize again, you may believe what you want, just don't be telling the world that our leaders are wrong.

3/08/2013 10:39:00 PM  
Anonymous Mike said...

@LOG

"It is a doctrine of the Gospel of Salvation to all the descendants of Adam and Eve, that if you know anything, you obtain that knowledge by experience.... That which you have experienced, you know." - Brigham Young, 10/1/1854, Sunday Afternoon Session"

Hmmmm, if knowledge comes only from experience, how do evolutionists justify their doctrine? Did they actually witness it? No. Did they do any lab experiments to test the validity of the evolutionary hypothesis? No. Do they have any evidence that any species can undergo a series of mutations that eventually morph into a separate species? While some claim they do, both the math and the scientific experiments which have been done indicate otherwise, and there is no one who can delineate or specify a developmental pathway from one species to another, (except in the realm of their imagination). Science is about empirical proof, supposedly.

3/11/2013 07:27:00 AM  

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