Taking the Gospel with a Grain of Salt

One of the best ways to avoid falling into erroneous actions and beliefs is the practice of taking what you hear with a grain of salt. In other words, having a healthy skepticism for what you read and what others tell you.

All of us can think of at least one time where we took someone for their word and got sucked into doing something or believing something that wasn't true. Perhaps you listened to a silver-tongued salesman, or maybe you jumped on a political bandwagon only to learn the full story later on. The fact of the matter is that as humans we are often more emotional than we are logical and most of us have the tendency to believe that others are being honest with us. The problem with this is that even if I am perfectly honest with you, it doesn't mean that what I say is true, it just means that I believe it to be so. 

Because of this it's a good idea to withhold a full acceptance of what is being said until you go and confirm for yourself the truth. In some cases a complete confirmation isn't possible, but in almost every case you can find supplemental sources to give different viewpoints.

So what does this have to do with the Gospel? Do I dare suggest that it may be important to have a healthy skepticism towards the Gospel? Yes, yes I do. Why? Because in the scriptures there are some mistakes and the Apostles and Prophets make mistakes as well, and Stake Presidents, Bishops, Sunday School teachers, and Seminary teachers most definitely make mistakes. 

Moroni once stated that there were possibly mistakes in the Book of Mormon, he said "And if there be faults they be the faults of a man. But behold we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things;" Mormon 8:17. Notice that as far as Moroni was aware, the Book of Mormon was without fault, but he acknowledged that there was a possibility of fault. In admitting this he also provided how we may learn to distinguish the truth from the faults of man. He said "God knoweth all things." It is our responsibility to take what we have learned to the Lord before fulling accepting new teachings. If we simply accept what we are told in General Conference to be the truth because it is General Conference then we will likely accept whatever the internet says because it is the internet. 

I am not saying that we should disbelieve the Prophet and Apostles, or any teachers in the church. I am trying to say that we are each responsible to verify their teachings through our own study and prayer so that we may receive a witness from the Lord of it's truthfulness. "Ask and you shall recieve."

To conclude I wish to clarify what I define to be the difference between healthy skepticism and unhealthy skepticism. A healthy skepticism is one that encourages you to consider the implications of a new teaching, to ponder upon it and to seek a confirmation through study and faith. An unhealthy skepticism drives you to reject and doubt teachings. It urges you to condemn it as worthless. Please do not do this. Do not doubt what you believe, rather seek to confirm what you believe, that is how you turn faith and belief into pure knowledge. (see Alma 32)