FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
FAIR Study Aids/Seminary/Old Testament/Week 2
| Week 1 | A FAIR Analysis of:
Seminary: Old Testament Teacher Resource Manual |
Week 3 |
Day 1: Abraham 3
Day 2: Moses 1
From the manual section: "Suggestions for Teaching"
"It is comforting to know that God’s work and glory is to help us become like Him."
Commentary
The idea that we are to "become like Him" is a concept that is often misrepresented by our critics. Critics claim that the doctrine of human deification is unbiblical, false, and arrogant, with the suggestion that Latter-day Saints believe that they will somehow 'supplant God'. This, of course, is entirely incorrect.
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Day 3: Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
From the manual section: "Suggestions for Teaching"
"The purpose of the scriptural accounts of the Creation is not to answer such questions as how the earth was created, how long ago the Creation occurred, or how long the process of creation took. Their purpose is to answer the more important questions of why the earth was created and who created it."
Commentary
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
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Common criticisms related to this lesson topic
Critics insist that LDS doctrine requires belief in an earth created in only 7,000 years and a rejection of evolution. They then use scientific evidence to raise doubts.
Response
The Church has no official position on the age of the earth and official statements on evolution allow members considerable room to come to their own conclusions. Church leaders have been of more than one view about these matters.
For more information
}}|Official statements regarding organic evolution]] }} http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Evolution/Official_stance
Day 4: Genesis 3; Moses 4
Common criticisms related to this lesson topic
Was there physical death for other creatures before Adam and Eve's fall?
Response
The Church has no official position on whether creatures outside the Garden of Eden were subject to physical death prior to Adam and Eve's fall. Church leaders have been of more than one view on the matter.
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Common criticisms related to this lesson topic
Church leaders do not all agree on many questions.
Response
Church leaders have been of different view on matters that are peripheral to our salvation, such as the age of the earth, whether there was physical death before the Fall of Adam, or what to make of some of Brigham Young's teachings about Adam.
- The Lord allows his prophets and his children to have and express their own views on issues not directly related to the gospel and salvation. "A prophet is only a prophet," taught Joseph Smith, "when he is acting as such." Prophets are not inerrant, and we weaken our ability to follow and sustain them if we act as if they are. Only Jesus was perfect.
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Further reading
None