We don’t have all the answers. Far too often, members of our church look
down upon others for having honest questions.
At best, questioning is seen as an understandable moment of weakness, at worst it’s
taken as a lack of testimony that will inevitably result in leaving the church
or excommunication. I know many members (myself included) with a very strong
dedication to the LDS church who are afraid to tell others of their wonderings
for fear of being judged as weak or wavering.
Questions are not a
sign of weakness! They are a natural part of the growth and learning
process. We should be celebrating the pursuit of further understanding and
insight. I am honestly much more concerned about Mormons who don’t have any
questions than the ones who do. How will they ever improve upon their
knowledge? Will they simply live in complacence, satisfied that they have all
the understanding that they will ever need? Do we truly believe, as the
Articles of Faith state, that God “will yet reveal many great and important
things pertaining to the Kingdom of God”? And if so, will this revelation come
to those who are complacently satisfied with the knowledge they already have,
or will it come to those with a genuine curiosity and thirst for further
insight?
Where would the
church be today if Joseph Smith never asked questions? We obviously needed his questions for the first vision, but even beyond that we needed him to wonder, ponder,
and ask about many additional doctrines in order to receive the revelation in
the D&C. Do we truly believe that revelation is still real today? And do we
know that it can come to any who ask, not simply the general authorities? Now,
that’s not to suggest that individuals can receive revelation for the church,
and I do believe that true revelations will not contradict core church
doctrines. But I also know that God can greatly expand your knowledge of complex
topics as you seek and ask questions.
If you think you have
all the answers, you aren’t thinking hard enough. We have been told time
and time again, for example, that the temple is a place of learning and that
each time you go you can learn something new. And such it is with going to
church, praying, reading your scriptures, etc. Are we using these opportunities
as chances to learn something new and grow? Or are we simply reaffirming the
things we already know and take for granted? An unfortunately common notion in
the church is that we shouldn’t spend too much time reflecting on and
contemplating those concepts which are difficult to understand and have led
some to disbelieve. While I wholeheartedly support the idea to “doubt your
doubts before you doubt your faith”, I also believe strongly that God does want
us to (eventually) obtain all the knowledge of the universe. I also believe many answers will only come after we ask the questions.
Ask the tough
questions! Not just about what decisions to make in your life, but ask for
further understanding of difficult ideas. Think about the concepts that don’t
make sense to you or seem to be contradictory. Pray for insight into whatever
you find confusing. If you are like me, you will receive answers that may not
be as direct as you thought. You may be expected to engage in detailed study of
the topic. You may be expected to be patient as the answers are revealed a
little at a time, or line upon line. You may even be expected to change aspects
of your life so that you can be more in tune with the spirit to receive the
answers you are looking for. But if you live right and are sincere, you will
receive answers.
But you will still
not have all the answers. So when someone has a question, don’t assume that
you have the answer, or that you know more about the topic than they do.
Consider that it’s possible that they have spent much more time contemplating,
studying, and praying about this topic than you have. Consider that maybe they
have an even greater understanding of it than you do, and what they seek is an
even higher level of insight. If the answer you think you know is one that you
have always taken for granted and not spent much time pondering, they likely
are looking for more details, and you are probably not the person who will
provide them.
Realize it’s ok to
not have all the answers. We have a tendency to want to explain away any
potential conflicts of thought or difficult questions. Sometimes it’s ok and
even more helpful to say, “You know what? I don’t understand that either.” It’s
good to engage in thoughtful conversations and to brainstorm ideas. What’s not
good is to assume that we understand all the facets of a topic, when there is
certainly more we can learn. And ultimately, we can do what the missionaries
are taught to do when they feel stumped: bear your testimony of what you do
believe. In the end this is likely to have a more powerful impact than the
answers you want to give. Take the time to think about hard concepts, listen to
the questions of others, seek greater understanding, and resist the urge to
overexplain.
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