Trading Truth for Tradition

This subject has been stewing for about three days. Early mornings tend to be when the Spirit speaks to me. A few days ago the title phrase of the post came to mind. When I dressed and went to my office it seemed everything I read related to: "Trading Truth for Tradition", so I guess I better address what has been on my mind.

Trading truth for tradition refers to the tendency for false traditions to supersede adherence to and search for truth. Examples of this are everywhere we look, from religion to politics. Religiously speaking, how did we get from Genesis 1:26 where Moses records: "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness...," to the Nicene creed as the litmus test for "true" modern Christianity. All religions suffer from this tendency over time. It exists in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the principle reason the Lord uses the word "strayed" in section 1, "For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant." (D&C1:15) To stray from something is to gradually turn from the original to different variations of the original. There is always some justification for changes that make sense at the time but inevitably lead a person or organization away from God's original intent. At some point the variation from the truth becomes so extreme it no longer qualifies as truth but is transformed into tradition. This process is a systematic process Satan employs over time to deceive mankind from what God intended to be the most credible source of instruction a child has, their parents. If the parents are righteous examples the children will generally follow, as Nephi, Sam, Jacob and Joseph followed Lehi to the Tree of Life. When parents depart from the path their children experience a broader departure until all righteous tradition is lost over several generations.

Section 93 contains the Lord's instruction on how Satan uses this process to deceive all mankind: "That wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers." (D&C 93:39) Satan's strategy is to remove light and truth from mankind. To accomplish his objective he is constantly working to patiently persuade mankind to disobey or alter the commandments. He does not have to completely deceive mankind to accomplish this. He only has to gradually institutionalize falsehood over time. Elder Uchtdorf uses the analogy of a large plane and how only slight variations in course often translate into missing the destination by hundreds of miles. The same is true with the commandments and ordinances of salvation.

For example, the word baptism means to immerse. Yet as straightforward as that seems there are Christian religions who find sprinkling sufficient because of convenience and practicality. The concept of being buried with Christ and rising from the grave to life seems to be of little significance to those who sprinkle.

Evidence of this type of thinking is found in the restored Church. Take for example, Elder Russell L. Nelson's instruction in General Conference that congregations should rise when the Prophet or Apostles enter a venue as a show of respect. Members of the Church obediently follow this counsel. It began with the Prophet and Apostles and was soon extended to Seventies and even Stake Presidents (as was the case in the Stake where I reside.) Recently a Seventy attended Stake Conference in our Stake and when he entered the chapel with the Stake President the congregation stood. The Seventy immediately went to the podium and gently nudged aside the Stake President (who was conducting) took control of the meeting. He expressed gratitude for the respect shown him but quickly counseled the congregation not to rise when anyone but the Prophet or Apostles entered the room. He expressed concern that if word were to get back to Elder Packer (President of the Quorum of the Twelve)the congregation had risen when he walked in there may be a stern conversation that followed.

Members of the Church can be over zealous in their desire to be obedient. Not only are they willing to comply with a commandment but some seek to display their devotion by taking the commandment to extreme applications.

Light and truth withdraw when we fail to follow commandments with exactness, neither under or over performing what we are commanded to do. When we fall short of obedience or become overly obedient light and knowledge are withdraw. People rationalize all types of wickedness by quoting precedence from the scriptures. Extreme cases are easily identified and obvious to the casual observer. It is the more subtle forms of deceit where Satan persuades us to gradually turn away from seeking light and knowledge by persuading us to be only slightly disobedient because he knows it eventually leads us away from our desired course.