Answer: Thanks for the e-mail. Sorry for the delay in answering—I’m not teaching Summer term so I don’t get into my office as frequently as during the school year. I would like to begin by “cutting and pasting” a letter I wrote to a student on the Adam-God theory and then make some summary comments at the end.
For a number of years I spent countless hours reading and searching out the responses to anti-Mormon claims. Many of those who claimed to have found "proof positive" that some doctrine was not true or that some prophet or Church leader made some absurd comment really didn't have anything other than the old worn-out anti stuff that has been around from the beginning and has been proven false so many times that it is an embarrassment to them to still use the material.
The problem was that too many members of the Church are not informed enough about the answers that have been given that many fall for the same false charges and accusations that have worked in the past.
One of those drums beat most strongly is the Adam-God theory. Most of the anti stuff is taken from Pages 50-51 of volume 1 of the Journal of Discourses. I have read those pages many times and fail to see why the big issue. The rub comes from the way Brigham Young phrased (or more accurately-- the way the scribes recorded what he said) in teaching the personal involvement of Deity with mankind.
Supposedly Brigham said: "That same being who was in the Garden of Eden, who is our Heavenly Father, is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." If one is not familiar or doesn’t want to know the truth they will steadfastly maintain that Adam was the only one in the Garden of Eden. From the Temple and also the scriptures we know that God the Father walked and talked with Adam and Eve while they were in the Garden. Therefore, where is the conflict? Brigham Young was only identifying which individual in the Garden he was referring to. He couldn't have said it more clearly. That same being (God the Father, Eloheim, our Heavenly Father) who was conversing with Adam in the Garden of Eden, is also the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
However, you are beating a dead horse to try to get the antis to understand and accept that-- not because it isn't true but because that would weaken their cause and their attacks on the Church-- which they are not about to do.
I think Elder McConkie, like those of us who have dealt with the issue for a number of years and with a variety of people, are just tired of wasting our time arguing with those who have absolutely no desire to understand the truth. I think Pres. Kimball's blanket statement in 1974 that the Adam/God Theory, as taught by the antis, is false doctrine, ought to be sufficient to lay it to rest once and for all. But I suspect we will have it around until the Millennium because of the success that the antis have in luring the uninformed off into forbidden paths.
You might want to go to the library and read those two pages (50-51) for yourself. If you are really motivated you might do a search to see what else Bro. Brigham has said on the matter. Little concern or attention is given by the antis to the virtual multitude of statements Brigham Young made that demonstrated that he knew exactly the make-up and relationship of God, Adam, and Christ. There was no mistake. But the antis present that one statement (which they purposely misuse and distort) as though that was the only statement Brigham Young ever made on the subject.
How convenient for them to use a statement where the speaker is been dead for over 130 years and can't defend or clarify a statement attributed to him.
If you are really into the subject, I think there has been several master's thesis or doctoral dissertations that have been written on the subject. For me, I have so much more positive gospel to learn that I have virtually no time to dabble in falsehoods and out-right lies. Your choice.
Bro. Bott
There really has never been any mass confusion about the father of the Savior—it was revealed by the Lord Himself, confirmed every time the Father introduces the Son as “This is my Beloved Son, hear Him” and understood and taught by not only prophets but lay members of the Church from the earliest times (i.e. from Adam’s time to Christ’s and the apostles’) and restored as part of the restitution of all things during this dispensation. You have never (and will never) hear an informed member of the Church or a Church leader teach anything other than that God the Father is the Father of Jesus Christ. Adam is second in priesthood command to Christ (a rather interesting twist if Adam was Christ’s Father—the son holding a higher priesthood office than the father! It isn’t going to happen).
As you continue your study of the gospel, focus on those things that fall within the mainstream of doctrine. You can waste countless hours wallowing through Anti-Mormon literature and only end up confused or unfulfilled when you reach the realization that I did many years ago—they have nothing to offer. They only want to distort and destroy. They have nothing to replace the gospel with that they are trying to tear down. Of course the choice is yours. You may allocate your study time wherever you deem it to be most productive. I have chosen to focus on the gospel that has been revealed and will result (if I follow the commandments, ordinances, and covenants carefully) in my return to the presence of God. Good luck in your quest to understand.
Bro.Bott
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