Thank You

Thank you for taking time to complete the LDS Faith Crisis Quiz. This shows that you have a true desire to learn and to help others.

• The number of latter-day saints who are experiencing a faith crisis is increasing exponentially every year.

If you are a member who loves the Church, this trend can be troubling.

A terrifying question...

In reality, however, latter-day saints who suffer a faith crisis have made a major decision that took tremendous courage on their part.

At some point, they permitted themselves to consider a terrifying question–

• What if, in fact, the Church isn't true?

 

For devout believers, this question is mind-boggling and can scarcely be considered.

Why? Because it surely leads to other hard considerations–

If I discover that the church is not true…

• What will change in my life?
• What will I lose?

 

As a true believer, you quickly see the obvious answer–

• EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE!
• YOU STAND TO LOSE A LOT!

That’s a truly frightening prospect. Church teachings provide comfort, meaning, and guidance in virtually every aspect of your existence.

This is why many latter-day saints go to great lengths to avoid seriously considering the question–

What if, in fact, the Church is not true?

When confronted with facts that can cause doubts, they resort to "standard answers" in order to cope.

Standard Answers

What about you? What do you do when confronted with troublesome issues about the Church?

Do you find yourself thinking or saying any of the following?

• It’s the last days – Satan is working harder than ever
• God is separating the wheat from the tares
• Even the very elect will be deceived
• No one is perfect, not even Church leaders
• Look at all the good the Church does
• We have a 'living' Church, so things change all the time
• In the eternal scheme, these issues don’t matter
• We don’t know the answers – but some day we will
• We have to be obedient and not question
• You just have to have faith
• I just know in my heart it’s true
• I’ve had sacred spiritual experiences
• The Holy Ghost told me it’s true

 

Do you find yourself using these kinds of "self-assuring" responses when confronted with troubling questions about the Church?

If so, you should consider this question, in all seriousness–

• IF the Church were not true, would you want to know?

If you answer ‘NO’, then the case is closed. For you, feelings are more important than reason, logic, or factual evidence.

If you answer ‘YES’, then many possibilities are open to you. You will have the chance to study, investigate, probe, and carefully evaluate the facts.

• But you must be ready to honestly consider ALL the evidence, no matter how painful or unpleasant.

A Matter of Integrity

A past member of the First Presidency astutely remarked:

 “If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed.” –President J. Reuben Clark (see source & context)

For your personal integrity, you owe it to yourself to make a valiant attempt to separate, so far as possible, truth from error.

Keep in mind that personal emotions and subjective feelings are generally not good indicators of truth.

• You can easily think of examples where people have made serious mistakes or done bad things because they felt God was guiding them.

Remember, "faith" is sometimes just a way to give yourself permission to suspend logic and reason.

Cognitive Dissonance

Always look at the evidence.

If you feel uneasy or sick about what you find, remember that cognitive dissonance is very real and powerful.

• The Spirit is not withdrawing from you.
• The discomfort you feel is not the influence of Satan.

 

One last thought–

Why care? Why worry about all this?

Because truth matters.

It's simple, really: "The truth shall make you free." But only if you search with complete integrity, willing to go where the evidence leads you.

Only then can you be truly free.

Additional Resources

2 Insightful Videos (powerful perspectives)

• Dear Believer: Why Do You Believe? (9:15)
• How Beliefs Resist Change (8:35)

LDS Gospel Topic Essays

Letter For My Wife

Church Education System (CES) Letter

Mormon Think