Apologetics is the method of defending a position through information. FairMormon.org, an apologist website upholding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently called the Mormon Church), announced the release of a new online forum supporting Latter-day Saints questioning aspects of their faith. “FairMormon Support,” found at www.FairMormonSupport.org, enables people to post questions to be answered by other forum members.
John Lynch, Chairman of the Board of FairMormon, posted on Religion Press Release Services that
“This site is designed to give struggling members a safe place to go, along with getting views and information that’s intended to bring them back to a place where they can choose faith, and persist and even grow in their confidence in the foundational claims of the Church”
Lynch added that he hopes “the FairMormon Support Forum can be a safe and trustworthy place where no question is off the table but where the focus is always on growing to a position confidence and faith in the authenticity claims of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Ask Sincere Questions to Receive Answers
Part of increasing faith is asking sincere questions and receiving answers. I have never been able to build my faith without expanding my current knowledge. My understanding of Jesus Christ today is vastly different than my childhood understanding of Him. I have wondered who He really is and what He really did, and these questions led me to deeper understanding and faith.
Joseph Smith wondered what church to join, and sought an answer through scripture study and prayer. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph in answer to his prayer and commanded him not to join any church. (See Joseph Smith-History 1:8-19.)
In the Book of Mormon, a king over an idolatrous nation learned of God and sought to know Him. “O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee…” (Alma 22:18).
I love how generous God is with information. He knows you will have questions and concerns. He encourages you to seek and find. “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:7).
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, church leader, spoke to a worldwide audience of young adults (ages 18-30) and reviewed
…the fundamental Latter-day Saint beliefs (found in the Articles of Faith) in seeking after anything that is “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” whatever the source may be, and that God “will yet reveal many great and important things” to His children.
Additionally, President Uchtdorf said that Latter-day Saints are “not asked to blindly accept everything they hear.” Rather, members are “encouraged to think and discover truth” for themselves and “to ponder, to search, to evaluate and thereby to come to a personal knowledge of the truth.” 1
Seeking Truth
I am a seeker of truth because I want to know God. I have asked lots and lots of questions. Why, who, how, where, what, and so what? A couple of my questions are on a shelf waiting for an answer as I continue to search, study and ponder. The rest of my questions have been answered to my satisfaction and capability of understanding through personal revelation, spiritual confirmations by the Holy Ghost at church, insight from written words placed in my path, or discussions with others. I ask some of the same questions again as my understanding increases and I am able to see things more completely and clearly.
It seems like the most frequent phrase throughout the scriptures is, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). God reveals Himself to His children. You are His child!
The Savior promised, “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me” Doctrine and Covenants 19:23.
Along with searching the scriptures and personal prayer, I invite you to peruse www.FairMormon.org and www.FairMormonSupport.org when seeking answers to challenging questions about Mormonism.
