Doctrine and Covenants 8

Notice the similarities between this verse and Moroni 10:4.

If the process described in this verse doesn’t work to let a person know that a claim of Joseph Smith or the LDS Church is true, then it is the person's fault. Built right into this verse are reasons believers can always use to explain why a person didn’t get the “right” answer. The person who doesn’t get the accepted answer didn’t ask with enough faith, honesty in heart, or belief. So, if you set up any truth claim with this process as the way to gain knowledge of the claim, the believers will always think they know why nonbelievers didn’t get the “right” answer. (click here for a flow diagram that represents the way to know the truth according to Mormonism)

This type of situation is often called a double bind—a situation in which you are given a choice or dilemma, but there is no good choice. Either way, you fail.

If someone asks if a claim made by the Church is true and concludes it is not, according to this verse, they failed to ask with enough faith, honesty in heart, or belief. The dilemma is that they either stop trying to believe and are accused of these failures, or they continue trying to believe even if they have done their due diligence.

Consider the effect of Jehovah’s Witness (JW) missionaries teaching a person they will know the JW Church is Jehovah’s only authorized organization if they ask Jehovah with enough faith, honesty in heart, and belief. What kind of effect or influence might this have on a person studying with the Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Which leader said this about asking God if a teaching is true?

I hope for your sake that you at least ponder this—that you go into the privacy of your closet. Don’t ask your neighbors, your friends what they think of this. You go see if you can connect with the purest, highest source that you might consider God and say, “What about this? Is this for real? Is this for me? If it is, then give me the strength,” because as soon as you tell anyone else, they will be used as the instruments to have you not believe.

It was Marshall Applewhite, leader of the UFO cult Heaven’s Gate who convinced himself and 38 others to commit suicide in March 1997. The quote starts at about 56:14 in this video.

The LDS Church teaches that prayer is how you can know if it is God’s will that you join the Church. But, “A common technique among religious cults is to instruct people to ask God what He wants them to do. Members are exhorted to study and pray in order to know God’s will for them” (Steven Hassan, Combatting Cult Mind Control, p. 70).

Notice the similarities between these verses and Moroni 10:5.

If the Holy Ghost were a reliable way to reveal the truth, why are there many examples of the Spirit of God convincing people that their Church is God’s only true church? (click here for a video with many examples.

(Click here for more thoughts about the Book of Mormon promise and for a better alternative)

Verses 6-7 speak of Oliver Cowdery's gift of Aaron. Let’s compare this to the same revelation as originally published in the Book of Commandments 7:3 ,

"Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the rod: behold it has told you things: behold there is no other power save God, that can cause this rod of nature, to work in your hands ... "

Notice that what is now published as "the gift of Aaron" was originally "the gift of working with the rod." It is well established that this was a divining rod like those used for dowsing water or treasure (see the article in 2005 Vol. 17 Num. 1 "The FARMS Review" by Larry E. Morris, a BYU religious professor, starting on page 35 under the heading "The Rod of Aaron").

The Church's article, "Oliver Cowdery's Gift" also confirms that this revelation canonizes God using his power to make a divining rod tell things.

The 9th verse instructs that God will give Oliver knowledge regarding whatever Oliver asks. But, the 10th and 11th verses then give the conditions and limitations.

This is apparently a revelation for Oliver Cowdery, but the LDS Church teaches to apply all scripture to one's self. Therefore, to receive knowledge from God, a person must ask for knowledge with faith. Also, per the 10th verse, when God originally said whatsoever Oliver asks, God really meant with the exception of things he should not ask. Herein a believer can always excuse failure to get "correct" knowledge asked for, on lack of faith or the idea that a particular question should not have been asked in the first place.