The LDS Church has published a new version of the 13 Articles of Faith on their website www.mormon.org. It is a summarized and shortened version of the original Articles of Faith written by Joseph Smith. Not sure why the need to summarize the summary of the Church Beliefs that all Primary children have to memorize by the time they reach of age of 12.
Apparently the original 13 Articles of Faith was too long or too wordy that the Church felt they need to shorten it. However, in doing so, they have "garnished and misrepresented" what Joseph Smith wrote back in 1842.
Joseph Smith made it very clear that the Articles of Faith and the entire Wentworth Letter should NOT be altered. They were to be printed word for word, ungarnished and without misrepresention.
Joseph Smith wrote on March 1, 1842.—
And yet, the LDS Church has now taken the liberty to reduce, edit, add to and change the meaning of some of the Articles of Faith. Here is a screenshot of Church's Website:
Apparently the original 13 Articles of Faith was too long or too wordy that the Church felt they need to shorten it. However, in doing so, they have "garnished and misrepresented" what Joseph Smith wrote back in 1842.
Joseph Smith made it very clear that the Articles of Faith and the entire Wentworth Letter should NOT be altered. They were to be printed word for word, ungarnished and without misrepresention.
Joseph Smith wrote on March 1, 1842.—
"At the request of Mr. John Wentworth, editor and proprietor of the Chicago Democrat, I have written the following sketch of the rise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-day Saints, of which I have the honor, under God, of being the founder. Mr. Wentworth says that he wishes to furnish Mr. Bastow [Barstow], a friend of his, who is writing the history of New Hampshire, with this document. As Mr. Bastow has taken the proper steps to obtain correct information, all that I shall ask at his hands is that he publish the account entire, ungarnished, and without misrepresentation"
And yet, the LDS Church has now taken the liberty to reduce, edit, add to and change the meaning of some of the Articles of Faith. Here is a screenshot of Church's Website:
I have done a side by side comparison of the Original Articles of Faith (left) to the new Revised Articles of Faith (right) and have highlighted only a few of the additions and garnishings.
One of the biggest additions is the insertion of 'confirmation' into the Church as being necessary for salvation. The Fourth Article of Faith has been changed in this summary. Apparently in this new "summary" - Faith, Repentance, Baptism and Receiving the Holy Ghost in NOT enough for salvation but you now need to be confirmed a member of the Church as well. See below as well as other changes to the Articles of Faith.
One of the biggest deletions that probably makes me the saddest is the changes to Article Faith # 7. As you can see below, the Gift of Tongues, Prophecy, Visions, Interpretions of Tongues have all been removed.
Please look over and compare the two version. It is one thing to just summarize, but it is another to add to and change the meaning.
