Religion of ‘Flexible Faith’

“Mormonism’s ability to gain footholds both in liberal democracies and in totalitarian societies is a marvel.” So observed The Wall Street Journal when the Hungarian government granted full recognition to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How does the church achieve this? “The key,” according to the Journal, “is not simply the Mormons’ high birth rates or aggressive spreading of their gospel. Rather, it is the flexibility built into the faith.” How so?

Speaking of the period before the recent political changes in Eastern Europe, the Journal said: “Using musical and folk-dance groups from Brigham Young University, the Mormons have managed to bypass the repression and noncooperation normally faced by missionaries in most Communist countries,” says the Journal. Their troupes have gone to Romania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and China, as well as to Saudi Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Somalia, and Israel. Furthermore, “the wealth of the Mormon Church has been used as a lever to gain entry into Marxist and Third World countries.” Dam-building and well-drilling are among the projects supported by Mormon donations.

In today’s pleasure-loving and money-hungry world, it is not surprising that such song-and-dance and open-purse tactics have strong appeal. (2 Timothy 3:2, 4) But truly sheeplike ones are attracted by the voice of the Fine Shepherd, Jesus Christ. (John 10:27) That is why, when he commanded his followers to “make disciples of people of all the nations,” he did not say to do so by any means or at any cost but by ‘teaching them to observe all the things he had commanded.’ (Matthew 28:19, 20) In carrying out this commission, there is no room for compromising Bible standards.