Boyd K Packer and Modern Pharisees in our Midst UPDATED 06/10/2013

To explain what I mean by Pharisee, I use the term as an all in one descriptor to characterize a person who holds the views and characteristics of the Pharisees Jesus criticized.  He criticized the Pharisees for three main reasons; to quote Phil Mclemore "1) They were hypocrites. 2) They did not understand the inner meaning of the Law and the scriptures. 3) They had set up a system to measure spiritual status and worthiness that emphasized external religious practices, thus neglecting the inner path of spiritual rebirth, which is the "key of knowledge."

Now Jesus criticized all who judged others, who used the inspiring word of God to condemn, degrade and shame their brothers and sisters as being hypocrites.  So perhaps in that sense certain GA's may fit the bill on that.

Not understanding the inner meaning of the scriptures may also fit given the lack of theological depth most conference talks seem to have, which is why they bore even the most ardent believer to tears.  And it may also be why many miss certain points entirely, like saying God's love is conditional rather than being unconditional.

Number 3 on the list fits the church leadership to a "T" I think.  Most notably the temple recommend interview. Judging someone's worthiness on whether or not they live the word of wisdom, which in verse 2 of D&C 89 says the revelation was given "not by commandment or constraint," doesn't matter because if we cannot judge people based on outward signs, how are we to know?  Is it not logical to instead say that if it is not your business you do not need to know?  It is either God's business, which you may or may not know, or it is your business in which case you will by definition know.  So if it is something you do not or cannot know, that may be because it is God's business and not your own.

And the righteousness of your brothers and sisters is between them and the Lord, not between them and you.  If you believe, as the Gospel of John says, that Jesus came into the world not to condemn it but to save it then you by definition believe that condemnation does not lead to the path of salvation but only Christlike love, forgiveness and compassion for your brothers and sisters can lead the way to the path of salvation.

Now these ideas are only my opinion and while I may be on to something, I may also be wrong.  Now let's turn the discussion to Boyd K. Packer's "tolerance trap" talk.

 "Just because the nation may change its laws to 'tolerate legalized acts of immorality' does not make those acts any less spiritually damaging, senior apostle Boyd K. Packer said during Saturday morning's conference.

 "The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immorality," Packer said, "does not reduce the serious spiritual consequences that result from the violation of God’s law of chastity."

 "Tolerance is a virtue, but, like all virtues, when exaggerated it transforms itself into a vice," said Packer "We need to be careful of the ‘tolerance trap’ so that we are not swallowed up in it."

Now I wonder what BKP's view of a guy who says we should not only be more tolerant but more loving of others, maybe even our enemies?  He must think a guy like that has been completely swallowed up by the "tolerance trap."  But not to worry, given his message he isn't in danger of emulating that kind of man.

 BKP doesn't mention gay marriage but he is about as subtle as a freight train in his sermon.  And it is especially confusing to many considering that we have seen a softening tone from some LDS leaders of late, toward the LGTB community. In December 2012, the church unveiled a new website mormonsandgays.org, that implores us to be more compassionate and understanding of LGBT people and toward this very issue.

 Same-sex attraction is not a sin," according to the site, "but acting on it is."

And yet every homosexual act condemned by scripture is rape, abuse, loving consenting relationships are never discussed.  Why that is and what that means provides room for speculation.  Those who believe that the Bible condemns homosexuality have never studied the origional texts nor listened to scholars on the matter.  But let's listen to Jesus on the matter he said-that's right, Jesus said nothing of the subject did he?
I've known many gay people in my life, and it is something they are born with if you listen to them talk of it.  To say otherwise is to say sexuality whether heterosexual or homosexual is a choice.

So, if you think sexuality is a choice I would ask at what age you "decided" to be straight?

Here we have another Pharisitical talk, this one given by Russel M. Nelson:

 "While divine love can be called perfect, infinite, enduring, and universal, it cannot correctly be characterized as unconditional. The word does not appear in the scriptures. On the other hand, many verses affirm that the higher levels of love the Father and the Son feel for each of us—and certain divine blessings stemming from that love—are conditional. Before citing examples, it is well to recognize various forms of conditional expression in the scriptures."

And here I give you plenty of citations and examples that God's love and the love of Jesus IS unconditional.  It is true that the word unconditional doesn't appear in scripture; probably because the term didn't exist in the Hebrew or Aramaic spoken by Jesus.  But the parables and following quotes demonstrate that Jesus was trying to show us what unconditional love is through the limitations of the languages he spoke; for example by dying for us all.  Sinners and saints alike.  The Atonement is an act of unconditional love.

The Lord your God is with you.
He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17


Isaiah 64:6,
"6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away."

And in Romans 3:22-23, "22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

 Jeremiah 31:34 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 1 John 19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."

 Luke 15
 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: BKP and Elder Nelson seem to echo the Elder Brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Which is a perfect demonstration of why those two, amongst many members and leaders, are in fact modern Pharisees.

Jesus tells us not to judge one another, yet they judge and condemn.  Scripture, the word of God we are admonished to hold to like an iron rod for safety and guidance, says "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."

Clearly this applies to many members thanks to the example of Boyd K. Packer, Bruce R. McKonkie and Elder Nelson.  This Pharisitical movement within our church is exactly what happens when we have businessmen lead our church rather than theologians and it is also inevitable when one relies on the arm of the flesh rather than the word of God.

A plea came from Thomas S. Monson during conference asking that we members follow the example of Jesus Christ and be more “tolerant of, as well as kind and loving to those who do not share our beliefs and standards.”

And yet the term "unconditional love" has been removed from church publications ever since Elder Nelson gave his talk.  He was unveiling the church's new position on God's love.  Given that it is clearly the antithesis of what the life, ministry and Atonement of Jesus was all about I fear the church at it's highest levels in now Pharisitical.  The message of the church has strayed from the message of Jesus in this aspect.

And why is the virtue if obedience when exaggerated to sin spoken of?  Is it possible that our church is too self-serving to ever say such a thing?  I think that obedience and blind faith, never questioning the leadership can easily become a sin.  For example it is what lead to the inquisition, the crusades and the policy of denying blackmen the priesthood for 130 plus years.

There have been countless victims of that sin but I am having a hard time finding victims of too much love.

A house divided against itself cannot stand" is a quote from Job and it very much applies to our modern church given that these modern Pharisees are dividing us between the unconditional and non-judgmental love Christ preached and the "righteously judging, tolerance avoiding, conditional love preaching pharisees we have leading our church in a direction that to me seems to be different than the direction espoused by Jesus himself.

The greatest and most dangerous lie Satan ever told was that he does not exists.  And maybe another is that he can never lead our church astray even though he led the original church founded by Christ astray.

I think the foundation of Jesus's life, ministry and teachings is unconditional love.  Peaceful and non-judgmental.  Yet the very foundation laid by Christ is being cracked by these modern Pharisees preaching "righteous judgment" and avoiding tolerance as well as preaching something as insideous as conditional love.

Any child can tell you love, if it is real love spoken of, is unconditional.  But sometimes children know more than grown men which may be why Christ admonished us to come unto him like little children.