Unbelief
Refusing to believe something is true is a sin called unbelief. Prophets of the Book of Mormon taught that unbelief comes when people dismiss candidate truth that contradicts the false traditions of their fathers out of hand:
For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief. (Helaman 15:15.)
In order to repent of unbelief, then, we have to be willing to consider that the traditions of our fathers, which we believe are correct, may be false.1 We must be willing to objectively evaluate what we are told by others, even if it contradicts what we already believe. Sometimes the only way God can help us overcome our false traditions is by sending true messengers that contradict them. When true messengers preach to us, it at first seems painfully contradictory to our false traditions.2 But, if we heed Jesus’ commandment to be like a child by considering the new doctrine, we will find that it makes more sense the longer we consider it.3 The longer a true doctrine is studied, the more it makes sense. The more a false doctrine is studied, the more it crumbles.4
Footnotes
- 1. “The honest investigator must be prepared to follow wherever the search of truth may lead. Truth is often found in the most unexpected places. He must, with fearless and open mind 'insist that facts are far more important than any cherished, mistaken beliefs.’” (President Hugh B. Brown, General Conference October 1962.) ↩
- 2. Jesus' good works were offensive to his church leaders: “And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.” (Matthew 9:2-3.) ↩
- 3. “Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:28.) ↩
- 4. False doctrines do not stand up to scripture, logic, or history. For example, Sherem taught both that man “cannot tell of things to come” and also that he knew that Christ would never come (Jacob 7:7,9). ↩