You can cherry pick God #lds #mormon #exmormon #christian

Can You Cherry Pick God? The Problem of Selective Scripture in Mormon Doctrine

When members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encounter conflicting divine portraits in scripture, they face a genuinely difficult question: Which God are we actually worshipping? The Old Testament presents a deity who orders genocide and demands blood sacrifice. The New Testament emphasizes forgiveness and grace. Modern LDS revelation adds layers of cosmic theology, eternal progression, and celestial hierarchy. The question of whether believers can, or should, assemble a personal conception of God by selecting passages that align with their preferences strikes at the heart of religious authority and interpretive honesty.

This interpretive dilemma matters because it shapes how members understand divine character, moral obligation, and their own relationship to authority. It also reveals fundamental tensions within any religion that claims to possess multiple, sometimes contradictory scriptural sources.

The Range of Divine Portraits Across Mormon Scripture

The LDS scriptural canon, comprising the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, presents radically different characterizations of the divine nature. This theological diversity is not accidental or marginal. It represents centuries of accumulated religious tradition, and each text claims authoritative status within Mormon theology.

The Old Testament God wages wars, hardens pharaohs' hearts, and demands retaliation. Levitical law prescribes execution for numerous violations. Yet the same God also covenants with Abraham, listens to prophetic intercession, and shows mercy to Nineveh. The New Testament Christ teaches radical forgiveness and love of enemies. The Book of Mormon frequently invokes divine wrath against unbelievers. Modern revelations through Joseph Smith and subsequent church presidents sometimes emphasize conditional love, divine punishment for disobedience, and strict moral boundaries.