Study & Faith with Leo Winegar

Leo Winegar, while going through a faith crisis reached out to our friend, Steven C. Harper, see their correspondence below.

12 years later, Leo is helping other individuals as they go through faith crises. Watch or listen to our podcast interview together. Podcast. YouTube.

If you'd like to talk with him, you can connect with Leo Winegar, by reaching out to him on Facebook or through email (leowinegar@gmail.com). Leo Winegar is one of the founders of the Uplift Study Group, which seeks to provide a safe haven for people of all religious traditions who are seeking greater faith, especially in the face of faith crises. 

From: Leo Winegar [leowinegar@gmail.com]

Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2013 10:03 PM

To: stevenharper@byu.edu

Subject: Looking for insight

Brother Harper,

You probably don't remember me, but I was a student in one of your D&C classes many years ago.  I have remained an active member of the church.  I have a temple marriage, and we have a little boy, and a little girl on the way.

I have always strongly believed in the church, served a faithful mission, and have held many callings since coming home.  Bottom line is that I still believe and want to continue believing.

However.. I have been very troubled recently about some information I have received regarding Joseph Smith.  I would like to speak with my Bishop about it at some point, but I first wanted to check with you to see if I can get some additional insight and/or guidance before I "stir the pot" so to speak.

So, I'd like some clarification regarding Joseph's ~34 wives.  Many of which were teenagers, and many of which were already married to other men.  I believe the term is Polyandry.  This is troubling information for me.  If what the many witnesses have written on the subject is true, then this is disheartening for sure.  I have felt the Spirit testify that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and the Book of Mormon is true.  I still believe in these things.  But, this information is really, really taking a toll on my faith.

Are you aware of any reliable source (either person, book, etc.) that can clearly explain these events?  I have considered reading "In Sacred Lonliness".  What do our current church leaders have to say about it?  I feel like this isn't something that I can simply sweep under the rug and wait until the next life to understand.  If I cannot get a solid, clear answer at some point, I will do my best to look past it, but it will be very difficult indeed!

Your insight and help are greatly appreciated, and I sincerely thank you in advance.

Very best regards,

Leo Winegar

PS.  I have been exposed to many other anti-mormon and atheistic items and none have shaken my faith like this.  All can be properly explained and understood at a significantly reasonable level.

PPS.  Doctrine & Covenants 132 - are there any particular verses that you think would help?

Thurs 2 May 2013

To Leo Winegar

Leo,

I’m very glad that you felt like you could approach me about this.  I’m here to help, and others are as well.  Let’s begin by figuring out what you know and how you know it.  Let me restate what I heard you say, and you correct anything that is not accurate:

• You know that you believe, and that you want to continue to believe, that Joseph Smith was called by God.

• You have felt the Spirit testify that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and the Book of Mormon is true.

• You know that you are disturbed by the process of learning the facts that Joseph Smith was sealed polygynously, and are especially troubled that some of those to whom he was sealed were in their teens and others were married to other men at the time.

You stated your consciousness of these facts with good clarity.  They are all true.  The problem is that they seem completely incompatible, and the reason that they seem completely incompatible is that you have some unrecognized assumptions in your mind giving meaning to the facts just stated.  My guess is that you are not yet conscious of those assumptions.  That is, you probably don’t yet realize that facts, and the meaning you give to facts, are not the same, and that you may have unconsciously decided that you know what some of the facts mean when, in fact, you don’t, yet.  You only know what the facts are.  You are still coming to know what the facts mean.  You don’t want to come to premature conclusions about that, since so much is at stake.  You are wise to seek sources of knowledge who can help you.   

Consider trying to figure out what your assumptions are and then testing them, like hypotheses, rather than simply assuming that they are correct without any verification other than popular opinion, assumed wisdom, etc.  Those are not sufficient criteria for decisions like this, when a temple sealing and two beautiful children are at stake.  This is an eternal life issue.  

Are these possibly some of your assumptions?:

• No man could be called of God who married teenagers or other men’s wives

• God would never command his servant to do such things

• Joseph Smith must have been motivated by lust in these things

Those premises seem reasonable enough, but do you know whether they are true?  If so, how?  How did you come to that knowledge.  You told me how you came to believe that Joseph was a prophet and the Book of Mormon was true.  Do you have other evidence or experience to overturn that?  Do you know something else?  If so, how have you come to know it?  

Have you considered that perhaps you know the 3 facts above stated but are missing some others that might make sense of them?  Is it possible that in the absence of all the facts, you have filled in gaps in your knowledge by assuming things you don’t really know, but that you’re not conscious of the difference between what you know and what you only assume that you know?  If so, it seems likely that if we knew more it might become clearer to us why Joseph did as he did, and why God seems to have done what he did?  If you will open your heart and mind to that possibility as you seek your answers, you will be okay.  If not, you’re not really a seeker who wants to know the truth whatever and wherever it is.  But I believe you are a seeker who wants to know, who wants to believe, and is looking for an answer to what you know and how.  

If you’re interested, you might begin by reading the attached essay.  It’s a chapter of my book on the D&C that covers section 132.  It deals head on with the issues you raise.  It shows how D&C 132 discusses the polyandry issue.  On the teen issue, the best thing to read is Spencer Fluhman’sessay in the book No Weapon Shall Prosper.  

You might also be interested in an essay about my own ongoing journey through this and similar issues.  It’s here 

https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/testimonies/scholars/steven-c-harper if you’re interested.

You could read In Sacred Lonliness if you like.  I would suggest beginning with what I’ve sent/said above, and then maybe an essay or two by Valerie Hudson-Cassler and by Kathleen Flake, both fine scholars of these issues and the related evidence. I can help you find those when/if you want them.   

The Church is having such scholars prepare sophisticated answers to your questions.  They should be available soon, I hope.

Above all, as you struggle through, continue to read from the Book of Mormon each day, and to pray.  You and I need the power and clarity of discernment that comes from those sources.  I don’t mean to ask you to do anything disingenuous, just the opposite.  Tell God your problem.  Lay it out candidly.  Ask Him to help you think and feel clearly so you can discern what’s true and what you should do.  Ask him to help you discern the difference between what you know and what you don’t yet know, and to help you come to know and to be willing to walk in faith in the meanwhile, in the process.  You’ll need a mixture of tenacity and patience in your quest.  And I’ll be here as needed.  I’m available by phone at 801 651 5878 or we can meet in person, as you wish.  

My best to your growing family—

Steve Harper