Having Doubts is Not Sinning

Within Mormonism faith, love, service, and critical thinking are all essential components in developing spirituality. And in an age of unprecedented information accessibility, it’s not uncommon for Latter-day Saints to learn facts about Church History, moral teachings, or LDS scripture that prove challenging to traditional assumptions. Whether obtained in a class, through a book, or via an online article, these feelings are not to be feared. Rather than defining doubts as a “crisis,” perhaps we should conceptualize them as a central part of spiritual growth. From this angle, doubting is not sinning.

In August of 2012, Commissioner of Church Education, Elder Paul Johnson, gave a landmark address to seminary and institute teachers clarifying this point. He said:

“Some of our students are confronted with negative information and attacks on the Church, and they can develop doubts and questions as a result. Even some information that is accurate can be difficult to deal with. We know that good people can have doubts. Having doubts is not sinning.

“Let me read an excerpt from President Gordon B. Hinckley’s biography about a time he entertained some doubts: “As Gordon worked his way through the university and made the transition from dependence upon his parents to personal responsibility, he, like many of his peers, began to question assumptions about life, the world, and even the Church. His concerns were compounded by the cynicism of the times. . . . He later explained[:] ‘It was a time of terrible discouragement, and it was felt strongly on campus. I felt some of it myself. I began to question some things, including perhaps in a slight measure the faith of my parents’” (Sheri L. Dew, Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley[1996], 46–47).

“Some of our best students will have doubts. We want to help all of our students. We love them. We know the future rests on them, their abilities and strengths, and their spiritual power.”