The Error of Deep Doctrine

     Ask a Latter-day Saint what he or she likes and you're likely to hear responses like children, green gelatin (my rebel self prefers the blue variety), and... deep doctrine.  Thanks to additional scripture like The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, us Mormons have a lot of puzzle pieces to play with.  It is only natural therefore, for us to think we can fill in the remaining gaps ourselves.

     So what exactly is deep doctrine?  Well, I'm a bit hesitant to say it's really doctrine at all.  Although it stems from known doctrine, it always has an element of uncertainty.  For instance, I remember when I was a young man in the church a peer of mine made this observation: "You know, when babies cry, they're probably speaking the language we spoke in heaven."  This statement was drawn from two doctrinal certainties: that we lived in heaven before mortality and communication was possible there, so why wouldn't infants still speak a language they were speaking mere weeks or months before?  Looking back now, I realize how rediculous this is.  If screaming and crying is the language of heaven, I don't think I want to go there!

     Now I'm not saying a little speculation here and there is bad, as long as we call it what it is.  But when speculation becomes doctrine, it is a problem.  If we teach doctrinal certainties and uncertainties over our pulpits and to our investigators, can we still expect the Spirit of Truth to bear witness to the accuracy of our words?  Probably not. 

     Below I've listed a few ways to tell if something is true doctrine.

1.  It is taught regularly by general authorities (an obscure reference does not a doctrine make)

2.  It has scriptural support

3.  The Spirit bears witness of it