When one
examines Church publications from previous decades, they will find a lot of
great gems. Take the following from Mae Blanch that originally appeared in the
January 1975 issue of the New Era:
Is there any
similarity between existentialism and the gospel?
Existentialism, the philosophy that has
dominated Western thought since World War II, shares at least one important
tenet with the gospel, although they differ sharply on their views on the
nature of man. There are almost as many versions of existentialism as there are
existentialist philosophers, but the one principle that they all start with can
be summed up in the statement that existence is prior to essence. That is, the
existentialist believe that man has no essence, no inherent eternal nature that
defines him, prior to his existence. Thus man has the sole responsibility for
determining through thought and action what his essence will be; man, thorough
the exercise of free will, defines himself.
Existentialists claim that life has no
meaning except that which man gives it, and it is therefore essential that man
enjoy complete freedom to create his life so that it is a reflection of the
truth as he has discovered it. To find his own truth, then, is an obligation no
man can escape, and he must accomplish this with no outside help. Since in
existentialist thought truth is relative, each man must determine his own; he
cannot borrow that of someone else or even receive help from someone else in
finding his own.
Mormon philosophy differs sharply from the existentialist
in its view on the nature of man. Man is an eternal being; his nature already
exists when he is born into this world and has existed for eternity. The
highest potential for man has been defined by God through his prophets: “ . .
.as God is, man may become.” The purpose of his life is to provide him with the
opportunity to grow toward this goal. Life has a meaning ordained by God.
But like the existentialists, Latter-day
Saints also place great emphasis on the necessity of freedom. Man must be free
to make the choices that will lead him toward godhood. The Latter-day Saint
does not determine his essence through thought and action, but he does determine
his ultimate fate by these same means, and the sole responsibility is his.
However, help is available to him in making these crucial choices. He has the
help of parents, teachers of the gospel, leaders in the Church, the scriptures,
and, most important of all, the Holy Ghost.
The differences between existential and
Mormon views on the nature of man and the purpose of life are irreconcilable.
For both philosophies, freedom is essential, free will is a reality, and choice
an imperative; but for the Latter-day Saint, a loving Father in heaven also
offers help and direction. (Answers for
Young Latter-day Saints [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1977], 14-15)
