One of the worst apologetic articles any Latter-day Saint has ever produced is that of Elden Watson's DIFFERENT THOUGHTS - #7 ADAM - GOD, an attempt to explain "Adam-God." it is, sadly, popular among some Latter-day Saints. The problem, to be blunt, is it is utter nonsense and is contradicted left, right, and center.
The following is a very good refutation of Watson's apologetic from an antagonistic discussion forum from October 2013, The author (_iamse7en) is responding to "bcspace," a ill-informed Church member who is active on various forums:
bcspace, It seems you're the one who hasn't read all the material on the subject. Rather, you probably read Elden Watson's nonsense which purposefully avoids any source material that directly challenges his silly Two-Adam theory.
I hope that you will read each statement carefully, not just the underlined parts. Test Watson's theory against the evidence. This is important. We need to be honest about what Brigham taught. Please be patient and bear with me.
[Adam's body changed from resurrected to mortal]
These quotes are important because they clearly delineate that Brigham taught the same Adam who became mortal in the GoE used to be a resurrected God. We'll use some building blocks here.
The bodies of Adam and Eve were pure and after the Celestial order until they partook of the forbidden fruit when their bodies were changed with the things of this world. (Brigham Young, Minutes of Meetings Held in Provo City, Sunday a.m. 8/25/1867)
Brother [Orson] Spencer endeavors to substantiate the position taken by President Young; Viz, that Adam came to this earth with a resurrected body, and became mortal by eating the fruits of the earth, which was earthy. (Journal of William Clayton, 10/3/1852)
President Young said that He came from another world & made this. Brought Eve with him, partook of the fruits of the earth, begat children & they were earthly & had mortal bodies & if we were faithful, we should become Gods as He was. (Journal of Wilford Woodruff, 9/17/1854)
[W]hen this work was made - our God who is Adam ... He by eating the mortal fruits of the Earth, it caused & produced mortal children or commenced the increase of men on the Earth which is the bodies for the Spirits to live in. (Brigham Young, John Pulsipher Papers, 37, Sunday 10/8/1854)
Adam and Eve were made of the dust of the Earth from which they came, they brought their bodies with them. They had lived, died and been resurrected before they came here and they came with immortal bodies, and had to partake of the fruits of this Earth in order to bring forth mortal bodies, or natural bodies, that their seed might be of the dust of this Earth as they were of the dust of the earth from which they came. (Brigham Young, Journal of Samuel W. Richards 2:215, 3/25/1855)
A break. You see here that same Adam & Eve who fell, had already lived, died, and been resurrected as gods. Then they came to this earth to partake of the mortal fruits which caused their bodies to become mortal AGAIN.
Now comes the morning of the new week in which mortality must begin, and your spiritual children must be introduced into mortality. Two must go before them and prepare the way for them. Whom will you send? Would you not say to [your] wife, "Come, Mother, let you and I lay aside our Celestial glory for a little season and eat of the elements of this new earth. that we may again become of the earth earthy, and thereby our offspring will be mortal, and thus we will begin the begetting of mortal bodies for these, our spiritual children; and when they have grown to maturity in their mortal estate, we will command them to multiply and replenish the earth. We have passed through earth life, death and the resurrection. We have power to lay aside this Celestial Glory and we have power to take it up again."
To which she, a faithful Mother, will reply: "Yes, we will partake of the elements of this new earth. We will make this sacrifice for our spiritual children that they also may continue on in the law of everlasting progression and become like unto us, for as the Gods are, some may become." (Brigham Young, Journal of Wilford Woodruff, 1/27/1860)
I hope you see here that the SAME couple who lived, died, and were resurrected as Gods decided to lay aside their celestial glory and take it up again. Why? For the begetting of mortal bodies for THEIR spiritual children. So, that same couple partakes of mortal elements, or make the sacrifice for their children, so they can become gods like THIS COUPLE are!
When father Adam and mother Eve became mortal by eating of the fruits of this earth, they were then prepared to organize the mortal tabernacle and they were prepared to organize and form living spirits long before that. Now they are prepared to form mortal bodies for their spiritual children to dwell in. His former words and experiences Adam had forgotten a great deal of, but he once knew it all beforehand. (Manuscript Addresses of Brigham Young, 8/25/1867)
What, is it possible that the Father of Heights, the Father of our spirits, could reduce himself and come forth like a man? Yes, he was once a man like you and I are and was once on an earth like this, passed through the ordeal you and I pass through. He had his father and his mother and he has been exalted through his faithfulness, and he is become Lord of all. He is the God pertaining to this earth. He is our Father. He begot our spirits in the spirit world. They have come forth and our earthly parents have organized tabernacles for our spirits and here we are today. That is the way we came. (Brigham Young, The Essential Brigham Young, 138, 7/14/1861)
And Orson Pratt (who we will discuss in detail below), who spent decades with Brigham, listening to his sermons, discussing doctrine in meetings, who understood it quite clearly, yet he disagreed with it, had this to say:
I have heard brother Brigham say that Adam is the Father of our Spirits, and he came here with his resurrected body, to fall for his own children; and I said to him, it leads to an endless number of falls, which leads to sorrow and death: that is revolting to my feelings, even if it were not sustained by revelation. (Orson Pratt, Minutes of the Meeting of the Council of the Twelve, 10:00 a.m. 4/5/1860)
Of course there was backlash from the teaching, because it was not some Adam Sr. - Adam Jr. titles confusion. It was the doctrine that the same man who fathered our spirits and Jesus was the same man who became fell and became mortal in the GoE. As Orson Pratt said BY said, he fell for his own children. BY addresses this pushback.
Some years ago, I advanced a doctrine with regard to Adam being our Father and God. That will be a curse to many of the Elders of Israel, because of their folly with regard to it. They yet grovel in darkness - and will. It is one of the most glorious revelations [concerning] the economy of heaven, yet the world hold it [in] derision. (Brigham Young Papers, 10/8/1861)
How much unbelief exists in the minds of the Latter-day Saints in regard to one particular doctrine which I revealed to them, and which God revealed to me - namely that Adam is our father and God - I do not know, I do not inquire, I care nothing about it. (Brigham Young, Deseret News, 22:308, 6/18/1873)
Why would so many members, including a member of the Q of 12, oppose this doctrine if it were as simple as "Oh, I'm just saying that Adam is another name for Heavenly Father. Adam the celestial person (our father) begat a second Adam who fell and produced mortal bodies for the first Adam's children!" (This ridiculous position is reduced to hilarity just even by reading the quotes above, but I digress.) When Orson Pratt, who listened to hundreds of Brigham's sermons, spent hours with him in private meetings, said (on multiple occasions), "Brigham, you said that Adam is our god and the father of our spirits, and that he came to FALL for his children!" - Why then didn't Brigham correct him, saying "Oh Orson, You misunderstand me! The Adam that fell for mankind is not the father of our spirits! There are two Adams!" Instead, Brigham rebuked him for having a hard heart and not believing him that Joseph also taught this. What, did all of these people, including Orson Pratt, not understand what Brigham really meant, and only Elden Watson and a few hundred people today on earth know the real secret and interpretation of what Brigham taught? Please don't make me laugh myself to death. Nevertheless, at times, he placated his audience, telling them not to worry too much about it:
Whether Adam is the personage that we should consider our heavenly Father, or not, is considerable of a mystery to a good many. I do not care for one moment how that is; it is no matter whether we are to consider Him our God, or whether His Father, or His Grandfather, for in either case we are of one species - of one family - and Jesus Christ is also of our species. (Brigham Young, John Dehlin 4:217-19, 2/8/1857)
I don't find it a coincidence that Elden Watson leaves out almost all of these quotes. Any scripture or quote in isolation can seem to be a contradiction, which is why you look at many sources.
At the very least, you could conclude, as Bruce McConkie did in his letter to Eugene England, that yes, Brigham did teach this, but a prophet not always speaks as a prophet. At the very least, we should be honest about Brigham taught and not twist them to mean things he didn't mean. You can take Orson Pratt and Bruce McConkie's stance: "yes he taught it, but I don't agree with him." But don't take the dishonest route and twist his words. Not all prophets have to agree on every little detail in the Gospel.
Let's now take this up a notch.
[The same Adam from the GoE is the father of Jesus and our spirits]
He [Brigham Young] said that our God was Father Adam. He was the Father of the Savior Jesus Christ - Our God was no more or less than Adam, Michael the Archangel. (Journal of Wilford Woodruff, 2/19/1854)
Here, Brigham is saying our father and the father of Jesus Christ is Adam, or MICHAEL the Archangel. In case "Adam" wasn't clear enough, he referred to him by his other name, Michael the Archangel. Will you now say, oh, he's referring to some other being than the one who fell, than the one who led the hosts in heaven to cast Lucifer out? Michael the Archangel now applies to two separate beings involved with this earth? Where did Brigham ever intimate such a ridiculous thought?
Who was it that spoke from the heavens and said ?This is my beloved son hear ye him? Was it God the Father? It was. ... Who did beget [Jesus]? His Father, and his father is our God, and the Father of our spirits, and he is the framer of the body, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who is he? He is Father Adam; Michael; the Ancient of Days. (Brigham Young, Manuscript Addresses of Brigham Young, 2/19/1854)
In case referring to him as Adam and Michael the Archangel wasn't enough, he also says the father of Jesus Christ and our spirits is the Ancient of Days. Who is Michael or the Ancient of Days? It doesn't refer to that being, Adam, who fell and formed earthly bodies, "the framer of the body?" That's really what you think Brigham taught?
Jesus Christ is the actual spirit and mortal son of Michael Adam God; that Michael Adam is the supreme god and father of the spirits of our mortal world. (Brigham Young, Millennial Star 17:195-96, 3/31/1855)
Michael, who became Adam, is the father of our spirits, and the father of Jesus Christ.
Michael came down with his wife, & began to people it. Michael had his body from the dust of the planet he was begotten on, he obeyed his Lord, was faithful and obedient, died and was resurrected, he did not resurrect himself [from that earth where he lived]. ... Adam's descent was to organize people & redeem a world, by his wife he peopled it by his first born he redeems (Brigham Young, Journal of the Southern Indian Mission, 87- 89, Friday 10/6/1854)
Michael did what? Michael came down with his wife to people this earth. Where did he get his body or where did he come from? From a different planet that he was begotten on. What did he do there? He was faithful, died, and was exalted. THEN he created this earth, [CON]DESCENDED to it, peopled it by his wife.
Let's make this even more credible. Let's quote the Lecture at the Veil, which was personally and carefully prepared by Brigham to be taught IN THE TEMPLE. How carefully? Every word was approved and prepared by Brigham Young:
In January 1877, shortly after the lower portion of the St. George Temple was dedicated, President Brigham Young in following up in the Endowments, became convinced that it was necessary to have the formula of the Endowments written, and he gave direction to have the same put in writing.
Shortly afterwards he explained what the Lecture at the Veil should portray, and for this purpose appointed a day when he would personally deliver the Lecture at the Veil. Elders J. D. D. T. McAllister and L. John Nuttall prepared writing material, and as the President spoke they took down his words. Elder Nuttall put the same into form and the writing was submitted to President Young on the same evening at his office in residence at St. George. He there made such changes as he deemed proper, and when he finally passed upon it said: This is the Lecture at the Veil to be observed in the Temple.
A copy of the lecture is kept at the St. George Temple, in which President Young refers to Adam in his creation and etc. (L. John Nuttall Papers, Letter Press Book No. 4, p. 290).
Wilford Woodruff assisted as well:
with Bro W. Woodruff engaged in writing the lecture for the Endowments to be read to Prest Young. spent the eving at Prest Young‘s house (Journal of L. John Nuttall, 2/10/1877)
Let's quote portions of this carefully prepared lecture that was taught towards the end of the temple endowment:
We have heard a great deal about Adam and Eve. how they were formed &c some think he was made like an adobe and the Lord breathed into him the breath of life. for we read "from dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return" Well he was made of the dust of the earth but not of this earth. he was made just the same way you and I are made but on another earth. Adam was an immortal being when he came. On this earth he had lived on an earth similar to ours he had received the Priesthood and the Keys thereof. and had been faithful in all things and gained his resurrection and his exaltation and was crowned with glory immortality and eternal lives and was numbered with the Gods for such he became through his faithfulness. and had begotten all the spirit that was to come to this earth. and Eve our common Mother who is the mother of all living bore those spirits in the celestial world.
And when this earth was organized by Elohim. Jehovah & Michael who is Adam our common Father. Adam & Eve had the privilege to continue the work of Progression. consequently came to this earth and commenced the great work of forming tabernacles for those spirits to dwell in. and when Adam and those that assisted him had completed this Kingdom our earth he came to it. And slept and forgot all and became like an Infant child…
... Adam & Eve when they were placed on this earth were immortal beings with flesh, bones and sinews. but upon partaking of the fruits of the earth while in the garden and cultivating the ground their bodies became changed from immortal to mortal beings with the blood coursing through their veins as the action of life …
... Father Adam's oldest son (Jesus the Savior) who is the heir of the family is Father Adams first begotten in the spirit World. who according to the flesh is the only begotten as it is written. (In his divinity he having gone back into the spirit World. and come in the spirit [glory] to Mary and she conceived for when Adam and Eve got through with their Work in this earth. they did not lay their bodies down in the dust, but returned to the spirit World from whence they came. (The Lecture at the Veil, Journal of L. John Nuttall, Tuesday 2/7/1877)
Two Adams? Where? No, this lecture makes it quite clear that the same being who fathered Jesus Christ and all spirits is the SAME BEING who went into the garden, changed his immortal body and begat mortal bodies for the spirit children he had begotten before. Adam did not lay his body in the dust. He went back to the spirit world [or heaven, in this case]. In his divinity, he went BACK to the spirit world, and then later came in his glory to MARY on earth and she conceived.
Let's quote this one again:
When father Adam and mother Eve became mortal by eating of the fruits of this earth, they were then prepared to organize the mortal tabernacle and they were prepared to organize and form living spirits long before that. Now they are prepared to form mortal bodies for their spiritual children to dwell in. His former words and experiences Adam had forgotten a great deal of, but he once knew it all beforehand. (Brigham Young, Manuscript Addresses of Brigham Young, 8/25/1867)
What's that? Father Adam and Mother Eve became mortal. Why? To form mortal tabernacles for the spirits they had 'formed' or begat long before that. By eating fruits of this earth, they became mortal, to form mortal bodies for THEIR SPIRITUAL CHILDREN to dwell in. Do you see that Brigham was not referring to two separate people here? The same being who fathered our spirits, ALSO became mortal to create mortal bodies for the spirits he fathered. This should be so painstakingly clear by now, but I'll go even further.
Here's a couple more:
Adam will have to go there, and he cannot do without Eve; he must have Eve to commence the work of generation, and they will go into the garden, and continue to eat and drink of the fruits of the corporeal world, until this grosser matter is diffused sufficiently through their celestial bodies to enable them, according to the established laws, to produce mortal tabernacles for their spiritual children. (Brigham Young, John Dehlin 6:274-75, 8/28/1852)
Adam planted the Garden of Eden, and he with his wife Eve partook of the fruit of this Earth, until their systems were charged with the nature of the Earth, and then they could beget bodies for their spiritual children. If the spirit does not enter into the embryo man that is forming in the womb of the woman, the result will be false conception; a living, intelligent being cannot be produced. Adam and Eve begat the first mortal bodies on this Earth, and from that commencement every spirit that was begotten in eternity for this Earth will enter bodies thus prepared for them here, until the winding up scene, and that will not be until the last of these spirits enters an earthly tabernacle. (Manuscript Addresses of Brigham Young, Sunday 10/8/1854)
Let's now turn to what Orson Pratt said/believed. He sat and listened to Brigham's lectures. He discussed these doctrines with Brigham in meetings and many conversations. He understood what Brigham taught very well. He will know much better than you or I about what Brigham meant. Let's see what he believed.
Some of his [Orson Pratt's] doctrines as contained in the Seer were being discussed. Brother Pratt also thought that Adam was made of the dust of the earth. Could not believe that Adam was our God or the Father of Jesus Christ. [notice the back-and-forth conversation here] President Young said that He came from another world & made this. Brought Eve with him, partook of the fruits of the earth, begat children & they were earthly & had mortal bodies & if we were faithful, we should become Gods as He was. He told Brother Pratt to lay aside his Philosophical reasoning and get revelation from God to govern him and enlighten his mind more and it would be a great blessing to him to lay aside his books and go into the canyons as some of the rest of us was doing and it would be better for him. He said his philosophy injured him in a measure (Journal of Wilford Woodruff, 9/17/1854)
What couldn't Orson believe? He couldn't believe that Adam was the father of Christ. Now, if Brigham really meant and taught that Adam was just a job title and the Father of Jesus was a DIFFERENT BEING than the Adam who fell, then why would Orson reject this? And then why didn't Brigham set him straight and tell him he misinterpreted? But, it goes further. Orson also didn't believe what Brigham taught, which was this: Adam (the father of Jesus Christ and our spirits) brought Eve with him, ate of mortal fruits, then BEGAT EARTHLY children. Is that clear enough? That same being who fathered our spirits, came to this earth, ate of fruits, fell and begat mortal children.
Joseph Lee Robinson is also a witness to what Brigham taught and what Orson rejected:
Attended conference, a very interesting conference, for at this meeting President Brigham Young said thus: That Adam and Eve were the names of the first man and woman of every earth that was ever organized and that Adam and Eve were the natural Father and Mother of every spirit that comes to this planet, or that receives tabernacles on this planet, consequently we are brothers and sisters, and that Adam was God, our Eternal Father. This as Brother Heber remarked, was letting the cat out of the bag, and it came to pass, I believed every word, for I remembered saying to the Brethren at a meeting of High Priests in Nauvoo, while I was speaking to them under the influence of the spirit, I remarked thus, that our Father Adam had many wives, and that Eve was only one of them, and that she was our mother, and that she was the mother of the inhabitants of this earth, and I believe that also, but behold yea there were some that did not believe these sayings of the Prophet Brigham, even our beloved Brother Orson Pratt told me he did not believe it. He said he could prove by the scriptures it was not correct. I felt very sorry to hear Professor Orson Pratt say that. I feared lest he should apostatize, but I prayed for him that he might endure to the end, for I knew verily that it was possible that great men might fall. (Joseph Lee Robinson Diary, Oct. 8, 1854)
Shall we go further with what Orson KNEW Brigham taught?
In regard to Adam being our Father and our God, I have not published it, although I frankly say, I have no confidence in it, although advanced by bro. Kimball in the stand, and afterwards approved by bro. Brigham. (Orson Pratt, Minutes of Meeting at Historian's Office, 4/4/1860)
One [revelation] says Adam was formed out of the Earth, and the Lord put in his spirit; and another that he came with his body, flesh and bones, thus there are two contrary revelations - in the garden it is said, that a voice said to Adam, in the meridian of time, I will send my only begotten son Jesus Christ. then how can that man and Adam both be the Father of Jesus Christ? …
I have heard brother Brigham say that Adam is the Father of our Spirits, and he came here with his resurrected body, to fall for his own children; and I said to him, it leads to an endless number of falls, which leads to sorrow and death: that is revolting to my feelings, even if it were not sustained by revelation. (Orson Pratt, Minutes of the Meeting of the Council of the Twelve, 10:00 a.m. 4/5/1860)
What did Orson say Brigham taught? That Adam is the Father of our spirits, came here with this resurrected body, to FALL FOR HIS OWN CHILDREN. He became MORTAL again. This thought spooked Orson, and he refused to believe WHAT BRIGHAM TAUGHT, because Orson believed this led to an ENDLESS NUMBER OF FALLS [for the exalted], which leads to sorrow and death. All of these discourses, all of these conversations with Brigham, Orson said he could not believe BRIGHAM'S TEACHING that our Heavenly Father (who is Adam or Michael or the Ancient of Days) FELL for his own spirit children. Did Brigham correct him and say, "Oh Orson, you completely misunderstand me! See, I'm talking about two different Adams here, one refers to the Father of our spirits, the other to the being who fell and begat earthly bodies!" NO. He rebuked Orson for not believing a doctrine he said was taught to him by Joseph Smith (if you want those quotes, I can provide them as well).
Now this is the tiniest of portion of quotes. There are hundreds more. And Brigham wasn't the only one to teach this. Other Church Presidents, other Apostles, a few of Joseph's plural wives, and many others. As I said: believe what you want. But don't lie about what Brigham taught and really meant. It's crystal clear what he taught. Orson knew it and rejected it. Say you side with Orson, that Brigham taught false doctrine. But don't lie and say Brigham taught something different than what he clearly taught.
Okay, breathe. One last thought.
If you still stand by this silly Watson Two-Adam theory (though it's really impossible given all the evidence), there really is only one conclusion you have to come to: that Brigham must be the worst leader to walk the planet. Everybody misinterpreted him, he was challenged by one of his own apostles over this misinterpretation, he obviously knew everybody heard him wrong, that the stenographers heard him wrong, after looking through his speeches and approving them to be published he read his own words wrong, and he did nothing to fix it. Even in the personal meetings with the 12, of which we have record of in Wilford's journal or in the meeting minutes, Orson kept misinterpreting him, and Brigham must have misinterpreted Orson's misinterpretation, because he never set him straight. Amazing. Worst leader ever. What other conclusion could you come to? If only Elden Watson were alive during Brigham's day, then we could have prevented so many problems of everyone misinterpreting, mishearing, and mis-whatevering Brigham. I mean, didn't he say it was "It is my duty to see that correct doctrine is taught and to guard the church from error, it is my calling?"
I must also conclude that Brigham has no intelligence. He prepared and approved every word of the lecture at the veil, and it clearly states that Michael, Adam, or the Ancient of Days lived on another earth, gained his exaltation, then bore spirits with his wife Eve, then created an earth, came to that earth, ate fruits to change his body so he could produce mortal bodies for the first of his spirit children. He misinterpreted and misquoted himself. He didn't know what he was reading and approving. Wow, how did he run the Church for so many decades?
Perhaps you are right. Everyone else that lived in Brigham's day is wrong. All the stenographers, all the Saints who recorded in their journals, all the Church-owned newspapers and publications, all the church-owned publications to the European Saints, the poetry and sacred music of the Church in that time, some of Joseph's plural wives, all the apostles that recorded in their journals, Orson Pratt in his meetings with Brigham, even Brigham himself misinterpreted and misquoted himself when he prepared the lecture at the veil. His personal secretary too. It's amazing how far this Church has come with so many inept people leading it and everyone mishearing, misunderstanding, misquoting, and mis-everything-ing their leader. I concede. You win.
Excuse the sarcasm, but it's high-time we be honest about what Brigham taught and that we get rid of the nonsensical Watson Two-Adam theory. Your first step is to rid yourself of this dishonest theory. Your next step is to study the doctrine carefully. And if you believe Brigham is a prophet of God, then you should gain a testimony as to whether he was speaking as a prophet or not. When properly understood, the Adam-God doctrine is one of the most beautiful in all of Mormonism. But you don't have to accept it. You just have to not propagate lies such as the Two-Adam/Adam Jr./Adam Sr./Watson theory nonsense. As ludwigm said, it really is a silly palliation.
For those interested, my "TL;DR" understanding of
Adam-God is summed up by what D. Charles Pyle wrote in a personal
communication:
Heber C. Kimball actually was the first
person to speak on the subject.
What led to misunderstanding was that their
background tradition was that the Ancient of days was God the Father. That
influenced Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young when they were taught that Adam
was the Ancient of days by Joseph Smith at Luke Johnson’s house. In addition,
in an organizational sense one God in particular was appointed and put in
charge of us, and that person was Adam. That is why the priesthood is committed
under the direction of Adam, and why all must come up before Adam prior to the
second coming of Christ.
In essence, they put 2 and 2 together and got
5. But President Young admitted to not caring enough to inquire for a moment
how that was. He felt that if he were wrong, God would call him up and correct
him. And that was his problem.
For a book that makes nonsense of Watson's "two Adams" apologetic, see:
Drew Briney, Understanding Adam-God Teachings: A Comprehensive Resource of Adam-God Materials (2005)
Blackadder giveing his assessment of Elden Watson's apologetic on Adam-God:
