Philosophy

I found this document in some papers in my file cabinet. It was a letter that I wrote to Peter Osthoff a few years ago. As you know Peter was in my Boy Scout Troop when I was a young missionary in Hildesheim in 1954. We later became acquainted the first time your grandmother and I went back to Germany in 1979. We went to Hildesheim to church and we were climbing up the stairs to the chapel when this man with a handle-bar mustache spoke out and said, “Bruder Gee”. We had dinner with him and his wife Barbara then. He and his wife came to visit in Lander and we visited in Germany a number of times. He later invited us to go with them to the Salt Lake Temple where he and his wife received their endowments and were sealed twenty-five years after their marriage even though he had contributed money to the Frankfurt temple and the Swiss temple was open in 1955.

He was more interested in philosophy and the learning of the world and so this is what I wrote to him.  The article referred to below is from a book by Hugh Nibley titled “The World and the Prophets”. 

Remember my grandchildren that the teachings of the world are the philosophies of men mingled with scripture, which will not bring you to the full knowledge of the truth and your Father in Heaven.


You have said that you had studied some philosophy and wondered what a member of the church should understand from Philosophy and what they propose.

We must first understand that the philosophers try to answer life‘s questions by reason.

I think it was the Greeks who first popularized philosophy, but certainly there were other “thinkers” before then.

All had no knowledge of the gospel although it was given to man upon the earth in the dispensations of Adam, Enoch, Noah and Abraham.

It was not present at the time of Christ. People followed their own knowledge and people seeking for the truth really were in the dark.

I have enclosed an article by Hugh Nibley regarding philosophers and the prophets which may be of interest to you.



We really must understand that without the light of the gospel in the lives of people they are left to their own intelligence to find the truth and that is a slow and unsure process.

Long before philosophy was popular a prophet in America stated this truth. That we have to be enticed by the good or the evil. That we cannot live in a state where we cannot choose. Therefore it is given to all men regardless of their knowledge of the gospel to live and be agents unto themselves. To learn to decide what is good and what is evil. What is truth and what is falsehood. That all men can be judged according to their actions.

Although the other faiths (and the Christians are in the minority in the world and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a minority in this group) have many good and devout members who believe and practice their faith devoutly they do not have the inspired answers to all of life’s questions.

The gospel provides us who have received it, the path to eternal happiness and exaltation. It also provides for the inclusion of all men who will obey the principles of the gospel in this life or the life to come. No other religion makes that bold statement.