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The Church of the Only Begotten Son

Statement of belief (summary)

Beliefs, Part Two: Practice and Community

  • Statement of belief
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Abstract

The second half of the church's foundational beliefs: stewardship of the earth's resources, the church's view of constitutional government, expectations about military and legal careers, reporting wrongdoing, study of world religions, sacramental practice, personal revelation, and equal spiritual standing guided by a Ward Guide rather than a single prophet.

Reading this document. This page summarizes the church's doctrine as the church has stated it. It does not provide legal advice, does not describe any substance use or how to obtain any substance, and is not an endorsement of any action outside the law.

The full text

In the church’s words

These are the foundational beliefs of The Church of the Only Begotten Son (pg.2)

  • We acknowledge that God has made ALL good things that come of the earth for the use and benefit of man, to please the eye and gladden the soul, to be used with judgment, not to excess and neither by extortion as stated in Doctrine & Covenants section 59, v 17-24
  • We accept that God has condoned us, the men and women who follow THIS religion, to befriend and consent to ONLY the republican form of government that allows for the sovereign status to be enjoyed by all who choose to exercise their status, and the pre-1871 Constitution for The United States of America, and specifically the parts that uphold rights and privileges of freedom for ALL mankind. D&C 98V. 4-10 because of this we believe that all members have the right to access legal advice under any circumstances and legal defense in the form of a co-hybrid defense against any false allegation or illegal action taken by law enforcement or elected official of any level.**
  • While we will always support the veterans after their service, we do not condone or allow any of our members to enter the military service or serve in an active duty capacity. D&C 98 v. 16
  • Members are only allowed to enter the legal profession or law enforcement through the organization(s) that the church has established with the express purpose of defending life liberty and freedom by exposing the crimes of the oath-breakers on the force and seeking out and bringing to justice ALL breaches of peace or civil rights violations.
  • All members have a civil and patriotic duty to record and expose all illegal actions to The Ward Guide regardless of who is committing them. This is based on the law being stated in its simplest form as: no breach of peace, no breach of property, no breach of personal space without consent.
  • We support the militias and defense of life liberty and freedom of all American men and women from all enemies both foreign and domestic, including the sworn servants who act in breach of their oath.
  • We read and seek knowledge from the scriptures of all world religions. This gives the opportunity to understand other philosophies and use this information to further support and understand Christ’s message and how to apply that standard of excellence to our lives today.
  • We believe in the use of sacred holy herbs and substances by sacrament (modeled after the eucharist removed from modern day christianity) in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of one’s personal humanitarian life purpose, mental, health, physical health, and a greater understanding of what it means to be an eternal being in order to encourage a closer, more complete relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • We belive there is no one prophet or holy spokesperson, only a Ward Guide to the conversations that are had at all church services. We do not believe that any one man is “called” to be in a position of hierarchy; only Christ and God hold that place as all men are created equal with God given inalienable rights by God protected by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
  • All members are encouraged to seek their own prophetic experiences and holy eternal revelations, not to just rely upon the experiences of others and ancient scripture.
  • We believe any person who is worthy can and will receive visions, revelations, gifts and preminitions according to Gods will.

The Science Behind The ReligionEstablishing Questions

Study companion

A plain-language summary to accompany the church’s text, awaiting the church’s review. Where it differs from the church’s own words, the church’s words govern.

Stewardship of the earth

The church teaches that God made the good things of the earth for people’s use and benefit — to please the eye and gladden the heart — to be used with judgement, not to excess, and not by extortion. It grounds this in Doctrine and Covenants 59:17–24.

Government and the Constitution

The church states that its members befriend a republican form of government and the Constitution as it understood it before 1871, especially the parts that protect freedom for all people, citing Doctrine and Covenants 98:4–10. From this it draws the belief that every member should have access to legal advice and to a defence against false allegations or unlawful actions by officials.

Service and vocation

Military service

The church says it will always support veterans after their service, but that it does not permit members to enter active military service. It cites Doctrine and Covenants 98:16 in connection with this position.

The church states that members may enter the legal profession or law enforcement only through organizations the church has established for defending life, liberty and freedom and for holding wrongdoers to account. The church does not describe these organizations in detail.

Recording and reporting wrongdoing

Members are taught that they have a civic duty to document and report unlawful actions to the Ward Guide, whoever commits them. The church summarizes the law in its simplest form as: no breach of peace, no breach of property, and no breach of personal space without consent.

Defence of liberty

The church expresses support for militias and for defending the life, liberty and freedom of Americans against all enemies, including officials it regards as breaking their oath. This page records that position as the church’s belief; the church’s ministries emphasize lawful, non-violent activity.

Learning from world religions

Members read and seek knowledge from the scriptures of the world’s religions, using them to better understand Christ’s message and apply it to daily life.

Sacrament

The church believes in the sacramental use of sacred herbs and substances, modelled on what it regards as the original Eucharist that it believes modern Christianity removed. It presents this as a pursuit of knowledge about one’s life purpose, wellbeing, and eternal nature, and of a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.

This website describes the belief only. It offers no guidance about any substance, and the church’s historical account is set out in Historical Foundations.

Revelation and equal standing

The Ward Guide

The church states that it has no single prophet or spokesperson. Instead, a Ward Guide facilitates the conversations held at church services. The church teaches that no one is called to a position of hierarchy, because only Christ and God hold that place and all people are created equal.

Personal revelation

Members are encouraged to seek their own revelations and spiritual experiences rather than relying only on others’ experiences or on ancient scripture. The church teaches that any worthy person can receive visions, revelations, gifts and premonitions according to God’s will.

References

Texts cited by the church or useful for further study, linked where available. Inclusion records a citation; it does not mean the source supports every statement.

  1. Doctrine and Covenants 59 scripture

    Verses 17–24 are cited for the use of the good things of the earth 'with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion'.

  2. Doctrine and Covenants 98 scripture

    Verses 4–10 are cited for befriending constitutional law; verse 16 is cited with the position on military service.

Revision history

  • — Published on this website with an abstract, study companion and references.

Statement of belief

Declarations and Beliefs, Part One

The first half of the church's foundational declarations: personal equality before God, a commitment to truth and to exposing fraud, the church's understanding of Christ and salvation, family and marriage, work and non-profit commerce, opposition to usury, and its view of the right to travel.

Faith interpretation

Historical Foundations

The church's account of its sacramental theology and religious foundations: its interpretation of early Christian ceremony and devotional art, the works it treats as scripture, its reading of Doctrine and Covenants 59 and 98, and the blessings and relationships it describes. Includes a separate organizational timeline and bibliography.

Questions and answers

Establishing Questions

Short answers to the five questions the church uses to explain why it exists: what it means by ethnobotanicals, what a free church is, why it chose not to incorporate, what to know about donations and tax, and why it was formed in 2018.

Reference index

Scripture References

Every scripture passage cited in the church's beliefs and history documents, gathered in one list with links to the text and to the page where each is cited.