Why does Gramps have conflicting answers?

Question

Hi Sir,

I was looking up some of your past answers regarding animal sacrifices. In one response dated May 31, 2011, you stated, “First off, rest assured that blood sacrifice is not, nor will it ever come back. Christ has made it very clear throughout the scriptures that he is the fulfillment of blood sacrifices and that they are to no longer be performed again.” Then in some of your more recent quotes you state over and over exactly the opposite, that animal sacrifices will in deed be performed once again. Maybe I am missing something but it seems like the statements are completely contradictory. Please explain.  Thanks.

Warren

Answer

Warren,

Sometimes with questions like this, it will be impossible to get a consistent answer.  First, the time between posts is enough to allow for an individual to change his mind on a topic.  Second, this particular question doesn’t really have a clear answer.

We don’t have any clear, definitive, revelation on the topic.  The primary quote from Joseph Smith is ambiguous on the topic.  And we have multiple interpretations by many general authorities which are all based on that ambiguous quote.  The topic isn’t really taught from any of our manuals.  And it isn’t a big issue in our doctrines.  Put all this together with the fact that I’m only one human with one man’s opinion that can change at times, and you’ll see some conflicting answers from time to time.

What you’ve done is the correct approach.  You did a search on a topic and read multiple posts with differing interpretations to get a better idea and understanding of the topic from different points of view.

Today I’m going to tell you that the answer to the question about blood sacrifices is probably one of the following:

1) No.
2) Yes.
3) Only for a brief time to satisfy the principle of the “restoration of all things”.

I’m only one source.  And while I do my best to research and give as accurate a response as I can, I hope you don’t take my little site here as the end-all and be-all of LDS doctrine.  I’m just someone who’s trying his best to give as good an answer as he knows how.  As you pursue more study on the topic, pray for yourself to know which answer appears to be right.  If the Lord finds it important to tell you, then he will reveal it to you by the Power of the Holy Ghost.

Gramps