--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and…" description: "\"“Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and accept theories with caution--that should be the method of all truth seekers.”\" — John A. Widtsoe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg" --- # Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and accept theories with… ![“Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and accept theories with caution--that should be the method of all truth seekers.” quote by John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg) > ““Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and accept theories with caution--that should be the method of all truth seekers.”” [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Latter‑day Saints trust facts, cautiously accept theories; a model for truth seekers. **In simple terms:** Seekers should balance facts and theories cautiously. Key Takeaway Adopt critical inquiry. Themes faith science methodology Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic research - personal belief - public discourse Key Concepts epistemology skepticism Questions to Reflect On - How to balance faith and evidence? - What methods ensure truth? A Different Perspective May limit openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept Theories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept-theories-3803992/) [Facts Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts-accept-3803990/) [Method Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method-truth-983856/) [Theories Caution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-caution-3803991/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Seeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeker/) [Truth seekers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seekers/) ## Related quotes > [Harmony with nature will bring you a happiness known to few city dwellers. In the company of other truth seekers it will be easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/harmony-with-nature-will-bring-you-a-happiness-known-to-few-city/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“The future is owned by learners and truth seekers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/the-future-is-owned-by-learners-and-truth-seekers/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Our job should be like any other forensic scientist's - we should be truth seekers who are not partisan, who do not have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-dietz/our-job-should-be-like-any-other-forensic-scientist-s-we-should-be/) [Park Dietz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-dietz/) > [What fiction does is bring you closer to the essence of truth, as opposed to simply giving you the truth. And there's no knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarnath-banerjee/what-fiction-does-is-bring-you-closer-to-the-essence-of-truth-as/) [Sarnath Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarnath-banerjee/) > [Nothing great in science has ever been done by men, whatever their powers, in whom the divine afflatus of the truth-seeker was wanting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/nothing-great-in-science-has-ever-been-done-by-men-whatever-their/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Our community of rebels, of humble truth seekers, wants to turn our culture around. We don't despise our country. We don't desire failure. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/our-community-of-rebels-of-humble-truth-seekers-wants-to-turn-our/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [Much has been said of the loneliness of wisdom, and how much the Truth seeker becomes a pilgrim wandering from star to star. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manly-hall/much-has-been-said-of-the-loneliness-of-wisdom-and-how-much-the-truth/) [Manly Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manly-hall/) > [For the habitual truth-teller and truth-seeker, indeed, the whole world has very little liking. He is always unpopular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-the-habitual-truth-teller-and-truth-seeker-indeed-the-whole-world/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“They decided now, talking it over in their tight little two-and-quarter room flat, that most people who call themselves 'truth seekers' - persons who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/they-decided-now-talking-it-over-in-their-tight-little-two-and/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [Walk tall, kick ass, learn to speak Arabic, love music and never forget you come from a long line of truth seekers, lovers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/walk-tall-kick-ass-learn-to-speak-arabic-love-music-and-never-forget/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I'm a truth seeker. That's what I do every day on the show - put out the truth. Some people don't like it, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-m-a-truth-seeker-that-s-what-i-do-every-day-on-the-show-put-out-the/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The window of heaven is what all truth seekers are trying to open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/the-window-of-heaven-is-what-all-truth-seekers-are-trying-to-open/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [When one forgets the distinction between method and truth, one becomes foolishly prone to respond to any question that cannot be answered from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-one-forgets-the-distinction-between-method-and-truth-one-becomes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are thousands upon thousands of students who have practiced meditation and obtained its fruits. Do not doubt its possibilities because of the simplicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/there-are-thousands-upon-thousands-of-students-who-have-practiced/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/despite-my-firm-convictions-i-have-always-been-a-man-who-tries-to/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by John A. Widtsoe > [“Men, discouraged by their failure to accomplish exactly what they desire, often speak of their lives as purposeless, but it is idle talk, for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/men-discouraged-by-their-failure-to-accomplish-exactly-what-they/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“The desire and the effort to give to the Lord, born of the surrender of man to the plan of salvation, stamp every Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/the-desire-and-the-effort-to-give-to-the-lord-born-of-the-surrender/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“When apostasy comes, it is because the spirit of revelation departs from us. The wire is broken between us and the source of truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/when-apostasy-comes-it-is-because-the-spirit-of-revelation-departs/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“Earth, stars, and the vastness of space; yesterday, today and tomorrow; and the endlessly increasing knowledge of the relation of forces, present an illimitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/earth-stars-and-the-vastness-of-space-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“A prayer is not complete unless gratitude for blessings is expressed. It is by the power of the Lord that we live and move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/a-prayer-is-not-complete-unless-gratitude-for-blessings-is-expressed/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“There is a spiritual meaning of all human acts and earthly events. … It is the business of man to find the spiritual meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/there-is-a-spiritual-meaning-of-all-human-acts-and-earthly-events-it/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“Without denying that adaptation may be one of God's methods of operation, it may be definitely said, that an intelligent Master of the universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/without-denying-that-adaptation-may-be-one-of-god-s-methods-of/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“If we talk about the living oracles and want to pay respect to them, how shall we do this? Shall we do it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/if-we-talk-about-the-living-oracles-and-want-to-pay-respect-to-them/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“An acquaintanceship with the literature of the world may be won by any person who will devote half an hour a day to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/an-acquaintanceship-with-the-literature-of-the-world-may-be-won-by/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“In life all must choose at times. Sometimes, two possibilities are good; neither is evil. Usually, however, one is of greater import than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/in-life-all-must-choose-at-times-sometimes-two-possibilities-are-good/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“Such was the problem before our first parents: to remain forever at selfish ease in the Garden of Eden, or to face unselfishly tribulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/such-was-the-problem-before-our-first-parents-to-remain-forever-at/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“Men grow mighty under the results of temple service; women grow strong under it; the community increases in power; until the devil has less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/men-grow-mighty-under-the-results-of-temple-service-women-grow-strong/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“I will seek out, in modesty and humility, but incessantly and vigorously, those who love truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/i-will-seek-out-in-modesty-and-humility-but-incessantly-and/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“No one attribute so clearly distinguishes man as does the intelligent will or the will to act intelligently. It was by the exercise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/no-one-attribute-so-clearly-distinguishes-man-as-does-the-intelligent/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) > [“It is the business of man to become acquainted with the material universe in all of its manifestations, so far as may be possible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/it-is-the-business-of-man-to-become-acquainted-with-the-material/) [John A. Widtsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) [Explore all 17 John A. Widtsoe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/) ## More Truth quotes > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [High school sucked. It was a universal truth, and whoever said these were supposed to be the best years of your life was probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/high-school-sucked-it-was-a-universal-truth-and-whoever-said-these/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“The truth is heavier than a sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/the-truth-is-heavier-than-a-sword/) [Naiyem Chowdhury Rony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just speak the truth. I keep it real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-vera/i-just-speak-the-truth-i-keep-it-real/) [Marlon Vera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-vera/) > [I always believed that photography was subjective, interpretive and certainly did not represent the truth, but I did think that its status as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/i-always-believed-that-photography-was-subjective-interpretive-and/) [Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [Logic is essentially a tool for getting at truth; it is the tool, for without it no reasoning is possible in any field of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oderberg/logic-is-essentially-a-tool-for-getting-at-truth-it-is-the-tool-for/) [David Oderberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oderberg/) [Browse all 45,081 Truth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and accept theories with caution--that should be the method of all truth seekers.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John A. Widtsoe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-accept-theories-with-caution/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Truth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-accept-theories-with-caution/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/john-a-widtsoe-30351_truth_latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-acc_2852635.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and accept theories with caution--that should be the method of all truth…” — John A. Widtsoe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John A. Widtsoe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-widtsoe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Latter-day Saints cling to facts, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-accept-theories-with-caution/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-widtsoe/latter-day-saints-cling-to-facts-and-accept-theories-with-caution/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```