FAIR

Faithful Study Resources for Come, Follow Me

You are here: Home / Archive / Journal / Journal – September 2012

Journal – September 2012

September 2012

LATIN – apologeticus GREEK – apologetikos Apologetics: “The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines” (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2009).

JOURNAL CONTENTS

  • Message From the President
  • Matching Donations
  • Apologetics
  • Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture
  • Interpreter Podcasts
  • Interpreter Videos
  • Voices of Hope
  • Mormon Voices
  • Mormon Scholars Testify
  • FAIR Blog
  • Award Winning FAIR Podcasts
  • FAIR YouTube
  • FAIR LDS Bookstore
  • Donating to FAIR
  • FAIR Study Aids
  • FAIR’s Front Page
  • Important Links
  • Ask the Apologist
  • Copyright Notice and Disclaimer

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

A pending church disciplinary council for the editor of the MormonThink website created a media uproar these past couple of weeks and my name and FAIR shows up in several of those articles.

MormonThink is an anti-Mormon website that claims to be balanced. But, it hosts temple content and the editors have stated that they hope to lead people out of the Church. We have an extensive discussion of the MormonThink website here:

A FAIR Analysis of MormonThink

Many people have asked how I got involved in the media articles. I thought I should share those details with you.

David Twede, the new managing editor of MormonThink, announced that he was going to go back to church to give MormonThink more credibility. Twede wrote, “Going to church, as current managing editor … is for me to both build perspective…and to increase [MormonThink’s] credibility.” An earlier MormonThink editor also stated, “So that is one of the reasons I remain in the church. It gives me greater credibility when I speak about my own religion instead of it being my former religion. By subtly mentioning things in meetings I may raise some doubts.” Twede stated his intent was to go back to church and to blog about it.

My friend Dan Peterson once quipped, “When you write on the Internet, you are sharing your private thoughts with a few thousand of your closest friends.” I, along with everyone else, was able to read what David Twede was writing. He started blogging under a pseudonym, but then he, or someone who used a Twede family e-mail address, announced his real name on another Internet message board.

I hoped that his going back to church might soften his heart and bring back some of those feelings he had in the past. But from what he wrote on his blog, I didn’t see that happening. Instead he wrote about getting close to one ward member and providing information to him to cause doubts. He wrote, “We’ve exchanged phone numbers and were talking about many other issues. Pat shared some of these with the spouse and now they might both be having serious doubts. I will have to be careful on Sunday not to give them or myself away.” Twede writes further, “There is also a possibility that the woman I talked with at the end of the meeting might be open to discussing some issues.” From what he wrote, Twede appeared to be secretly engaged in a deceptive campaign to destroy the faith of members and lead them out of the Church.

I forwarded the links of that public blog to some of my friends. The New York Times reporter who called said my email was forwarded to Twede’s stake president. I have no way of knowing if that is true or not. I did not speak with any of his local leaders, nor did I send an email to them. I told the reporter it was more likely one of his local ward members had read his public blog and told the stake president, but she insisted I was the source as she heard that from David Twede himself.

Twede was called in by his stake president to discuss the appropriateness of his actions. Then David Twede called the press. His claim was that he was being excommunicated because he had written negative things about Mitt Romney. He admitted to the reporters that his stake president had not actually said anything about Mitt Romney, but stated in his press release, “I felt in my gut that the Romney pieces were a part of why this happened.”

Because my e-mail that linked to his public blog was reportedly forwarded, I have received e-mails with several colorful expressions describing my actions. Most of those comments I cannot repeat. It has also been a point of discussion on several Internet message boards. On one I was called a “rat fink pool of vomit.” One of my Catholic co-workers laughingly suggested I should make that title a new name plate for my door. On another message board, Twede’s supporters posted information and negative comments about me, my work, and my wife. They made disparaging comments about the community college where I teach and claimed that FAIR was housed at the Institute of Religion across the street. I’m not sure where they got that idea, but it is false.

It would be easy to make negative comments about this whole process. But, I want to wish David Twede the best. I hope at some point he finds peace. My advice about faith, which I give to everyone, would be to make your choice and move on. Maybe that would allow for some healing.

Here are links to some of the many articles.

–Scott Gordon President of FAIR

MATCHING DONATIONS

I want to personally thank all of you who sent in donations this past month. We met our target and our anonymous donor wrote us a check. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. We are using those donations to purchase a radio ad and two print ads for the week before and after General Conference. We hope to be able to expand on that effort with the next General Conference.

But, as a reminder, that doesn’t mean our financial needs have stopped. I hope you will continue to donate to FAIR at:

Donate to FAIR

FAIR is a 501c(3) corporation, so in the United States your contributions are tax deductible. If you have questions, check with your tax advisor.

APOLOGETICS

Is Defending the Church Against Church Doctrine? By Steve Densley

I was speaking today with a woman who is not a member of the Church who was asking me about apologetics and the work I do with FAIR. She said that recently she discussed Mormon apologetics with a former LDS bishop and was surprised to hear him say that doing apologetics is contrary to the doctrine of the Church. I certainly don’t want to act in any way that is contrary to Church doctrine, and if anyone can convince me that it is contrary to God’s will that I defend the Church, I’ll stop right now.

However, as I read the scriptures, it seems to me that apologetics (defense of the faith) is not only permissible, but required of all believing members. We should “be ready always to give an answer [apologia] to every man that asketh . . . a reason of the hope that is in [us] with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of [us], as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse [our] good conversation in Christ.” (1 Pet. 3:15-16.) Rather than wait for a specific calling by a bishop, or for the Church Public Affairs office to issue a statement, or wait for apostles to tell us to defend the Church on the internet (which, incidentally, they have done here and here), Church members have been told to “be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.” (D&C 58:27-28.) In addition to simply bearing my testimony to others, it is my understanding that I should “reason with them.” (D&C 49:4. See also D&C 66:7 & 68:1.)

I am aware of the discomfort some members of the Church feel with respect to apologetics. In responding to critics, it is often difficult to avoid contention. However, as Elder Hales has counseled, “[w]e can answer with love those who have been influenced by misinformation and prejudice.” He suggested a number of ways: “a kind letter to the editor, a conversation with a friend, a comment on a blog, or a reassuring word to one who has made a disparaging comment.” (Robert D. Hales, “Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov. 2008.)

As I discussed with my non-member friend whether or not it is against Church doctrine for its members to engage in apologetics, it occurred to me to refer her to Section 123 of The Doctrine and Covenants, which is described in the chapter heading as setting forth the “[d]uty of the Saints in relation to their persecutors.” It is worth quoting most of it here, with a few comments from me in brackets:

1 And again, we would suggest for your consideration the propriety of all the saints [not just the leaders] gathering up a knowledge of all the facts, and sufferings and abuses put upon them by the people of this State;

. . . .

4 And perhaps a committee [or a non-profit organization?] can be appointed to find out these things, and to take statements and affidavits; and also to gather up the libelous publications that are afloat

5 And all that are in the magazines, and in the encyclopedias, [and on the internet] and all the libelous histories that are published, and are writing, and by whom, and present the whole concatenation of diabolical rascality and nefarious and murderous impositions that have been practised upon this people-

6 That we may not only publish to all the world, but present them to the heads of government in all their dark and hellish hue, as the last effort which is enjoined on us by our Heavenly Father, before we can fully and completely claim that promise which shall call him forth from his hiding place; and also that the whole nation may be left without excuse before he can send forth the power of his mighty arm.

7 It is an imperative duty that we owe to God, to angels, with whom we shall be brought to stand, and also to ourselves, to our wives and children, . . . .

11 And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart-

12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it-

13 Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven-

14 These should then be attended to with great earnestness.

15 Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things.

16 You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

So, unless someone can convince me that I should stop, I intend to continue “gathering up a knowledge of all the facts” and to “cheerfully do all things that lie in [my] power” to bring “to light all the hidden things of darkness.” It seems to me to be “an imperative duty that we owe to God.”

You can comment on this article here:

“Is Defending the Church Against Church Doctrine?”

INTERPRETER: A JOURNAL OF MORMON SCRIPTURE

A new Website has gone up titled, “Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture” at www.mormoninterpreter.com.

It is a new independent, peer reviewed, educational journal focused on the scriptures. We at FAIR are supportive of this new venture as we believe it will bring important scholarship to the study of the scriptures. To show our support, we are giving you several links to various articles on that Website in the FAIR Journal.

Volume 1 contains the following articles you can read online: (Note: it is also available in print and for Kindle.)

Charity in Defending the Kingdom

Daniel C. Peterson

On Maintaining Fairness and Charity

With one striking exception, leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are, and always have been, flawed people. (No better quality of human is available.) “We have this treasure in earthen vessels,” the apostle Paul said, referring to the gospel and its mortal ministers, “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Although we obviously shouldn’t be surprised at it, the church’s human side is sometimes jarring and, if permitted, can cause disillusionment. It’s urgently important, therefore, even for our own sake, that we “clothe [our]selves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:125). Failure to do so can be spiritually lethal.

“Charity in Defending the Kingdom”

To Really Read the Book of Mormon

Ralph C. Hancock

Review of Grant Hardy. Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader’s Guide. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. xix + 346 pp., with index. $29.95.

Grant Hardy, chair of the history department at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, studied Chinese history at Yale and clearly has read a lot of ancient texts with the greatest care. Somewhere along the line, he learned to really read a text: to savor it, to interrogate it, to listen to every voice, to compare and contrast, to hear resonances of one voice in another, and, not least, to hear silences. We are all fortunate that he has not limited the employment of his finely honed textual skills to his academic specialty. We thought we were reading the Book of Mormon all along, but it turns out we weren’t yet really reading it-not in this full sense, not with this loving attention, this openness to possibilities, this exposed humanity.

“To Really Read the Book of Mormon”

Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That “Anyone Can Edit”

Roger Nicholson

Abstract: The ability to quickly and easily access literature critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been made significantly easier through the advent of the Internet. One of the primary sites that dominates search engine results is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that “anyone can edit.” Wikipedia contains a large number of articles related to Mormonism that are edited by believers, critics, and neutral parties. The reliability of information regarding the Church and its history is subject to the biases of the editors who choose to modify those articles. Even if a wiki article is thoroughly sourced, editors sometimes employ source material in a manner that supports their bias. This essay explores the dynamics behind the creation of Wikipedia articles about the Church, the role that believers and critics play in that process, and the reliability of the information produced in the resulting wiki articles.

“Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That ‘Anyone Can Edit'”

Book Review: Latter-day Scripture: Studies in the Book of Mormon, by Robert M. Price

Louis C. Midgley

Robert M. Price. Latter-day Scripture: Studies in the Book of Mormon. Self-published e-book, 2011 (http://www.eBookIt.com). 78 pp., no index, no pagination. $10.95.

Latter-day Scripture is a potpourri of nine essays, eight of which are, as the subtitle of the introduction indicates, “critical studies in the Book of Mormon” (p. 1, emphasis added). Price’s title for his e-book, his promotional blurb, and his introduction constitute what is sometimes called paratext, ancillary textual matter that an author or publisher can use to manage the way a book will be read by its intended audience. Price’s introduction, “The Golden Bible of Joseph Smith” (p. 1, emphasis added), seems to be an effort to coach his potential readers on how to understand his endeavors. He reassures his fellow atheists, “I am not a Mormon. I am a Religious Humanist” (p. 1).

“Book Review: Latter-day Scripture: Studies in the Book of Mormon, by Robert M. Price”

Atheist Piety: A Religion of Dogmatic Dubiety

Louis C. Midgley

Abstract: The “Special Feature” of this mass-market secular humanist magazine consists of an introduction to “America’s Peculiar Piety” followed by a miscellany of brief, nonscholarly essays critical of The Church of Jesus Christ. The questions posed in the introduction to this flagship atheist magazine go unaddressed in the essays. Some of the essays are personal exit stories by former Latter-day Saints. One is an effort by Robert M. Price to explain away the Book of Mormon without confronting its contents. This is done by ignoring the details of Joseph Smith’s career in order to picture him as the equivalent of a bizarre, emotionally conflicted figure like Charles Manson or as the embodiment of one of a wide range of mythical trickster figures like Brer Rabbit, Felix the Cat, or Doctor Who. The assumed link between these mythical or legendary figures and Joseph Smith is said to be a Jungian archetype lodged in his presumably deranged psyche, leading him to fashion the Book of Mormon.

“Atheist Piety: A Religion of Dogmatic Dubiety”

An Open Letter to Dr. Michael Coe

John L. Sorenson

Abstract: In August 2011 John Dehlin conducted a three-part interview with famed Mesoamericanist Michael Coe. Dehlin operates the podcast series Mormon Stories, which features interviews discussing the faith and culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This article examines a large number of dubious claims made in those interviews, providing clarifications, responses, and references to numerous sources dealing with those issues. Much more detail will be forthcoming in Dr. Sorenson’s new book, Mormon’s Codex.

“An Open Letter to Dr. Michael Coe”

“I Have Revealed Your Name”: The Hidden Temple in John 17

William J. Hamblin

Abstract: John 17 contains a richly symbolic Last Discourse by Jesus, in which the disciples are assured a place in the Father’s celestial house or temple. To fulfill this promise Christ reveals both the Father’s name and his glory to his disciples. Jesus’s discourse concludes with the promise of sanctification of the disciples, and their unification-or deification-with Christ and the Father. This paper explores how each of these ideas reflects the temple theology of the Bible and contemporary first-century Judaism.

“‘I Have Revealed Your Name’: The Hidden Temple in John 17”

Book Review: Temple Themes in the Book of Moses, by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

George L. Mitton

In an earlier work entitled In God’s Image and Likeness, Jeffrey Bradshaw provided a remarkable commentary on much of the Book of Moses from the Pearl of Great Price, relating its details to many examples and parallels from ancient literature and summarizing recent scholarly work and commentary on this important scripture received from the Prophet Joseph Smith. Temple Themes in the Book of Moses expands on that commentary in a special way, emphasizing those aspects of the Book of Moses that help explain and illuminate the customs, teachings, and ordinances of the temple.

“Book Review: Temple Themes in the Book of Moses, by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw”

The Cultural Context of Nephite Apostasy Mark

Alan Wright and Brant A. Gardner

Abstract: Nephite apostates turned away from true worship in consistent and predictable ways throughout the Book of Mormon. Their beliefs and practices may have been the result of influence from the larger socioreligious context in which the Nephites lived. A Mesoamerican setting provides a plausible cultural background that explains why Nephite apostasy took the particular form it did and may help us gain a deeper understanding of some specific references that Nephite prophets used when combating that apostasy. We propose that apostate Nephite religion resulted from the syncretization of certain beliefs and practices from normative Nephite religion with those attested in ancient Mesoamerica. We suggest that orthodox Nephite expectations of the “heavenly king” were supplanted by the more present and tangible “divine king.”

“The Cultural Context of Nephite Apostasy”

“Thou Knowest That I Believe”: Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11

David E. Bokovoy

Abstract: The Book of Mormon features an esoteric exchange between the prophet Nephi and the Spirit of the Lord on an exceedingly high mountain. The following essay explores some of the ways in which an Israelite familiar with ancient religious experiences and scribal techniques might have interpreted this event. The analysis shows that Nephi’s conversation, as well as other similar accounts in the Book of Mormon, echoes an ancient temple motif. As part of this paradigm, the essay explores the manner in which the text depicts the Spirit of the Lord in a role associated with members of the divine council in both biblical and general Near Eastern conceptions.

“‘Thou Knowest That I Believe’: Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11”

INTERPRETER PODCASTS

Interpreter Podcast 1: About Interpreter Foundation In this inaugural podcast discussion Dan Peterson and William Hamblin discuss the origin and purposes of the Interpreter Foundation, including Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture, the Interpreter website (MormonInterpreter.com), and the upcoming Interpreter sponsored conference, “The Temple on Mount Zion.”

Interpreter Podcast 2:

Mark Wright

Professor Mark Alan Wright of BYU Religious Education discusses his background and Ph.D. in Maya Studies. He reflects on a number of Mesoamerican practices and their possible connection with the Book of Mormon, including “day-keepers,” Shamanism and divine investiture, taking the countenance of a god by wearing deity masks, and the Maya calendar system and prophecy.

You can find those podcasts here:

Interpreter Podcasts

INTERPRETER VIDEOS

YouTube Videos of “The Temple on Mount Zion” Conference

Interpreter Videos

  • Matt Roper – “In Memoriam Matthew Brown”
  • David R. and Jo Ann H. Seely – “Creation and Temple”
  • Jeffrey M. Bradshaw – “The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah”
  • John Gee – “Edfu and Exodus”
  • David Calabro – “The Divine Handclasp in the Hebrew Bible and in Ancient Near Eastern Iconography”
  • Mack Stirling – “Job: An LDS Reading”
  • David J. Larsen – “From Dust to Exalted Crown: Royal and Temple Themes Common to the Psalms and the Dead Sea Scrolls”
  • Stephen D. Ricks – “Covenant and Temple in Psalm 105″
  • David Bokovoy – “Holiness to the Lord: Biblical Temple Imagery in the Sermons of Jacob the Priest”
  • William Hamblin – “Jacob’s Sermon (2 Nephi 6-10) and the Day of Atonement”
  • Mark Alan Wright – “Axes Mundi: A Comparative Analysis of Nephite and Mesoamerican Temple and Ritual Complexes”
  • Andrew Ehat – “A Torah Harmony”
  • Richard O. Cowan – “Latter-day Houses of the Lord: Developments in Their Design and Function”

VOICES OF HOPE

While homosexuality is a sensitive, complex, and controversial issue, North Star International, an LDS group, along with some motivated sponsors, have decided to launch a website that will include video testimonies as well as an expanding collection of written personal essays to promote faithful voices.

North Star International has engaged an Emmy-nominated videographer/producer to help with the project. The initial goal is for the website to be a repository of a thousand voices of faithful Latter-day Saints dealing with these issues, sharing their stories and their faith-why they’ve chosen to embrace the restored gospel and how they’ve found peace and resolution in that decision.

Find out more information here:

Voices of Hope

MORMON VOICES

This week Scott Gordon and John Lynch will be representing MormonVoices and FAIR at the Religion Newswriters Association conference.

MormonVoices Provides Helpful Research Sources for Journalists and Public Posted on Aug 29, 2012

Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) August 31, 2012 – MormonVoices has published a suggested list of sources for those wishing to learn more about Mormons and their beliefs. These sources include official Church websites and publications, books by Mormon authors, and books by non-Mormon authors who have produced accurate, credible and unbiased explanations about Mormon beliefs and practices.

MormonVoices is an all-volunteer group dedicated to providing accurate information about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the public and the media.
MormonVoices Provides Helpful Research Sources for Journalists and Public

List of reliable sources on Mormonism Posted on Aug 30, 2012

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon church) has grown from an obscure American sect to a major worldwide branch of Christianity, but increased prominence does not always lead to increased understanding. The best way to learn about a unfamiliar belief system is to ask its own adherents rather than relying on possible misinformation or bias from others. Therefore, the church’s own websites at mormon.org and lds.org should be the starting point for anyone interested in researching Mormons. Another excellent and more systematic resource is the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, available online.

Probably almost all Mormons have had the experience of a friend or colleague reciting a “fact” about Mormon faith or practice that is actually false. Many other snippets of “common knowledge” about Mormons are based on truth but are distorted or misinterpreted.

Fortunately, there are several scholars and journalists, both Mormon and non-Mormon, who have written clear and accurate explanations of Mormon belief. MormonVoices presents this list of suggested sources:

  • The Mormon People by Matthew Bowman
  • The Book of Mormon: A Biography by Paul Gutjahr
  • What’s Wrong with Mormons? A Good Tree Cannot Bring Forth Evil Fruit by B. Jay Gladwell
  • Our Search for Happiness by M. Russell Ballard
  • By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion by Terryl L. Givens
  • Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard L. Bushman
  • Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition by Jan Shipps
  • Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction by Richard L. Bushman
  • The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
  • Joseph Smith-History
  • Hymns

Many other books could be included here, but have not been for the sake of brevity. Read more here:

List of reliable sources on Mormonism

MormonVoices Explains Mormon Positions on Government Posted on Aug 29, 2012

Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) August 31, 2012 – MormonVoices has issued a new article that analyzes what various Mormon scriptures have to say about politics. The “Mormon Moment” has been largely driven by Mormons running for, or already holding, high government offices in the United States and elsewhere. Some commentators, whether dedicated critics or just curious observers, have popularized theories that Mormons in government could be inappropriately influenced or controlled by LDS church leadership. The MormonVoices article on government shows why these fears are unfounded.

MormonVoices Explains Mormon Positions on Government

Mormons’ respect for government Posted on Aug 30, 2012

Some have publicly worried that a political leader’s Mormon faith could lead to decisions in the Church’s interest at the expense of the country’s well-being. MormonVoices has no political position, makes no endorsements, and has no information or opinion on the decisions or philosophies of various Mormon leaders and candidates from various parties. However, an examination of Mormon doctrine and scripture shows that fears that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will influence political leaders are unfounded.

Mormons’ respect for government

MormonVoices statement re anti-Islam movie Posted on Sep 18, 2012

MormonVoices strongly condemns the recent violence in Egypt, Libya, and several other countries that has been attributed to anger at the anti-Islam movie “Innocence of Muslims.” All people share a basic responsibility to respond humanely and rationally to ideas that conflict with their own. Respect for religious belief and freedom of speech are cornerstones of a just society. Violent retaliation against mere words and film is contrary to human decency and the teachings of revered religious leaders.

Religious intolerance that belittles, mocks, misrepresents, or disrespects the deeply-held beliefs and sacred tenets of others is unbecoming and counterproductive. Mormons regularly face such ideological attacks, and have specifically endured misinformation published by some of the same individuals behind “Innocence of Muslims.” Though the law may protect their right to so speak, they fail a higher moral responsibility by doing so. We encourage everyone to learn about the details of unfamiliar religions from respected, fair, and non-sensational sources.

MormonVoices statement re anti-Islam movie

Sign up for MormonVoices

We continue to have our beliefs misrepresented in the press. There also seems to be a piling on by some of the ex-Mormon critics, and others in the comments sections. Join the MormonVoices email list to get alerts on articles that need a response.

Sign up for MormonVoices

MORMON SCHOLARS TESTIFY

Check out some of the great testimonies on Mormon Scholars Testify:

Mormonscholarstestify.org

If you are a scholar, please write your testimony and send it in. You may send it to president(at sign)fairlds.org

For those of you who wonder (at sign) looks like this: @. You might occasionally see it written as (at sign) so the automatic Web crawlers don’t recognize it as an email address.

FAIR BLOG

Ben Witherington on Whether Mormons Are Christians by Kevin Barney on August 28th, 2012

So, over at Patheos Ben Witherington has a blog post titled “Why Mormonism Is Not Christianity-The Issue of Christology,” which you may read here. I’m familiar with Witherington from his articles in Biblical Archaeology Review (I’m a subscriber), which I generally enjoy. But I suppose it should come as no surprise that I thought this blog post was weak sauce.

In general I didn’t have too much of a problem with his catalog of differences between Evangelical and Mormon thought. It is true that Mormons reject an ontological Trinity (he poisons the well by characterizing this position as “polytheism”); it is true that Mormons believe in an embodied God (I wonder whether he realizes how many people historically he just kicked out of Christianity by making this a standard); guilty as charged on our rejection of biblical inerrancy.

But I was surprised at his lack of historical sense and sophistication. He portrays Mormonism as evolving, which is certainly true, but he is blind to the evolution of thought over the centuries in historical Christianity. He cites the historic policy of the priesthood ban, and while I personally think we deserve to take our lumps over that, he doesn’t seem to be aware that the original Mormon policy was an (unfortunate) importation of Protestant biblical thought into the Church (there is a case where if we had been a little less Christian in the 19th century we would have been better off!). He seems to think we are somehow dissembling by calling our meeting places “churches,” and he notes that we don’t have crosses gracing our buildings, apparently unaware of the largely Puritan, low church origins of our Church. As religious history, I was not impressed by his treatment. Read more here:

Ben Witherington on Whether Mormons Are Christians

Are Mormons Christians? Witherington says no. by Bill Hamblin on August 31st, 2012

Ben Witherington recently posted the following essay on Patheos: “Why Mormonism is not Christianity- the Issue of Christology.” It seems a perennial Evangelical claim, that, unfortunately never seems to actually engage Mormon response.

There he gives six reasons why he believes Mormons are not Christians. While I have enjoyed Professor Witherington’s biblical scholarship, I’m afraid his understanding of Mormonism is inadequate. I’ll examine each of his six claims. Read the rest of this entry:

Are Mormons Christians? Witherington says no.

Critical Evidences of the Restoration by John Lynch on September 18th, 2012

Critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often quick to jump forward with any and all criticisms that they believe might prove the undoing of the testimony of our members. It is not uncommon to see the proverbial “shotgun” approach of bombarding individuals who are young in the gospel with a barrage of information that all seems damning on the surface.

Just as with birdshot that only requires a single pellet to bring down a flying bird, such an approach relies upon the notion that with so many things being claimed, that if only a few – or even one – were proven true, then the Church cannot be true!

Such tactics, also referred to as the “spaghetti” method of “throw it and see what sticks,” do not require depth of thought, or for that matter, even truth or context. It relies exclusively on the notion that if you throw enough at someone, they may just give up under the burden of fending off the attacks.

Read the rest of this entry:

Critical Evidences of the Restoration

A New Twist on the Spalding Theory-And Sidney’s Amazing Voice Trick by Jeff Lindsay on September 23rd, 2012

For some critics, the story of the lost 116 pages in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon is utterly ridiculous. Some say it shows Joseph was just making things up on the fly and would have all sorts of accidental changes as he went through the fabrication process a second time, so for safety, he just punted with the first part of the record and concocted the story of the small plates. This is the “Joseph was an idiot with bad memory” theory. The story of the 116 pages from that perspective directly challenges the popular theory of “Joseph got help from Sidney Rigdon or some other very smart person” to create the impressive and remarkably self-consistent text of the Book of Mormon. These theories based on plagiarism and texts from the likes of Solomon Spaulding or Sidney Rigdon or both assume that there was some text that had been prepared and carefully edited over many months or even years in preparation for the grand Book of Mormon scheme. When Joseph was dictating the Book of Mormon to his scribes, he must have been reading from the pre-written manuscript. If such a manuscript existed, then it would have been no trouble reading it again exactly as read before.

Read the rest of this entry:

A New Twist on the Spalding Theory–And Sidney’s Amazing Voice Trick

It’s the Interpretation, Stupid! by Allen Wyatt on September 26th, 2012

A generation ago in a hotly contested election, those seeking to unseat the incumbent president seized upon the effects of a recession as a way to differentiate themselves from their political opponents. A brilliant political strategist coined the phrase “It’s the economy, stupid” as a rallying cry. The phrase had a great deal of power with voters, as it sent a short, pithy message that could not be misunderstood. The incumbent lost, the opposition won, and the era of the Clinton presidency was born.

Some people look at the verbiage used in the phrase-particularly the use of the word stupid-and take offense. They think it is mean. They think it is cruel. They think it is insensitive. They think it is snarky. But, consider two facts: First, the phrase wasn’t directed at the opposition; by some accounts it was directed by James Carville (the political strategist) at the candidate he was advising (Bill Clinton). It was to force focus in his campaign, not to denigrate the opposition’s campaign. Second, the phrase was much more memorable and “focusing” than any alternative. (Could anyone really see “It’s the economy, guys!” or “It really is the economy!” being as successful in forcing focus?)

Fast forward to today, in a different venue only of interest to Mormons on the Internet, and we see a couple of people who are either leaving the Church or threatened with expulsion from the Church because of their participation in and responsibility for the MormonThink website. Only a month or so ago, the founder of MormonThink resigned his membership in the Church after facing the possibility of a disciplinary council for apostasy.

Read the rest of this entry:

It’s the Interpretation, Stupid!

AWARD WINNING FAIR PODCASTS

Nominations Start October 1 for the People’s Choice Podcast Awards!

FAIR’s podcast, knows as “The Mormon FAIR-Cast” won the People’s Choice Podcast Award for Best Podcast in the Religious Inspiration category in 2011. Please help us win again in 2012.

The Nomination Process: Starting on 1 October 2012, you can go to podcastawards.com to submit your nomination. There will be an entry for each category. (Please note that you only get to fill this nomination ballet out one time, if you leave categories blank you cannot go back later and submit those additional categories a second time!) You may not nominate the same show in multiple categories, so only nominate the Mormon FAIR-Cast in the Religious Inspiration category.

To fill out the form, do the following:
For the name of the podcast, type: “Mormon FAIR-Cast”
For the podcast URL, type: http://www.fairblog.org/
Also include your name and a verifiable E-mail Address
Finally, comments are critical so the reviewing team understand why a show is deserving of being nominated to the category.

Nominations will on October 15, 2012. Ten nominees are chosen for each category. If the Mormon FAIR-Cast is nominated, we will announce further instructions on how to vote. The 8th Annual Podcast Awards Ceremony will be Held at New Media Expo in Las Vegas Jan 2013!

Thanks for your support of the Mormon FAIR-Cast!

Mormon FAIR-Cast 104a: Temple Worship Fireside, Introduction, pt. 1 by SteveDensleyJr on August 29th, 2012

Bryce Haymond of TempleStudy.com hosts this first in a series of on-line fireside discussions of the book Temple Worship: 20 Truths That Will Bless Your Life, by Andrew C. Skinner. Bryce is joined in this discussion by Frederick M. Huchel, Gary N. Anderson, Steve Reed, and Tevya Washburn. This discussion was conducted live on August 5, 2012 through Google’s Hangouts on Air. It was streamed live on TempleStudy.com, where the video can also be found. A rough transcript of the discussion can be found here. In this session, the participants discuss such things as what details about the temple can be discussed outside the temple, and the temple as a model of the universe.

Andrew C. Skinner is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, was dean of Religious Education and the first executive director of BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. He holds master’s degrees in Biblical Hebrew and Jewish Studies and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and European History, specializing in Judaism. He is the author or co-author of over 100 publications.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 104a: Temple Worship Fireside, Introduction, pt. 1

Mormon FAIR-Cast 104b: Temple Worship Fireside, Introduction, pt. 2 by SteveDensleyJr on August 29th, 2012

This is the second part of the two-part introductory episode of the on-line fireside discussions of the book Temple Worship: 20 Truths That Will Bless Your Life, by Andrew C. Skinner.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 104b: Temple Worship Fireside, Introduction, pt. 2

Mormon FAIR-Cast 105: Temple Study Fireside 2-the Dead Sea Scrolls and Jacob at Bethel by SteveDensleyJr on September 5th, 2012

Professor William J. Hamblin leads the second of this series of on-line fireside discussions of the book Temple Worship: 20 Truths That Will Bless Your Life, by Andrew C. Skinner. This discussion focusses on the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Essenes, Qumran, the Temple Scroll, Jacob at Bethel the symbolism of Jacob’s Ladder, as well as some thoughts from Elder Carlos E. Asay. Others who participated in this disussion were Bryce Haymond and Gary N. Anderson. This discussion was conducted live on August 16, 2012 through Google’s Hangouts on Air. It was streamed live on TempleStudy.com, where the video can also be found. A rough transcript of the discussion can be found here.

Andrew C. Skinner is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, was dean of Religious Education and the first executive director of BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. He holds master’s degrees in Biblical Hebrew and Jewish Studies and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and European History, specializing in Judaism. He is the author or co-author of over 100 publications.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 105: Temple Study Fireside 2–the Dead Sea Scrolls and Jacob at Bethel

Mormon FAIR-Cast 106: Temple Study Fireside 3-Importance of the Temple by SteveDensleyJr on September 12th, 2012

This is the third in a series of on-line fireside discussions of the book Temple Worship: 20 Truths That Will Bless Your Life, by Andrew C. Skinner. This discussion discusses the temple as being the “ultimate” of our worship, what it means to “serve” in the temple, where temples or temple worship can take place on the earth, the first endowments given in the Nauvoo Temple attic, temple “work” vs. temple “worship,” the fact that the Nauvoo temple was only in use for 2 months (8 weeks) before it was destroyed which makes us reflect on the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in ancient times, what it means to have a “fullness of the Holy Ghost” which we can attain to in the temple, and the profound importance of the temple in the lives of Latter-day Saints and in our worship in the Church. Panelists include Bryce Haymond, Gary Anderson, Gerald Smith, and William Hamblin.

This discussion was conducted live on August 22, 2012 through Google’s Hangouts on Air. It was streamed live on TempleStudy.com, where the video can also be found. A rough transcript of the discussion can be found here.

Andrew C. Skinner is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, was dean of Religious Education and the first executive director of BYU’s Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship. He holds master’s degrees in Biblical Hebrew and Jewish Studies and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and European History, specializing in Judaism. He is the author or co-author of over 100 publications.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 106: Temple Study Fireside 3–Importance of the Temple

Mormon FAIR-Cast 107: Mesoamerican Connections to the Book of Mormon by SteveDensleyJr on September 19th, 2012

Professor Mark Alan Wright reflects on a number of Mesoamerican practices and their possible connection with the Book of Mormon, including “day-keepers,” Shamanism and divine investiture, taking the countenance of a god by wearing deity masks, and the Maya calendar system and prophecy. For Dr. Wright’s presentation on Nephite Daykeepers, see this YouTube video.

Mark Alan Wright earned his BA in Anthropology at UCLA and his MA and PhD in Anthropology (with a subfield of specialization in Mesoamerican Archaeology) from UC Riverside. His dissertation is entitled “A Study of Classic Maya Rulership.” He regularly conducts research in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. Dr. Wright is Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 107: Mesoamerican Connections to the Book of Mormon

FAIR-Cast 108: Jeffrey Bradshaw on Temple Themes in the Scriptures by SteveDensleyJr on September 26th, 2012

Dr. Jeffrey Bradshaw discusses his book, Temple Themes in the Book of Moses as well as some examples of temple worship among early Christians, and the Jews. He also touches on the Book of Enoch, the Council in Heaven and ancient temple architecture.

Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (Ph.D., Cognitive Science, University of Washington) is a Senior Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) in Pensacola, Florida. Formerly, he led research groups at The Boeing Company and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He has authored hundreds of research articles and edited several volumes on topics relating to human and machine intelligence and interaction. Jeff was a missionary in the Belgium-Brussels mission, and has since served in a variety of teaching and leadership capacities including early-morning seminary teacher, bishop, high councilor, counselor in a stake presidency, stake executive secretary and temple ordinance worker. He and his wife Kathleen are the parents of four children.

Dr. Bradshaw has published a number of books addressing temples themes in the scriptures including “In God’s Image and Likeness,” “Temple Themes in the Book of Moses,” and “Temple Themes in the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood.” Each is available for purchase at the FAIR Bookstore, here.

Mormon FAIR-Cast 108: Jeffrey Bradshaw on Temple Themes in the Scriptures

Dr. Bradshaw also gave a presentation at the Temple on Mount Zion conference in Provo, Utah on September 23, 2012 regarding temple symbolism in the story of Noah’s ark, and is available for viewing on YouTube.

Jeffrey Bradshaw on “The Ark and the Tent: Temple Symbolism in the Story of Noah”

FAIR YOUTUBE

Don’t forget we have a FAIR Youtube channel named fairldsorg

FAIR’s YouTube Channel

FAIR LDS BOOKSTORE

Come to the FAIR Bookstore to find the Internet’s best selection of materials for LDS apologetics. Whether you are looking for books, study aids, DVDs, or audio products, the FAIR Bookstore has what you need. You can begin your browsing by going to our main site.

Be sure to check out the Clearance Section. We have many older books and some new books with slightly damaged covers that offer great deals to buyers.
FAIR Bookstore – Clearance Section

Clearance Special:

 The Mormon Quest for the Presidency (Limited to stock on hand)

Newell G. Bringhurst and Craig L. Foster, Independence, Missouri, John Whitmer, 2008, 6″x9″, softbound, 314 pages.

The Mormon Quest for the Presidency tells, for the first time, the fascinating histories of 10 Mormons who have run for president, beginning with the movement’s founder, Joseph Smith.

Retail Price: $24.95 Special FAIR Price: $3.74 (85% Discount)

 Rebuilding Zion: The Religious Reconstruction of the South, 1863-1877 (Limited to stock on hand)

Daniel W. Stowell. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Softbound, 6×9″ 278 pgs.

During the Civil War and its aftermath, Southern evangelicals remained convinced that their cause was both Christian and just. This position became more entrenched as Northern evangelicals entered the South after the war, aiming to save freedmen. Author Daniel Stowell plots the conflict that resulted from these competing visions of the religious reconstruction of the South. By demonstrating how the Southern vision eventually came to predominate, he shows how the Southern Churches became one of the principal bulwarks in the creation of the myth of the “Lost Cause,” Southern honor, and curious moral righteousness of the South’s treatment of both slave and freedman.

Retail Price: $24.00 Special FAIR Price: $9.60 (60% Discount)

Reformed Christians and Mormon Christians: Let’s Talk (Limited to stock on hand)

Roger R. Keller, Urbana, Illinois: Pryor Pettengill, 1986, 6×9″ hardbound, 155 pages.

More than a study in comparative religion, this volume is a scholar’s research of the commitments shared by two Christian traditions: Reformed and Mormon. It is the author’s intention to make known the aspects of faith shared by all wings of Christendom, in order that Christen Reformers and Mormons will mutually discover the overlapping precepts of their convictions. The original roots of these faiths are juxtaposed to present kinships, with the resultant outflow of a conciliatory spirit. This study sets forth the view that Christian Reformers and Mormons cannot disparage one another without self-contradiction on the basis that each is committed to prayer, good will, and living love. It is a foundation for unity amidst diversity. In June 1986 and after the completion of this book, Dr. Keller became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Retail Price: $29.95 Special FAIR Price: $7.49 (75% Discount)

Monthly Specials:

FAIR Bookstore – Monthly Specials

Chiasmus in Antiquity

John W. Welch (Editor), Provo, Utah: Research Press at Brigham Young University, 1999, 6×9″ softbound, 353 pages.

The study of ancient literature has been enriched in the twentieth century by the growing awareness and understanding of the presence of chiasmus. This form of inverted parallelism has been found in the Bible and in many other ancient writings, where it adds beauty and helps to reveal meaning. The essays in Chiasmus in Antiquity, first published in Germany in 1981, examine the use and effect of chiasmus in the old and New testaments and Book of Mormon, as well as in Sumero-Akkadian, Ugaritic, Talmudic, Greek, and Latin literatures. Research Press is pleased to bring these essays back into print in this first American edition because of their lasting value for the study of this intriguing literary form.

Retail Price: $24.95 Special FAIR Price: $19.96 (20% Discount)

Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion

Philip L. Barlow, New York, New York: Oxford University Press (Print-on-Demand), 1997, 6×9″ softbound, 296 pages, 17 halftones.

The Mormons have been one of the most studied American religious groups; still, no consensus exists about the essential nature of the movement or its place in American religion. In this study, Barlow analyzes the approaches taken to the Bible by key Mormon leaders, from founder Joseph Smith up to the present day. He shows that Mormon attitudes toward the Bible comprise an extraordinary mix of conservative, liberal, and radical ingredients: an almost fundamentalist adherence to the King James Version of the Bible coexists with belief in the possibility of new revelation and surprising ideas on the limits of human language. Exploring this unique Mormon stance on scripture, Barlow takes important steps toward unraveling the mystery of this quintessential American religious phenomenon.

Retail Price: $53.00 Special FAIR Price: $42.40 (20% Discount)

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon Vol 1 First Nephi

Brant A. Gardner, Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2007, 7.25×10.25″ hardbound, 512 pages.

Commentaries on scriptural texts attempt to deepen the experience of the reader with the text they are reading. Different commentaries take very different approaches to the same text. There is so much that may be said about the Book of Mormon that no single commentary can hope to be exhaustive. In this commentary, the attempt is to bring to bear the insights of multiple disciplines and multiple scholars into a single location where the concentration of information at the point of the text may assist us in understanding a particular passage, and from the individual passages, the greater message of this most marvelous book. The commentary is laid out with the comments interwoven with the text of the Book of Mormon. In all cases, the intermixing of scripture and commentary is intended to focus attention on the text itself. Even with such a focus on specific texts, there is an overall view of the real people and their times that develop through the text. This cultural background becomes more and more important as the scriptural text moves from the somewhat familiar Old World and into the more exotic New World.

Retail Price: $39.95 Special FAIR Price: $31.96 (20% Discount)

Bible vs. The Book of Mormon, The: A Closer Examination (DVD)

Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research. 2009. DVD. ISBN: 189303609x

In 2006, Living Hope Ministries released a video entitled The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon, which compares evidence for the two books of scripture as authentic ancient religious texts. Citing what they claim are ample evidences for the Bible, they find such evidences lacking in the Book of Mormon. Thus, the producers conclude that The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is not what it claims to be. FAIR examined the video and found that it fails to account for current LDS and non-LDS scholarship, does not properly represent LDS scripture or doctrine, and contains other misleading information. In response, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) interviews anthropologist, linguists, semiticists, and other scholars who correct the errors and misleading information presented by Living Hope Ministries. As they do so, we also discover several evidences supporting LDS claims that The Book of Mormon is an ancient text, which strengthen the case for its divine authenticity. Even so, LDS scholars conclude that the truth claims of both books of scripture cannot be proven through scientific evidence. Rather, the eternal truths taught in scripture must be revealed by God through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Retail Price: $9.99 Special FAIR Price: $7.99 (20% Discount)

Jacob Hamblin: a Modern Look at the Frontier Life and Legend of Jacob Hamblin

Hartt Wixom. Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort Inc., 2008. Softbound 6×9″, 247 pages.

From the torn pages of Hamblin’s own journals and diaries – found in an old, weathered saddlebag – the real story of Jacob Hamblin comes to life.

Read about this frontier explorer who spent more time with warring Indians than Daniel Boone or Kit Carson. Come to know the man who at the peril of his own life, when ordered by superiors to kill captive Indians, said: “You’ll have to shoot me first.” Feel the suspense as angry Navajos prepare to burn Jacob Hamblin at the stake.

Colonize the West. Encircle the Grand Canyon. Cross the Colorado River. Explore the unknown with the man who held special powers to resolve the needs of both his people and the Indians.

Live the adventure of Jacob Hamblin in this book – a modern look at the frontier life and the legend.

Retail Price: $17.98 Special FAIR Price: $12.58 (30% Discount)

Thank you for shopping in our FAIR bookstore!

DONATING TO FAIR

FAIR is labor of love. We are a group of volunteers who spend many hours trying to research and publish information to help members respond to critics. We try to price our conferences to be accessible to as many as possible. But, providing this information does cost money. In all of your charitable giving, please consider donating to FAIR. It is only through your donations that we are able to stay in operation.

If you can donate $10 or $10,000, every dollar helps us.

You can also mail a check to our address:

FAIR PO Box 491677 Redding, CA 96049-1677

FAIR STUDY AIDS

The FAIR Study Aids for Gospel Doctrine has been a huge success. We have received emails from all over the country praising what we have done and begging for more. So if you haven’t checked out the Gospel Doctrine FAIR Study Aid pages, you should do it now. It is a good way to further prepare for your Sunday School class.

FAIR’S ‘FRONT PAGE’

Do you like the news? Do you spend your time looking for articles about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Then you need to sign up for the FAIR Front Page daily news briefing. Receive daily updates containing news clippings about how the LDS Church is represented in the media. FAIR’s Front Page (FFP) is a free service; you can un-subscribe at any time. To receive this service just click on the link below, enter your email address in the white box, and push the “Sign-Up” button.

IMPORTANT LINKS

  • FAIR main page: http://fairlds.org/
  • FAIR Wiki: http://en.fairmormon.org/
  • FAIR Blog and Podcast: http://www.fairblog.org/
  • FAIR YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/fairldsorg
  • MormonVoices: http://mormonvoices.org/
  • Black Mormon Site: http://www.blacklds.org/
  • Mormon Scholars Testify: http://mormonscholarstestify.org/
  • FAIR Bookstore: http://bookstore.fairlds.org/
  • FAIR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairlds
  • FAIR on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/FAIRLDS
  • MormonVoices on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MormonVoices

ASK THE APOLOGIST

The public is invited to submit questions related to LDS *apologetic* issues to “Ask the Apologist.” This feature can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

Ask the Apologist

Mark the box labeled “Questions (for the FAIR apologists).” Then fill in accurate information in the five white boxes and push the “Send Comments” button. All inquiries will be shared with members of the FAIR List and the questioner may receive multiple responses from FAIR volunteers. All responses reflect the opinions of the respondents only and not the official position of FAIR or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.