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FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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|L6=Response to claims made in Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism by Richard Abanes | |L6=Response to claims made in Becoming Gods: A Closer Look at 21st-Century Mormonism by Richard Abanes | ||
|L7=Response to claims made in "Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows" by Will Bagley | |L7=Response to claims made in "Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows" by Will Bagley | ||
− | |L8=Response to claims made in "By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri" by Charles Larson | + | |L8=Response to claims made in "Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique" by Dan Vogel |
− | | | + | |L9=Response to claims made in "By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri" by Charles Larson |
− | | | + | |L10=Response to claims made in Covering Up the Black Hole in the Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner |
− | | | + | |L11=Response to claims made in Decker's Complete Handbook on Mormonism by Ed Decker |
− | | | + | |L12=Response to claims made in Deconstructing Mormonism by Thomas Riskas |
− | | | + | |L13=Response to claims made in Do Christians Believe in Three Gods by RBC Ministries |
− | | | + | |L14=Response to claims made in Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn |
− | | | + | |L15=Review of claims made in In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith |
− | | | + | |L16=Response to claims made in "Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church" by Simon G. Southerton |
− | | | + | |L17=Response to claims made in "Mormonism 101" by Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson |
− | | | + | |L18=Response to claims made in Mormonism: Shadow or Reality by Jerald and Sandra Tanner |
− | | | + | |L19=Response to claims made in Mormonism Unmasked by R. Philip Roberts |
− | | | + | |L20=Response to claims made in Mormonism Unvailed by Eber D. Howe |
− | | | + | |L21=Response to Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, a work by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling |
− | | | + | |L22=Response to claims made in Nauvoo Polygamy: "... but we called it celestial marriage" by George D. Smith |
− | | | + | |L23=Response to claims made in No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith by Fawn Brodie |
− | | | + | |L24=Response to claims made in One Nation Under Gods by Richard Abanes |
− | | | + | |L25=Response to claims made in Passing the Heavenly Gift by Denver C. Snuffer |
− | | | + | |L26=Response to claims made in Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example by D. Michael Quinn |
− | | | + | |L27=Studies of the Book of Mormon by B.H. Roberts |
− | | | + | |L28=Response to the "Book of Lehi" by Christopher Marc Nemelka |
− | | | + | |L29=Response to claims made in The Changing World of Mormonism by Jerald and Sandra Tanner |
− | | | + | |L30=Response to claims made in The Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism by Normal L. Geisler |
− | | | + | |L31=Response to claims made in The God Makers: A Shocking Exposé of What the Mormon Church REALLY Believes by Ed Decker and Dave Hunt |
− | | | + | |L32=Response to claims made in The Mysteries of Godliness by David John Buerger |
− | | | + | |L33=Notes on The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition |
− | | | + | |L34=Response to claims made in The Kingdom of the Cults (Revised) by Walter Martin, Hank Hanegraaf |
− | | | + | |L35=Response to claims made in The Lion of the Lord by Stanley P. Hirshon |
− | | | + | |L36=Response to claims made in The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power by D. Michael Quinn |
− | | | + | |L37=Response to claims made in The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power by D. Michael Quinn |
− | | | + | |L38=Response to claims made in Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer |
− | | | + | |L39=A review of claims made in "Understanding Mormon Disbelief" by the Open Stories Foundation |
− | | | + | |L40=Response to claims made in Visions of Glory by John Pontius |
+ | |L41=Response to claims made in Who Really Wrote the Book of Mormon? The Spalding Enigma by Wayne Cowdery, Howard Davis, and Donald Scales | ||
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{{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Becoming Gods}} | {{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Becoming Gods}} | ||
{{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows}} | {{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows}} | ||
+ | {{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique}} | ||
{{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri}} | {{:Criticism of Mormonism/Books/By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri}} | ||
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Summary: In Insider's View of Mormon Origins was developed during a period of time that its author worked as a teacher in the Church Educational System (CES), and was published after the author's retirement from Church employment. The book attempts to explain many otherwise clearly described events of the restoration by reinterpreting them as spiritual rather than physical events.
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Summary: This book could best be described as an Evangelical apologetic work against Mormonism. The book spends much time refuting LDS interpretation of scriptural passages in the Bible, often claiming that Mormons have misinterpreted the scriptures and that they require "deeper study." In fact, it is claimed that LDS scholars have only a superficial knowledge of the scriptures, at one time stating that "[p]roperly interpreting them is not as simple as reading today's newspaper"
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Summary: Ex-Mormons online were initially quite excited to read this book when it first appeared, but it appears that few were able to actually understand what it was saying. As the author noted in an online ex-Mormon forum in May 2013, "The paradigm application of such deconstruction applied interpersonally (and "intra"-personally) is some version of the "Instructive Deconstructive Conversation" found in Chapter 1. And the metaphor I like to use for such deconstruction, when applied to Mormon and other theistic beliefs, is the taking apart of an "object of great price" piece by piece, as also presented in Ch. 1." [1] In summary, the author believes that he has, once and for all, "deconstructed Mormonism," and that one has to dedicate serious effort to reading his book in order to understand how that has been accomplished. Online discussion about the book in the ex-Mormon fora appear to have died out near the end of 2013, with the author periodically reappearing in an attempt to spur further discussion.
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Summary: This article is in response to a pamphlet that attempts to explain LDS beliefs to non-LDS readers. Unfortunately, the pamphlet sometimes misrepresents LDS beliefs and uses standard anti-Mormon arguments to make its point.
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Summary: This book could best be described as an Evangelical apologetic work against Mormonism. The book spends much time refuting LDS interpretation of scriptural passages in the Bible, often claiming that Mormons have misinterpreted the scriptures and that they require "deeper study." In fact, it is claimed that LDS scholars have only a superficial knowledge of the scriptures, at one time stating that "[p]roperly interpreting them is not as simple as reading today's newspaper"
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Summary: Louis Midgley: "Though Fawn McKay Brodie forged a reputation as a controversial psychohistorian, it is her 1945 biography of Joseph Smith for which she has always been known among Latter-day Saints. She thought of herself, and has been portrayed by cultural Mormons, as an "objective" historian who had taken the measure of "the Mormon prophet." Her death on 10 January 1981 was followed by tributes in which she was depicted as a heroic figure who had courageously liberated herself from bondage to the mind-numbing religious orthodoxy of her parochial childhood and who had thereby set in place among Latter-day Saints what one of her admirers called "a new climate of liberation." Fawn McKay Brodie: A Biographer's Life—the latest and most comprehensive of these tributes to Brodie—constitutes a substantial addition to the tiny academic specialty that might be called 'Brodie studies'."[2]
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Summary: In early 2002 a new book entitled One Nation under Gods (ONUG) appeared on bookshelves, promising to tell the "real" history of the Mormon Church. The author attempts to pull disparate sources together to paint a picture that, when compared to objective reality, more closely resembles a Picasso than a Rembrandt—skewed and distorted—obscuring and maligning the actual doctrines and beliefs as understood and practiced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 150 years. FairMormon's original review of One Nation Under Gods was of the original 2002 hardback edition. The author has responded that there were editorial problems with this edition. We acknowledge that corrections were made in the paperback edition released in 2003 in response to some of the original reviews. Consequently, all previous FairMormon reviews have been edited for accuracy and tone, and the paperback edition of this work has been evaluated on its own merits. (It should be noted that the corrected paperback edition bears no markings indicating that it is a second edition or an updated edition; it simply appears as a paperback edition of the original.) This is an index of claims made in this work with links to corresponding responses. An effort has been made to provide the author's original sources where possible. In the subarticles linked below the hardback edition is represented by "HB" and the paperback edition by "PB."
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Summary: This account of Church history contains numerous inaccuracies, distortions, and misrepresentations of the data.
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Summary: The content of this book is not written by a critic, but its purpose and audience are often misrepresented by critics in an effort to make it appear that Roberts lost his testimony of the Book of Mormon.
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Works critical of the Church of Jesus Christ
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It is claimed that the Church purchased more than four hundred Hofmann forgeries and then "squirreled" them "away in a vault to keep them from the public eye."
Notes
It is claimed that the Church "presents itself as the world's only true religion."Author's sources:
- Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )
The author claims that Latter-day Saints (sometimes called "Mormons") consider themselves to be God's "favored children." The book then quotes the phrase: "a peculiar treasure unto me above all people."Author's sources:
- Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Author's quote: Church leadership has worked very hard to persuade both the modern church membership and the American public that polygamy was a quaint, long-abandoned idiosyncrasy practiced by a mere handful of nineteenth-century Mormons.Author's sources:
- Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )
This book deals with teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that have application to our day...This book also does not discuss plural marriage. The doctrines and principles relating to plural marriage were revealed to Joseph Smith as early as 1831. The Prophet taught the doctrine of plural marriage, and a number of such marriages were performed during his lifetime. Over the next several decades, under the direction of the Church Presidents who succeeded Joseph Smith, a significant number of Church members entered into plural marriages. In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto, which discontinued plural marriage in the Church (see Official Declaration 1). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer practices plural marriage. (emphasis added)
Religious literature does not mention Joseph's marriage to "at least thirty-three women, and probably as many as forty-eight."Author's sources:
- Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )
The author claims that LDS literature does not mention that Joseph's youngest wife was "just fourteen years old when Joseph explained to her that God had commanded that she marry him or face eternal damnation."Author's sources:
- Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )
Joseph Smith is claimed to have taught that "a man needed at least three wives to attain the 'fullness of exaltation' in the afterlife." The author provides the following quote to support this claim:"all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same...and if ye abide not that covenant, then are yet damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory."
Author's sources:
- D&C 132
3 Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same. 4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
Author's quote: Latter-day Saints esteem three books of scripture above all othersAuthor's sources: #Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )}
Polygamy continued to be practiced after the Manifesto was issued.Author's sources:
- Richard N. and Joan K. Ostling, Mormon America: The Power and the Promise, (New York:HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), . ( Index of claims )
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature Books, 1997), ( Index of claims )
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The author claims that Latter-day Saints are raised to "obey figures of Mormon authority unquestioningly, and to believe that LDS doctrine is the law of God."
Summary: It is claimed that the Church teaches that we should not exercise independent thought. "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done."
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The author claims that a fourteen-year-old Latter-day Saint girl was forced to wear robes by her kidnapper that "resembled the sacred robes she had donned with her family when they entered the Mormon temple."
The author claims that the "words of Joseph Smith" are taught as having been "handed down by God Himself."
That depends upon which of Joseph's words are being referred to.
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Native Americans are, according to the Book of Mormon, descended from the lost tribes of Israel.
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Author's quote: ...[there is] compelling circumstantial evidence [which] suggests that [Samuel H. Smith] succumbed from poison administered by Hosea Stout....Author's sources:
- D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power (Signature Books, 1994), {{{pages}}}. [ATTENTION!]
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William Aden was killed on 10 September 1857.
Brigham Young's letter instructing the Latter-day Saints to leave the immigrants alone didn't appear until decades later; there is question about its provenance and authenticity.
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Summary: Ron Hellings provides an imagined dialogue which highlights some of the many problems with this anti-Mormon work.
The noted author Paul Fussell once commented, "If I didn't have writing, I'd be running down the street hurling grenades in people's faces."1 Perhaps the same could be said about Jon Krakauer. Both he and his works are complex, introspective, and, without doubt, "in your face" and controversial. Krakauer is fascinated by people who are on the edge physically and emotionally, those who push the limits to the extreme. His writing reflects this fascination as he tries to define for his reading audience what it is like to go to extremes. Krakauer has succeeded where many others have failed because he is, without argument, a gifted writer. His text flows seamlessly, creating a literary picture that touches a reader to the very core.Krakauer has used his writing talents to look at the fringes of the Latter-day Saint community in his book Under the Banner of Heaven, in which he examines the double murders committed in 1984 by the ex-Mormon brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty and explores the fundamentalist communities of Colorado City-Hildale on the Utah-Arizona border and Bountiful in British Columbia.2 His accounts of murder and seduction are mixed with events and teachings in Latter-day Saint history in an attempt to portray these fringe elements as murderous and libidinous offspring of a religion steeped in its own history of violence and quirkiness.
In July 2003, popular author Jon Krakauer released a book arguing that religious faith in general, and the faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in particular, often motivates violence in its believers. Since its organization in 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ has been the subject of many lurid and sensational publications, each purporting to reveal the true and sordid fact of the lives of Latter-day Saint leaders and members. Despite the claims of objectivity and historical accuracy, such publications consistently display the same pattern: an agenda-driven effort selectively drawing on rumor and half-truths, clothed in the trappings of historical scholarship.Unfortunately for those wanting to know more about Latter-day Saint history or the possible relationship between religious belief and violence, Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith suffers from these same fatal flaws.
I read Under the Banner of Heaven in July 2003, shortly after it first came out. In the course of my reading, I kept notes on assertions made by the author and my reactions to those assertions. This article is a recounting of my notes. Taken in total, they can serve as a snapshot of one person’s view of the book.Those familiar with LDS history will recognize the outrageousness of many of the assertions, and the biased language used by the author to frame religious belief–particularly the religious belief practiced by faithful LDS–in an egregiously unflattering manner.
Jon Krakauer has penned a popular, yet highly questionable book on Mormonism. The punchline to Krakauer’s book is something along the lines of: “Mormonism, an inherently violent faith, is a shining example of how religious fundamentalism is dangerous, and will lead to killing people.”There are so many problems with Krakauer’s book that to enumerate them here would take some considerable time.
Summary: This work, which purports to give an account of near death experiences (NDE) and visions of the last days contains some true principles, but violates Church doctrine in both content and approach. It also contains some ideas that contradict LDS doctrine on key points.
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Summary: This book attempted to revive the moribund Spalding manuscript theory for the Book of Mormon. Cowdery et al. claimed to have discovered Spalding's handwriting in the Book of Mormon original manuscript. In addition to the insurmountable historical problems with the Spalding theory, the supposed "Spalding" handwriting has likewise been found in documents produced in June 1831--fifteen years after Spalding's death.
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Notes
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