Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Chapter 2"

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=Claims made in "Chapter 2: Moroni, Magic, and Masonry"=
 
=Claims made in "Chapter 2: Moroni, Magic, and Masonry"=
 
{{BeginClaimsTable}}
 
{{BeginClaimsTable}}
−
|23||The author claims that "LDS documents are strangely silent about their prophet's activities during the three years immediately following his 1820 First Vision."||[[One Nation Under Gods#Absurd claims|Absurd claims]]||
+
|23||The author claims that "LDS documents are strangely silent about their prophet's activities during the three years immediately following his 1820 First Vision."
 +
||
 +
*Just how much documentation does the author think exists on the activities of a 14 to 17-year-old farm boy living on the frontier during this period? The Church didn't even exist during this time, therefore there would be no "LDS documents."
 +
*[[One Nation Under Gods#Absurd claims|Absurd claims]]
 +
||
 
*Author's opinion.  
 
*Author's opinion.  
−
*Just how much documentation does he think exists on the activities of a 14 to 17-year-old farm boy living on the frontier during this period? The Church didn't even exist during this time, therefore there would be no "LDS documents."
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|25||The angel was originally named "Nephi" instead of "Moroni."||[[Nephi or Moroni]]||
+
|25||The angel was originally named "Nephi" instead of "Moroni."
 +
||
 +
*[[Nephi or Moroni]]
 +
||
 
*Oliver Cowdery, ''Times and Seasons, April 15, 1842, vol. 3, no. 12, 753.
 
*Oliver Cowdery, ''Times and Seasons, April 15, 1842, vol. 3, no. 12, 753.
 
*1851 edition of the ''Pearl of Great Price'', p. 41.
 
*1851 edition of the ''Pearl of Great Price'', p. 41.
 
*Joseph Smith ''1832 History'' cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'' vol. 1, 29-30.
 
*Joseph Smith ''1832 History'' cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'' vol. 1, 29-30.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|26, 492 n.19-20||Oliver Cowdery said that the First Vision took place in 1823 when Joseph was in his 17th year.||[[Oliver Cowdery not aware of First Vision in 1834-35]]||
+
|26, 492 n.19-20||Oliver Cowdery said that the First Vision took place in 1823 when Joseph was in his 17th year.
 +
||
 +
*[[Oliver Cowdery not aware of First Vision in 1834-35]]
 +
||
 
*Oliver Cowdery, "Letter III," ''Messenger and Advocate'', December 1834, vol. 1, no. 3, 41-43.
 
*Oliver Cowdery, "Letter III," ''Messenger and Advocate'', December 1834, vol. 1, no. 3, 41-43.
 
*Oliver Cowdery, "Letter IV," ''Messenger and Advocate'', February 1835, vol. 1, no. 5, 77-80.
 
*Oliver Cowdery, "Letter IV," ''Messenger and Advocate'', February 1835, vol. 1, no. 5, 77-80.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|26, 492 n.21||Joseph's brother William associates Moroni's visit with a revival.||[[William Smith said First Vision was an "angel"?]]||
+
|26, 492 n.21||Joseph's brother William associates Moroni's visit with a revival.
 +
||
 +
*[[William Smith said First Vision was an "angel"?]]
 +
||
 
*William Smith, ''William Smith on Mormonism'' cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 1, 494.
 
*William Smith, ''William Smith on Mormonism'' cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 1, 494.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|27, 493 n.23||George A. Smith merged the First Vision and Moroni's visit.||[[George A. Smith said First Vision was an "angel"]]||
+
|27, 493 n.23||George A. Smith merged the First Vision and Moroni's visit.
 +
||
 +
*[[George A. Smith said First Vision was an "angel"]]
 +
||
 
*George A. Smith, ''Journal of Discourses'',  vol. 12, 334. (November 15, 1863)
 
*George A. Smith, ''Journal of Discourses'',  vol. 12, 334. (November 15, 1863)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|27, 493 n.24||Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph's mother, said that the First Vision was of the angel in 1823.||[[Prophet's mother said First Vision was of an "angel"]]||
+
|27, 493 n.24||Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph's mother, said that the First Vision was of the angel in 1823.
 +
||
 +
[[Prophet's mother said First Vision was of an "angel"]]
 +
||
 
*Lucy Mack Smith, "Preliminary Manuscript" of ''Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for many Generations'', cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 1, 289-291.
 
*Lucy Mack Smith, "Preliminary Manuscript" of ''Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for many Generations'', cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 1, 289-291.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|27||Joseph engaged in "ritual magic and divination."||[[Joseph Smith and the occult]]||
+
|27||Joseph engaged in "ritual magic and divination."
 +
||
 +
*[[Joseph Smith and the occult]]
 +
||
 
*None
 
*None
 
|-
 
|-
−
|28||Joseph was a "money digger"||[[Joseph Smith and money digging]]||
+
|28||Joseph was a "money digger"
 +
||
 +
*[[Joseph Smith and money digging]]||
 
*
 
*
 
|-
 
|-
−
|28||Joseph used a "peep stone" to search for treasure.||[[Joseph Smith and seer stones]]||
+
|28||Joseph used a "peep stone" to search for treasure.
 +
||
 +
*[[Joseph Smith and seer stones]]
 +
||
 
*
 
*
 
|-
 
|-
−
|29, 494 n.30||Joseph's father was "a firm believer in witchcraft and other supernatural things; and had brought up his family in the same beief."|| ||
+
|29, 494 n.30||Joseph's father was "a firm believer in witchcraft and other supernatural things; and had brought up his family in the same beief."
 +
||  
 +
||
 
*Fayette Lapham, "Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates," ''Historical Magazine (May 1870) cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 1 458.
 
*Fayette Lapham, "Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates," ''Historical Magazine (May 1870) cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 1 458.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|29, 494-5 n.33-34||Martin Harris said that Joseph was associated with a company of money diggers.||[[Joseph Smith and money digging]]||
+
|29, 494-5 n.33-34||Martin Harris said that Joseph was associated with a company of money diggers.
 +
||
 +
*[[Joseph Smith and money digging]]
 +
||
 
*Brooke, 362, endnote #2
 
*Brooke, 362, endnote #2
 
*Martin Harris, "Mormonism-No. II", ''Tiffany's Monthly'', August 1859, vol. 5, 164.
 
*Martin Harris, "Mormonism-No. II", ''Tiffany's Monthly'', August 1859, vol. 5, 164.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|29, 495 n.36||Joshua Stafford said that Joseph's family "told marvelous stories about ghosts, hob-goblins, caverns, and verious other mysterious matters."||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Joshua Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—Joshua Stafford]] ||
+
|29, 495 n.36||Joshua Stafford said that Joseph's family "told marvelous stories about ghosts, hob-goblins, caverns, and verious other mysterious matters."
 +
||
 +
*[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Joshua Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—Joshua Stafford]]  
 +
||
 
*Joshua Stafford cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 258.
 
*Joshua Stafford cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 258.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|29-30, 495 n.37||"Most of the residents" of Palmyra and Manchester considered the Smith family a "close-knit clan of occultists."||[[Joseph Smith and the occult]]||
+
|29-30, 495 n.37||"Most of the residents" of Palmyra and Manchester considered the Smith family a "close-knit clan of occultists."
 +
||
 +
*[[Joseph Smith and the occult]]
 +
||
 
*"Gold Bible, No. 3," ''Palmyra Reflector'', February 1, 1831, cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 2, 242.
 
*"Gold Bible, No. 3," ''Palmyra Reflector'', February 1, 1831, cited in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', vol. 2, 242.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|30, 495 n.38||William Stafford stated that Joseph used a seer stone to see "the spirits in whose charge these treasures were, clotehd in ancient dress."||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#William Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—William Stafford]]||
+
|30, 495 n.38||William Stafford stated that Joseph used a seer stone to see "the spirits in whose charge these treasures were, clotehd in ancient dress."
 +
||
 +
*[[The Hurlbut affidavits#William Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—William Stafford]]
 +
||
 
*William Stafford cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 238.
 
*William Stafford cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 238.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|30, 495 n.40||Joseph Capron stated that Joseph encouraged others to participate in money digging in order to obtain wealth.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Joseph Capron|The Hurlbut affidavits—Joseph Capron]]||
+
|30, 495 n.40||Joseph Capron stated that Joseph encouraged others to participate in money digging in order to obtain wealth.
 +
||
 +
*[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Joseph Capron|The Hurlbut affidavits—Joseph Capron]]
 +
||
 
*Joseph Capron cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 259.
 
*Joseph Capron cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', p. 259.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|31, 495 n.41||Rev. John Sherer said that Joseph Smith was a "juggler" (i.e. a "con-man")|| ||
+
|31, 495 n.41||Rev. John Sherer said that Joseph Smith was a "juggler" (i.e. a "con-man")
 +
||  
 +
||
 
*John Sherer, letter to American Home Missionary Society, November 18, 1830 quote in Persuitte, p. 36.
 
*John Sherer, letter to American Home Missionary Society, November 18, 1830 quote in Persuitte, p. 36.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|31, 495 n.42||William Stafford stated that Joseph believed that the state of the moon determined the best time to obtain treasures.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Williams Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—William Stafford]]||
+
|31, 495 n.42||William Stafford stated that Joseph believed that the state of the moon determined the best time to obtain treasures.
 +
||
 +
*NOTE: Stafford's testimony was given on Dec. 8th, 1833—three years ''after'' the publication of the Book of Mormon.
 +
*[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Williams Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—William Stafford]]
 +
||
 
*William Stafford, cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'' 238.
 
*William Stafford, cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'' 238.
−
*NOTE: Stafford's testimony was given on Dec. 8th, 1833—three years ''after'' the publication of the Book of Mormon.
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|31, 495 n.43||Joseph Smith made animal sacrifices to "appease whatever spirits might be guarding the buried treasure."|| ||
+
|31, 495 n.43||Joseph Smith made animal sacrifices to "appease whatever spirits might be guarding the buried treasure."
 +
||  
 +
||
 
*Emily M. Austin, ''Mormonism; or, Life among the Mormons'', 32ff quoted in Wesley P. Walters, "Joseph Smith's Bainbridge, N.Y., Court Trials," ''Westminster Theological Journal'' (Winder 1974), vol. 36, 125.
 
*Emily M. Austin, ''Mormonism; or, Life among the Mormons'', 32ff quoted in Wesley P. Walters, "Joseph Smith's Bainbridge, N.Y., Court Trials," ''Westminster Theological Journal'' (Winder 1974), vol. 36, 125.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|31, 496 n.44||Hiel Lewis claimed that dogs, cats and other animals were sacrificed.|| ||
+
|31, 496 n.44||Hiel Lewis claimed that dogs, cats and other animals were sacrificed.
 +
||  
 +
||
 
*Hiel Lewis, ''Amboy Journal'', June 4, 1879 quote in Tanner and Tanner, ''Mormonism, Magic and Masonry'', p. 33.
 
*Hiel Lewis, ''Amboy Journal'', June 4, 1879 quote in Tanner and Tanner, ''Mormonism, Magic and Masonry'', p. 33.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|33, 495 n.48||Joshua Stafford said that Joseph showed him a piece of wood from a box of money that had "mysteriously moved back into the hill."||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Joshua Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—Joshua Stafford]]||
+
|33, 495 n.48||Joshua Stafford said that Joseph showed him a piece of wood from a box of money that had "mysteriously moved back into the hill."
 +
||
 +
*NOTE: Stafford's testimony was given Nov. 15, 1833—three years ''after'' the publication of the Book of Mormon.
 +
*[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Joshua Stafford|The Hurlbut affidavits—Joshua Stafford]]
 +
||
 
*Joshua Stafford, cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'' 258.
 
*Joshua Stafford, cited in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'' 258.
−
*NOTE: Stafford's testimony was given Nov. 15, 1833—three years ''after'' the publication of the Book of Mormon.
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|36, 497 n.63||LDS historian Reed C. Durham stated that "virtually all aspects of the Royal Arch Freemasonry legend of Enoch 'seem transformed into the history of Joseph Smith, so much that even it appears to be a kind of symbolic acting out of Masonic lore.'"|| ||
+
|36, 497 n.63||LDS historian Reed C. Durham stated that "virtually all aspects of the Royal Arch Freemasonry legend of Enoch 'seem transformed into the history of Joseph Smith, so much that even it appears to be a kind of symbolic acting out of Masonic lore.'"
 +
||  
 +
||
 
*Reed C. Durham, "Is There no Help for the Widow's Son," Presidential Address, Mormon History Association Conference, April 20, 1974.
 
*Reed C. Durham, "Is There no Help for the Widow's Son," Presidential Address, Mormon History Association Conference, April 20, 1974.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|36||Joseph Smith adapted Masonic rituals for the temple endowment.||[[Temple endowment and Freemasonry]]||
+
|36||Joseph Smith adapted Masonic rituals for the temple endowment.
 +
||
 +
*[[Temple endowment and Freemasonry]]||
 
|-
 
|-
−
|40||The Book of Mormon denounces Freemasonry by condemning "secret combinations," "secret signs," and "secret oaths."|| ||
+
|40||The Book of Mormon denounces Freemasonry by condemning "secret combinations," "secret signs," and "secret oaths."
 +
||  
 +
||
 
*{{s||Alma|37|30}}
 
*{{s||Alma|37|30}}
 
*{{s||Helaman|3|23}}
 
*{{s||Helaman|3|23}}

Revision as of 19:54, 21 December 2008


Claims made in "Chapter 1: Vagabond Visionaries"
A FAIR Analysis of:
Criticism of Mormonism/Books
A work by author: Richard Abanes
 Claims made in "Chapter 3: From Profit to Prophet"

Claims made in "Chapter 2: Moroni, Magic, and Masonry"

Page Claim Response Author's sources
23 The author claims that "LDS documents are strangely silent about their prophet's activities during the three years immediately following his 1820 First Vision."
  • Just how much documentation does the author think exists on the activities of a 14 to 17-year-old farm boy living on the frontier during this period? The Church didn't even exist during this time, therefore there would be no "LDS documents."
  • Absurd claims
  • Author's opinion.
25 The angel was originally named "Nephi" instead of "Moroni."
  • Oliver Cowdery, Times and Seasons, April 15, 1842, vol. 3, no. 12, 753.
  • 1851 edition of the Pearl of Great Price, p. 41.
  • Joseph Smith 1832 History cited in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents vol. 1, 29-30.
26, 492 n.19-20 Oliver Cowdery said that the First Vision took place in 1823 when Joseph was in his 17th year.
  • Oliver Cowdery, "Letter III," Messenger and Advocate, December 1834, vol. 1, no. 3, 41-43.
  • Oliver Cowdery, "Letter IV," Messenger and Advocate, February 1835, vol. 1, no. 5, 77-80.
26, 492 n.21 Joseph's brother William associates Moroni's visit with a revival.
  • William Smith, William Smith on Mormonism cited in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, vol. 1, 494.
27, 493 n.23 George A. Smith merged the First Vision and Moroni's visit.
  • George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses, vol. 12, 334. (November 15, 1863)
27, 493 n.24 Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph's mother, said that the First Vision was of the angel in 1823.

Prophet's mother said First Vision was of an "angel"

  • Lucy Mack Smith, "Preliminary Manuscript" of Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for many Generations, cited in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, vol. 1, 289-291.
27 Joseph engaged in "ritual magic and divination."
  • None
28 Joseph was a "money digger"
28 Joseph used a "peep stone" to search for treasure.
29, 494 n.30 Joseph's father was "a firm believer in witchcraft and other supernatural things; and had brought up his family in the same beief."
  • Fayette Lapham, "Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates," Historical Magazine (May 1870) cited in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, vol. 1 458.
29, 494-5 n.33-34 Martin Harris said that Joseph was associated with a company of money diggers.
  • Brooke, 362, endnote #2
  • Martin Harris, "Mormonism-No. II", Tiffany's Monthly, August 1859, vol. 5, 164.
29, 495 n.36 Joshua Stafford said that Joseph's family "told marvelous stories about ghosts, hob-goblins, caverns, and verious other mysterious matters."
  • Joshua Stafford cited in Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, p. 258.
29-30, 495 n.37 "Most of the residents" of Palmyra and Manchester considered the Smith family a "close-knit clan of occultists."
  • "Gold Bible, No. 3," Palmyra Reflector, February 1, 1831, cited in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, vol. 2, 242.
30, 495 n.38 William Stafford stated that Joseph used a seer stone to see "the spirits in whose charge these treasures were, clotehd in ancient dress."
  • William Stafford cited in Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, p. 238.
30, 495 n.40 Joseph Capron stated that Joseph encouraged others to participate in money digging in order to obtain wealth.
  • Joseph Capron cited in Howe, Mormonism Unvailed, p. 259.
31, 495 n.41 Rev. John Sherer said that Joseph Smith was a "juggler" (i.e. a "con-man")
  • John Sherer, letter to American Home Missionary Society, November 18, 1830 quote in Persuitte, p. 36.
31, 495 n.42 William Stafford stated that Joseph believed that the state of the moon determined the best time to obtain treasures.
  • William Stafford, cited in Howe, Mormonism Unvailed 238.
31, 495 n.43 Joseph Smith made animal sacrifices to "appease whatever spirits might be guarding the buried treasure."
  • Emily M. Austin, Mormonism; or, Life among the Mormons, 32ff quoted in Wesley P. Walters, "Joseph Smith's Bainbridge, N.Y., Court Trials," Westminster Theological Journal (Winder 1974), vol. 36, 125.
31, 496 n.44 Hiel Lewis claimed that dogs, cats and other animals were sacrificed.
  • Hiel Lewis, Amboy Journal, June 4, 1879 quote in Tanner and Tanner, Mormonism, Magic and Masonry, p. 33.
33, 495 n.48 Joshua Stafford said that Joseph showed him a piece of wood from a box of money that had "mysteriously moved back into the hill."
  • Joshua Stafford, cited in Howe, Mormonism Unvailed 258.
36, 497 n.63 LDS historian Reed C. Durham stated that "virtually all aspects of the Royal Arch Freemasonry legend of Enoch 'seem transformed into the history of Joseph Smith, so much that even it appears to be a kind of symbolic acting out of Masonic lore.'"
  • Reed C. Durham, "Is There no Help for the Widow's Son," Presidential Address, Mormon History Association Conference, April 20, 1974.
36 Joseph Smith adapted Masonic rituals for the temple endowment.
40 The Book of Mormon denounces Freemasonry by condemning "secret combinations," "secret signs," and "secret oaths."
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