Difference between revisions of "Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 3"

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}}
 
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−
===== =====
+
=====1855 (a)=====
 
{{IndexClaim
 
{{IndexClaim
 
|claim=
 
|claim=
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*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=2|disc=|start=171}}
 
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=2|disc=|start=171}}
 
|response=
 
|response=
−
*This is a well-known heavily edited version of the quote by Brigham, which has been edited in such a way as to alter its meaning.
+
*This is a well-known heavily edited version of the quote by Brigham that originated with the Tanners. The quote has been edited in such a way as to alter its meaning.
 
*{{Detail|First Vision/Accounts/Brigham Young said the Lord didn't appear}}
 
*{{Detail|First Vision/Accounts/Brigham Young said the Lord didn't appear}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1855 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Brigham taught that "if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise you that you will be damned..."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=3|disc=|start=266}}
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Polygamy/Requirement for exaltation}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1856 (a)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Brigham Young taught "Blood Atonement."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=4|start=53|end=54}}
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Church doctrine/Repudiated concepts/Blood atonement}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1857 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
The Mountain Meadows Massacre
 +
|authorsources=
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Mountain Meadows Massacre}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1866 (a)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Brigham Young states, "And when all the rest of the children have received their blessing in the Holy Priesthood, then that curse shall be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=11|disc=|start=272}}
 +
|response=
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1866 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Brigham states, "The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=11|disc=|start=269}}
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Polygamy/The only men who become gods are those that practice polygamy}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1867=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Brigham states that "the God that I serve is progressing eternally..."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=11|disc=|start=286}}
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Nature of God/Progressing eternally}} {{nw}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1870=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Brigham states that he believes that the Sun is inhabited.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=13|disc=|start=271}}
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Brigham Young/Moon and sun are inhabited}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
 +
=====1871=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Orson Pratt states that the Independence Temple will be built within the current generation.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=Orson Pratt|vol=14|disc=|start=275}}
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Joseph Smith/Prophecies/Independence temple to be built "in this generation"}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1879 (a)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
John Taylor is claimed to have provided "New First Vision information," when he stated, "None of them was right, just as it was when the Prophet Joseph asked the angel which of the sects was right that he might join it. The answer was that none of them are right....the angel merely told him to join none of them that none of them were right"
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*{{JDfairwiki|author=John Taylor|vol=20|disc=|start=167}}
 +
|response=
 +
*This is an amazing claim, since John Taylor talked specifically of the visit of the Father and Son during the First Vision numerous other times, including another sermon delivered ''the very same day!'' It also seem rather silly to state the John Taylor didn't understand the nature of the First Vision, since the official account of the vision had been published in the Pearl of Great Price years before this discourse.
 +
*{{Detail|First Vision/Accounts/John Taylor's understanding of the First Vision}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1890 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Church leaders continued to practice polygamy after the Manifesto.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*D&C Official Declaration-1
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Polygamy/Practiced after the Manifesto}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1921=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
The Lectures on Faith are removed from the Doctrine and Covenants.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*''Dialogue: A Journa of Mormon Thought'', vol. 20, No. 3, p. 71.
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Doctrine and Covenants/Lectures on Faith removed}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1922=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
B.H. Roberts "finds several serious problems" with the archaeological and scientific content of the Book of Mormon.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*''Studies of the Book of Mormon''
 +
|response=
 +
*It should be noted that the Book of Mormon contains no "archaeological and scientific content."
 +
*{{Detail|Specific works/Studies of the Book of Mormon}}
 +
*{{Detail|Book of Mormon/B.H. Roberts and "Studies of the Book of Mormon"}}
 +
*{{Detail|Book of Mormon/B.H. Roberts' testimony}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1926=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
The "Oath of Vengeance" is removed from the temple ceremony.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', vol. 20, no. 4, p. 55.
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Temples/Endowment/Oath of vengeance}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1945 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
An article in ''The Improvement Era'' states: "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done."
 +
|authorsource=
 +
*''Improvement Era'', June 1945, p. 354.
 +
|response=
 +
*President Grant retracted that message soon after it was printed.
 +
*{{Detail|Authoritarianism and Church leaders#When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done?|When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done?}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1945 (c)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Joseph Fielding Smith, who the authors note "would become the tenth prophet," expresses his opinion on the "Curse of Cain" as it was applied to Blacks.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*''The Way to Perfection'', p. 101.
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Blacks and the priesthood/The "curse of Cain" and "curse of Ham"}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1954 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Mark E. Petersen states that "our performance in the pre-existence" affected what race we were born into.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*"Race Problems - As They Affect the Church," Aug. 27, 1954, p. 4.
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Racial issues/Racial statements by Church leaders}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1963 (a)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Joseph Fielding Smith "admits Mormon doctrine that Jesus was married."
 +
|authorsource=
 +
*letter dated March 17, 1963.
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Jesus Christ/Was Jesus married}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1966=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Book of Abraham "manuscripts" are discovered.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*Tanner, ''The Case Against Mormonism'', Vol. 3, Preface.
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Book of Abraham/Joseph Smith Papyrii}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1967=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
Book of Abraham "papyrus manuscripts" are turned over the the Church, after which "noted Egyptologists translate them and declare that the text if from the ''Book of Breathings.'' The authors state: "Despite this exposure as a fraud, the Book of Abraham continues to be published as scripture by the church."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
*Tanner, ''The Case Against Mormonism'', Vol. 3, Preface.
 +
|response=
 +
*The critics fail to note that the ''Church'' itself published this information in ''The Improvement Era'' first.
 +
*{{Detail|Book of Abraham/Joseph Smith Papyri/Church disclosure of "Book of the Dead"}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1980 (a)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
The Mark Hofmann forgeries.
 +
|authorsources=
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Mark Hofmann}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1981 (b)=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
The Book of Mormon has over "4000" changes since its first publication, and the phrase "white and delightsome" is changed to "pure and delightsome."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
|response=
 +
*It should be noted that this change was originally made by Joseph Smith in 1840.
 +
*{{Detail|Book of Mormon/Textual changes/"white" changed to "pure"}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
=====1990=====
 +
{{IndexClaim
 +
|claim=
 +
The authors state that "drastic changes" were made in "secret Mormon temple rituals."
 +
|authorsources=
 +
|response=
 +
*{{Detail|Temples/Endowment/Changes}}
 
}}
 
}}

Revision as of 20:24, 8 March 2010


Section 2
A FAIR Analysis of:
Watchman Fellowship
 		Section 4

Index of Claims in "Mormonism Overview"

Claim
The Book of Mormon claims that there is only "one God in the Godhead."

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
The Book of Mormon states that David and Solomon's polygamy "was an abomination to God."

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
The Church was originally founded with the name "Church of Christ."

Author's source(s)

  • David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, p. 73.

Response


Claim
The earliest account of the First Vision states that Joseph was "in the 16th year of [his] age," and he does not mention seeing the Father.

Author's source(s)

  • Joseph Smith's 1832 Diary

Response



Claim
Joseph gave a "false prophecy" that a temple would be built in Independence, Missouri.

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
The name of the Church was later changed to "The Church of the Latter Day Saints."

Author's source(s)

  • David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, p. 73.

Response


Claim
Joseph gave a "false prophecy" that the Saints would prevail against their enemies in Independence, Missouri.

Author's source(s)

Response
 FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources


Claim
Oliver Cowdery reports in the Messenger and Advocate that Joseph Smith's age at the time of the First Vision was "the 15th year of our brother J. Smith Jr.'s age" and then corrects it to be "the 17th."

Author's source(s)

  • Messenger and Advocate, Dec. 1834, Vol. 1, p. 42.
  • Messenger and Advocate, Feb. 1835, Vol. 1, p. 76.

Response


Claim
Joseph Smith receives revelation to send David Patton on a mission, but Patton is killed during a battle.

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
The Lectures on Faith describe the Father as a "personage of spirit."


Response


Claim
Orson Pratt is claimed to have been excommunicated for disagreeing with Joseph Smith regarding polygamy and "Smith's sexual advances to Sarah Pratt, Orson's wife."

Author's source(s)

  • Nauvoo: Kingdom on the Mississippi, pp. 269-270.

Response


Claim
The authors claim that "historical records show Joseph Smith was sexually involved with women other than his legal wife Emma" long before the 1843 revelation was written.

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
Joseph Smith denies polygamy.

Author's source(s)

  • History of the Church 6:411

Response
 FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources


Claim
The Nauvoo Expositor accused Joseph of "practicing olygamy and teaching polytheism.

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
The authors claim that Joseph killed two men at Carthage Jail, and that Joseph cannot be called a martyr because he fought for his life "with an illegally obtained weapon."

Author's source(s)

  • History of the Church 7:103.

Response


Claim
The "Oath of Vengeance" is added to the temple ceremony.

Author's source(s)

  • Diary Journal of Abraham H. Cannon, quoted in Tanner, Mormonism: Shadow or Reality?, p. 475

Response


Claim
The Book of Abraham is claimed to have become the scriptural basis for denying the priesthood to Blacks.

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
Brigham Young teaches the "Adam-God doctrine."

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
Jedediah M. Grant quotes "with approval pagan philosopher Celsus" that Jesus was persecuted because he "had so many wives."

Author's source(s)

Response


Claim
Orson Hyde preaches that Jesus Christ was married and had children.

Author's source(s)

Response


1855 (a)

Claim
The authors claim that Brigham Young said that the Lord did not come during the First Vision:

The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven.... But he did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun.,...and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong"

Author's source(s)

Response


1855 (b)

Claim
Brigham taught that "if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise you that you will be damned..."

Author's source(s)

Response


1856 (a)

Claim
Brigham Young taught "Blood Atonement."

Author's source(s)

  • Brigham Young, [[Journal of Discourses/4/{{{disc}}}#53|Journal of Discourses 4:53-54]].

Response


1857 (b)

Claim
The Mountain Meadows Massacre


Response


1866 (a)

Claim
Brigham Young states, "And when all the rest of the children have received their blessing in the Holy Priesthood, then that curse shall be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to."

Author's source(s)

Response
 FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources


1866 (b)

Claim
Brigham states, "The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy."

Author's source(s)

Response


1867

Claim
Brigham states that "the God that I serve is progressing eternally..."

Author's source(s)

Response


1870

Claim
Brigham states that he believes that the Sun is inhabited.

Author's source(s)

Response



1871

Claim
Orson Pratt states that the Independence Temple will be built within the current generation.

Author's source(s)

Response


1879 (a)

Claim
John Taylor is claimed to have provided "New First Vision information," when he stated, "None of them was right, just as it was when the Prophet Joseph asked the angel which of the sects was right that he might join it. The answer was that none of them are right....the angel merely told him to join none of them that none of them were right"

Author's source(s)

Response

  • This is an amazing claim, since John Taylor talked specifically of the visit of the Father and Son during the First Vision numerous other times, including another sermon delivered the very same day! It also seem rather silly to state the John Taylor didn't understand the nature of the First Vision, since the official account of the vision had been published in the Pearl of Great Price years before this discourse.
  • For a detailed response, see: First Vision/Accounts/John Taylor's understanding of the First Vision


1890 (b)

Claim
Church leaders continued to practice polygamy after the Manifesto.

Author's source(s)

  • D&C Official Declaration-1

Response


1921

Claim
The Lectures on Faith are removed from the Doctrine and Covenants.

Author's source(s)

  • Dialogue: A Journa of Mormon Thought, vol. 20, No. 3, p. 71.

Response


1922

Claim
B.H. Roberts "finds several serious problems" with the archaeological and scientific content of the Book of Mormon.

Author's source(s)

  • Studies of the Book of Mormon

Response


1926

Claim
The "Oath of Vengeance" is removed from the temple ceremony.

Author's source(s)

  • Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, vol. 20, no. 4, p. 55.

Response


1945 (b)

Claim
An article in The Improvement Era states: "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done."


Response


1945 (c)

Claim
Joseph Fielding Smith, who the authors note "would become the tenth prophet," expresses his opinion on the "Curse of Cain" as it was applied to Blacks.

Author's source(s)

  • The Way to Perfection, p. 101.

Response


1954 (b)

Claim
Mark E. Petersen states that "our performance in the pre-existence" affected what race we were born into.

Author's source(s)

  • "Race Problems - As They Affect the Church," Aug. 27, 1954, p. 4.

Response


1963 (a)

Claim
Joseph Fielding Smith "admits Mormon doctrine that Jesus was married."


Response


1966

Claim
Book of Abraham "manuscripts" are discovered.

Author's source(s)

  • Tanner, The Case Against Mormonism, Vol. 3, Preface.

Response


1967

Claim
Book of Abraham "papyrus manuscripts" are turned over the the Church, after which "noted Egyptologists translate them and declare that the text if from the Book of Breathings. The authors state: "Despite this exposure as a fraud, the Book of Abraham continues to be published as scripture by the church."

Author's source(s)

  • Tanner, The Case Against Mormonism, Vol. 3, Preface.

Response


1980 (a)

Claim
The Mark Hofmann forgeries.


Response


1981 (b)

Claim
The Book of Mormon has over "4000" changes since its first publication, and the phrase "white and delightsome" is changed to "pure and delightsome."


Response


1990

Claim
The authors state that "drastic changes" were made in "secret Mormon temple rituals."


Response


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