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.
Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 3
| 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
- Note that the word "Godhead" does not appear in the Book of Mormon.
- For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/Trinity/Nicene creed
Claim
The Book of Mormon states that David and Solomon's polygamy "was an abomination to God."
Author's source(s)
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Polygamy/Book of Mormon condemns the practice
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
- For a detailed response, see: Name of the Church
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
- For a detailed response, see: First Vision/Accounts/1832/Different age provided and First Vision/Accounts/1832/Only one Personage appears
Claim
Joseph gave a "false prophecy" that a temple would be built in Independence, Missouri.
Author's source(s)
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Prophecies/Independence temple to be built "in this generation"
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
- For a detailed response, see: Name of the Church
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
- For a detailed response, see: First Vision/Accounts/Oliver Cowdery not aware of First Vision in 1834-35
Claim
Joseph Smith receives revelation to send David Patton on a mission, but Patton is killed during a battle.
Author's source(s)
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Prophecies/David Patten to serve mission
Claim
The Lectures on Faith describe the Father as a "personage of spirit."
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/God is a Spirit/Lecture of Faith 5 teaches the Father is "a personage of spirit"
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
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Polygamy/Did women turn Joseph down
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
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Polygamy
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
- For a detailed response, see: City of Nauvoo/Nauvoo Expositor
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
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Martyrdom
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Martyrdom/Joseph fired a gun
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Martyrdom/Did Joseph kill two men at Carthage
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
- For a detailed response, see: Temples/Endowment/Oath of vengeance
Claim
The Book of Abraham is claimed to have become the scriptural basis for denying the priesthood to Blacks.
Author's source(s)
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Blacks and the priesthood
Claim
Brigham Young teaches the "Adam-God doctrine."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 1:50.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Church doctrine/Repudiated concepts/Adam-God
Claim
Jedediah M. Grant quotes "with approval pagan philosopher Celsus" that Jesus was persecuted because he "had so many wives."
Author's source(s)
- Jedediah M. Grant, Journal of Discourses 1:345-346.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Jesus Christ/Was Jesus married/Was Jesus a polygamist