Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Sarcasm

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One Nation Under Gods: Sarcasm

Notable omissions

A FAIR Analysis of: One Nation Under Gods, a work by author: Richard Abanes

Index of Claims

Well, all I can say is, I combat the errors of the ages. I solve mathematical problems of universities, with truth—diamond truth; and God is my 'right hand man.' God made Aaron to be the mouth piece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead...I have more to boast of than ever any man had....I boast that no man ever did such a work as I....Oh, wait, all of that material has been already used. Sorry. Nevermind. Sorry, my bad.

—The author, using a compound quote that he created from multiple sources in One Nation Under Gods to ridicule Joseph Smith, Posted to Mormon Apologetics and Discussion Board, Dec. 4, 2008

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The author uses sarcasm to belittle what he claims to be LDS beliefs and doctrine.

Reference	The claim...	The rest of the story...	Use of sources
23 (HB)	"This messenger from the great beyond declared himself to be Moroni, a resurrected and glorified servant of the Lord (i.e. an angel)." (emphasis added)	How about Luke 1:30, which says, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God." Would the author refer to this angel as coming from the "great beyond?" Not likely.	None
109 (PB)	"Smith came up with a novel idea that would literally make them Israelites: a heavenly blood transfusion."		History of the Church, vol. 3, 380.
117 (PB)	After using a quote from Brodie to describe how Latter-day Saints were driven from their homes in Jackson County, the book attempts an additional bit of "Brodie-like" embellishment: "They had neither provision, nor direction. some fled to nearby Clay County, but most of those exiled remained huddled in the woodlands by the Missouri River. Their only comfort was the hope that Christ would soon deliver them." (emphasis added)
132 (PB)	"Although Smith never took any Lamanites as wives, he did begin establishing what would gradually become a fairly large harem of young girls and women taken from his flock of 'white and delightsome' disciples."		Author's opinion.
146	"But after Smith arrived, the Mormons suddenly could not remember making an agreement to limit their settlements to one county."
285, 573n25 (PB)	"Earth, by the way, in this Mormon scenario, was fashioned as part of a joint creative project supervised by the most faithful of Heavenly Father's spiritual progeny (e.g., Jesus, Joseph Smith, Noah, Adam, John the Baptist, etc.). Elohim's other spirit children included: Lucifer, who would become the Devil (a.k.a. Satan); Napoleon; George Washington; Joseph Smith; Louis Armstrong, Donny and Marie Osmond, Senator Orrin Hatch, U.S. President George W. Bush, and everyone else who has ever lived on this planet.	Is this laundry list of names really helpful? This is a way to take LDS beliefs about the pre-existence and portray them in a sarcastic, demeaning way.	McConkie, 169.
323, n48	"Ever the optimist, Woodruff had another revelation on November 24, 1889....Despite Christ's assurances that the ruling would favor the Saints, May 19, 1890, saw a five to four decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the government's right to close the LDS church, seize its property, and redistribute it."
370	"Mormons, by and large, were pleased that God had changed his mind at such a convenient time in history."
371, 600n63	"The spiritual 'out' for Mormons is that rather illogical belief that the words of a living prophet...always supercede [check spelling] the teachings of a dead prophet."