Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Use of sources/Christ Setting up a Theocracy in Missouri

An Example of Biased Histories

A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods A work by author: Richard Abanes

Destroying Governments and Religions

Christ Setting up a Theocracy in Missouri

The Quotes

One Nation under Gods, page xx (hardback)

The Latter-day Saint (LDS) church will then use its financial wealth and political power base to rebuild the government and restore economic prosperity.

Such an action, it is believed, will precipitate the return of Jesus Christ, who in turn will establish a global theocracy headquartered in, of all places, Jackson County, Missouri.15

One Nation under Gods, page xiv (paperback)

The Latter-day Saint (LDS) church will then rebuild the government and restore economic prosperity (presumably through its financial wealth and political power base).

Such an action, it is believed, will precipitate the return of Jesus Christ, who in turn will establish a global theocracy headquartered in, of all places, Jackson County, Missouri.15

The References

Endnote 15, page 479 (hardback)

15. Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958; second edition, 1966), 855. During a December 23, 1866 sermon, Brigham Young declared that at Christ's second coming, he would return to "the land of America" (Brigham Young, December 23, 1866, JOD [Liverpool: B. Young, Jr.; lithographed reprint of original, 1966], vol. 11, 249.) (emphasis added)

Endnote 15, page 477 (paperback)

15. Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958; second edition, 1966), 855. During a December 23, 1866 sermon, Brigham Young declared that at Christ's second coming, he would first appear in "the land of America" (Brigham Young, December 23, 1866, JOD [Liverpool: B. Young, Jr., 1867; lithographed reprint of original, 1966], vol. 11, 279.) (emphasis added)

The Problem

There are actually two parts to this endnote. The first part references an entry in the book Mormon Doctrine related to the term Zion. There is no problem with this reference by the author, although it is unclear why there was a rearrangement of the note between the hardback and the paperback versions.

The second part of the endnote deals with a statement by Brigham Young and recorded in the Journal of Discourses. It should be noted that the page number specified, page 249, is incorrect in the hardback and was corrected by the author in the paperback version. The sermon referenced is by Brigham Young entitled "The Nature of the Kingdom of God." It was delivered in the Tabernacle, December 23, 1866, and reported by G.D. Watt. The statement is as follows:

When he comes again he will not come as he did when the Jews rejected him; neither will he appear first at Jerusalem when he makes his second appearance on the earth; but he will appear first on the land where he commenced his work in the beginning, and planted the garden of Eden, and that was done in the land of America.

Notice that the statement says that Jesus will "appear" first in America. It does not state what the author uses it to support, being the concept that Jesus "will establish a global theocracy headquartered in...Missouri." Although in the paperback the endnote was changed to accurately reflect this, the main text remained unchanged, and continues to assert that a "global theocracy" will be headquartered in Missouri.

The bottom line is that the quote (in both hardback and paperback editions) doesn't support the assertion that the author is trying to establish. The result: a misuse of a source, plain and simple