FAIR

Faithful Study Resources for Come, Follow Me

Trevor Holyoak

Under the Banner of Heaven: Utah State Trooper Les Langford interviewed by Craig Foster

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Les Langford served as a Utah state trooper from 1972 – 2002. He was the trooper that arrested Dan Lafferty in 1983 while he (Dan) was a candidate for sheriff. He appeared in a total of 4 trials and stood toe-to-toe with Ron Lafferty as Dan’s followers tried to disrupt the court proceedings. In 1984 when Dan and Ron set out to do the murders, they created a “hit list” that included the stake president that had excommunicated them, the stake relief society president, and others. Brenda Lafferty was about 4th on the list, and Les Langford was 6th on the list. He is interviewed here by Craig Foster.

A rough transcript is available here. More information about the disinformation in Under the Banner of Heaven can be found here.

Audio and Video Copyright © 2022 The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any reproduction or transcription of this material without prior express written permission is prohibited.

 

2022 FAIR Conference is Only a Month Away

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2022 FAIR Conference is Only a Month Away

One month from right now, where will you be? Will you be settling in to hear Dan Peterson speaking about Reflections of a Latter-day Saint Movie Maker as the 2022 FAIR Conference draws to a close?

We would love to have you join us at the FAIR Conference this year! We have some exciting speakers lined up that will be talking about a variety of topics such as:

 [Read more…] about 2022 FAIR Conference is Only a Month Away

Come, Follow Me Week 28 – 2 Kings 2–7

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What Should We Make of the Story of Elisha and the Bears and What Is the Significance of the Unusual Symbolism in Elisha’s Healings?

by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw

(Originally published August 8, 2018 and August 10, 2018)

Prophet Elisha, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th century. The prophet is often portrayed with an uncovered, bald head. However, such a depiction may be the result of a textual misunderstanding.

Question: One of the most disturbing and incomprehensible accounts in the Old Testament concerns Elisha and the bears who mauled those who jeered at him? What should we make of this strange story? [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 28 – 2 Kings 2–7

Come, Follow Me Week 27 – 1 Kings 17–19

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by Matt Crawford

The widow of Zarephath is one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament. Perhaps the greatest reason that this story resonates with me is because the widow is an outsider. She is not a member of the house of Israel—a fact the Savior confirms (see Luke 4:24–30)—and she meets Elijah at the gate of the city. That is, she is physically on the outskirts of this village where she lives. At least symbolically, the location of the widow’s initial contact with Elijah infers that she is marginalized. Yet her belonging came as she did one thing: she obeyed a prophet. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 27 – 1 Kings 17–19

Press Release: Under the Banner of Heaven: Fact vs. Fiction

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June 27, 2022

You may have watched the fictionalized television series Under the Banner of Heaven, which depicts the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter Erica. Brenda was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). She, and her daughter, were murdered by Dan Lafferty, a man recently released from jail who had been excommunicated from the Church.

Now you can find out what really happened. [Read more…] about Press Release: Under the Banner of Heaven: Fact vs. Fiction

Come, Follow Me Week 26 – 2 Samuel 5-7; 11-12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11

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2 Samuel 11: A Presbyterian Reflection

by Carl Trueman

The events described in 2 Samuel 11 are pivotal to the reign of David. His adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband, Uriah, will have consequences far beyond the royal household and the rest of his reign will be marked by political turmoil driven by rebellions from within his own family.

There are a number of points to observe in the text.  First, it is important to notice how the writer echoes the language of Genesis 3.  As Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was pleasing to the eyes and reached out and took it, so David sees that Bathsheba, one who is forbidden to him because married to another, is beautiful and takes her.  As humanity fell in the garden, so David as king in a sense falls here.  Hence his reign will never be the same again.  And in seeing David’s fall, we learn something of the sinful psychology of our own hearts: sin places me at the center and makes everything else instrumental to my satisfaction, desires, and happiness. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 26 – 2 Samuel 5-7; 11-12; 1 Kings 3; 8; 11

Come, Follow Me Week 25 – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–18

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The Asked King and the Beloved King-to-be: Saul, David, and Ancient Israel’s Rejection of the Lord’s Kingship

by Matthew L. Bowen

The names of ancient Israel’s first two major[1] royal figures, Saul and David, have clear, distinctive meanings. Saul (šāʾûl) means ‘asked’ and David (dāwid or dāwîd) means ‘beloved.’ The Deuteronomistic editor and narrator[2] of the Book of Samuel used the meaning of these names to help tell the story of Israel’s formal rejection of the Lord’s kingship and the eventual rise of the Davidic dynasty in Judah. The meanings of their respective names figure not only into why each man became king, but also why their kingships ran aground and, in their respective ways, failed.

Israel “Asks” for a King (1 Samuel 8) [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 25 – 1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–18

Under the Banner of Misattribution

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[We have more information about Under the Banner of Heaven here.]

“God is greater than the United States, and when the Government conflicts with heaven, we will be ranged under the banner of heaven against the Government.” This sentence, supposedly spoken by John Taylor, has been made famous by Jon Krakauer. He used it for the title of his book, Under the Banner of Heaven, which has now been transformed into a fictionalized detective drama mini-series streaming on Hulu. But those words were never actually spoken by John Taylor. They were made up by an anonymous Salt Lake Tribune writer.

The Salt Lake Tribune was started in 1870 by three men that had left the Church. It changed hands many times but was overtly anti-Mormon until 1901, when its new owners began changing its tone somewhat. During those first 30 years, much of the reporting on the Church was downright obnoxious, and probably not meant to be taken seriously. This includes the article on page four of the January 6, 1880 issue, about a stake conference that took place the previous Sunday. (The available scan of the newspaper page is very difficult to read. In my transcription I used “(?)” after words that I thought were correct but wasn’t completely sure, and I used “[?]” in place of words I found completely unreadable.) It begins with: [Read more…] about Under the Banner of Misattribution

Come, Follow Me Week 24 – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3

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by BJ Spurlock

                When reading the scriptures, especially as one reads through the Old Testament, it is always helpful to ask the following questions:

  1. Where is Jesus Christ in the text?
  2. Where do we see gospel doctrines & principles that Jesus Christ taught?
  3. Where do we see gospel doctrines & principles that living Prophets are currently teaching?

                Seeing the Savior in the text as he interacts with his covenant children is of utmost importance. Elder Henry B. Eyring (at the time) made the following promise: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 24 – Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–3

Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16

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Seek the Lord Jesus Christ

By Elder Kim B. Clark

(An address given at the 2020 FAIR Conference)


I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you today. I am not only grateful to be with you, but I am grateful for all of you who seek to help people strengthen, or recover, or restore, or establish faith in Jesus Christ, and His marvelous work in our day. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16