Mormonism and church integrity

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Mormonism and church integrity

Topics

Accusations of hypocrisy in Church practices

Summary: Critics claim that the Church, as a corporate entity, controls business properties that are not consistent with its stated purposes. Examples include claims that the Church owns controlling stock in the Coca-Cola company, tobacco companies, and alcohol companies.

"Lying for the Lord"

Summary: Critics have long charged the LDS with organizationally and systematically “lying for the Lord,” equating such with a policy of using any means necessary to achieve some “good” goal. This claim is false, and a biased reading of Church history. One must not use ethically questionable tactics because one believes the “end justifies the means.”

Joseph Smith period

Counterfeiting by Joseph Smith and apostles at Nauvoo?

Summary: Critics accuse Joseph and the apostles of "making counterfeit coins" in Nauvoo.

Land speculation in Nauvoo

Summary: Did Joseph Smith engage in "land speculation" in Nauvoo?

Joseph Smith taught 'it was right to steal'

Summary: Did Joseph Smith really tell Orrin Porter Rockwell 'it was right to steal'?

Orson Hyde says Spirit of Lord may influence to steal

Summary: Author Richard Abanes claims that "Orson Hyde said that it was OK to 'steal & be influenced by the spirit of the Lord to do it' as long as it was against non-Mormons." Orson Hyde wished to pass lightly over William "Wild Bill" Hickman's sins because of the services which Hickman had rendered during Utah's settlement, the Utah War, and the personal debt he owed him. However, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and other church members and leaders were not of the same view, and denounced it. Even Hyde would, within twenty-four hours, amend his stance. The author tells us none of this, and thus distorts his source.

Hiding Joseph's use of a gun at the martyrdom?

Summary: Critics claim that the Church has tried to hide the fact that Joseph fired a pepperbox pistol at the mob which murdered Hyrum and was soon to kill him, despite numerous mentions of the gun in Church literature, and the fact that the very gun itself is on display at the museum of Church History in Salt Lake City.

Utah period

Brigham Young—pulling the wool over Americans' eyes?

Summary: I'm told that Brigham Young made the following statement: "We shall pull the wool over the eyes of the American people and make them swallow Mormonism, polygamy and all." Critics say this shows the fundamental dishonesty of LDS leaders. What can you tell me about this?

Present day

Church art and historical accuracy

Summary: Critics charge that the Church knowingly "lies" or distorts the historical record in its artwork in order to whitewash the past, or for propaganda purposes. A commonly used example is the inaccuracy of any Church art representing the translation process of the Book of Mormon.

Brigham Young manual hides the truth about polygamy

Summary: Critics claim that the Church's manual, The Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, attempts to "hide history" by portraying Brigham Young (a well-known polygamist) as having only one wife.

"Censorship" and "revision" of LDS history?

• • LDS histories over many years omit plural marriage—
    Brief Summary: Some critics charge that LDS histories have a long history of omitting mention of plural marriage as a cause for the Saints' troubles in Illinois. (Click here for full article)
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  • Sidney Rigdon trial in Times and Seasons versus History of the Church—
    Brief Summary: Critics charge that the account of Sidney Rigdon's 'trial' recorded in the Times and Seasons differs markedly from the version available in the History of the Church. They claim that this demonstrates the Church's tendency to "rewrite" history after the fact. (Click here for full article)
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  • Wilford Woodruff criticizes publication of polygamists—
    Brief Summary: Some critics charge that the Church's desire to hide its historical plural marriage is exemplified by Wilford Woodruff's criticism of assistant Church Historian Andrew Jenson's decision to publish the names of those who were married to Joseph Smith. (Click here for full article)
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  • Hiding the facts in plain sight using Church publications—
    Brief Summary: Quite a few items that critics claim were hidden by the Church were actually published in Church magazines such as the New Era, the Ensign and the Friend. (Click here for full article)
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  • Orson Hyde's blessing altered in the History of the Church?—
    Brief Summary: Critics claim that the ordination blessing given to Orson Hyde is an example of false prophecy. They also claim that Hyde's blessing was altered in the History of the Church for propaganda reasons. (Click here for full article)
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  • Brigham Young destroys Lucy Mack Smith's history of Joseph?—
    Brief Summary: Did Brigham Young attempt to suppress and destroy all copies of Lucy Mack Smith's Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith because it contained information which would embarrass the Church? Critics claim that Brigham Young inserted the reference to Joseph Smith's First Vision into Lucy's book. Critics also try to prove that the silence of Joseph's mother and siblings in her history prove that the First Vision did not take place, and is a later fabrication by Joseph, and not well known to the early members of the church. (Click here for full article)
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  • Did David B. Haight use astrological ideas about the moon, only to be censored later?—
    Brief Summary: Critics claim that Elder David B. Haight "reinvoked the astrological principle that people should 'do nothing without the assistance of the moon'" in a talk that he gave during General Conference in 1998. One critic takes this a step further by claiming that the phrase "do nothing without the assistance of the moon" was deleted from the transcribed version of Elder Haight's talk. This claim has evolved over time due to successive misinterpretation of the original sources. (Click here for full article)
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  • Lucy Mack Smith letter about First Vision suppressed?—
    Brief Summary: The Prophet's mother—Lucy Mack Smith—wrote a letter in 1831 which indicates that her son's First Vision consisted of seeing an "angel" instead of Deity. This documentary evidence demonstrates that the Prophet's story evolved over time; his claim to have seen God was a relatively late addition to his story. (Click here for full article)
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  • President Boyd K. Packer on the truth—
    Brief Summary: Boyd K. Packer said: "I have a hard time with historians because they idolize the truth." (Click here for full article)
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  • Elder Packer address to CES (Click here for full article)
    ∗       ∗       ∗: "The Mantle is Far, Far Greater than the Intellect"
  • Sidney Rigdon trial in Times and Seasons versus History of the Church—
    Brief Summary: Critics charge that the account of Sidney Rigdon's 'trial' recorded in the Times and Seasons differs markedly from the version available in the History of the Church. They claim that this demonstrates the Church's tendency to "rewrite" history after the fact. (Click here for full article)
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  • Wilford Woodruff criticizes publication of polygamists—
    Brief Summary: Some critics charge that the Church's desire to hide its historical plural marriage is exemplified by Wilford Woodruff's criticism of assistant Church Historian Andrew Jenson's decision to publish the names of those who were married to Joseph Smith. (Click here for full article)
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Cognitive dissonance

Summary: Many critics of the Church are fond of portraying all members as either naive, ill-informed dupes or cynical exploiters. Fortunately, most fair-minded people realize that—just as in any religion—there are many intelligent, well-informed people who become or remain members of the Church. To get around this, some critics appeal to the psychological concept of 'cognitive dissonance' to try to 'explain away' the spiritual witness of intelligent, articulate members.

History of the Church—authorship?

Summary: I've heard that the History of the Church, though credited to Joseph Smith, was not actually authored by him. What can you tell me about this, and what does this mean for the History's accuracy?

Gordon B. Hinckley cited false information on the First Vision?

Summary: Critics claim that there were no religious revivals in the Palmyra, New York area in 1820, and that Gordon B. Hinckley cited false information in a book called Truth Restored.

Immigration reform in the U.S.A.

Summary: What is the Church's stance on illegal immigrants in the United States?

Paid clergy

Summary: Critics claim that Mormonism prides itself in having unpaid clergy as one proof of the Church's truthfulness. They then point to the fact that some General Authorities, mission presidents, and others do, in fact, receive a living stipend while serving the Church, and point to this as evidence of the “hypocrisy” of the Church.

Testimony and doubt reconciliation

Summary: How can a person reaffirm their testimony when they learn disconcerting facts that may bring their testimony into doubt?

City Creek Center Mall in Salt Lake City

Summary: Members and critics have questions about the Church's involvement in the redevelopment of the city center in Salt Lake.

Claims that church membership numbers distorted

Summary: Critics charge that the Church distorts its membership numbers and rate of growth for public relations purposes.

Accusations of plagiarizing C.S. Lewis in General Conference

Summary: Some claim that President Ezra Taft Benson's famous General Conference address, "Beware of Pride," was plagiarized from C.S. Lewis' chapter on pride in Mere Christianity.