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Revision as of 19:32, 9 March 2010
| 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.
- Latter-day Saints believe in "one God." They recognize three individuals who are properly termed "God"—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. They understand this unity differently than the creeds.
- For a detailed response, see: Nicene creed
1830 (a)
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
1830 (b)
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
1832 (a)
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: Different age? and Only one Personage?
1832 (b)
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: Independence temple to be built "in this generation"
1833 (b)
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
1834 (c)
Claim
Joseph gave a "false prophecy" that the Saints would prevail against their enemies in Independence, Missouri.
Author's source(s)
Response
- The scripture says that the saints would "begin to prevail"—but, only if they "hearken from this very hour unto the counsel" that God gives them. The Saints' prosperity was conditionally linked to their faithfulness in heeding the word of God.
1834 (d); 1835 (a)
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
1838 (a)
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
1842 (a)
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"
1842 (b)
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
1843 (b)
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
1843 (b)
Claim
Joseph Smith denies polygamy.
Author's source(s)
- History of the Church 6:411
Response
- For a detailed response, see: 1835 Doctrine and Covenants denies polygamy
1844 (c)
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
1844 (e)
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: Did Joseph kill two men at Carthage?
1845 (b)
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
1851
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
1854 (a)
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
1853
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
1854 (c)
Claim
Orson Hyde preaches that Jesus Christ was married and had children.
Author's source(s)
- Orson Hyde, Journal of Discourses 2:82.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Jesus Christ/Was Jesus married
1855 (a)
Claim
The authors claim that Brigham Young said that the Lord did not come during the First Vision:
The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven.... But he did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun.,...and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong"
The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven.... But he did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun.,...and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong"
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 2:171.
Response
- This is a well-known heavily edited version of the quote by Brigham that originated with the Tanners. The quote has been edited in such a way as to alter its meaning.
- For a detailed response, see: First Vision/Accounts/Brigham Young said the Lord didn't appear
1855 (b)
Claim
Brigham taught that "if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise you that you will be damned..."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:266.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Polygamy/Requirement for exaltation
1856 (a)
Claim
Brigham Young taught "Blood Atonement."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 4:53-54.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Church doctrine/Repudiated concepts/Blood atonement
1857 (b)
Claim
The Mountain Meadows Massacre
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Mountain Meadows Massacre
1866 (a)
Claim
Brigham Young states, "And when all the rest of the children have received their blessing in the Holy Priesthood, then that curse shall be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:272.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Blacks and the priesthood/The "curse of Cain" and "curse of Ham"
1866 (b)
Claim
Brigham states, "The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:269.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Polygamy/The only men who become gods are those that practice polygamy
1867
Claim
Brigham states that "the God that I serve is progressing eternally..."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:286.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/Progressing eternally [needs work]
1870
Claim
Brigham states that he believes that the Sun is inhabited.
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 13:271.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Brigham Young/Moon and sun are inhabited
1871
Claim
Orson Pratt states that the Independence Temple will be built within the current generation.
Author's source(s)
- Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses 14:275.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Joseph Smith/Prophecies/Independence temple to be built "in this generation"
1879 (a)
Claim
John Taylor is claimed to have provided "New First Vision information," when he stated, "None of them was right, just as it was when the Prophet Joseph asked the angel which of the sects was right that he might join it. The answer was that none of them are right....the angel merely told him to join none of them that none of them were right"
Author's source(s)
- John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 20:167.
Response
- This is an amazing claim, since John Taylor talked specifically of the visit of the Father and Son during the First Vision numerous other times, including another sermon delivered the very same day! It also seem rather silly to state the John Taylor didn't understand the nature of the First Vision, since the official account of the vision had been published in the Pearl of Great Price years before this discourse.
- For a detailed response, see: First Vision/Accounts/John Taylor's understanding of the First Vision
1890 (b)
Claim
Church leaders continued to practice polygamy after the Manifesto.
Author's source(s)
- D&C Official Declaration-1
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Polygamy/Practiced after the Manifesto
1921
Claim
The Lectures on Faith are removed from the Doctrine and Covenants.
Author's source(s)
- Dialogue: A Journa of Mormon Thought, vol. 20, No. 3, p. 71.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Doctrine and Covenants/Lectures on Faith removed
1922
Claim
B.H. Roberts "finds several serious problems" with the archaeological and scientific content of the Book of Mormon.
Author's source(s)
- Studies of the Book of Mormon
Response
- It should be noted that the Book of Mormon contains no "archaeological and scientific content."
- For a detailed response, see: Specific works/Studies of the Book of Mormon
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Mormon/B.H. Roberts and "Studies of the Book of Mormon"
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Mormon/B.H. Roberts' testimony
1926
Claim
The "Oath of Vengeance" is removed from the temple ceremony.
Author's source(s)
- Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, vol. 20, no. 4, p. 55.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Temples/Endowment/Oath of vengeance
1945 (b)
Claim
An article in The Improvement Era states: "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done."
Response
- President Grant retracted that message soon after it was printed.
- For a detailed response, see: When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done?
1945 (c)
Claim
Joseph Fielding Smith, who the authors note "would become the tenth prophet," expresses his opinion on the "Curse of Cain" as it was applied to Blacks.
Author's source(s)
- The Way to Perfection, p. 101.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Blacks and the priesthood/The "curse of Cain" and "curse of Ham"
1954 (b)
Claim
Mark E. Petersen states that "our performance in the pre-existence" affected what race we were born into.
Author's source(s)
- "Race Problems - As They Affect the Church," Aug. 27, 1954, p. 4.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Racial issues/Racial statements by Church leaders
1963 (a)
Claim
Joseph Fielding Smith "admits Mormon doctrine that Jesus was married."
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Jesus Christ/Was Jesus married
1966
Claim
Book of Abraham "manuscripts" are discovered.
Author's source(s)
- Tanner, The Case Against Mormonism, Vol. 3, Preface.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Abraham/Joseph Smith Papyri
1967
Claim
Book of Abraham "papyrus manuscripts" are turned over the the Church, after which "noted Egyptologists translate them and declare that the text if from the Book of Breathings. The authors state: "Despite this exposure as a fraud, the Book of Abraham continues to be published as scripture by the church."
Author's source(s)
- Tanner, The Case Against Mormonism, Vol. 3, Preface.
Response
- The critics fail to note that the Church itself published this information in The Improvement Era first.
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Abraham/Joseph Smith Papyri/Church disclosure of "Book of the Dead"
1980 (a)
Claim
The Mark Hofmann forgeries.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Mark Hofmann
1981 (b)
Claim
The Book of Mormon has over "4000" changes since its first publication, and the phrase "white and delightsome" is changed to "pure and delightsome."
Response
- It should be noted that this change was originally made by Joseph Smith in 1840.
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Mormon/Textual changes/"white" changed to "pure"
1990
Claim
The authors state that "drastic changes" were made in "secret Mormon temple rituals."
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Temples/Endowment/Changes