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Chapter 2 (pp. 53-107) | A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books A work by author: George D. Smith
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Chapter 3 |
Page | Claim | Response | Author's sources |
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108 |
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110-111 |
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Egyptian influence? (edit) Environmental explanations (edit) |
111 |
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111 |
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Fallacy of probability (edit) |
110 – 111 n. 150 |
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112 |
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112 |
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{{author is again presuming that studies of ancient Egyptian would have had any relevance for the Book of Mormon records—yet the Book of Mormon explicitly says they would not. |
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112 |
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112 |
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Environmental explanations (edit) |
113 |
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113 n. 157 |
The JST "altered over 3,400 verses but left the deities singular and in a Trinitarian format." |
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114 |
"The prophet coalesced astronomy, biblical mystery, ancient Egyptian writing, and Masonic ritual into portentous ceremony for his followers." |
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Temple (edit)
Environmental explanations (edit) Egyptian influence? (edit) |
114 |
"The spring of 1842 was also the time when John C. Bennett began to separate himself from Smith…." |
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John C. Bennett (edit) |
116 |
Marinda Johnson "met Joseph while he was retranslating the Bible with Sidney Rigdon in her parents' home in 1831." |
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Womanizing & romance (edit)
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117-118 |
Orson Hyde "was reportedly 'furious'" with Joseph's plural marriage doctrine. |
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119 |
"[A]fter John C. Bennett's disagreement with Smith, the record of his celestial marriages was apparently expunged." |
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John C. Bennett (edit) Censorship of Church History (edit) |
119 |
"Smith told Bennett he could not withdraw from the church because he had been 'disfellowshipped' two weeks before on May 11. This apparent backdating was an attempt to discredit Bennett." |
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John C. Bennett (edit) |
122 |
"In Bennett's first letter…he reported that Smith 'attempted to seduce Miss Nany [check spelling] Rigdon,'…." |
John C. Bennett (edit) | |
123-125 |
Bennett's version of the Sarah Pratt episode |
John C. Bennett (edit) | |
129-134 |
Emma Smith pushing Eliza Snow down the stairs |
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Emma, Eliza & stairs (edit)
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131-132 |
"…historian Fawn M. Brodie thought the documentation was strong enough to include it in her biography of Smith." |
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Emma, Eliza & stairs (edit)
Presendia Buell (edit)
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131 n. 195 |
Smith cites BYU Studies on Emma and Eliza, but does not disclose that those authors find that the story is not plausible. |
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Emma, Eliza & stairs (edit)
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132 |
Smith cites Newel and Avery, Mormon Enigma without acknowledging or engaging their arguments against the story of Emma and Eliza. |
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Emma, Eliza & stairs (edit)
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133 |
"Most convincing of all is to think that these stories [about Emma] were circulating widely and Eliza never bothered to clarify or refute them." |
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Emma, Eliza & stairs (edit)
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137 |
"The History of the Church reports the day's activities…without a hint of a wedding" to Sarah Ann Whitney. |
Censorship of Church History (edit) | |
138 |
"Three weeks after the wedding, Joseph took steps to spend some time with his newest bride." |
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Whitney "love letter" (edit) |
139 |
"In an extraordinary move, the Nauvoo City Council issued an ordinance limiting the power of state courts and claiming the right to review and dismiss future writs." |
Nauvoo city charter (edit) | |
142 |
"It was the ninth night of Joseph's concealment, and Emma had visited him three times, written him several letters, and penned at least one letter on his behalf…For his part, Joseph's private note about his love for Emma was so endearing it found its way into the official church history. In it, he vowed to be hers 'forevermore.' Yet within this context of reassurance and intimacy, a few hours later the same day, even while Joseph was still in grave danger and when secrecy was of the utmost urgency, he made complicated arrangements for a visit from his fifteenth plural wife, Sarah Ann Whitney." |
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Whitney "love letter" (edit) |
142-143 |
"Smith urged his seventeen-year-old bride to 'come to night' and 'comfort' him—but only if Emma had not returned….Joseph judiciously addressed the letter to 'Brother, and Sister, Whitney, and &c." |
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Whitney "love letter" (edit) Ages of wives (edit) |
147 |
"Invites Whitneys to visit, Sarah Ann to 'comfort me' if Emma not there. Invitation accepted." |
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Whitney "love letter" (edit) |
147–154 |
Nancy Rigdon episode |
John C. Bennett (edit) | |
149 |
[Sidney Rigdon] "was in many ways a mentor to Joseph." |
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149 |
Sidney Rigdon "was not someone Joseph felt comfortable approaching to ask for his daughter's hand in polygamy. So Joseph appealed to the young woman directly." |
John C. Bennett (edit) | |
149 |
"For some reason, Marinda [Johnson Hyde] stayed [in the same house as] Apostle Willard Richards, whose wife, Jennetta, was in Massachusetts….Although the two may have lived in separate parts of the building…their living arrangements seemed to be an open scandal." |
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154 |
"…both Nancy [Rigdon] and Martha [Brotherton] were…isolated in a locked room during the persuasive effort." |
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155 |
"As if Sarah Ann Whitney's liaison were not enough…another marriage took place…." |
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Whitney "love letter" (edit) |
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