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Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism/Chapter 16
Response to claims made in "Chapter 16: The Priesthood"
| Chapter 15 | A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner
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Chapter 17 |
442
Claim
- The concept of "priesthood" was added later to the Church and was a creation of Sidney Rigdon.
Author's source(s) - David Whitmer, An Address To All Believers In Christ, p.64.
- Quotes another author's opinion as if it were fact: how does Whitmer know? Why did he say nothing about it at the time?
- Mind reading: author has no way of knowing this.: How do the Tanners or Whitmer know what Sidney talked Joseph into doing?
- The scanty evidence for this claim will require the Tanners to simply repeat it in a few pages (see p. 445-446).
- Priesthood/Restoration
443
Claim
- Revelations on the restoration of the priesthood are not present in the Book of Commandments.
Author's source(s) - No source provided? [ATTENTION!]
443-444
Claim
- The Aaronic priesthood was abolished at that death of Christ.
Author's source(s) Response
445
The author(s) make(s) the following claim:
The date of the restoration of the Melchizedik Priesthood is not known and the record of the event was added later.
Author's sources: History of the Church 1:40, footnote
FAIR's Response
Question: What criticisms are put forth regarding the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood?
Historical documents do not give an exact date for the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood
One critic of the Church claims that "Although the priesthood is now taught to have been restored in 1829, Joseph and Oliver made no such claim until 1834." [1] Common questions asked include the following:
- Was the restoration of the priesthood was "back dated" later by Joseph Smith to justify a desire to dominate the Church?
- Does anyone know "when or how" Joseph Smith received the Melchizedek priesthood?
- Why did several years pass before Oliver talked about the priesthood restoration?
If Joseph was making the story up, why not just pick a date and stick to it? The uncertainty of dates is typical of real world events; any one clever enough to "fake" the restoration and organization of the Church could certainly pick a date off the top of his head. Who could argue with him?
The approximate time of the Melchizedek priesthood' restoration can be plausibly narrowed down
When all the circumstantial evidence is studied, the approximate time of the Melchizedek priesthood' restoration can be plausibly narrowed down. Although historical documents do not give an exact date for the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood we can pinpoint its occurrence to a 17 day window between the 15 and 31 of May, 1829. The window that is known is small enough to preclude a later fabrication of events by the Prophet to "increase his authority."
There are non-Mormon accounts that indicate that Joseph and Oliver had received visits from apostles and angels
Some have claimed that Joseph only began to mention apostolic ordination to the priesthood several years after the Church's organization. Contrary to this claim, there are clear references to Joseph Smith stating he had seen Jesus Christ. Joseph’s ‘conversations’ with the Apostles could be a reference to having seen, spoken to, and been ordained to the Priesthood by the early Apostles Peter, James, and John. Having received that Priesthood Joseph Smith was now qualified to perform healings, and other ‘miracles’.
445-446
Claim
- The idea of the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordaining men to be High Priests came from Sidney Rigdon.
Author's source(s) - Whitmer, An Address To All Believers In Christ, p.35, 62-63
- Mind reading: author has no way of knowing this.: Making the same claim twice makes it no more convincing (see p. 442).
- Priesthood/Restoration
- ↑ Jeremy Runnells, Letter to a CES Director. www.cesletter.com