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Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism/Chapter 15
| Chapter 14 | A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner
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Chapter 16 |
Claims made in Chapter 15: The Arm of Flesh
431-439
Claim
- There has been no new revelation since the time of Joseph Smith.
Author's source(s)
- [ATTENTION!]
Response
431
Claim
- The Church teaches that you must let the leaders do your thinking for you.
Author's source(s)
- Improvement Era, June 1945, p.354
Response
- The author's claim is false: The cited article was specifically repudiated by the President of the Church.
- See: When the prophet speaks, is the thinking done?
- See also: Authoritarianism and Church leaders
433
Claim
- Joseph F. Smith said that he never received revelation.
Author's source(s)
- Reed Smoot Case, Vol. 1, pages 483-484
Response
- Misrepresentation of source
- Joseph F. Smith at Smoot hearings
434
Claim
- The Church chose to canonize two "new" revelations in order to counter claims made by the Tanners?
Author's source(s)
- [ATTENTION!]
Response
- Absurd claim
- Mind reading: author has no way of knowing this.: The authors have too high an opinion of themselves. Church leaders have long insisted that new revelation comes frequently to the Church, and this long pre-dates their anti-Mormon crusade:
- So, when people say: "We ought to have revelation now as we did in the day of Joseph," we must answer, "Open your eyes; we do have revelation every day; such as we need from day to day." (John A. Widtsoe, 1939)[1]
435
Claim
- The Church has never produced a copy of the revelation granting Blacks the ability to receive the priesthood.
Author's source(s)
- [ATTENTION!]
Response
- Those involved described the receipt of the revelation.
- Even if the revelation were published, are we to think that the Tanners would then be convinced and satisfied?
- Blacks and the priesthood—Lifting the ban
437
Claim
- Brigham Young claimed that his sermons were the same as scripture.
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 13:95.
Response
- Misrepresentation of source: The Tanners neglect to provide Brigham's detailed instructions about when and under what circumstances his sermons were scripture.
- See Quote mining—Journal of Discourses 13:95 to see how this quote was mined.
- Church doctrine/Statements by Church leaders
Endnotes
- [note] John A. Widtsoe, "Modern Revelation and Modern Questions," The Deseret News, Church Section (28 January 1939): 6.