Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism/Chapter 2



Chapter 1
A FAIR Analysis of:
Criticism of Mormonism/Books
A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner
 Chapter 3

Claims made in Chapter 2: Change, Censorship and Suppression

29

Claim
  • John Taylor said that we are not ashamed of polygamy.

Author's source(s)
  • Life of John Taylor p. 255
Response
  •  Prejudicial or loaded language
  • The authors fail to provide Elder Taylor's reasons; they imply that he should be ashamed:
We are not ashamed to proclaim to this great nation, to rulers and people, to the president, senators, legislators, judges; to high and low, rich and poor, priests and people, that we are firm, conscientious believers in polygamy, and that it is part and parcel of our religious creed. We do this calmly, seriously and understandingly, after due deliberation, careful examination and close investigation of its principles and bearings religiously, socially, morally, physically and politically! We unhesitatingly pronounce our full and implicit faith in the principle as emanating from God, and that under His direction it would be a blessing to the human family.

29

Claim
  • Brigham Young said that the only men who become gods are those who enter into polygamy.

Author's source(s)
Response

29

Claim
  • Bruce R. McConkie said that plural marriage is not essential to salvation or exaltation.

Author's source(s)
  • Mormon Doctrine (1958) p. 523.
Response

31

Claim
  • Joseph Smith drank beer despite having received the Word of Wisdom.

Author's source(s)
  • Millennial Star 23:720
  • Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 6:424. Volume 6 link (Reference to beer mentioned in the Millennial Star removed from this reference.)
Response
  •  Presentism or anachronism: Beer was not forbidden by the Word of Wisdom in Joseph Smith's day, but the Tanners count on their readers not knowing this.
  • Word of Wisdom

33

Claim
  • Joseph encouraged others to break the Word of Wisdom by drinking whiskey.

Author's source(s)
  • Millennial Star 21:283
  • Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 5:450. Volume 5 link
Response
  •  The author's claim is false: The citation reads: "It was reported to me that some of the brethren had been drinking whisky that day in violation of the Word of Wisdom. I called the brethren in and investigated the case, and was satisfied that no evil had been done."
  • The quotation does not say that Joseph "encouraged" others to drink whiskey; it says only that he was told that some had, and that he investigated the matter.
  • Word of Wisdom

33

Claim
  • Joseph asked for a pipe and tobacco to settle Willard Richards' stomach.

Author's source(s)
  • Millennial Star 24:471
  • Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 6:614. Volume 6 link
Response
  •  Presentism or anachronism: Tobacco (and wine) were considered by some to be a medication in Joseph's day.
  • Joseph had sent Stephen Markham out, as previous text unquoted by the Tanners tells us: "Brother Markham...go get the doctor [i.e., Richards] something to settle his stomach," and Markham went out for medicine. When he got the remedies desired...[the] Carthage Greys gathered round him, put him on his horse, and forced him out of the town at the point of the bayonet." So, Markham could not return, and nothing from him reached the jail (p. 616).
  •  History unclear or in error: Richards was a Thompsonian herbalist physician—one of the medications advocated by these doctors was lobelia, or wild Indian tobacco.
  • See also p. 471 for the Tanner's further exploitation of this presentism.
  • Joseph and the use of tobacco

34

Claim
  • Brigham Young ordered the destruction of Lucy Mack Smith's history Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith published by Orson Pratt in 1853.

Author's source(s)
  • Millennial Star 27:657-58
Response
  • The original manuscript was not destroyed. Brigham objected to errors in the book and had it reprinted. Most the changes had the effect of reducing the focus on the Smith family, and focusing more on the Church itself. (Brigham was likely unwilling to let those he regarded as apostates, such as William Smith, get any 'reflected glory' in Lucy's telling.)
  • Lucy Mack Smith/Biography
  • Church history/Censorship and revision
Retrieved from "http://104.237.154.152/answers/index.php?title=Criticism_of_Mormonism/Books/The_Changing_World_of_Mormonism/Chapter_2&oldid=84499"