Posted on 06/30/2008 6:25:14 PM PDT by Utah Girl
Viewers of tonight's season premiere of "History Detectives" will learn that a book about the horrors of "Female Life Among the Mormons" is a work of fiction.
And the woman who owns the 1856 volume will be "disappointed" by that news.
"History Detectives" (8 p.m., Ch. 7) is a fascinating series in which historical objects are examined to determine if they're authentic. (Tonight's other two segments feature a World War II diary and a coin shot by Annie Oakley.)
In the case of the 1856 book about the horrors of Mormon polygamy, Marcie Waterman Murray of Stanfordville, N.Y., bought it at an auction and wants to know who wrote it. (There's no author listed.)
"I was very moved by this book. It really stayed with me a long time. I've become fascinated with it," Murray says.
What stayed with her is a barbaric account, written in the first person, of a young woman who married a Mormon elder in New York and traveled to Utah with Brigham Young. She suffered the "abominations" of polygamy and the "degradation it imposes on females."
That includes one account of a misbehaving wife who was stripped nude, tied to a tree and whipped until "blood ran to the ground."
Enter Tukufu Zuberi from "History Detectives."
"You don't know if this is a real book. You don't know if it's really from the 19th century. You don't know what it is," Zuberi said in a phone interview with the Deseret News. "But it is a document which definitely offers a skewed view toward marriage among Mormons.
"It puts (women) on the level of being slaves. You can take it as something that's either laughable, looking at it today, or something that really provided fuel for those who were anti-Mormon back in the 19th century."
Without detailing the entire episode, Zuberi quickly discovers that this is not a genuine history. Among other things, it purports to tell the story of Joseph Smith's death and gets it flat-out wrong.
And the show's conclusions are clear. "It seems that our book is little more than pulp fiction, and shot through with historical errors," Zuberi says in the show.
The segment briefly outlines 19th-century LDS history, including the effort to demonize Mormons.
"Someone could write it today in order to kind of speak badly of the Mormons," Zuberi said. "Someone could've written it then to speak badly of the Mormons. And that's our task — to find out."
He does his best to track down the author, including using "some high-tech stuff to determine who wrote the book and determine the authenticity or lack thereof."
"This one I was surprised by. The Mormon story has a lot of twists and turns."
In 21st-century Utah, "Female Life Among the Mormons" seems silly, even campy. But, obviously, the book's owner thought — perhaps hoped — it was genuine.
Upon learning that it's fiction, she gasps and says, "I'm actually a little disappointed. But I'm glad to know the truth."
But it certainly seemed as if she would've been more glad if Mormon women really had been tied to trees and whipped.
Either B. Young was right or wrong...about J. Smith holding the "consent key" to Heaven
I misrepresented nothing......
And I expect more bobbing, weaving, and dodging..... :)
Hey, you’re getting good at that!
We oppose Mormonism, its false doctrines, and publicly communicate such to others, because we love our fellow man as ourselves and wish others not to fall into the same sin as Mormonism projects upon its adherents.
Many in the LDS tend to substitute morality for fellowship with God through faith in Christ. The spiritual void is then shifted towards false spirits seeking counterfeit spiritual worship en lieu of worship of God through faith in Christ. At any time, if a human attempts to have fellowship with God the Father other than through God the Son, that person slips into unrighteousness and all unrighteousness is sin.
Until the believer returns to God through faith in the Son of God, Christ Jesus, he remains reprobate and there is no payment for his sin. but instead a fearful expectation of a fiery indignation from the Father. Attempts to distract that expectation by counterfeit substitution of humanly good works merely exasperates the condition of the sinner. Some might lapse into legalism and others might lapse into a frantic search for happiness in lasciviousness, such as observable in polygamist compounds where sexual deviants abuse multiple parties, ignoring reality by covering up the consequences with fraudulent multiple marriages.
Other LDS adherents might simply remain legalists, but their sins bare them out, frequently manifest by extreme vindictiveness and lust for power or murder of those who oppose them.
Scripture doesn’t teach tolerance of ungodly behavior or false doctrine, rather the believer in fellowship manifests love for his fellow man evidenced in its forbearance, patience, and endurance. The thinking of the believer in fellowship is not upon tolerance of sin, rather it is love for one’s fellow man as ourselves.
To those out of fellowship, observance of that patience might be confused with toleration of multiple paths to God, but that would be a mistaken understanding of Bible doctrine and of faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
And amazing that some don't believe the mormons are proficient in defending themselves and feel called upon to do it for them. Are you now or have you ever claimed to have been a mormon?
I can attack mormonism all I like, having been one myself.
“We oppose Mormonism, its false doctrines, and publicly communicate such to others, because we love our fellow man as ourselves and wish others not to fall into the same sin as Mormonism projects upon its adherents.”
...meanwhile, Mormonism continues to prosper and grow. And no wonder! What you have is a marketing problem. You should say “Use Brand ‘X’” instead of saying “Don’t use Brand ‘M’”.
That’s what the Mormons do. Are they that much smarter than you?
Anybody who rejects what God has provided for them in salvation is already condemned.
BTW, my statement of this to my fellow man is not based upon helping out God. God doesn’t need my help nor anybody elses.
Agape love simply allows me to provide information to my fellow man, recognizing that all salvation is provided by God Himself through faith in God the Son. This is a free gift to all man. Such salvation, though, doesn’t occur for those who confuse a free gift as being substitutable by any path. It is available to all who simply accept what He provides, again through faith in Christ.
So did countless other religious organizations and you go ahead and count on the mormons in case of a disaster...I won't. The Salvation Army does much more, more often, and doesn't feel called upon to brag about it.
” And amazing that some don’t believe the mormons are proficient in defending themselves and feel called upon to do it for them. Are you now or have you ever claimed to have been a mormon?
I can attack mormonism all I like, having been one myself.”
I’m happy for you in your journey of faith, whatever it may be. I believe that the journey you are on should be possible for all Americans now and far into the future.
What is further amazing is that you actually think I am about defending Mormonism.
I defend religious tolerance - it is what built this country, and it is what keeps us from becoming Afghanistan.
If I have to point out some of the positive things about Mormonism in the process, so be it. They should be proud that there are so many positives to point out.
Obviously you then don't care about their souls.
What is your religion?
“So did countless other religious organizations and you go ahead and count on the mormons in case of a disaster...I won’t. The Salvation Army does much more, more often, and doesn’t feel called upon to brag about it.”
How’s the water in there with the hogs? Don’t forget to scrub behind your ears.
Ok, so you at least admit that Mormons help their own, as well as others, right?
They were first during Katrina. I wasn’t saying nobody else helped, but they were there firstest with the mostest.
How about a source for that statement...other than the LDS newsroom?
“Obviously you then don’t care about their souls.
What is your religion?”
I guess I missed all that caring on account of all the hate.
You are sure I’m Mormon, aren’t you? You wouldn’t believe me if I said I wasn’t so I won’t answer the question.
“How about a source for that statement...other than the LDS newsroom?”
Look it up if you don’t believe me, it’s readily sourced out there. I’d start with “Katrina Mormon” on Google. In the meantime, keep scrubbing.
On the other he wanted to be called a prophet of the God of the Bible.
Just another one of the "this makes no sense" moments......
I'm not the one making statements that I can't back up with facts.
Better try taking a bath, yourself...the mormon mud is pretty sticky.
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You folks tell me I will not get into your heaven.
Do you see any difference between your teachings and the Prophet's teaching?
If all I knew was the teachings of the “anti’s” that speak here, I would have to agree with you.
Luckily, I know a lot that you folks leave out, and it does not support your assoptions.
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So, you get upset when Jesus tell you what you tell me.
And even if it was only President Taylor speaking, you get upset with him saying to you what you say to us.
You toss around words like "intolerance, hate, attack, bigot..like a ACLU lawyer.
Quote me some hate speech from this thread.
You are sure I’m Mormon, aren’t you? You wouldn’t believe me if I said I wasn’t so I won’t answer the question.
ROFLOL!! Are you a mind reader? Try me....
You remind me of someone......
I don't know. IMHO, God is the one who does all the work in salvation. If Mormonism is growing, then He has already made plans that quality through faith is much more superior than quantity in religion adding to anything He has already provided.
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