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.
In the Lectures on Faith, published in the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants in 1835, it was declared that there were only two personages in the Godheadthe Father and the Sonand that the Holy Spirit is the mind of the Father and the Son.
++++++++++++==
Did you read the Lectures on Faith, or take someone elses word for it?
The fifth lecture is an inspired declaration of the nature of Deitythe Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, showing the perfection, harmony, and unity that exist between these personages. The lecture explains that God’s purpose is to enable man to become like him in fulness and perfection.
Lectures on Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], v.)
1. In our former lectures we treated of the being, character, perfections, and attributes, of God. What we mean by perfections is, the perfections which belong to all the attributes of his nature.
We shall, in this lecture, speak of the Godheadwe mean the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Lectures on Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 5:1.)
Did JS actually READ the Bible and STUDY all the denominations before...?
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the otherThis is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! 18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)and which I should join. 19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof. 20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, Never mind, all is wellI am well enough off. I then said to my mother, I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true. |
Elsie! Where were you?
I find that funny, and in the scheme of things, some what comforting....
Sad fact though, if one can seize control of their emotional reactions, his rants worked very much to our favor...
So the Holy Spirit does not exist in mormonism according to mormonism - so confusing. So Jesus could not have been a god prior to his time on earth either since he did not possess a material body either. So very confusing to have gods that constantly change.
Did you bother to read - I am talking the 1835 edition. Your revelations change from prophet to prophet, from situation to situation
In our former lectures we treated of the being, character, perfections, and attributes, of God.
So since this is a former lecture - the holy spirit is the 'mind' or an essence. So confusing, that one cannot find out what the holy spirit is - does it exist or not, how it exists - does is have a name other than holy spirit?
+++++++++++++++++++++
You have been told ans shown that what you are saying is not true.
Now I know that you are a deceiver.
++++++++++++++++++++
Your answer looks like I was right about you not reading any of the original documents.
Looks like you also choose to be deceived.
Shown me what F? Talmage said a god cannot exist without a physical body, eternal progression states that path is spirit child -> mortal -> additional testing -> godhood. So how did the HS become a god without following the process? Same for Jesus.
I read what you posted too, and it didn't even come close to anything you've supplied as an answer, yet endorsed what I've been saying. So tell me how a spirit child can bypass eternal progression to become a god.
More pliable than Gumby, thats for sure, all the while with their heads in the sand.
I had a good lunch. Let me collect my thoughts and I will share....
One thing of note, that tag from me you used for a day or two, well it had something to do with this gentleman's conversion.
Seems you can tour Bethlehem, Nazareth and such...
You need to get with the Planet Kolob dude.
Bump
A Chuckie Cheese Token!
BTTT
***You need to get with the Planet Kolob dude.***
Now I know why some of those beautiful buttes in Zion National Park have this wierd name! Kolob indeed!
Reminds me of the movie MORONS FROM SPACE who came from the planet Blub.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.