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As you know, I wrote the post on "faith-promoting history." It was brief and covered only a tiny part of why I can provide - with links and references - to faith-promoting history.

I believe the reason your link broke is that the article was available at the online library of Signature Books, a Mormon publishing company, which became temporarily unavailable as of April 7, 2011. The website is being moved, updated and books are being proofed, organized, and uploaded. Here is the explanation.

Links from my post on "faith-promoting history" are now 404'd as well.

When completed, the online library for Signature Books will be available here. Notice the slightly different domain name. About 50 books are available there now, as opposed to the 150 0r 200 that were available previously. What's sad about your link disappearing (if your link to the article above is the same as my link), is that the article was part of a Signature Books collection of about a dozen articles on the difficulties in writing and reading Mormon History, many of them with thirty to sixty footnotes to articles available online in the articles in Dialogue: A Journal on Mormon Thought, or in Sunstone magazine, or in other academic periodicals. It was a great starting place to read about writing and reading Mormon history by both LDS historians and non-LDS religious academics.

delacoert, my post on "faith-promoting" history was perhaps 1% of what I have on the subject of publishing only faith-promoting history;

I didn't provide links or footnotes to my references, which I can do.

You could start by asking a few authors and historians about the church's view on academic freedom.

Fawn M. Brodie.

Grant Palmer.

Thomas W. Murphy.

D.Michael Quinn.

Avraham Gileadi.

Paul Toscano.

Lavina Fielding Anderson.

Maxine Hanks.

Lynne Kanavel Whitesides.

Michael Barrett.

Brent Metcalfe.

Janice Allred.

Margaret Toscano.

Shane LeGrande Whelan.

Boyd Packer didn't start the concept of hiding history; he just gave it the famous name of publishing only "faith-promoting" history.

Here, direct from Brigham Young University, is LDS Apostle Boyd K. Packer's speech on the Mantle is Far, Far Greater Than The Intellect," which was originally given to BYU professors and church employee-historians. (PD's favorite source, www.fairlds.org, admits that the speech took place; however fairlds says that it is perfect fine for a religious employer to tell its employees what historical facts may be told - notwithstanding that (a) some of the employees are BYU professors who are supposed to enjoy academic freedom, (b) the members of the church are told that the history they are provided is true and not completely laundered, and (c) the speech was later published in a pamphlet and distributed beyond this select crowd).

This speech is where the phrases "faith-promoting" history comes from. Note this article comes FROM BYU. It was later published in a pamphlet for wider distribution.

As a starting place, you may also want to delve into the letter (you'll find the same letter published everywhere, including some photos of the typed letter.) LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie wrote to BYU historian Eugene England back in 1981, regarding England's paper sent to McConkie for review, Perfection and Progression of God: Two Spheres of Existence and Two Modes of Discourse." (it was published eight years later with a slightly different name). In the letter McConkie chided England for publicly discussing controversial statements made by Brigham Young, though he fully admitted Young did in fact teach them. In closing he warned England:

"Now I hope you will ponder and pray and come to a basic understanding of fundamental things and that unless and until you can on all points, you will remain silent on those where differences exist between you and the Brethren. This is the course of safety. I advise you to pursue it. If you do not, perils lie ahead. It is not too often in this day that any of us are told plainly and bluntly what ought to be. I am taking the liberty of so speaking to you at this time, and become thus a witness against you if you do not take the counsel."

You see, McConkie had taken the position that God never progressed in his views, despite the changing revelations that were given to LDS prophets (remember the policy on the priesthood for Blacks? Polygamy? Adam-Gold? Even McConkie admits that Brigham Young taught Adam-God.).

Here's a .mp3 of the speech. Here's an unedited transcript of the speech.

Here's the version of McConkie's speech as published by BYU, which has been edited.

Google McConkie and England and you'll find plenty written by Mormon and non-Mormon authors.

Put you hands on the June 1945 copy of Improvement Era Magazine (the predecessor to Ensign magazine), sponsored by the LDS General Authority and the official magazine of the LDS Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. Flip to page 354:

"When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy.... He [Satan] wins a great victory when he can get members of the Church to speak against their leaders and to 'do their own thinking'"

delacoert, you wouldn't believe what all I have. I'm not going to post an article on LDS history or church-mandated deception because I believe that LDS members have every right to practice their religion. I simply get angry - particularly because of things PD said to me after I started a polite conversation with him - when LDS apologists call people liars and propagandists for publishing historical facts about LDS history, when those apologists KNOW that the LDS church has a policy of publishing only faith-promoting history and of pulling temple recommends, disenfellowshipping, or excommunicating historians for publishing facts that are true but not faith-promoting.