Posted on 08/01/2013 6:55:36 AM PDT by Colofornian
The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR) is bringing its annual FAIR Mormon Conference to Provo on Thursday and Friday.
The organization, whose mission is to discuss and defend criticisms against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, used to hold its annual conference in Sandy, but chose the Utah Valley Convention Center this year because of a growing audience. FAIR has seen increased interest recently, both within the church and from outsiders, as the Internet increases access to -- and questions about -- the entirety of church history.
Daniel Peterson, an Arabic professor at Brigham Young University and a noted Mormon apologist, said this increased access has caused church members to stumble upon anti-Mormon material more than ever would otherwise. These increasingly frequent run-ins, he said, are changing church members' attitudes toward criticisms of its history and doctrine.
"It's going to force us to up our game, not only in apologetics, but in the church generally, to make sure that members understand things better than they have in the past," Peterson said.
This cultural shift within the church, and perhaps the necessity for such a shift, was highlighted in a New York Times front-page story from July 21. The article, titled "Some Mormons Search the Web and Find Doubt," profiled Swedish Mormon Hans Mattsson, an emeritus Area Authority who has gone public about his doubts, and his criticism of how prominent church leaders deal with such criticisms.
"I felt like I had an earthquake under my feet," Mattsson shared in the article. "Everything I'd been taught, everything I'd been proud to preach about and witness about just crumbled under my feet. It was such a terrible psychological and nearly physical disturbance."
Discussing this article, FAIR president Scott Gordon said Mattsson's case represents a fundamental problem in what Mormons often expect from Sunday services and church leadership.
"They think that Sunday school is a history class, and it's not," Gordon explained.
"Sunday school is a place where the church uses stories and history to teach gospel principles. So you can sit through 20 or 30 years of Sunday school and never hear all of church history, because that's not the point of it."
This responsibility for this education, he said, rests not on church leaders, but on the members themselves. The purpose of FAIR and its conferences is to provide this education in a believing, faithful and unafraid spirit, he said.
"We're not here to stir the pot; we're here to try to heal wounds in a safe environment," he said. "People come to us to try to find out what the true scoop is."
In line with this aim, this year's FAIR conference will focus on the topic of doubt itself. Michael R. Ash is the author of "Shaken Faith Syndrome," a book that explores controversial Mormon topics and how members struggle to reconcile those topics with their faith. Ash will discuss this subject at this year's FAIR conference.
Ash said attending the FAIR conference should be a must for members wishing to better understand the church in all its complexities. Having participated in a handful of past FAIR conferences, Ash said the gatherings have helped him appreciate the great things the church has accomplished -- and ultimately, the truthfulness of the its teachings -- even with the weaknesses and shortcomings of its members.
"It's a matter of having answers, so that we can see that there is not a silver bullet, there's not a nail in the coffin, that proves the church is false," he said.
I mean it's got what? 138 sections or so...and the first 123 of them (+ sections 133, 134, & 137) were Smithized into being by March 1839...meaning the Mormon god was quite effusive post Book of Mormon's 1830 print date for 9 years...and since then these Mormon "prophets" have been rather seerless.
I mean section 135 isn't "revelational"...just a historical account from Mormon leaders' eyes...
So...we get a dream from an old man nephew of Smith -- about to die -- and that's deemed "scripturable" to add to the D&C as section 138...along with a brief nothing by Brigham as D&C 137...
What happened to the "continuing revelation"???
And then, even with those 1830s "revelations"...all those names in those sections...
Did you ever stop and see how many of those names of Mormons mentioned by Smith apostatized?
These weren't for the most part wicked men...Thomas B. Marsh per an official D&C student manual published by the Mormon church in 2000 labeled Marsh "among God's noblest sons" (p. 65, published 2000) He was part of the apostles quorum as of 1837.
Why did Marsh leave the church? Thomas B. Marshs Story: A More Accurate Version of Why He Left the Church
In the index of that student manual, W.W. Phelps -- whose name pops up in a LOT of Mormon hymns -- is mentioned as having become disaffected and excommunicated (see p. 505).
Phelps was rejected as a member yet was said to be a "man of God"
Just look at all of the names of the Mormons who left in the D&C:
* William McLellan (M'Lellin)
* Lyman E. Johnson, part of the 1837 apostles quorum
* Luke S. Johnson, part of the 1837 apostles quorum
* John F. Boynton, part of the 1837 apostles quorum
The early leaders with Smith all left...Sidney Rigdon, David Whitmer, John Whitmer (mentioned in D&C 47:1), Warren Cowdery ALL Left the Mormon Church! ...Warren Cowdery joined Warren Parrish, Leonard Rich, and Stephen Burnett leaving in Kirtland...
Even Mormons like Oliver Cowdery & a feeble-minded, feeble-bodied Martin Harris who died having returned to some level of fellowship with Mormons, each left for a while.
William Law was a counselor to Smith...and turned vs. him vociferously...
Even Lds apostle Orson Pratt was disaffected vs. Smith when Smith tried to have him turn over his wife to him -- like Lds apostle quorum leader Orson Hyde had to do...and even Hyde signed the same affidavit referenced in the Marsh link above.
Ezra Booth's name pops up a few times in the D&C. He left and returned to Methodism.
James Covill is mentioned in D&C 39 & 40...he had been a Baptist minister for about 40 years...he exited Mormonism.
*************
Later in Mormonism...see: The last son of Joseph Smith understood the power of doubt [Real Mormonism]
Here's a true Christian. 'Nuff said.
(A Quiz: Match 8 these 8 past Mormon leaders to the "answers" about them)
Some of them remained loyal...despite Smith targeting their wives.
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
Four.
Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. -- Abraham Lincoln
Giving you the benefit of the doubt because apparently you didn't know, calling people like Robert Tildon, Fred Phelps, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson Christian doesn't make them Christian!
“It is good that we recognize those blessings which are Mormon.”
Believing in many false gods is not a blessing.
Believing in a false gospel of man-made works is not a blessing.
Believing in a false Christ is not a blessing.
"If you give me a FALSE Christ, I will send it back."
"If you try to pawn off a FALSE gospel of works, I will send it back."
"If you try to get me to believe in millions of mormonic gods, I will send them all back."-Anthony Grotti, The Office
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
How can mormonism be a blessing when it opposes the word of God?
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
The bible says there are no other gods, that God has always been God and not a man who became a god. People will not be married in heaven like the mormons claim.
If you believe anything that contradicts the bible, how can that be a blessing? Didn't Paul warn us about false teachers and prophets?
* Lyman E. Johnson, part of the 1837 apostles quorum
* Luke S. Johnson, part of the 1837 apostles quorum
________________________________________________
The Johnson’s probably left when Joey Smith raped their sister...
Truth has a way of doing that to one.
So this thread is I & CCs II.
(But that's OK if you're chronologically challenged...we love the challenged here)
Again an empty quip from one who so loves the LDS he won’t join himself...
Wait...
Hum...
Who is that?
And what is a “true Christian”, according to you.
Would you please define hate?
Again I ask, how is posting direct links to lds sources and the words of lds leaders ‘hate’?
Unless, you mean what these words and leaders say about Christians, that is.
Please, provide examples, thanks.
“I join you in praying with, and for, our Mormon Christian brothers.
God provides many blessings. It is good that we recognize those blessings which are Mormon.”
So what blessings are you talking about? The blessing of having an illogical belief system and depending on a false prophet and false works for to earn salvation and godhood in the Celestial Kingdom? Will Mormons be blessed in hell for their denial of the savior?
“It is proper that we recognize the Mormon faith as one of those avenues, and give thanks for it.”
No thanks. You stick with your broad religion, and I’ll stick with the One-way of Jesus Christ. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father, but by me.”
You sure are obsessed with attacking anyone who says negative stuff about Mormonism. Why are you so hateful against Christianity?
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