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Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Use of sources/Those Power-Hungry Mormons: Difference between revisions
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|author=Richard Abanes
|H=Those Power-Hungry Mormons
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=Those Power-Hungry Mormons=
{{Author claims label}}
==The Quote==
 
===''One Nation under Gods'', page 95 (hardback and paperback)===
===''One Nation under Gods'', page 95 (hardback and paperback)===
I heard [Martin Harris] make this statement that there would be another president of the United States elected; That soon all temporal and spiritual power would be given over to The Prophet Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints. His extravagant statements were the laughing stock of the people of Palmyra.74
I heard [Martin Harris] make this statement, that there would never be another president of the United States elected; That soon all temporal and spiritual power would be given over to the prophet Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints. His extravagant statements were the laughing stock of the people of Palmyra.74
 
{{Author sources label}}


==The Reference==
===Endnote 74, page 522 (hardback and paperback)===
===Endnote 74, page 522 (hardback and paperback)===
74. Chandler, reprinted in Vogel, vol. 3, 222-223.
74. Chandler, reprinted in Vogel, vol. 3, 222-223.


==The Problems==
{{:Question: Did Martin Harris state that there would never be another president of the United States elected?}}
From the very beginning of the Church there have been many members and leaders who have spoken their own opinions. What they have said came from their own thoughts and not necessarily from inspiration or the Holy Ghost. Some are quick to accuse the General Authorities of the LDS Church of speaking "false doctrine." The truth is, the accusers do not realize what the [[Changing doctrine|Church's doctrine]] consists of. They are quick to assume that because a leader said it, it is official and set in stone.
{{endnotes sources}}
 
The way this quote is written in Vogel's work (''Early Mormon Documents'', published by Signature Books) gives the appearance that it was Martin Harris himself who set up the meetings, and not Joseph Smith the Prophet. The author seems to want the reader to think that Harris was acting and speaking in behalf of the Church when, in fact, there is no such evidence. Rather, it appears Martin was acting on his own accord to give the meetings in Palmyra. Apart from the fact the quote comes from a tertiary source, the author has made it difficult to check the actual quote in its full length and context. Many who read this work will take the quotes at face value and assume they are well-documented and accurate when, in fact, this quote does not necessarily give a fair representation of the situation.
 
==Conclusion==
The author makes it appear that the Church itself would overrun the presidency and seize power. This gives him ammunition to portray the LDS Church as power-hungry and tyrannical. Given the full length of the citation, it is clear that Christ and his Church will govern the earth-in the millennial period. In no way, shape, or form does the quote mention the Saints "removing" the presidency of the country.
 
=Further reading=
{{AbanesWorks}}

Latest revision as of 20:17, 13 April 2024

Those Power-Hungry Mormons



Divining rods to Kimball and Young
A FAIR Analysis of: One Nation Under Gods, a work by author: Richard Abanes
 		Distorted account of three degrees of glory

Author's Claims


One Nation under Gods, page 95 (hardback and paperback)

I heard [Martin Harris] make this statement, that there would never be another president of the United States elected; That soon all temporal and spiritual power would be given over to the prophet Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints. His extravagant statements were the laughing stock of the people of Palmyra.74

Author's Sources


Endnote 74, page 522 (hardback and paperback)

74. Chandler, reprinted in Vogel, vol. 3, 222-223.


Question: Did Martin Harris state that there would never be another president of the United States elected?

Albert Chandler, 68 years after the fact, claimed that Martin Harris stated that Latter-day Saints would "rule the world"

From the very beginning of the Church there have been members, and leaders alike, who have spoken their own opinions. What they have said constituted their own thoughts but did not have any official sanction.

A fuller quotation of the source will help to put Martin's comments into proper perspective. On 22 December 1898 (68 years after the fact) Albert Chandler said:

I should think that Martin Harris, after becoming a convert, gave up his entire time to advertising the [Golden] Bible to his neighbors and the public generally in the vicinity of Palmyra. He would call public meetings and address them himself. He was enthusiastic, and went so far as to say that God, through the Latter Day Saints, was to rule the world. I heard him make this statement, that there would never be another president of the United States elected; That soon all temporal and spiritual power would be given over to the prophet Joseph Smith and the Latter Day Saints. His extravagant statements were the laughing stock of the people of Palmyra. His stories were hissed at, universally.

If Chandler was remembering things accurately after such a long period of time then his reminiscence only signifies that Martin Harris had an opinion on the matter

If Chandler was remembering things accurately after such a long period of time then his reminiscence only signifies that Martin Harris acted on his own to hold meetings and expressed his own private opinion about the nearness of the Millennium. The Latter-day Saints were not the only Christians who believed that God would rule the world and administer His government through righteous individuals who were associated with His kingdom.

Notes (click to expand)
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