FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Difference between revisions of "Detailed response to CES Letter, Witnesses"
(→: mod) |
(→: mod) |
||
| Line 95: | Line 95: | ||
*Rather than being hallucinatory or "merely" spiritual, Martin claimed that the plates and angel were seen by physical eyes that had been enhanced by the power of God to view more objects than a mortal could normally see (cf. DC 76:12; DC 67:10-13). | *Rather than being hallucinatory or "merely" spiritual, Martin claimed that the plates and angel were seen by physical eyes that had been enhanced by the power of God to view more objects than a mortal could normally see (cf. DC 76:12; DC 67:10-13). | ||
*Critics who claim otherwise do not provide their readers with all of Martin's statements, distorting the historical record. Note that "A Letter to a CES Director" falls into this category - none of Martin's definitive statements about seeing the plates are included. | *Critics who claim otherwise do not provide their readers with all of Martin's statements, distorting the historical record. Note that "A Letter to a CES Director" falls into this category - none of Martin's definitive statements about seeing the plates are included. | ||
| + | |quote= | ||
| + | *William Harrison Homer, “The Passing of Martin Harris,” ''Improvement Era'' Vol. 29, No. 5 (March 1926): 470 {{link|url=http://archive.org/stream/improvementera2905unse#page/402/mode/2up}} | ||
| + | <blockquote> | ||
| + | “Young man,” answered Martin Harris with impressiveness, “Do I believe it! Do you see the sun shining! Just as surely as the sun is shining on us and gives us light, and the [moon] and stars give us light by night, just as surely as the breath of life sustains us, so surely do I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, chosen of God to open the last dispensation of the fulness of times; so surely do I know that the Book of Mormon was divinely translated. <span style="color:blue">I saw the plates; I saw the Angel; I heard the voice of God.</span> I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I might as well doubt my own existence as to doubt the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon or the divine calling of Joseph Smith.” | ||
| + | </blockquote> | ||
|link=Book of Mormon/Witnesses/"Eye of Faith" and "Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris | |link=Book of Mormon/Witnesses/"Eye of Faith" and "Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris | ||
|subject="Eye of Faith" and "Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris | |subject="Eye of Faith" and "Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris | ||
Revision as of 10:00, 15 July 2013
- REDIRECTTemplate:Test3
| [[../Priesthood Restoration Concerns & Questions|Priesthood Restoration Concerns & Questions]] | A FAIR Analysis of:
[[../|Letter to a CES Director]] |
[[../Temples & Freemasonry Concerns & Questions|Temples & Freemasonry Concerns & Questions]] |
A FAIR Analysis of the online document Letter to a CES Director section "Witnesses Concerns & Questions"
Oliver Cowdery lived in a culture steeped in biblical ideas, language and practices. The revelation’s reference to Moses likely resonated with him. The Old Testament account of Moses and his brother Aaron recounted several instances of using rods to manifest God’s will (see Ex. 7:9-12; Num. 17:8). Many Christians in Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery's day similarly believed in divining rods as an instrument for revelation. Cowdery was among those who believed in and used a divining rod.
Jeffrey G. Cannon, "Oliver Cowdery's Gift," history.lds.org off-site
- Response to section: Magical Worldview
- Response to section: Witnesses [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: Martin Harris
- Response to section: David Whitmer
- Response to section: Oliver Cowdery
- Response to section: Second Sight [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: James Strang and the Voree Plates Witnesses [Work in Progress]
- Response to section: No Document of Actual Signatures
- Response to section: Conclusion [Work in Progress]
Response Section
Magical Worldview
Martin Harris
David Whitmer
David Whitmer's gravestone, upon which is engraved his testimony of the Book of Mormon: "The record of the Jews and the record of the Nephites are one."
Oliver Cowdery
No Document of Actual Signatures
References
- [note] "David Whitmer Proclamation, 19 March 1881," Early Mormon Documents 5:69.
- [note] Andrew Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Company, 1901), 1:246.
- [note] George Godfrey, “Testimony of Martin Harris,” from an unpublished manuscript copy in the possession of his daughter, Florence (Godfrey) Munson of Fielding, Utah; quoted in Eldin Ricks, The Case of the Book of Mormon Witnesses (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1971), 65–66.