Difference between revisions of "Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Use of sources/Thou Shalt Not Raise a False Report"
Line 101: Line 101:
 
=Further reading=
 
=Further reading=
 
{{FAIRAnalysisWiki}}
 
{{FAIRAnalysisWiki}}
 +
 +
[[fr:Specific works/One Nation Under Gods/Use of sources/Thou Shalt Not Raise a False Report]]

Revision as of 00:45, 3 May 2010


Joseph on par with Jesus Christ
A work by author: Richard Abanes
 Joseph's "Grandiose Sense of Self Importance"

Thou Shalt Not Raise a False Report (Exodus 23:1)

The Quote

One Nation under Gods, page 175 (hardback and paperback)

Such high regard for Smith has not diminished in the least among modern-day Mormons, who tend to view Smith as important to their spirituality as Jesus Christ. For instance, in an April 14, 1961, letter by Levi Edgar Young--an LDS official of notably high rank--the "grandeur of Joseph Smith's life" was noted as the all-important truth that the world needed to hear. Levi's prayer was that thousands would turn not to God, but to Joseph.21 [1]

The Reference

Endnote 21, page 543 (hardback); page 541 (paperback)

21. Levi Edgar Young, letter dated April 14, 1961. Quoted in Jerald Tanner and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? (Salt Lake City: ULM, 1987), 252.

The Problems

The Levi Edgar Young quote is taken out of context. The charge that Levi Edgar Young prayed "that thousands would turn not to God, but to Joseph" Smith is false.

First, let's look at the quote as it appears on page 252 of Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? (The bold text below is quoted by the author.)

In a letter to us, dated April 14, 1961, Levi Edgar Young, one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies, made this statement: "The granduer [sic] of Joseph Smith's life must become known to the people of the world, and I am praying daily that people by the thousands may turn to him." (Letter photographically reprinted in our Case, v. 1, p. 75.)

Now let's turn to the primary source for this quote: The Case Against Mormonism, v. 1, p. 75 (Salt Lake City: ULM, 1967), beginning with Sandra Tanner's letter sent to most all of the First Presidency, Twelve, and Seventy. The letter was the same in each case, and formed as follows:

April 7, 1961

Dear Mr. -----,

The Apostle John A. Widtsoe once stated, 'The best place to obtain information for and against the Church is the Library of the Church Historian.' (A New Witness For Christ in America, preface, p. vii.)

We are writing a book and we need some of this information. As we know that the Church makes microfilms, we would like the following things microfilmed.

  • 1. Joseph Smith's history of the church in the original handwritten form.
  • 2. All of Joseph Smith's journals.
  • 3. The Far West Record.
  • 4. The original handwritten manuscript of the Book of Mormon.

Enclosed is ten dollars for this work. We are sending this same letter to several other authorities in the church. Therefore, there should be enough money to cover the cost of this work.

If there is any possible reason why we cannot obtain microfilm copies, can we come to the Historian's Office and examine these manuscripts?

Sincerely, Mrs. Jerald Tanner

The following is Levi Edgar Young's reply to Sandra Tanner, in The Case Against Mormonism, v. 1, p. 75 (Salt Lake City: ULM, 1967). The bold text is quoted by the author of ONUG:

Levi Edgar Young Salt Lake City

April 14, 1961

Mrs. Jerald Tanner 319 North Fifth West Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Mrs. Tanner

Your letter of April 7 was received and the content of it was very interesting. I am very glad to know that the Prophet Joseph Smith's history will be put into a form that the original handwriting of the Book of Mormon will be seen by people in general.

I am enclosing the $10 that you put in your letter, because I have not understood exactly why you sent it. I appreciate your thoughtfulness of me and hope that your desires may be realized.

The granduer [sic] of Joseph Smith's life must become known to the people of the world, and I am praying daily that people by the thousands may turn to him.

Again let me thank you for your thoughtfulness of me and hope that your ideas will be successfully realized.

Sincerely yours, Levi Edgar Young

LEY:sh

We now have the quote in context and can read for ourselves that Levi Edgar Young, 87-years old and senior member of the First Council of the Seventy, was "very glad to know that the Prophet Joseph Smith's history" would be accessible to "people in general". With this in mind, he closes his letter with "The granduer [sic] of Joseph Smith's life must become known to the people of the world" and that "people by the thousands may turn to him". This reader is left to wonder what, in this letter, is adverse in hoping that people will read about Joseph Smith? Indeed, Levi Edgar Young, a former university professor, esteemed books and inspired all to study and "to read better books than we could digest . . . raising us to ever higher levels". [2]

To support his opening statement -- that Mormons view Joseph Smith "as important to their spirituality as Jesus Christ" -- the author of ONUG embellishes Young's words by adding "was noted as the all-important truth that the world needed to hear" thus misrepresenting Levi Edgar Young's intent when he wrote the letter.

Further, there is nothing in Levi Edgar Young's reply to Mrs. Tanner to support the author's claim that "Levi's prayer was that thousands would turn not to God, but to Joseph."

In fact the opposite is true. Time and again we read in Church literature the words of Levi Edgar Young admonishing the Saints to turn to God and to be mindful of our Redeemer: "May we turn to the glorious doctrines of the resurrection, and give our hearts to God, that He may give us life everlasting." [3] "As Latter-day Saints, we should know and keep ever in mind the teachings of the Savior of mankind, and let Jesus Christ be our Guide and our Light. We all realize that life is a struggle, and is filled with so many hardships and pains; so many sorrows and trials. So the supreme power in all this struggle is prayer -- the turning to God through Jesus Christ, and adding the force of the eternal to the petty cares of life." [4]

"Elder Young was appointed to represent the Church on the local ministerial association of the Protestants and Jews. His conciliatory attitude during these years gained many friends and served to reduce prejudice." [5] How disheartening that the author of ONUG would use Levi Edgar Young, a man who "was instrumental in cementing friendly and happy relations with many who had opposed the Church," [6] to further his countercult [7] agenda against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Endnotes

  1. [note] The quotation is the same in both editions of One Nation under Gods. Page numbers provided here are from the first edition.
  2. [note] S. Dilworth Young, "A Scholar, A Gentle Man, President Levi Edgar Young," Improvement Era, January 1964: 40.
  3. [note] Levi Edgar Young in Conference Report, April 1920, Afternoon Session.
  4. [note] Levi Edgar Young in Conference Report, April 1929, Afternoon Meeting.
  5. [note] S. Dilworth Young, "A Scholar, A Gentle Man, President Levi Edgar Young," Improvement Era, January 1964: 19-20.
  6. [note] Ibid., 19.
  7. [note] From Hare Krishna to the Latter-Day Saints, and from Jehovah's Witnesses to the New Age, religious pluralism in North American presents evangelical Protestantism with significant challenges. Declaring newer religious groups "cults," "aberrant sects," and "heretical religions," the Christian countercult movement has warned that these groups represent a threat to society. [Douglas E. Cowan, Bearing False Witness? An Introduction to the Christian Countercult (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 2003), book jacket.] "Countercult journalist Richard Abanes, for example, in Cults, New Religious Movements, and Your Family, writes of "ten non-Christian groups out to convert your loved ones"--among others, the Church of Scientology, the Church of Satan, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1998b)." (Ibid., p. 40.)

Further reading

Template code Inserts this reference Click to edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: 8: The Mormon Proposition}} To learn more box:responses to: 8: The Mormon Proposition edit
{{To learn more box:''Under the Banner of Heaven''}} To learn more about responses to: Under the Banner of Heaven edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Robert Price}} To learn more about responses to: Robert Price edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Ankerberg and Weldon}} To learn more about responses to: Ankerberg and Weldon edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Ashamed of Joseph}} To learn more about responses to: Ashamed of Joseph edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Beckwith and Moser}} To learn more about responses to: Beckwith and Moser edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Beckwith and Parrish}} To learn more about responses to: Beckwith and Parrish edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Benjamin Park}} To learn more about responses to: Benjamin Park edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Bible versus Joseph Smith}} To learn more about responses to: Bible versus Joseph Smith edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Bible versus Book of Mormon}} To learn more about responses to: Bible versus Book of Mormon edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: ''Big Love''}} To learn more about responses to: Big Love edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Brett Metcalfe}} To learn more about responses to: Brett Metcalfe edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Bill Maher}} To learn more about responses to: Bill Maher edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Bruce H. Porter}} To learn more about responses to: Bruce H. Porter edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Carol Wang Shutter}} To learn more about responses to: Carol Wang Shutter edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: CES Letter}} To learn more about responses to: CES Letter edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Charles Larson}} To learn more about responses to: Charles Larson edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Christopher Nemelka}} To learn more about responses to: Christopher Nemelka edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Colby Townshed}} To learn more about responses to: Colby Townshed edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Contender Ministries}} To learn more about responses to: Contender Ministries edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Crane and Crane}} To learn more about responses to: Crane and Crane edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: D. Michael Quinn}} To learn more about responses to: D. Michael Quinn edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Dan Vogel}} To learn more about responses to: Dan Vogel edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: David John Buerger}} To learn more about responses to: David John Buerger edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: David Persuitte}} To learn more about responses to: David Persuitte edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Denver Snuffer}} To learn more about responses to: Denver Snuffer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Dick Bauer}} To learn more about responses to: Dick Bauer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Duwayne R Anderson}} To learn more about responses to: Duwayne R Anderson edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Earl Wunderli}} To learn more about responses to: Earl Wunderli edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Ed Decker}} To learn more about responses to: Ed Decker edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Erikson and Giesler}} To learn more about responses to: Erikson and Giesler edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Ernest Taves}} To learn more about responses to: Ernest Taves edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Fawn Brodie}} To learn more about responses to: Fawn Brodie edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: George D Smith}} To learn more about responses to: George D Smith edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Grant Palmer}} To learn more about responses to: Grant Palmer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Hank Hanegraaff}} To learn more about responses to: Hank Hanegraaff edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Hurlbut-Howe}} To learn more about responses to: Hurlbut-Howe edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: James Brooke}} To learn more about responses to: James Brooke edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: James Spencer}} To learn more about responses to: James Spencer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: James White}} To learn more about responses to: James White edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Jerald and Sandra Tanner}} To learn more about responses to: Jerald and Sandra Tanner edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Jesus Christ-Joseph Smith or Search for the Truth DVD}} To learn more about responses to: Jesus Christ-Joseph Smith or Search for the Truth DVD edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: John Dehlin}} To learn more about responses to: John Dehlin edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Jonathan Neville}} To learn more about responses to: Jonathan Neville edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Kurt Van Gorden}} To learn more about responses to: Kurt Van Gorden edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Laura King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery}} To learn more about responses to: Laura King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Loftes Tryk aka Lofte Payne}} To learn more about responses to: Loftes Tryk aka Lofte Payne edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Luke WIlson}} To learn more about responses to: Luke WIlson edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Marquardt and Walters}} To learn more about responses to: Marquardt and Walters edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Martha Beck}} To learn more about responses to: Martha Beck edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Mcgregor Ministries}} To learn more about responses to: Mcgregor Ministries edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: McKeever and Johnson}} To learn more about responses to: McKeever and Johnson edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: New Approaches}} To learn more about responses to: New Approaches to the Book of Mormon edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Richard Abanes}} To learn more about responses to: Richard Abanes edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Richard Van Wagoner}} To learn more about responses to: Richard Van Wagoner edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Richard and Joan Ostling}} To learn more about responses to: Richard and Joan Ostling edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Rick Grunger}} To learn more about responses to: Rick Grunger edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Robert Ritner}} To learn more about responses to: Robert Ritner edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Rod Meldrum}} To learn more about responses to: Rod Meldrum edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Roger I Anderson}} To learn more about responses to: Roger I Anderson edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Ronald V. Huggins}} To learn more about responses to: Ronald V. Huggins edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Sally Denton}} To learn more about responses to: Sally Denton edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Simon Southerton}} To learn more about responses to: Simon Southerton edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Thomas Murphy}} To learn more about responses to: Thomas Murphy edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Todd Compton}} To learn more about responses to: Todd Compton edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Vernal Holley}} To learn more about responses to: Vernal Holley edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Walter Martin}} To learn more about responses to: Walter Martin edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Wesley Walters}} To learn more about responses to: Wesley Walters edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Will Bagley}} To learn more about responses to: Will Bagley edit
Retrieved from "https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/index.php?title=Criticism_of_Mormonism/Books/One_Nation_Under_Gods/Use_of_sources/Thou_Shalt_Not_Raise_a_False_Report&oldid=67297"