Criticism of Mormonism/Books/Early Mormonism and the Magic World View/Chapter 2

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Claims made in "Chapter 1: Early America's Heritage of Religion and Magic"

A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books A work by author: D. Michael Quinn

Claims made in "Chapter 3: Ritual Magic, Astrology, Amulets, and Talismans"

Divining rods, Treasure-Digging, and Seer Stones

Page	Claim	Response	Author's sources
31	Joseph Smith is claimed to have "continued to express his belief in witches" even as President of the Church.		The author refers us to Chapter 7
37	Oliver's "gift" is originally defined in a revelation as the gift of "working with the rod."	See: Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature"
38	The author claims that Oliver Cowdery's father was "later identified as a Vermont rodsman."	The author earlier describes the "Wood Scrape" incident (p. 36) and notes, "A connection between William Cowdery and the Wood Scrape would help explain why his son Oliver had a rod through which he received revelations."	The author refers to "Vermont reports about William Cowdery." Earlier references include the following: Barnes Frisbie, History of Middletown, 43. Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, 1:618, 607, 607n14, 599.
39	Luman Walters is claimed by the author to have been "identified by Palmyra neighbors as a conjuror and [Joseph] Smith's mentor."	See: The magician Walters as a mentor to Joseph Smith	No source provided.
56	Joseph was convicted in 1826 of being a "disorderly person" because he was a "glass-looker."	See: Joseph's 1826 glasslooking trial
57, 400n226	Hugh Nibley wrote that if the court record were genuine, that it would be "the most devastating blow to Smith ever delivered."		Nibley, Myth Makers, 142.