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, Prophets"
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|claim=The author states, "In the early to mid-1980’s, the Church shelled out close to $900,000 in antiquities and cash to Mark Hofmann – a conman and soon-to-be serial killer – to purchase and suppress bizarre and embarrassing documents into the Church vaults that undermined and threatened the Church’s story of its origins. The documents were later proven to be forgeries....Lack of discernment by the Brethren on such a grave threat to the Church." | |claim=The author states, "In the early to mid-1980’s, the Church shelled out close to $900,000 in antiquities and cash to Mark Hofmann – a conman and soon-to-be serial killer – to purchase and suppress bizarre and embarrassing documents into the Church vaults that undermined and threatened the Church’s story of its origins. The documents were later proven to be forgeries....Lack of discernment by the Brethren on such a grave threat to the Church." | ||
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{{Church answer | {{Church answer | ||
| − | |link= | + | |link=http://www.lds.org/ensign/1985/09/keep-the-faith?lang=eng |
| − | |title= | + | |title=First Presidency Message: Keep the Faith |
|author=Gordon B. Hinckley | |author=Gordon B. Hinckley | ||
|publication=Ensign | |publication=Ensign | ||
| − | |date= | + | |date=September 1985 |
|summary=As most of you know, recently there have been great stirrings over two old letters. One was purportedly written in 1825 by Joseph Smith to Josiah Stowell. If it is genuine, it is the oldest known product of Joseph Smith’s handwriting. It concerns the employment of Joseph by Mr. Stowell, who was engaged in a mining operation looking for old coins and precious metals. The other carries the date of October 23, 1830, and was purportedly written by Martin Harris to W. W. Phelps. | |summary=As most of you know, recently there have been great stirrings over two old letters. One was purportedly written in 1825 by Joseph Smith to Josiah Stowell. If it is genuine, it is the oldest known product of Joseph Smith’s handwriting. It concerns the employment of Joseph by Mr. Stowell, who was engaged in a mining operation looking for old coins and precious metals. The other carries the date of October 23, 1830, and was purportedly written by Martin Harris to W. W. Phelps. | ||
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Would these two men have so endured, so declared their testimonies, and so lived out their lives in faith had there been any doubt about the way in which the Book of Mormon plates were received from the hands of Moroni and translated by the gift and power of God? | Would these two men have so endured, so declared their testimonies, and so lived out their lives in faith had there been any doubt about the way in which the Book of Mormon plates were received from the hands of Moroni and translated by the gift and power of God? | ||
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| + | *As with many criticisms, this one stems from incorrect expectations of what a prophet is. Prophets are not omniscient nor [[Fallibility_of_prophets|infallible]]. The Church bought the documents when assured by experts that they were genuine. | ||
| + | *{{Answer}}Prophets do not generally act to take away the free agent choices of others. President Hinckley's decision to purchase the documents allowed them to be examined, and kept them available for further study so that the forgery could be discovered. (Had a private collector, especially one hostile to the Church, acquired the documents, access might have been much more difficult.) | ||
| + | *Hofmann made the decision to lie and cover his lies with murder. Tragic as such choices are, LDS doctrine would not expect God to typically intervene via a prophet, or personally, to prevent a person bent on making wicked choices from carrying out his or her plans.(See {{s||DC|10|37}} If God did so routinely, unfettered choice would be threatened. | ||
| + | |quote= | ||
| + | *President Hinckley, at the Young Adult fireside broadcast from Temple Square quoted above, spoke about Martin Harris and others mentioned in the Salamander Letter, and advised caution in accepting the documents' authenticity. He was careful ''not'' to proclaim that they were authentic. | ||
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Revision as of 15:05, 27 February 2014
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Contents
Response to "Prophets Concerns & Questions"
| [[../Polygamy & Polyandry Concerns & Questions|Polygamy/Polyandry Concerns & Questions]] | A FAIR Analysis of:
[[../|Letter to a CES Director]] |
[[../Kinderhook Plates and Translator & Seer Claims Concerns & Questions|Kinderhook Plates and Translator/Seer Claims Concerns & Questions"]] |
A few question their faith when they find a statement made by a Church leader decades ago that seems incongruent with our doctrine. There is an important principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine is taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine is not difficult to find.
The leaders of the Church are honest but imperfect men. Remember the words of Moroni: “Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father … ; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been” (Ether 12꞉6).
— Elder Neil L. Anderson, "Trial of Your Faith," Ensign (November 2012).
- Response to section: Adam-God
- Response to section: Blood Atonement
- Response to section: Polygamy
- Response to section: Blacks Ban
- Response to section: Mark Hofmann
- Response to question: "Why would I want them following the prophet when a prophet is just a man of his time?"