Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism/Chapter 15

Chapter 14

A FAIR Analysis of: Criticism of Mormonism/Books A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner

Chapter 16

Claims made in Chapter 15: The Arm of Flesh

Page	Claim	Response	Author's sources
431-439	There has been no new revelation since the time of Joseph Smith.	Revelation after Joseph Smith	[ATTENTION!]
431	The Church teaches that you must let the leaders do your thinking for you.	The author's claim is false: The cited article was specifically repudiated by the President of the Church. See: When the prophet speaks, is the thinking done? See also: Authoritarianism and Church leaders	Improvement Era, June 1945, p.354
433	Joseph F. Smith said that he never received revelation.	Revelation after Joseph Smith  [needs work]	Reed Smoot Case, Vol. 1, pages 483-484
434	The Church chose to canonize two "new" revelations in order to counter claims made by the Tanners?	Mind reading: author has no way of knowing this.: The authors have too high an opinion of themselves. Church leaders have long insisted that new revelation comes frequently to the Church, and this long pre-dates their anti-Mormon crusade: So, when people say: "We ought to have revelation now as we did in the day of Joseph," we must answer, "Open your eyes; we do have revelation every day; such as we need from day to day." (John A. Widtsoe, 1939)[1] Revelation after Joseph Smith
====435====|| The Church has never produced a copy of the revelation granting Blacks the ability to receive the priesthood.	Those involved described the receipt of the revelation. Even if the revelation were published, are we to think that the Tanners would then be convinced and satisfied? Blacks and the priesthood—Lifting the ban
437	Brigham Young claimed that his sermons were the same as scripture.	The author's claim is false: The Tanners neglect to provide Brigham's detailed instructions about when and under what circumstances his sermons were scripture. See Quote mining—Journal of Discourses 13:95 to see how this quote was mined. General authorities' statements as scripture	Journal of Discourses 13:95

Endnotes

1. [note]  John A. Widtsoe, "Modern Revelation and Modern Questions," The Deseret News, Church Section (28 January 1939): 6.