Criticism of Mormonism/Books/The Changing World of Mormonism

A FAIR Analysis of: 'The Changing World of Mormonism' A work by author: Jerald and Sandra Tanner

The Tanners seem to be playing a skillful shell game in which the premises for judgment are conveniently shifted so that the conclusion is always the same—negative.
— Lawrence Foster^[1]

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• Index of claims

Claims made in this work

A list of claims indexed by page number made in The Changing World of Mormonism with links to the corresponding responses in the FAIRwiki may be found here: Index to claims made in The Changing World of Mormonism.

Quote mining, selective quotation and distortion

Many critics who write about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not content to portray the Church and its doctrines fairly. Some critics mine their sources by extracting quotes from their context in order to make the statement imply something other that what it was originally intended to mean. Other critics make statements that are self-contradictions—instances in which a critic says or writes one thing, and then makes another statement elsewhere that flatly contradicts their first statement.

These examples do not prove that these critics' arguments are without merit; they do suggest caution is warranted before accepting these authors or their works as reliable witnesses when they speak of their own experiences connected with "Mormonism." In particular, one should also be cautious about accepting their interpretation of primary sources without double-checking the original sources themselves.

Joseph couldn't have seen God without having the priesthood?

Reference	Original quote...	Mined quote...	Use of sources
p. 150	GOSPEL AND PRIESTHOOD NEEDED TO SEE GOD. We cannot tie the hands of the Lord. The Father and the Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith before the Church was organized and the priesthood restored to the earth. Under those conditions the Lord could appear to one who sought for light as he did in the case of Joseph Smith. Now that the Church is organized, and the power of the priesthood is here, no one can see the face of God, even the Father, without the blessings of the gospel and the authority of the priesthood.	The Father and the Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith before the Church was organized and the priesthood restored to the earth	D&C 84:21-22 states "And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." Joseph Fielding Smith references D&C 84:22 in a footnote.

Commentary

• The authors recite the two verses from the 1832 revelation, and then use Joseph Fielding Smith's quote by saying that "[n]ow, it is claimed that 'The Father and the Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith before the Church was organized and the priesthood restored to the earth'", implying that the story of the First Vision was fabricated later. The authors claim that Joseph Fielding Smith's statement changed what Joseph Smith stated in his 1832 revelation when he said that one had to have the priesthood to see God. One must also wonder why Joseph Smith would state the a man had to have the priesthood to see God in 1832, the same year he began writing his first account of the First Vision, and yet see no contradiction. Joseph Fielding Smith is answering this question by explaining why Joseph Smith was able to see the Father and the Son before he received the priesthood—A detail omitted by the authors when they mined the quote.

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Orson Pratt "admitted" that the Book of Mormon condemns polygamy?

Reference	Original quote...	Mined quote...	Use of sources
p. 221. "Orson Pratt once admitted that 'The Book of Mormon, therefore, is the only record (professing to be divine) which condemns the plurality of wives as being a practice exceeding abominable before God'"	The Book of Mormon, therefore, is the only record (professing to be Divine) which condemns plurality of wives as being a practice exceedingly abominable before God. But even that sacred book makes an exception in substance as follows—"Except I the Lord command my people." The same Book of Mormon and the same article that commanded the Nephites that they should not marry more than one wife, made an exception. Let this be understood—"Unless I the Lord shall command them." We can draw the conclusion from this, that there were some things not right in the sight of God, unless he should command them. We can draw the same conclusion from the Bible, that there were many things which the Lord would not suffer his children to do, unless he particularly commanded them to do them.	The Book of Mormon, therefore, is the only record (professing to be divine) which condemns the plurality of wives as being a practice exceedingly abominable before God.	Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses 6:351

Commentary

• The authors claim that Orson Pratt "admitted" that the Book of Mormon condemns polygamy. In order to imply Pratt's support for this assertion, the authors mine only the portion of Pratt's quote that talks about the condemnation, and do not include any mention of the exception.

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Early church leaders were "confused" about baptism for the dead?

Reference	Original quote...	Mined quote...	Use of sources
p. 512. "The early Mormon leaders seem to have been very confused concerning baptism for the dead."	About this time came a revelation concerning baptism for the dead. I know that in my traveling and preaching, many a time, I have stopped by beautiful streams of clear, pure water, and have said to myself, "How delightful it would be to me to go into this, to be baptized for the remission of my sins." When I got home Joseph told me it was my privilege. At this time came a revelation, that the Saints could be baptized and re-baptized when they chose, and then that we could be baptized for our dear friends, but at first it was not revealed that a record should be kept of those who were baptized; but when he received an additional revelation to that effect, then a record was kept. Hundreds and thousands, I suppose, were baptized before any record was kept at all, and they were baptized over, and a record kept of the baptisms and the names of the administrator, those who acted for the dead, and of the dead, and of the witnesses. You can read in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the letter that Joseph wrote when he was away from home in regard to having witnesses at these baptisms. I relate this to show you that the Lord did not reveal everything at once; but I need not dwell on this any longer.	Hundreds and thousands, I suppose, were baptized before any record was kept at all, and they were baptized over, and a record kept ... the Lord did not reveal everything at once; but I need not dwell on this any longer	Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 18:241

Commentary

• The authors wish to portray the early church leaders as being "confused" about the institution of the practice of baptism for the dead. In order to illustrate this "confusion," they extract portions of a quote made by Brigham Young in which he states that it was necessary to redo some of the baptisms because they had not recorded them properly. Brigham used this example to illustrate that the Lord continued to reveal new information over time. Upon reading the full quote, there is no indication whatsoever that anyone was "confused."

Church members perform "ancestor worship?"

Reference	Original quote...	Mined quote...	Use of sources
p. 517. "This obsession with the dead approaches very close to ancestral worship."	May I share with you this afternoon an experience that happened to a young couple who were members of the Church in Japan. They wished to be married, and as is the custom in Japan, they sought permission from their nonmember parents for the marriage to be performed. The boy’s parents refused to give permission. With concern and disappointment, the young couple prayerfully sought ways to fill their lives with meaningful Church activities and trusted that permission would be forthcoming later. At this time Church members were planning a trip to the Hawaii Temple, and much emphasis was made and was being placed on the importance of genealogical research. So the couple joined with others in seeking out their ancestors and in planning to have the temple work done for them. The girl searched diligently through shrines, cemeteries, and government record offices, and was able to gather seventy-seven names. The boy’s uncle, who was a respected and influential member of the family, heard of this and was deeply impressed with and interested in her work. He noted the intense devotion of the girl to honoring her ancestors and suggested that such a young lady would be a good wife for his nephew. Permission was granted for the young people to be married, and the marriage was performed. Later they were sealed in the Hawaii Temple. It is a Japanese tradition that families gather together for special holidays in January and August. As this young couple joined their family members on these special occasions, they displayed their book of remembrance, and much interest was generated in their work and in the reasons for it. They discussed with those relatives assembled their ancestral lines and the importance of completing the genealogical research. It was difficult for their nonmember families to understand the reasons for a Christian church teaching principles such as “ancestral worship,” for this was a Buddhist teaching and tradition. Today many young men and women are completing their family group sheets and are teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to their parents and their relatives by this method. Through genealogical research and through doing temple work for their progenitors, and especially with a temple now becoming available in Tokyo, members can so live that the gospel will yet be embraced by many more in the Orient. This great work has just begun. —Elder Adney Y. Komatsu, May 1976	May I share with you this afternoon an experience that happened to a young couple who were members of the Church in Japan.... the couple joined with others in seeking out their ancestors and in planning to have the temple work done for them. The girl searched diligently through shrines, cemeteries, and government record offices, and was able to gather seventy-seven names.... As this young couple joined their family members ... they displayed their book of remembrance.... They discussed with those relatives assembled their ancestral lines and the importance of completing the genealogical research. It was difficult for their nonmember families to understand the reasons for a Christian church teaching principles such as "ancestral worship," for this was a Buddhist teaching and tradition.... Through genealogical research and through doing temple work for their progenitors, and especially with a temple now becoming available in Tokyo, members can so live that the gospel will yet be embraced by many more in the Orient	Elder Adney Y. Komatsu, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, Ensign May 1976, p.102

Commentary

• The authors wish to show that baptism for the dead is a form of "ancestor worship." In order to accomplish this, they extract phrases from a story told by Elder Komatsu about a couple that wished to be married, but were denied permission by the boy's parents. The use of genealogical research was the key that opened the door to allowing the couple to eventually be married. The authors carefully extract the phrases that they want to use, thereby making it impossible to see what Elder Komatsu was actually talking about. Baptism for the dead does not in any way represent "ancestor worship," and the authors had to search pretty hard to find a quote that they could butcher sufficiently to support this conclusion.

Endnotes

1. [note]  Lawrence Foster, "Career Apostates: Reflections on the Works of Jerald and Sandra Tanner," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 17 no. 2 (Summer 1984), 49.

Further reading

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