Pretended to translate?

I’m continually amazed that Joseph Smith’s straightforward claim that he translated the plates is even an issue today.

As I’ll show in upcoming posts, the critics of the Church are having a field day with the “stone-in-the-hat” theory (SITH). It’s astonishing to see our so-called “apologists” make every effort to support SITH by trying to find “evidence” in the historical record that SITH has been taught by Church leaders in the past. See, e.g., FAIRLDS.

While Church leaders have properly acknowledged the statements by David Whitmer and others, they have not repudiated the teachings of Joseph and Oliver or the revelations in the D&C regarding the translation of the plates.

Nevertheless, the scholars at the Interpreter, FAIRLDS, and Book of Mormon Central claim that Joseph Smith never translated anything in the ordinary sense of the word.

The SITH scholars insist that Joseph didn’t even use the plates but merely read words that appeared on the stone he found in a well. E.g., from BYU Studies: “when Joseph “translated,” he was rarely looking at the characters on the plates, which were usually either on the table covered in cloth or hidden elsewhere in the house or vicinity.”

Essentially, these scholars claim that Joseph merely pretended to translate.

While certain scholars are obsessed with convincing the Latter-day Saints that Joseph merely pretended to translate by reading words off a stone, we can all read the scriptures and see the source of such claims.

12 And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work;

13 For he hath put into their hearts to do this, that by lying they may say they have caught you in the words which you have pretended to translate.

(Doctrine and Covenants 10:12–13)

30 Behold, I say unto you, that you shall not translate again those words which have gone forth out of your hands;

31 For, behold, they shall not accomplish their evil designs in lying against those words. For, behold, if you should bring forth the same words they will say that you have lied and that you have pretended to translate, but that you have contradicted yourself.

32 And, behold, they will publish this, and Satan will harden the hearts of the people to stir them up to anger against you, that they will not believe my words.

(Doctrine and Covenants 10:30–32)

No wonder the critics emphasize SITH at every opportunity.

But what does that say about the apologists who also promote SITH?

_____

Although Joseph explicitly stated that he translated the individual characters, the SITH scholars say that was a failed effort!

I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated some of them,

(Joseph Smith—History 1:62)

_____

Ideally, everyone in the Church would know that there are still some Latter-day Saints who believe Joseph translated the engravings on the plates. We don’t think Joseph pretended to translate. We think the historical evidence corroborates Joseph’s claim.

The citation cartel doesn’t tolerate such beliefs, however. They insist on conformity to their “stone-in-the-hat theory (SITH).

While it’s true that the SITH theory was circulating as early as 1829, Joseph and Oliver responded to those claims by explaining and reiterating that Joseph translated the plates with the interpreters that came with the plates.

Their successors testified about it repeatedly.

The revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants make it clear as well, as we’ll discuss soon.

Source: About Central America

July 8, 2022Uncategorized

Hopeful sign of a new course in LDS apologetics?

Some time ago a senior missionary who was a regular reader of the Interpreter but also liked my work asked me why Dan Peterson so frequently attacks me and other faithful Latter-day Saints who happen to disagree with Dan’s tactics and content. I said I don’t know (I still don’t).

Then I explained how and why I had changed my own mind on issues of M2C and SITH and that I thought it makes more sense to recognize and respect multiple working hypotheses instead of insisting on only one “acceptable” interpretation–especially the M2C and SITH interpretations that repudiate what the prophets have taught. However, I told him that our LDS apologists have a long history of a persecution complex, they live in intellectual silos that lead them to think their citation cartel represents all acceptable interpretations, and that Dan named his journal accordingly, so we can hardly expect anything different.

But I also emphasized that I’m always optimistic that the apologists would someday change course and recognize that there are multiple working hypotheses that are both faithful to the teachings of the prophets and based on evidence.

There is reason for hope that this may be happening, finally.

_____

First, some background. After the Maxwell Institute absorbed FARMS and then shed Dan Peterson as editor, it gradually distanced itself from Dan’s type of apologetics.

Old M2C logo

New logo

It deleted the M2C logo for its podcasts and followed the Church’s position of neutrality.

I’ve recommended their podcasts several times.

The Director, Spencer Fluhman, does an admirable job balancing competing interests. The Institute seems to be working toward respectfully acknowledging multiple working hypotheses, exactly what we all seek.

BYU Studies, when Jack Welch was editor, was a staunch promoter of M2C and SITH. It worked hand-in-hand with Book of Mormon Central (which Jack still runs as Founder and Chairman) to indoctrinate readers into believing M2C and SITH were the only permissible interpretations. It featured the Sorenson M2C maps (basically copies of the L.E. Hills map from 1917) and promoted related articles.

Unfortunately, BYU Studies still features the Sorenson M2C maps and some other legacy M2C/SITH material (such as Royal Skousen’s claims that Joseph didn’t translate the plates), but the new editor has taken BYU Studies in a much healthier direction. As I discussed last October, BYU Studies even published a fairly respectful discussion of multiple working hypotheses regarding Book of Mormon geography, although its editorial thumb was still firmly on M2C.

Those are positive developments we want to encourage more of.

_____

As for the lingering members of the M2C/SITH citation cartel, the Interpreter, FAIRLDS, and Book of Mormon Central, the change has not happened yet. But we remain hopeful.

FAIRLDS released their program for their conference on August 3-5, 2022 in Provo. No presentations on M2C or SITH are listed.

One of the traditions of the citation cartel remains, however. Dan “the Interpreter” is giving the concluding presentation. His topic: “Apologetics.”

This could be awesome. Maybe Dan is going to announce a course correction. He’s done that before, of course, as with his recent article on avoiding contention, published the week before the delightful reviews I’ve been peer reviewing on the InterpreterPeerReviews blog.

Although neither Dan nor his journal have followed his own advice in practice, I’m hopeful that now, finally, he will encourage his followers (and himself) to finally acknowledge that there are many faithful Latter-day Saints who still believe what the prophets have taught about the New York Cumorah and the translation of the Book of Mormon.

Another hopeful sign is that Scott Gordon, the President of FAIRLDS, has listed his topic as “TBA.” I’ve talked with Scott and offered to work with him to open the dialog so that FAIRLDS could represent a range of faithful LDS answers to questions instead of insisting on M2C and SITH. To date, he has refused. If anything, he has doubled down on M2C and SITH.

But eventually, both Scott and Dan will recognize that their brand of apologetics is counterproductive. Faithful Latter-day Saints and non-LDS alike (including both former and prospective LDS) seek good information. We don’t want a small group of like-minded LDS intellectuals to tell us what to think. We want access to multiple working hypotheses, fairly and accurately presented together in a spirit of respect so we can compare and contrast.

We all want to make informed decisions.

We seek unity in diversity so we can all build Zion together.

Maybe Scott and Dan will take this opportunity to announce the course correction we’ve all been waiting for.

I’m hopeful. That will take care of 2/3 of the lingering citation cartel.

Book of Mormon Central is another story that we’ll discuss in an upcoming post.

_____

BTW, it turns out I’ll be in Utah during the FAIRLDS conference. Hopefully I can attend in person and report good news.

It’s pricy, but the citation cartel is always hungry for donations…

I would happily give them their $127 (about $6/session) if FAIRLDS is actually going to change course. What do you think?

Any chance they will respectfully acknowledge multiple faithful working hypotheses?

Source: About Central America

July 7, 2022Uncategorized

Hugh Nibley and no patience with M2C

While I’m fine with people believing and advocating whatever they want, that doesn’t mean I feel obligated or compelled to agree with anyone else.

When scholars present an alternative to the teachings of the prophets, I prefer to accept what the prophets have taught, particularly when their teachings are corroborated and vindicated by external evidence.

I think people should make their own informed decisions.

Here are 3 slides from a presentation I gave a few years ago.

Source: About Central America

July 6, 2022Uncategorized

Under the banner of the Interpreter, Episode 6

People have asked me what I think of the Interpreter’s Witnesses movie.

Given the current state of LDS apologetics, it’s not surprising that a movie from apologists who seek to bolster the testimony of the witnesses would have made E.D. Howe proud.

Not to mention that the Interpreter expressly and adamantly rejects what these same witnesses said about the New York Cumorah.

I discussed that previously here:

https://www.bookofmormoncentralamerica.com/2021/06/witnesses-movie-review.html

and here:

https://www.bookofmormoncentralamerica.com/2021/06/more-on-witnesses-movie.html

I also previously discussed a related “Kno-Why” from Book of Mormon Central, here:

https://www.bookofmormoncentralamerica.com/2019/06/dan-bmc-and-deferring-to-scholars.html

_____

Speaking of movies, I discussed the concept of “two movies on one screen” here:

https://www.bookofmormoncentralamerica.com/2019/05/restating-two-movies.html

Source: About Central America

July 5, 2022Uncategorized

Where the Indians in New York came from

Although there is plenty of extrinsic evidence that corroborates the New York Cumorah as explained in Letter VII, there are also incidents in Church history that corroborate Letter VII.

One is a spiritual account provided by Benjamin Benson in 1839. The Joseph Smith Papers provide a useful historical background. However, their footnotes

_____

Historical Background from the Joseph Smith Papers provides useful context:

During his fall 1837 visit to

Far West

, Missouri, JS spoke with Missouri

church

member Benjamin Benson on the evening of 11 November.

1

At JS’s request, Benson wrote a letter the next day recounting a “dream or vision” he had shared with JS the previous night. The original letter is not extant, but

James Mulholland

copied Benson’s letter into JS’s second letterbook in 1839.

The account of his dream reveals that, like many of his era, Benson was concerned about the origins of American Indians and the validity of the Bible’s account of human origins.

2

Benson had prayed to learn whether Indians had been placed on the American continent at the creation of the world or had descended from Adam, as he understood the Bible taught. The dream he related to JS occurred forty-two years earlier, in 1795, when he was twenty-two years old. In Benson’s account of the dream, an

angel

took him to a specific place where a record was deposited. There the angel showed him a book, which was to come forth at a later time, that contained a record of a people from Jerusalem, who were the forefathers of the American Indians. Benson also saw in his dream a man who would bring forth that book. In the letter, Benson mentions the “Book [of] Ether” from the Book of Mormon, which along with other details indicates he likely felt that the book in the dream was the Book of Mormon and that the man bringing forth the book in his vision was JS.

This link goes to the copy of the letter in the Letterbook 2. I show the notes below, with some brief commentary. My emphasis in bold.

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-from-benjamin-benson-12-november-1837/1

Dear Brother in the Lord, Having reflected on the short interview we had last evening respecting the dream (or vision as you may think proper to term it) and as you stated several times that you should like to have it wrote so that you could take it home with you to

Kirtland

, I therefore consent to give a statement in as short <a> manner as I can, without going into every minute circumstance. To wit.—

In the year 1795, I then being in the Town of Pompey, County of Onondagua and State of New York; I then being 22 years old; seeing and viewing the ancient Indian Forts

1

and trates thereof through that part of the Country; my mind was anxiously led to contemplate and reflect on where these those Indians came from, or from what race of People they sprang from, and oftentimes heard it stated that these Indians were natives of this Continent, and that they were created and placed here at the creation of the world.

2

Then said I the Bible cannot be true, part of for it (The Bible) says that all the human family sprang from Adam &c, and that all at the time of the flood, the whole earth was covered with water, and that all flesh died, except what were in the ark with Noah, then with things taking place, and I firmly believing that the Bible was true, my heart’s desire was to God in solemn prayer to know where and what race of people these Indians sprang from, It was made known (whether by dream or vision I will leave that for you, to judge) An

angel

as I thought came to me and said, Come along with me and I was immediately on a beast like a horse, and the angel at my left hand with his feet about the same height that my feet were as I sat on the horse, and in this position was conveyed to near the place where the record was deposited and he said stop here, and the angel went about 4 or 5 Rods and took in his hand a book, and on his return to where I stood, as I thought there were many stood with me; One said, what book is that? and the answer was, it is a bible a bible, the word of God, a record of a people that came from Jerusalem, the fore fathers of these Indians, And it also contains a record of a people that came from the Tower of Babel at the time the Lord confounded the language and scattered the people into all the world, and it the Book Ether;

3

and then with great anxiety of heart I asked if I might have the book, and answer was that it was not the Lords time then, but it should come, “and you shall see it,” and then said look, and as I looked, I beheld a man standing as I thought at a distance of two hundred yards, and the angel said “there is the Man that the Lord hath appointed &c, and he is not yet born.[”] I have related it in short, as I have not time now to give a full detail of all that I had a view of. Yours with respect.

Benjamin Benson

November 12th 1837

Joseph Smith Jr.

Far West

.

N. B At some further time if the Lord will I will be more full if you should wish it. I shall direct this to you as a letter and you cannot act your Judgement in either keeping it to yourself or publishing it by making use of my name.

_____

Note 1: Benson may have been referring to the fortified villages or traditional longhouses built by the Oneida and Onondaga tribes of the Iroquois Six Nations in central New York. He also may have seen forts built during the French and Indian War, some of which were constructed on the ruins of American Indian villages. The forts described by Benson also may have had connections to other indigenous people. Contemporary accounts identified several mounds in western New York and associated these mounds and their fortifications with an ancient moundbuilding people. (Hauptman, Conspiracy of Interests, 27–33, 78, 107; Hamilton, French and Indian Wars, 161–184, 239–249; Vogel, Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon, 24–30.)

Comprehensive Works Cited

Hauptman, Laurence M. Conspiracy of Interests: Iroquois Dispossession and the Rise of New York State. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1999.

Hamilton, Edward Pierce. The French and Indian Wars: The Story of Battles and Forts in the Wilderness. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1962.

Vogel, Dan. Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon: Religious Solutions from Columbus to Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1986.

This note doesn’t mention the presence of dozens of Ohio Hopewell sites in Western New York dating to Book of Mormon timeframes. Instead, it cites Dan Vogel’s book which claims Joseph Smith relied on the “Moundbuilder myth.” I refer to this line of reasoning as the “myth of the moundbuilder myth.”

_____

Note 2: The theory of polygenism, or different origins for different races, emerged in European scholarly thought in the sixteenth century. As Europeans encountered new cultures and races, polygenism attempted to explain their origins. Discussions of this theory were particularly widespread in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as Enlightenment thought led to the development of racial science and the categorization and ranking of different races. Some scholars tried to make the Bible compatible with polygenism, creating theories of multiple or simultaneous creations besides the creation of Adam. Polygenism and its underlying racial concerns are found throughout nineteenth-century popular and religious literature. For many nineteenth-century Christians, the theory was a direct challenge to Christianity’s single biblical creation and the religious requirement of redemption after the fall of Adam and Eve. JS, like other Christians of his day, emphasized the single creation found in the Bible and humanity’s common descent from Adam and Eve. (Kidd, Forging of Races, 121–167; Livingstone, Adam’s Ancestors, 169–201; Reeve, Religion of a Different Color, 131.)

Comprehensive Works Cited

Kidd, Colin. The Forging of Races: Race and Scripture in the Protestant Atlantic World, 1600–2000. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Livingstone, David N. Adam’s Ancestors: Race, Religion, and the Politics of Human Origins. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008.

Reeve, W. Paul. Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

_____

Note 3. See Book of Mormon, 1830 ed., 539 [Ether 1:33–35]; and Title Page of the Book of Mormon, ca. Early June 1829.

_____

Note 4. The letter was not published in either the Elders’ Journal or the church’s later publication, Times and Seasons.

_____

Glenn Rawson did a short video on this letter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edl5qEbvZiA

Source: Letter VII

July 5, 2022Uncategorized

SITH and Visions in a Seer Stone

Nearly two years ago, I noted a book titled Visions in a Seer Stone by William L. Davis. I recommend that people read it because Davis relies on the same SITH accounts that our LDS apologists do. Like the citation cartel, Davis argues that Joseph Smith didn’t really translate anything.

I completely disagree. I think Joseph and Oliver told the truth about the translation.

To be clear, I think Joseph translated the engravings on the plates and did not merely read words that appeared on a stone in a hat, or in a vision:

41 Therefore, you shall translate the engravings which are on the plates of Nephi, down even till you come to the reign of king Benjamin, or until you come to that which you have translated, which you have retained;

…

45 Behold, there are many things engraven upon the plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel; therefore, it is wisdom in me that you should translate this first part of the engravings of Nephi, and send forth in this work.

(Doctrine and Covenants 10:41–45)

But our modern LDS scholars reject that. They insist that Joseph never really translated the plates.

Their SITH narrative is the foundation for the claims made by William Davis, John Dehlin, CES Letter, etc.

_____

Davis’ argument that the Book of Mormon is a performance by Joseph Smith is one of the inevitable conclusions people reach when they accept the SITH narrative.

Scholars who teach SITH, including those who publish in the Interpreter and other citation cartel venues, reject the claim by Joseph and Oliver that Joseph translated the engravings on the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim that came with the plates.

For another example, see my post about the SITH exhibits at the Priesthood Restoration Site in what was once called Harmony, Pennsylvania.

http://www.ldshistoricalnarratives.com/2022/07/the-seer-stone-in-harmony.html

Source: About Central America

July 4, 2022Uncategorized

America’s Destiny – July 4, 2022

From time to time it’s useful to review and reflect upon an important General Conference address by President Marion G. Romney, delivered in October 1975.

Many Latter-day Saints, especially those of the rising generation, have no idea about the connection between the Book of Mormon and America.

My beloved brothers and sisters, I invite you to join in a prayer that while I speak you and I may both enjoy the Spirit. I will give you a lesson today that the Lord has taken great pains to bring to us.

Among the questions frequently raised in connection with our upcoming national bicentennial is “Can we maintain our basic freedoms, peace, and prosperity for another 200 years?”

The answer to this question is yes, if we shall individually repent and conform to the laws of the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ.

President Romney explained how the Book of Mormon relates to America’s history and future, noting that both the Nephites and Jaredites were destroyed at Cumorah in western New York. He had visited the Palmyra area earlier that year.

In the western part of the state of New York near Palmyra is a prominent hill known as the “hill Cumorah.” (Morm. 6:6.) On July twenty-fifth of this year, as I stood on the crest of that hill admiring with awe the breathtaking panorama which stretched out before me on every hand, my mind reverted to the events which occurred in that vicinity some twenty-five centuries ago—events which brought to an end the great Jaredite nation….

As I contemplated this tragic scene from the crest of Cumorah and viewed the beautiful land of the Restoration as it appears today, I cried in my soul, “How could it have happened?” …

This second civilization to which I refer, the Nephites, flourished in America between 600 b.c. and a.d. 400. Their civilization came to an end for the same reason, at the same place, and in the same manner as did the Jaredites’….

The tragic fate of the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations is proof positive that the Lord meant it when he said that this “is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.” (Ether 2:9.)

President Romney addressed not only members of the Church, but also nonmembers.

Now my beloved brethren and sisters everywhere, both members of the Church and nonmembers, I bear you my personal witness that I know that the things I have presented to you today are true—both those pertaining to past events and those pertaining to events yet to come. The issue we face is clear and well defined. The choice is ours. The question is: Shall we of this dispensation repent and obey the laws of the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, or shall we continue to defy them until we ripen in iniquity?

All around us we see evidence of the answer to his question.

Here is the entire sermon.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1975/10/americas-destiny?lang=eng

America’s Destiny

By President Marion G. Romney

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

My beloved brothers and sisters, I invite you to join in a prayer that while I speak you and I may both enjoy the Spirit. I will give you a lesson today that the Lord has taken great pains to bring to us.

Among the questions frequently raised in connection with our upcoming national bicentennial is “Can we maintain our basic freedoms, peace, and prosperity for another 200 years?”

The answer to this question is yes, if we shall individually repent and conform to the laws of the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ.

He has stated the basics of his laws in the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and in the two great commandments:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. …

“And … thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22:37, 39.)

Millennia ago he declared: “There shall none come into this land [he was speaking of America] save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

“… this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them.” (2 Ne. 1:6–7.)

Another ancient prophet said,

“This is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.” (Ether 2:12.)

It is my purpose in making these remarks to point out from the record of ancient inhabitants of America that the foregoing decrees have been carried out.

In the western part of the state of New York near Palmyra is a prominent hill known as the “hill Cumorah.” (Morm. 6:6.) On July twenty-fifth of this year, as I stood on the crest of that hill admiring with awe the breathtaking panorama which stretched out before me on every hand, my mind reverted to the events which occurred in that vicinity some twenty-five centuries ago—events which brought to an end the great Jaredite nation.

You who are acquainted with the Book of Mormon will recall that during the final campaign of the fratricidal war between the armies led by Shiz and those led by Coriantumr “nearly two millions” of Coriantumr’s people had been slain by the sword; “two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children.” (Ether 15:2.)

As the conflict intensified, all the people who had not been slain—men “with their wives and their children” (Ether 15:15)—gathered about that hill Cumorah (see Ether 15:11).

“The people who were for Coriantumr were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr; and the people who were for Shiz were gathered together to the army of Shiz. …

“Both men women and children being armed with weapons of war … did march forth one against another to battle; and they fought all that day, and conquered not.

“And it came to pass that when it was night they were weary, and retired to their camps; and … took up a howling and a lamentation for the loss of the slain of their people.” (Ether 15:13, 15–16.)

This routine was repeated day after day until “they had all fallen by the sword, save it were Coriantumr and Shiz.” Shiz himself “had fainted with the loss of blood.

“And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, [and] rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.

“And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised upon his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died.

“And it came to pass that Coriantumr fell to the earth, and became as if he had no life.” (Ether 15:29–32.)

Thus perished at the foot of Cumorah the remnant of the once mighty Jaredite nation, of whom the Lord had said, “There shall be none greater … upon all the face of the earth.” (Ether 1:43.)

As I contemplated this tragic scene from the crest of Cumorah and viewed the beautiful land of the Restoration as it appears today, I cried in my soul, “How could it have happened?”

The answer came immediately as I remembered that some fifteen to twenty centuries before their destruction, as the small group of their ancestors was being divinely led from the tower of Babel, the Lord “would that they should come forth even unto [this] land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

“And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared [their prophet-leader], that whoso should possess this land … from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

“And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land,” wrote the ancient prophet-historian, “that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

“For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God.” (Ether 2:7–10.)

Pursuant to this decree concerning the land of America, the Jaredites were swept off in the manner we have reviewed, because, rebelling against the laws of Jesus Christ—the God of the land—they “ripened in iniquity.”

Nor were they the only people who anciently were divinely led to this choice land to grow in righteousness to be a mighty nation and then to deteriorate in wickedness until they ripened in iniquity and were, pursuant to God’s decree, swept off.

I emphasize “divinely led” because, as above indicated, the Lord told them that they were being so led, and “that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

“Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.” (2 Ne. 1:6–7.)

This second civilization to which I refer, the Nephites, flourished in America between 600 b.c. and a.d. 400. Their civilization came to an end for the same reason, at the same place, and in the same manner as did the Jaredites’. From the account of their death struggle, I quote:

“And now,” says Mormon, their historian, “I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites. And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites … to the land of Cumorah. … And when … we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah, … my people, with their wives and their children, did … behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.

“And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war.

“And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.

“And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow … from the top of the hill Cumorah, [230,000] of my people who were hewn down, …

“Even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who had dissented over unto the Lamanites, had fallen. …

“And my soul was rent with anguish, … and I cried:

“O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! … How could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!

“Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. …

“O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, … how is it that ye could have fallen! …

“O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you.” (Morm. 6:1, 4, 5, 7, 9–11, 15–19, 22.)

Moroni a little later wrote:

“Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. …

“… after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, … the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed.

“And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people.” (Morm. 8:1–3.)

The tragic fate of the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations is proof positive that the Lord meant it when he said that this “is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.” (Ether 2:9.)

This information, wrote Moroni, addressing himself to us who today occupy this land, “cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles” (now, Gentiles is the term used by the Book of Mormon prophets to refer to the present inhabitants of America and to the peoples of the old world from which they came), “[this] cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.” (Ether 2:11–12.)

In 1492, in harmony with the Lord’s statement heretofore quoted, “that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord” (2 Ne. 1:6), Columbus was divinely led to America.

Away back between 590 and 600 years b.c., Nephi, looking in vision down the stream of time, “beheld a man among the Gentiles [that is, among the nations of Europe], who was separated from [this promised land] by the many waters; and I beheld,” said he, “the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto … the promised land.

“And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth … upon the many waters.

“And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise.” (1 Ne. 13:12–14.)

Columbus himself corroborated the fact that he was divinely led to this land.

“In the royal presence of Isabella, Irving [his biographer] says: ‘He unfolded his plans with eloquence and zeal for he felt himself, as he afterwards declared, kindled as with a fire from on high, and considered himself the agent chosen of heaven to accomplish the grand design. …

“His son Fernando, in the biography of his father quotes him as saying on one occasion: ‘God gave me the faith and afterwards the courage so that I was quite willing to undertake the journey.’

“And the will of Columbus reads:

“‘In the name of the … holy trinity, who inspired me with the idea and afterwards made it perfectly clear to me that I could navigate and go to the Indies from Spain, by traversing the ocean westward.’” (Nephi Lowell Morris, Prophecies of Joseph Smith and Their Fulfillment, Deseret Book, 1945, pp. 289, 294–95; italics added.)

Because Columbus was led, we are here in this choice land.

God gave us victory in the Revolutionary War. We are indebted to him for our nation’s independence. He has prospered us in every righteous endeavor. He established the Constitution of the United States “by the hands of wise men whom [he] raised up unto this very purpose.” (D&C 101:80.)

He himself with his Beloved Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith to open a new dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ here in this land. He has established his Church here and has sent and is sending representatives thereof into every nook and corner of the land—and as far as possible to all the earth—to declare and teach the laws of Jesus Christ, the God of this land.

He has revealed anew and repeated over and over again the ancient decree: “This is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God” concerning this land. (Ether 2:10.)

This knowledge has been revealed to us that we “may know the decrees of God—that [we] may repent, and not continue in [our] iniquities until the fulness come, that [we] may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon [us] as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.” (Ether 2:11.)

We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times, which will be climaxed by the second advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning the approach of that event and what is in store for the inhabitants of the earth between now and then, the Lord said 144 years ago:

“The wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure. …

“Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear.”

And this is his message: “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;

“And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth. …

“The hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.

“And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon … the world.” (D&C 1:9, 11–13, 35–36.)

Now my beloved brethren and sisters everywhere, both members of the Church and nonmembers, I bear you my personal witness that I know that the things I have presented to you today are true—both those pertaining to past events and those pertaining to events yet to come. The issue we face is clear and well defined. The choice is ours. The question is: Shall we of this dispensation repent and obey the laws of the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, or shall we continue to defy them until we ripen in iniquity?

That we will repent and obey and thereby qualify to receive the blessings promised to the righteous in this land, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

Source: About Central America

July 3, 2022Uncategorized

Under the banner of the Interpreter, episode 5

As a reminder, we’re discussing the two reviews by Spencer Kraus, a researcher for Jack Welch’s Book of Mormon Central, that were published in Dan Peterson’s Interpreter journal. I’m responding on my Interpreter Peer Reviews blog, here: https://interpreterpeerreviews.blogspot.com/

In this blog (bookofmormocentralamerica), we’re exploring what Brother Kraus’ two reviews reveal about the state of LDS apologetics, the citation cartel, and what passes for LDS scholarly endeavors today.

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The other day I got a phone call from a well-known LDS scholar who has published in both BYU Studies and the Interpreter. He was quite dismayed, even shocked, by the tone and approach of Brother Kraus’ reviews. He couldn’t believe his colleagues would approve such work.

I replied that I don’t mind criticism, that at least the reviews have brought the issues to the attention of Interpreter readers who are otherwise in a silo that prevents them from hearing multiple working hypotheses, and that these articles might open a few minds who have been oblivious of (or even complicit in) the current state of LDS apologetics.

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Ask yourself, if you were an LDS teenager or college student and you read the Interpreter, in this case Brother Kraus’ reviews, would you be less or more inclined to be affiliated with the Church?

Or, you were a “friend” of the Church and you read these reviews, would you be less or more inclined to want to join?

Let’s say you listened to the recent broadcast on Sharing the Gospel. This month’s Fifth Sunday focuses on the Love, Share and Invite initiative. The instructions include this:

Focus the meeting on the following two objectives:

Help each young man prepare for and serve a mission, and help each young woman who desires to prepare for and serve a mission.
Help each member share the gospel of Jesus Christ in normal and natural ways by acting upon the principles of love, share, and invite.

Would any Latter-day Saint be eager to share Brother Kraus’ reviews in this setting as an example of how Latter-day Saint scholars share the gospel through their work?

And yet, for our modern apologists (including Jack and Dan), this is par for the course. They’re so used to this type of rhetoric that they not only approve it, they encourage and promote it.

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By now, it is, or should be, well known throughout the Church that many younger members struggle with their faith. Although problems with Church history, particularly SITH, rank at or near the top of their problems with the Church, interpersonal relationships are also a major factor.

Where I live, we have a YSA branch that has over 100 people on the list but fewer than 5 participate. That’s not atypical. Another friend of mine told me that an Area President in another part of the world called him. They have known each other for a long time. The Area President asked my friend to come on a mission to help with YSAs because they had over 1,000 on the roster but can only account for about 25.

I’ve spoken to lots of missionaries, particularly senior couples, who are on MLS missions (member/leader support) who have similar experiences.

Young missionaries report to anyone who will listen that the people they contact promptly consult the Internet and come across CES Letter, Mormon Stories, and similar channels, all of whom rely on SITH and M2C to undermine faith. And yet, our apologists not only promote SITH and M2C, but castigate any faithful Latter-day Saint who dares to offer an alternative faithful interpretation.

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Years ago, I knew a 16-year-old Priest (let’s call him Sam) who attended regularly, although most of his friends at school were not LDS. One day in the Priests Quorum meeting, some of the Priests (the “popular” ones) ganged up on one of the others, teasing him about something. Sam stood up and walked out. Later, I asked him to come back. He declined. He said “My non-Mormon friends don’t treat each other that way. Why would I want to spend time with guys like that who treat each other that way?”

He never returned to the Church.

His story is not uncommon. Most readers here undoubtedly know of similar situations within their wards, families, and friends.

Can you imagine Brother Kraus as an Elders Quorum President writing or speaking about a member of his Quorum the way he wrote these reviews?

Or can you imagine Brother Kraus’ father actually helping and encouraging him to do so, and being proud of him for publishing these reviews?

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It’s not merely the tone and rhetoric of these reviews that is distasteful. It’s the desire for censorship that so many find repulsive.

It’s one thing to disagree about an interpretation of Church history. As I’ve emphasized, I welcome and encourage the idea of multiple working hypotheses. Our own Articles of Faith encourage this principle. If we claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, we can hardly object when others do the same.

By definition, that means I readily acknowledge and even enjoy different opinions. That’s why I’m fine with people who believe M2C, SITH, or any number of alternative interpretations.

I just have a different view. I think the evidence supports interpretations that corroborate and vindicate what Joseph and Oliver claimed.

When I look around and observe the fruits of M2C and SITH, they look rotten to me.

But the last thing I would do is seek to censor those ideas.

To the contrary, I encourage people to read what our scholars write. I think everyone in the Church should know what Royal Skousen has written in the Interpreter, for example. I think everyone should read Brother Kraus’ reviews to better understand how our current crop of scholars think and approach these issues.

Then we can decide for ourselves whether we want to jump on the acrimonious censorship bandwagon that Jack and Dan have created through the citation cartel. We can decide if we want to encourage our rising generation of apologists such as Brother Kraus and his entourage to continue down this path.

We can decide for ourselves whether the Interpreter and Book of Mormon Central exemplify Love, Share, and Invite.

Or not.

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BTW, you might find it interesting to see the word cloud for Brother Kraus’ reviews. You should ask yourself, what are these reviews about, actually?

For me, it’s sadly funny to see the focus. Like the goofy Peter Pan, Brother Kraus seems obsessed with me.

Source: About Central America

July 1, 2022Uncategorized

Under the banner of the Interpreter, episode 4

In this episode, we’ll address the underlying issue of SITH vs U&T.

In 1997, Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson published a book titled How Wide the Divide? A Mormon & an Evangelical in Conversation.

The Interpreter’s reviews of two of my latest books leads me to wonder, how wide is the divide? Because the citation cartel refuses to have a conversation, I’ll offer one in this post.

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User Interfaces. The outside world presents identical chemistry and physics to each of us, but we experience life through our individual, unique user interfaces; i.e., our bodies, minds, and spirits. Our tastes in food, art, entertainment, sports, religion, politics, science, history–all of these and more reflect our user interfaces. Our interfaces are basically computer code, written by our DNA, our education, culture, language, and our family, social and life experiences.

Years ago, when the first Macintosh was released, I bought one right away. IIRC, it cost $2,495, a lot of money back then. It had 128k floppy disks and no hard drive. (I later bought a 5 megabyte hard drive that weighed nearly as much as the Mac itself.) At the time, everyone was using PCs with MS-DOS, a character-based interface. Everyone thought the Mac was “weird.”

My bosses at the time asked me to demonstrate it to them and the staff. They thought it was a toy and didn’t see the point when they could simply type cmd prompts to do what they wanted.

Microsoft released an “Interface manager” that superimposed a graphic interface over MS-DOS but was clunky and not competitive with the Mac. Of course, Microsoft had a much larger installed base, but ordinary people intuitively preferred the graphic interface over the character interface. Microsoft innovated until Windows became not only competitive with the Macintosh operating system, but even better according to many users.

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Different interpretations of Church history and Book of Mormon historicity are like different user interfaces. I frequently discuss M2C and SITH because those two theories aim directly at the heart of the keystone of our religion: the Book of Mormon.

My user interface operates by believing what Joseph and Oliver taught. Others have a different user interface. That doesn’t bother me at all, any more than I care whether someone uses a Mac or a PC, an iPhone or an Android.

But, apparently, the people running the M2C/SITH citation cartels and their followers insist that everyone needs to use their user interface.

Let’s have a conversation about what that means.

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I’m well aware that many Latter-day Saints say it doesn’t matter how Joseph produced the Book of Mormon because they know it’s true. I respect that. Some adherents of every religion simply believe regardless of what anyone says. Anyone who has served a mission has encountered this approach because most people in the world consider their beliefs integral to their identity and worldview.

We could say they have the spiritual gift of “exceedingly great faith” (Moroni 10:11). And that’s awesome.

But that’s just one of the spiritual gifts Moroni listed. For those who have different gifts, a different approach may be more useful.

And it’s obvious that the vast majority of God’s children don’t have the gift of “exceedingly great faith,” at least not in the sense of believing it doesn’t matter how Joseph produced the Book of Mormon–especially when they are told he produced it by reading words off a peep stone he found in a well long before he got the plates, and that he didn’t use the plates at all.

In my case, I have great faith, but I also think it matters how Joseph produced the Book of Mormon, partly because he said it mattered and he took efforts to distance himself from the peep stone narrative, as we’ll see in an upcoming episode.

As an aside, I suppose the gift of “exceedingly great faith” might extend to having faith in the teachings of the “Interpreters” who write for and publish the “Interpreter.” That’s a gift I definitely lack. Instead, I follow the adage “trust, but verify,” and when I verify, I often find it was a mistake to trust these scholars.

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Speaking of conversations, here’s the gist of one that occurs thousands of times daily around the world, either in person or over the Internet.

Missionary (handing over a Book of Mormon): “I’d like to share with you another testament of Jesus Christ.”

Friend (taking the book): “Awesome! Where did you get this?”

Missionary: “From a prophet named Joseph Smith.”

Friend: “Who? When was this?”

Missionary: “In 1823, a resurrected being told Joseph, who was seventeen at the time, living in rural New York in the United States, that an ancient record had been written and deposited in a hill near his house.”

Friend: “Really?”

Missionary: “Yes, and it tells us about Christ. Joseph got the record, which had been written on metal plates. Then he translated it into English and had it printed.”

Friend: “How did he translate it if it was an ancient language? How did he know the language?”

Missionary: “See, here’s the thing. He didn’t know the language. If you look here at the beginning of the book and read his history, he said he translated it, but actually, our scholars have discovered that he didn’t really translate it.”

Friend: “Huh? Why are you telling me this?”

Missionary: “Because it’s true. He had this stone he found in a well years earlier that he used to find buried treasure…”

Friend: “Did he find treasure with it?”

Missionary: “No, but that’s not the point. God called him as a seer. He could read words that appeared on the stone. He put the stone in the hat to block the light and read the words out loud. He had a scribe who wrote everything down and that’s how we got this Book of Mormon.”

Friend: “Didn’t you just say he found an ancient record?”

Missionary: “He did. But it turns out he didn’t really need it because God put the words on the stone.”

Friend (handing the book back to the missionary): “No thanks.”

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It’s probably just me, but it seems like a better approach is to stick with what Joseph and Oliver said, not what our modern scholars say.

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SITH, portrayed by BYU professor

The premise for SITH has been explained in several venues.

BMC: “Joseph used both the Nephite Interpreters (later called the “Urim and Thummim”) that were discovered with the plates and his individual seer stone in the translation of the Book of Mormon… Unfortunately, the historical sources on Joseph’s use of these instruments during the translation are sometimes contradictory or ambiguous. For example, even eyewitness participants in the translation of the Book of Mormon sometimes confused the terminology in their descriptions of the event.”

As this excerpt demonstrates, some historians have conflated witness statements about the translation of the 116 pages with statements about the translation work after those pages were lost. So far, no one has produced a historical source that claims Joseph used “both” the Urim and Thummim and the seer stone from the well (the “peep stone”) to translate the text we have today.

The historical sources claim one or the other. Even the 1834 book Mormonism Unvailed presented them as alternative explanations.

Instead of looking at the characters inscribed upon the plates, the prophet was obliged to resort to the old ”peep stone,” which he formerly used in money-digging. This he placed in a hat, or box, into which he also thrust his face. Through the stone he could then discover a single word at a time, which he repeated aloud to his amanuensis, who committed it to paper, when another word would immediately appear, and thus the performance continued to the end of the book.

Another account they give of the transaction, is, that it was performed with the big spectacles before mentioned, and which were in fact, the identical Urim and Thumim mentioned in Exodus 28 — 30…

https://archive.org/details/mormonismunvaile00howe/page/18/mode/2up?q=Urim

Although modern scholars have tried to bridge the gap between these alternative accounts by conflating the two objects under the common rubric of “Urim and Thummim,” the historical record contradicts that effort. While it’s true that David Whitmer, Emma Smith, and others eventually adopted the SITH narrative set out in Mormonism Unvailed, we can see that Joseph and Oliver explicitly distanced their explanation from SITH.

Obviously, neither Joseph nor Oliver ever said or implied that Joseph merely read words off the peep stone he found in a well long before he ever had the plates. But SITHsayers cite the adage that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, so we need to see what Joseph and Oliver did actually say. Which we will do in an upcoming episode.

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Source: About Central America

June 30, 2022Uncategorized

Under the Banner of the Interpreter, episode 3

By publishing two lengthy articles written by a Book of Mormon Central researcher, the Interpreter has opened the door to a discussion about the state of LDS apologetics today, particularly in the citation cartel. First, we’ll look at the authors of these articles, then the ringleaders that enable and encourage them.

Since the days when FARMS disintegrated, the principals have learned a lot about how to manage perceptions. Their overall agenda hasn’t changed–they promote M2C and SITH more stridently all the time–but they now have multi-million dollar budgets funded by donors who have little idea of what’s going on. The principals have set up a clever facade of interlocking organizations that have different logos but a unified determination to impose their opinions through censorship and sophistry.

I assume all the apologists are wonderful, faithful, dedicated Latter-day Saints. I also assume they are capable of changing course and adopting a more productive approach. Whether they will is up to them, of course. I’m optimistic and hopeful that things will improve, but I’m realistic enough to know that problems don’t get solved until they are recognized and addressed.*

Thus, none of this is an “ad hominem” argument. “Ad hominem is a logical fallacy that involves a personal attack: an argument based on the perceived failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case.” Here, we focus on the merits. For good examples of ad hominem arguments, see articles published by the Interpreter.

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Maybe it’s inevitable that a small group of scholars united under the banner of the Interpreter, with the byline “Supporting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through scholarship,” would conflate their personal opinions with the doctrines and beliefs of the Church they purport to support.

Most Latter-day Saints ignore these foolish antics of the apologists in the citation cartel. We go about our business, helping our fellow Latter-day Saints and our local communities, attending the temple, teaching classes and serving missions, and generally rejoicing in living the gospel on a daily basis. We support our Church leaders and still believe what Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery said.

But we all know people in our wards and families and among our friends who have lost, or are losing, their faith because of the style and substance of the LDS intellectuals who have appointed themselves as the experts everyone is supposed to defer to. Because some of them are employed by BYU or work for the Church in another capacity, they seem to think they have been hired by Church leaders to “interpret” for other Latter-day Saints. Thus, in their view, if you disagree with them (especially if you offer a faithful interpretation of Church history that supports and corroborates what Joseph and Oliver taught instead of M2C and SITH), you are an apostate–according to them.

It’s a fascinating development. People both inside and outside the Church cannot understand why LDS apologists turn on their own. Many choose not to affiliate with the Church as a result.

The need for a course correction is apparent to everyone–except the scholars who have caused these problems in the first place. Or, if they are aware of the problem, maybe they just need a nudge.

Let’s hope.

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For example, since the inception of the Interpreter and Book of Mormon Central, the growth of the Church has steadily declined.

(click to enlarge)

Correlation is not necessarily causation, of course, and there are many factors involved with Church growth, but anyone who is active on social media (particularly English-language social media) knows that LDS apologists are flailing in comparison to the critics.

The chart includes the Philippines and Africa, where most of the growth of the Church occurs today. Those areas are much different from the U.S., where LDS apologetics and critics battle it out and Church growth is far less. In 2020-2021, Church membership actually declined in 21 states in the U.S., plus the District of Columbia.*

Recently, the Australian government released 2021 census data showing only 57,868 people self-reported as Latter-day Saints, compared with the Church’s published figures of 155,383. Fifteen years ago, in 2006, 53,100 Australians self-reported as Latter-day Saints.

In light of these and related outcomes, many of us are perplexed at the way our LDS apologists are doubling down on their theories, including in particular those which directly impact the keystone of our religion; i.e., M2C and SITH. Critics use SITH as one of their main tools to lead people to question their faith, following the model set out in 1834 in Mormonism Unvailed. We’ll look at examples in a future episode.

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I’ve mentioned that I’ve been working on a book on LDS apologetics and apologists. Certainly the citation cartel has provided a lot of material. However, life is short–there is lots of golf to be played–and the record is public, so everyone can see what is happening. By now most people in and out of the Church realize that our apologists have led their followers into a dead end, both in style and substance.

Social media abounds with content that relies on the work of our LDS apologists to undermine and destroy faith. Two of the most popular critics are the CES Letter and Mormon Stories, both of whom happily and eagerly refer their audience to the work of the citation cartel.

Under the banner of the Interpreter, FAIRLDS, Book of Mormon Central, and the rest of the citation cartel, many Latter-day Saints experience a faith crisis. Lapsed apologists are active on social media, pointing out the logical and factual fallacies of their former colleagues.

At the same time, the citation cartel aggressively attacks faithful Latter-day Saints who don’t accept either their style or their substance. In particular, there are still some Latter-day Saints who believe the teachings of the prophets about the New York Cumorah and the translation of the plates by means of the Urim and Thummim. But, according to the citation cartel, such beliefs amount to apostasy.

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There are two men who could single-handedly correct the problems they’ve generated, but they refuse to do so: Dan Peterson and John W. (Jack) Welch. They run the Interpreter and Book of Mormon Central, respectively.

They have done some top-notch research and teaching, with many years of experience and extensive contacts throughout the Church. They have millions of dollars at their disposal and hundreds, if not thousands, of devoted followers. In a sense, they are “untouchable.”

I’ve mentioned them before. Dan takes personal offense, as he has throughout his career, which may explain why he loves Peter Pan so much (see below). Ironically, the week before posting the two acrimonious, contentious articles by Brother Kraus, Dan published an article about avoiding contention! His article included this passage:

Here at the Interpreter Foundation, we seek to comment upon, advocate, defend, and commend the scriptures, doctrines, and claims of the Restoration. We do so strongly, and with commitment. Sometimes even (or so we imagine!) with wit. We don’t back down from what we’re convinced is true, good, and beautiful. But we also try to do what we do honestly, calmly, and with charity. Without cruelty or anger or malice. We would have little claim to be disciples of the Savior if we didn’t make a serious effort to behave as he has asked us to behave.

Compare that to the rhetoric in Brother Kraus’ articles.

Unlike Dan, Jack personally exemplifies the aspiration that Dan articulated above. I like Jack personally and greatly respect much of his work. Although I can’t understand his obsession with M2C and SITH, I’m fine with him believing whatever he wants.

What I don’t agree with is the way he imposes his beliefs on others through Book of Mormon Central (see below).

To repeat, now that they’ve opened the door, it’s time to take a closer look, starting with their followers who wrote the two articles.

We’ll discuss Dan and Jack in a future post.

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To begin, I don’t know any of these authors/contributors personally. I assume they’re all fine, devout, committed Latter-day Saints, great people, etc. Their personal animus is inexplicable to me, but that’s the nature of modern LDS apologists. They take personal offense at every opportunity, even when (maybe especially when) no offense is intended. It’s very strange not just to me but to outside observers.

Author Spencer Kraus is a student at Brigham Young University majoring in Computer Science and minoring in modern Hebrew and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. He works with Book of Mormon Central as a research associate and also as a research assistant for Lincoln Blumell studying early Christianity and the New Testament. https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/author/spencerk/?journal

Undoubtedly, Brother Kraus, like the others, is a fine, devout, committed Latter-day Saint, a great person, etc. Nevertheless, as a research associate with Book of Mormon Central, Brother Kraus naturally (and necessarily) follows the direction of his leaders in the organization, as is evident from his articles. His bio doesn’t reveal whether he is a volunteer or paid employee, but either way, he has to toe the party line or he couldn’t work there.

I’m hearing complaints about Brother Kraus, but we can’t blame him. Under current conditions, any Latter-day Saint who wants to engage in the intellectual defense of the Church has no alternative but to work for the citation cartel, which means supporting M2C and SITH.

With a multi-million dollar budget, Book of Mormon Central is the largest employer of LDS intellectuals–particularly students who aspire to emulate their mentors.

M2C is in the DNA of Book of Mormon Central. Its logo originated with the M2C-promoting FARMS and incorporates M2C.

Its management vigorously refuses to recognize faithful Latter-day Saints who don’t accept M2C. It shuns them as though they don’t exist. Naturally, any prospective scholar seeking employment must agree.

Book of Mormon Central produces media, websites, and apps designed to promote M2C and SITH in competition with the Church’s materials. For example, they developed the ScripturePlus app that competes with Gospel Library to promote its M2C ideology with appealing graphics and interactive features.

While the English-language website of Book of Mormon Central professes to follow the Church’s policy of neutrality on issues of Book of Mormon geography, its Spanish-language website features an elaborate interactive map that promotes M2C and touts the expertise and credentials of its originators.

https://www.bookofmormoncentralamerica.com/2021/11/bmc-in-spanish-vs-english.html

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Brother Kraus provided this Author’s Note at the end of his articles that identifies four individuals/groups who helped him.

[Author’s Note: I would like to thank Mike Parker and Gregory L. Smith for reviewing an earlier draft of this review and offering helpful suggestions, as well as my other family and friends (especially my father) who helped edit and offer clarifying remarks. I would also like to thank the pseudonymous “Peter Pan” who offered encouragement as I wrote this review.]

Mike Parker is a host of the Interpreter’s Radio Show, a contributor to FAIRLDS, and a long time promoter of M2C and SITH. We discussed Gregory L. Smith previously (he’s the one whose 2010 article about John Dehlin apparently led to Dan Peterson’s dismissal from Mormon Studies Review), but here’s another example of what he’s written that sounds great but isn’t followed in practice at the Interpreter:

Should apologists for Mormonism (and apologists for Mormon Stories) refrain from ad hominem and gratuitous personal attacks? Unquestionably. But, any such problem at FAIR or the late Mormon Studies Review is and was not present in the vast majority of their published materials. Even its occasional existence would not be license to ignore everything else that the maligned apologist group says, does, writes, or publishes.

Page 20, https://interpreterfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SMITH2-Return-of-the-Unread-Review.pdf

Brother Kraus’ unnamed “other family and friends (especially my father)” are undoubtedly all awesome people, faithful Latter-day Saints, etc. How that explains (or justifies) their contributions to these articles is unknowable.

Peter Pan is a good example of the worst of LDS apologetics, which may explain why he’s also a favorite of Dan Peterson’s. He’s basically Dan’s alter ego, given how frequently Dan refers his readers to Peter’s work.

I’ve had people tell me Peter Pan’s identity, but I respect his wish to remain anonymous because what better better epitome could there be of the worst of LDS apologetics than an individual (or group) so ashamed by his (their) work that he (they) remains anonymous while publishing a blog named after their chosen nemesis?

Even better, that blog is a tutorial on logical and factual fallacies.

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In a way, Peter Pan symbolizes one of the serious problems at FAIRLDS and Book of Mormon Central. With the Interpreter, at least people own their work. Brother Kraus, in this case, takes responsibility for his work (although he lays off some of the blame on others in the guise of credit.)

At FAIRLDS and Book of Mormon Central, most material is published anonymously. For example, unsuspecting readers don’t know that Jack Welch writes, edits and/or approves all of the “Kno-Why” articles. That way, Brother Welch can convey whatever messages he wants without taking responsibility for them.

He remains “above the fray” by hiring employees to promote his M2C and SITH agendas on social media and to attack fellow Latter-day Saints who disagree with those agendas, all the while keeping his hands clean in the view of the public.

This “plausible deniability” tactic allows a Book of Mormon Central researcher (Brother Kraus in this case) to publish misleading, angry reviews in the Interpreter to prop up M2C and SITH, while Jack avoids responsibility and his donors remain oblivious to what is going on.

Likewise at FAIRLDS, contributors remain anonymous to avoid responsibility (including possible career damage) for their work.

While I agree with the concept of focusing on facts and interpretations instead of people, that only works when everyone leaves people out of the conversation. But, as these articles demonstrate, the citation cartel has a long reputation for focusing on people instead of issues.

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There is much more that could be written about the citation cartel.

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* See below for a list of states and the District of Columbia ranked in order by biennial membership growth rate for the two-year period of 2020 and 2021. The biennial membership growth rate is reported because the Church did not publish state-by-state membership statistics for the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 10 states with the most members in this list are indicated in italics:

South Dakota 6.48%

Arkansas 5.32%

Tennessee 4.79%

Missouri 3.93%

South Carolina 3.73%

Kentucky 3.32%

Oklahoma 3.20%

Alabama 2.86%

North Carolina 2.74%

Florida 2.68%

Texas 2.48%

Idaho 1.98%

Wisconsin 1.68%

Utah 1.66%

Montana 1.46%

Mississippi 1.33%

New Hampshire 1.07%

Kansas 0.86%

Vermont 0.69%

Indiana 0.66%

Ohio 0.61%

Georgia 0.57%

Rhode Island 0.56%

Arizona 0.40%

Maine 0.26%

Virginia 0.26%

Michigan 0.25%

Iowa 0.24%

West Virginia 0.21%

New Jersey -0.03%

Louisiana -0.13%

Nebraska -0.17%

Hawaii -0.20%

Maryland -0.23%

District of Columbia -0.25%

Pennsylvania -0.27%

Massachusetts -0.39%

Wyoming -0.41%

New York -0.51%

New Mexico -0.56%

Illinois -0.62%

Delaware -0.69%

Alaska -0.73%

Colorado -1.00%

Nevada -1.16%

Minnesota -1.24%

Oregon -1.56%

Connecticut -2.01%

Washington -2.03%

North Dakota -2.28%

California -2.84%

https://ldschurchgrowth.blogspot.com/2022/04/membership-by-us-state-in-2021-percent.html

Source: About Central America