Anti Mormon Attacks

Anti-Mormon attacks usually repeat the same old tired arguments over and over and over again. Despite the fact that virtually all the attacks and questions have been answered decades ago, new publications continue to appear, simply trotting out the same old themes as if there had never been any reply. The questions themselves are not difficult to answer and have been considered repeatedly by better minds than you or I.

The issues that anti-mormons raise are almost never an original thought on their part. As Jesus said “Sayest thou this of thyself or did another tell it thee?” They just think to themselves “Ill just try out No 27 ‘cos I bet they cant answer that one and it will really throw them!” They are not interested in the answers to their questions. Whenever they are given an answer that they cant argue with they just move onto something else and say “That’s all very well but what about this then?” In other words their true motive is to undermine faith in others. Just like the Pharisees they have already made their minds up on the real issue, which (both in their day and ours) is modern day revelation.

So be aware of the real motive of those who try it on with so called “awkward questions”. The truth dosnt make enemies . . but it does expose them for what they are. Most barristers have learned (by sad experience) not to ask a question in court unless they already know the answer. If they do this and they get the wrong answer they can look very foolish indeed. If the game is about making people look foolish, then most anti-mormon questioners are skating on thin ice. However unless we come to know that there are in fact, rational answers to pretty well all the so called “killer questions” that are so tediously trotted out, it can be a problem for some. And yes, there are some few things that do have to be taken on faith, at least for the time being.

Compared to latter-day scripture, anti-mormon material has a negative and depressing spirit associated with it. Sadly there are some members that are not really looking for answers either – they simply use anti-mormon material as a convenient excuse for walking away from the church. It is a sad fact that if someone is looking for the door marked out, then any excuse will do. And no rational answer will ever be sufficient.

What annoys me personally is that many of the issues our critics raise are fundamentally dishonest – and they know it full well.

For example they make a composite of 2 or more unrelated quotes to make a “shock – horror” revelation about what the church really believes and stands for. A good example of this is their treatment of the Adam-God theory. Here is an example of what would happen if we treated bible quotes in the same way “And Judas went out and hanged himself – go thou and do likewise.”

Another popular method is to quote selectively. President Brigham Young said. "We have in our midst the biggest liars, the meanest devils that ever walked on the face of the earth ;" However when this quotation is published by our critics, they very conveniently omit to report that Brigham then went on to say "God knows that we have never sustained them, that I have never sustained them, and with Gods help we will cast them out."

Elder Dallin H Oakes has recently instructed us to be sceptical when reading church history stories in the media, for a number of reasons. As the Mark Hoffman affair showed a few years ago, there are fraudulent documents out there. Also, at the time Joseph lived he had both fervent supporters and determined detractors. Critics sometimes accuse us of relying only on favourable documents written by his supporters. But when we point out that they are relying only on documents written by his detractors, that criticism very suddenly becomes unacceptable and a double standard appears. What is good enough for them is apparently not good enough for us.

Archaeology is another “iffy” area. Until just a few years ago archaeologists were absolutely adamant that there were no camels in ancient Egypt (because no camel bones had ever been discovered) even though genesis says that there were. After a very recent discovery camel bones they have had to eat humble pie. They are also adamant that there were never walls surrounding ancient Jericho even though the bible says otherwise. But I know who I would rather believe. So I have no problem in suspending judgement on other archaeological issues.

Our church activity and involvement is founded on the building blocks of our personal spiritual experiences. Once we have one or more of these we need to keep in sacred remembrance these special events and experiences. At the end of the day unless we have some sort of testimony or spiritual experience of one aspect of the restored gospel or another, we will be prone to being “tossed about with every wind”

Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and he was an honest man. We either stand with him or we do not. His life is extraordinarily well documented in great detail. I for one simply cannot understand how anyone that has taken the trouble to carefully study his life can come to the conclusion he was not an honest man

The link http://en.fairmormon.org/50_Answers gives “50 Questions To Ask Mormons” listed by the Tower of Truth Ministries (but together with brief answers) and will at least give you an idea of the sort of issues that people try to use against us.

We cannot hope to know the pat answer to every variation of every single question that people might throw at us. But you will find that behind every question is usually a Pharisee-like failure (or an unwillingness) to really understand the 9^th Article of Faith. God always has and always will speak to prophets – and he also requires faith in his children.

“We encourage all our members to refuse to become anti-anti-Mormon,” Marvin J Ashton (Ensign, Nov. 1992, p. 63). We need to speak the truth in love, and not fall into the trap of participating in contention or feeling that we need to respond to every challenge.

“We do not think it either wise or appropriate to react to all criticisms nor to challenge those responsible for them,” the First Presidency said in a letter to Church leaders. “Nor is it wise to enter into debates with them either individually or before audiences. However, when opportunities arise to present our message which do not involve contention or debate, we suggest you take advantage of them.” The First Presidency said that these experiences provide “an opportunity to present the truth to those whose attention is thus directed toward us” (Church News, 18 Dec. 1983, p. 2). Explanations, the First Presidency has suggested, could include mention of “the high standards expected of Church members in matters of morality and Christian conduct, the dedication and faithfulness of members in taking care of our own, and missionary work” (ibid.).The First Presidency has said, “We have confidence that if you will respond with prayer, and in a spirit of humility, inspiration will attend you” (ibid.).