MormonThinker posted this link in another thread:

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/01/great-and-marvelous-are-the-revelations-of-god?lang=eng

It's a super spin job talking about why Joseph Smith changed revelations in the D&C. They are beginning to do what Bushman, Jensen, and and others have suggested- basically, start giving out enough of the difficult details of the church history, but be sure to spin it positively. Then members won't be shocked or think they were lied to. Man, I've got to get out of the church. It's clutches are getting stronger!


Here are some choice quotes:

"They understood that the process of revelation was not static and that the Lord sometimes commanded Joseph to revise, update, or correct the written revelations. These members believed that such revelations came from God and were willing to heed them, even when doing so required great sacrifice."

"Over the course of the first five years of the Church, Joseph and others under his direction made changes and corrections to some of the early revelation texts in an attempt to more closely portray the intent of the revelation. Other times, especially as the revelations were being prepared for publication, Joseph was inspired to update the contents of the revelations to reflect a growing Church structure and new circumstances. At times this process resulted in substantial additions to the original text."

Talk about spin! And if you doubt it, it's because you lack understanding:

"While many members today may look at the revelations as being static and unchanging, the Prophet Joseph Smith saw the revelations as living and subject to change as the Lord revealed more of His will."

This kind of stuff is going to make it so much harder for anyone to escape. This article makes me feel less like the church is not evil.




Here's MormonThinker's original comment:
http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,776930,777351#msg-777351



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2013 01:19PM by almostthere.

People are going to confuse normal editing, like correcting spelling (which you think the almighty sky daddy would have bothered to tell them) with JS, the liar, making up, and changing his story as it was convenient (ex. first vision).

According to their own definition of satan, they are feeding them a little truth with a lot of lies.

How do they know he saw them as living and subject to change? Can they substantiate that claim with journal entries, teachings, sermons, or anything else? What a crock of sh!t.

It reminds me of what B.H. Roberts did in the History of the church when talking about Fanny Alger. He basically said that, well, we know they had relations, and that tells us he knew about the doctrine of polygamy! In the same way, well, we know Joseph changed the revelations, so he must have been commanded by God to do it!

That said, I like B.H. Roberts a lot more than most pro-Mormon writers!

But, try as they might to spin Joseph Smith's conflicting "revelations," there's too much evidence that not only did Joseph and followers tell radically different stories of the First Vision, but that the church has quietly tried to cover up the conflicting versions which were part of the Doctrine and Covenants until the early 1920s.

I was thoroughly "innoculated" throughout my childhood and well into adulthood. No amount of innoculation can withstand the knowledge that Joseph didn't see what he claimed to see.

Well, I would agree, except most TBMs are looking for a quick, easy answer. For them, this will fit the bill, and they will look no further.

You realize that they are not going to show all the details of the problems. They will mention them and put a spin to them, but they aren't going to quote ALL the sources. They are not going to let the members decide for themselves based on ALL the evidence. They will present some of it but not all of it.

It's a great strategy on their part.

1) Bring up a "problem" area in Mormon history (some truth)
2) Omit the details
3) Put a spin to it.

Members will confidently think know all about the problem areas in Mormon history when you try to bring them up and will then have no need to further study them.

Haha, we had virtually the same thought at the same time.

If God is omniscient, how come he can't figure out that Joseph never copied down the revelations correctly?

The Mormon God can create heaven and earth and all creatures. He can speak every language. And yet...He is now in the midst of one of the most important works of his godhood---restoring His one true church to the earth...and he doesn't even notice that his chosen prophet Joseph keeps flubbing things up. And after quite a while (meaning Mormon God is not too quick on the draw) he has to have Joseph fix things over and over?

Who would buy that crap? Oh yeah....