The most common defense of The Book of Mormon is that Joseph Smith was too “ignorant and unlearned” to be able to write a book that complex, thus it must have been of divine origin. As evidence a quote by Emma Smith:
“Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon.”
Emma Smith
This is repeated over and over in conference talks, essays, news articles and books. The problem is it is not remotely true. We have a letter dictated by him in 1829 that is both coherent and well-worded.
Respected sir, I would inform you that I arrived at home on Sunday morning the 4th. after having a prosperous journey, and found all well. The people are all friendly to us except a few who are in opposition to everything, unless it is something that is exactly like themselves. And two of our most formidable persecutors are now under censure and are cited to a trial in the church for crimes, which if true are worse than all the Gold Book business.
We do not rejoice in the affliction of our enemies but we shall be glad to have truth prevail. There begins to be a great call for our books in this country. The minds of the people are very much excited when they find that there is a copyright obtained and that there is really books about to be printed.
I have bought a horse of Mr. Josiah Stowell and want some one to come after it as soon as convenient. Mr. Stowell has a prospect of getting five or six hundred dollars. He does not know certain that he can get it, but he is a going to try and if he can get the money he wants to pay it in immediately for books.
We want to hear from you and know how you prosper in the good work; give our best respects to Father & Mother, and all our Brothers and Sisters. To Mr. Martin Harris and all the company concerned tell them that our prayers are put up daily for them that they may be prospered in every good word and work, and that they may be preserved from sin here and from the consequence of sin here after. And now dear brother be faithful in the discharge of every duty, looking for the reward of the righteous. And now may God of his infinite mercy keep and preserve us spotless until his coming, and receive us all to rest with him in eternal repose through the atonement of Christ our Lord, Amen.
Joseph Smith Jr
It is absolutely clear that Joseph Smith could dictate a good letter. Several phrases and paragraphs could easily appear in the Book of Mormon. Emma had incentive to paint Joseph Smith as ignorant as possible, and one can hardly blame her. Her son was the new prophet of the Re-organized Church, and it was her opportunity to reframe the history in order to best set up her son for success. As evidence of this, she made the astonishing claim in the same interview that Joseph Smith never practiced polygamy!
Some defenders of the Book of Mormon might not be aware, and could be excused for using the Emma quote. But there are those that know better and still use the Emma quote. This is disingenuous.
On Thursday, March 17, 1842, in the second-story meeting room over Smith’s Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, the Relief Society was organized. Eliza R. Snow took meticulous minutes of the meeting. These minutes were published in the Deseret News in 1855, but with significant (sometimes egregious) changes made by George A. Smith and three scribes. When Heber C. Kimball stopped by the Historian’s Office, he “Heard Joseph’s sermon Read, liked it better as revised.” Brigham Young also approved of the changes.
These changes have slipped into the common phrases of the church for example, Joseph Smith said, “I now turn the key to you …” This was changed to, “I now turn the key in your behalf.” Also changed was a failed prophecy of Queens visiting the Relief Society within ten years.
The original minutes were hidden from view from the public for over 150 years. The original documents were published along with the Joseph Smith Papers, and these changes came to light. Here are presented side by side the more significant changes.
Original Relief Society Notes
Notes published in the Deseret News
March 31, 1842
Deseret News, September 5, 1855
“observe the Constitution that the blessing of Heaven may rest down upon us.”
“observe the laws of the kingdom of God, that the blessing of Heaven may rest down upon us.”
“Said he was going to make of this Society a kingdom of priests [as] in Enoch’s day—as in Pauls day.”
“The Lord was going to make of the Church of Jesus Christ a kingdom of priests, a holy people, a chosen generation, as in Enoch’s day, having all the gifts as illustrated to the church in Paul’s epistles and teaching to the churches in his day”
[Joseph Smith asked that the men] “withdraw, that the Society might proceed to business—that those wishing to join have their names presented at the next meeting.”
“He then blessed the saints.”
April 28, 1842
Deseret News, September 19, 1855
“…there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on the sick than in wetting the face with water.”
…there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on and praying for the sick, than in wetting the face with water.”
“For instance P. Pratt[,] O. Pratt, O. Hyde and J. Page had been aspiring—they could not be exalted…”
“For instance, John E. Page and others had been aspiring; they could not be exalted…”
“He spoke of delivering the keys to this Society and to the church—that according to his prayers God had appointed him elsewhere.”
“He spoke of delivering the keys of the Priesthood to the church, and said that the faithful members of the Relief Society should receive them in connection with their husbands, that the Saints whose integrity had been tried and proved faithful, might know how to ask the Lord and receive an answer; for according to his prayers, God had appointed him elsewhere.”
“He exhorted the sisters always to concentrate their faith and prayers for, and place confidence, in those whom God has appointed to honor, whom God has plac’d at the head to lead. That we should arm them with our prayers; for the keys of the kingdom are about to be given to them, that they may be able to detect everything false; as well as to the elders.”
“He exhorted the sisters always to concentrate their faith and prayers for, and place confidence in their husbands, whom God has appointed for them to honor, and in those faithful men whom God has placed at the head of the Church to lead his people that we should arm and sustain them with our prayers; for the keys of the kingdom are about to be given to them, and they may be able to detect everything false; as well as to all the elders who shall prove their integrity in due season.”
“He said if one member becomes corrupt, and you know it, you must immediately put it away.”
“He said if one member becomes corrupt, and you know it, you must immediately put it away, or it will either injure or destroy the whole body.”
“If you live up to these principles, how great and glorious!”
“If you live up to these principles, how great and glorious will be your reward in the celestial kingdom!!”
You need not be tearing men for their deeds, but let the weight of innocence be felt
You need not be teasing your husbands because of their deeds, but let the weight of your innocence, kindness and affections be felt
“This Society shall have power to command Queens in their midst.”
“If this Society listen to the council of the Almighty, through the heads of the church, they shall have power to command queens in their midst.”
“I now deliver it as a prophecy that before ten years shall roll round, the queens of the earth shall come and pay their respects to this Society—they shall come with their millions and shall contribute of their abundance for the relief of the poor—if you will be pure, nothing can hinder.”
“I now deliver it as a prophecy, if the inhabitants of this state, with the people of the surrounding country, will turn unto the Lord with all their hearts, ten years will not roll round before the kings and queens of the earth will come unto Zion, and pay their respects to the leaders of this people: they shall come with their millions, and shall contribute of their abundance for the relief of the poor, and the building up and beautifying of Zion.”
“After this instruction, you will be responsible for your own sins. It is an honor to save yourselves—all are responsible to save themselves.”
“After this instruction, you will be responsible for your own sins; it is a desirable honor that you should so walk before our Heavenly Father as to save yourselves; we are all responsible to God for the manner we improve the light and wisdom given by our Lord to enable us to save ourselves.”
This Society is to get instruction thro’ the order which God has established— thro’ the medium of those appointed to lead—
You will receive instruction through the order of the Priesthood, which God has established, through the medium of those appointed to lead, guide, and direct the affairs of the church in this last dispensation;
And I now turn the key to you in the name of God
And I now turn the key in your behalf in the name of the Lord
Those ordain’d to lead the Society, are authoriz’d to appoint to different offices as the circumstances shall require.
Those ordained to preside over and lead you, are authorized to appoint to different offices as the circumstances shall require.
Prest. S. then offered instruction respecting the propriety of females administering to the sick by the laying on of hands— said it was according to revelation &c. said he never was plac’d in similar circumstances, and never had given the same instruction.
President Smith then gave instruction respecting the propriety of females administering to the sick by the prayer of faith, the laying on of hands, or the anointing with oil; and said it was according to revelation that the sick should be nursed with herbs and mild food, and not by the hand of an enemy. Who are better qualified to administer than our faithful and zealous sisters, whose hearts are full of faith, tenderness, sympathy, and compassion? No one. Said he was never placed in similar circumstances before, and never had given the same instruction.
For further reading: Derr, Jill Mulvay et. al. The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History.2016, Church Historian’s Press; First Edition, pgs. 198-208
This is a crazy story of illegal missionary border crossings, arrests, document destruction and jailing. This is a story of ethical fading.
It is a common belief that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pulled its North American missionaries out of the country in 2005 due to the increasing tensions in that country. That may have played a part, but as Dale Bills, the spokesman for the Church pointed out, the Church also had trouble getting or renewing visas for its U.S. missionaries. There is a reason for that.
I showed up to my mission in Venezuela in mid-2001. The immigration official asked how long I would be staying. “Two years!” I blurted proudly. The official scoffed and returned my passport, with a tourist stamp lasting for just a couple months.
Portion of the passport that was laminated
Immediately upon arriving to the mission home, I surrendered my passport, and was returned a copy, laminated in plastic. When I asked about the tourist stamp, I was told not to worry about it. If I was asked by the police for my passport to show them this plastic copy. My actual passport was stored in a safe in the mission office (a smart idea, because Venezuela was in fact dangerous).
On the last day of a mission, the passport would be returned, along with a handful of curious stamps from Colombia showing the missionary had dutifully left and returned per Venezuela law. The missionaries had in fact never left Venezuela. But the passports showed that they had.
What REALLY happened with the passports
The Church office building where Brother Pacheco worked and passports were taken is right next to the Caracas Temple. (photo By Guillermo Ramos Flamerich – Own work (Personal Work), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2685239)
Every couple months or so, the passports from all four Venezuelan missions would be given to Bishop Pacheco, a dutiful employee of the church, who would take them in a bag and return them a while later with the Colombian stamps. I was told he flew to Colombia to get the stamps from a contact he had there, but there is no reason to believe he could not have forged it in Venezuela.
After the Church got caught doing this, Bishop Pacheco was the target of a lot of the blame (but was never fired). My mission president, President Andrus made it sound like Bishop Pacheco was either incompetent or dishonest and that he himself did not know any better. With several decades of perspective, I find the character assassination of Bishop Pacheco shameful, and regret my part in spreading it. The Mission President was a former two star General in the Air Force. He should have known better.
Venezuelan Immigration Control Finds Out
In early 2002 a group of about a dozen or so missionaries were returning home from their mission. As one of them handed his passport to the immigration agent, they noticed something was strange about the Colombian stamp.
“No it’s all good, see, mine is the same!” blurted another missionary, trying to help. The official saw that the other missionaries stamp was also awry. They looked at all the missionaries and even asked to see the Assistant to the Presidents passports, and all looked wrong. Security was called and the missionaries were rounded up and thrown into jail. They asked to see President Andrus’ passport, but apparently he refused and left somehow (his passport might have actually been correct).
The missionaries, who thought they would be seeing their families again that day, instead had to wait in a Venezuelan jail for several days, and then under house arrest for another month or so.
The Cover-Up
The Venezuelan Government was on to what the Church was doing. They asked to see the passports of EVERY foreign missionary serving in Venezuela. The Church did not turn them over. Instead, they destroyed every single U.S. missionary passport. The hundreds of U.S. missionaries were sent to the U.S. embassy in Caracas, where we were issued new passports. There was a note in the booklet stating that it was a replacement for a mutilated passport.
There was a Dutch missionary who was driven by the one of the Assistants to the President to the border of Colombia, crossing surreptitiously in the city Cucuta. From there he was flown to the Dutch Antilles where he finished the remainder of his mission transferring between the islands of Curacoa, Bonaire and Aruba. I don’t know why his passport was not destroyed. I was told there was no Dutch embassy that could issue passports.
Aftermath
Our passports received tourist visa stamps again, and missionaries were shipped out of Venezuela every couple months or so to renew the visa. I myself went to Trinidad, stayed an hour in the airport, and then was shipped back. Several months later I went to Colombia for a week and received a year long visa.
Getting visas and renewing them became time consuming and expensive for the church. Missionaries were delayed weeks and months from arriving to Venezuela, and flying them in and out at periodic intervals was also a burden. Slowly North American missionaries began to be sent to Venezuela in fewer and fewer numbers until 2005 when the Church finally pulled the plug on North American missionaries in Venezuela.
Why I am Posting This
This sad story is a classic example of ethical fading. Missionary work became so important that the underlying values the Church espouses became swallowed up and ignored. Individuals self-deceived, justifying their actions.
Too many members justify unethical choices as OK if it “furthers the work of the Lord”. This is complete hypocrisy, and does anything but further the work of the Lord. I hope the Church will root out this strain of ethical fading thinking, and be better. I hope they will follow the example of early BYU president Karl Maeser, who once he gave his word, would never break it no matter what.
We go in the front door, we go in legally, we go in with the public officials knowing what we are doing. We don’t try any subterfuge.
What President Hinckley said and what the Church did was different. The Church did commit passport fraud. They did it without public officials knowing.
“Do what is right, let the consequence follow” are words to live by. I don’t expect the Church to be perfect. It will make mistakes and this was one of them. The Church sinned and needs to repent. I used to think this story was a unique one off, but the older I get, the more I have seen a cancer within the church that needs to be forcibly removed. My story is not unique, and similar stories exist in many countries in many parts of the world.
The Church has core principles and must stick to those, no matter what.
Oh Say What is Truth? 