Anti-Mormonism

Categories: Articles which may be biased | Cleanup from October 2005

Anti-Mormonism refers to affirmative opposition to Mormonism as an institution. In general usage, anti-Mormonism is more than mere criticism of or disagreement with Latter Day Saint doctrines or policies; rather, it also involves opposition to the religion's existence, usually by other Christians on grounds of faith, or by others on political or sociological grounds. The term anti-Mormonism is also used pejoratively (in a sense similar to anti-Semitism, although Mormonism is not an ethnicity) by some Latter Day Saints toward those who do not affirmatively oppose the existence of Mormonism, but merely disagree, offer criticism, or portray Mormonism in a way they believe is not faith-promoting. This latter usage is highly controversial.

Anti-Mormonism, in the word's non-pejorative sense, has included a wide range of activities, from peaceful publication of pamphlets and exposés, on the benign end, to violent killings and population transfer on the extreme end. The latter type of anti-Mormon extremism is almost entirely confined to the faith's 19th century history. Today, anti-Mormonism is nearly always peaceful, and is usually conducted by evangelical Christians and ex-Mormons against the faith's largest denomination, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Application of the term

The term is applied primarily by adherents of Latter Day Saint theology to the behavior of a category of critics or opponents of Mormonism who actively, systematically or regularly make public attacks on the people, beliefs, culture, practices, doctrines, history and leadership of the Latter Day Saint movement and any of its sects (be it physical, mental, spiritual or social attacks); or to those who seek to tear down or destroy any of Mormonism’s sects or the faith of any of its adherents, regardless of intent.

The term is usually not applied to those who disagree with the teachings of Joseph Smith or descendant churches or those who privately dissuade others from Mormonism.

The use of the term is sometimes controversial and used by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an ad hominem attack against anyone who attempts a critique, investigation or study that Mormons find objectionable.

There are two different forms of Anti-Mormonism – Anti-Mormon publications (which includes an published or broadcast work) and Anti-Mormon activists.

Anti-Mormon activists can generally be categorized in seven categories: Extremist Anti-Mormons, Professional Anti-Mormons, Lay Anti-Mormons, Exmormon Anti-Mormons, apostates or Mormon dissidents.

Most Ex-Mormons, Critics of Mormonism and Non-Mormons are not thought of as Anti-Mormon.

Anti-Anti-Mormons

Many Mormon adherents say that those who have honest disagreements with the Latter Day Saint movement and ex-Mormons are Anti-Mormon. As such, they engage in negative behavior toward them, and such groups may be shunned or treated malignantly by Latter Day Saints who feel they are defending their faith. This is particularly common in areas where Latter Day Saint sects have large populations, including U.S. states Arizona, California, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

Many honest critics of Mormonism who have attempted fair, reasonable, scholarly studies have complained that they are accused of being deceptive or giving unbalanced treatment in their work.

Other researchers have attempted to make inroads into Mormon studies have quoted from previous Anti-Mormon sources, some of which have been found to be unreliable by historians on both sides of the debate, and are accused of being deceptive, when in fact they are simply not familiar with research about the credibility that has taken place on such pieces as “Mormonism Unveiled” and “The Twenty-eighth Wife.” Some of these researchers have said that they received hate mail from Mormons and are unfairly labeled as Anti-Mormons because of a simple ignorant mistake.

Hate Groups?

A hate group is defined as "one with beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, usually based on characteristics such as skin color or religion," by organizations including the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Anti-Mormon groups are not typically included with other Hate Groups outside of the state of Utah, and most hate group watchdog organizations do not include Extreme Anti-Mormon groups as hate groups. Some Mormons have called for such action by these watchdog organizations, particularly pointing to other denominations who receive such protection, including Catholicism (Anti-Catholic), Jews (Anti-Semitism) and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Purpose of Anti-Mormon behavior

<<--Considering the content, I think that a different title would be better for this section, but I don't know what. Val42 02:07, September 1, 2005 (UTC) -->>

No single reason has been identified as the motivatioin for behavior considered to be Anti-Mormon.

However, disagreements with doctrines, policies, history, political influence, perceptions of abuse of power of its leaders are all possible reasons for behavior considered to be anti-Mormon.

<<--Need more thoughts on this – I can find no source materials to give reasons-->>

Stereotypes and cultural folklore within Mormonism have perpetuated the belief that since the Church organized by Joseph Smith is sanctioned by God, that Satan and his followers seek to destroy the divine institution, resulting in a natural hostility of evil people toward the “true church” of Jesus Christ. These types of beliefs were supported by the often violent physical persecution of the early saints by supposedly good Christian people.

Joseph Smith taught that former members of the church would not be able to leave it alone:

Strange as it may appear at first thought, yet it is no less strange than true, that notwithstanding all the professed determination to live godly, apostates after turning from the faith of Christ, unless they have speedily repented, have sooner or later fallen into the snares of the wicked one, and have been left destitute of the Spirit of God, to manifest their wickedness in the eyes of multitudes. From apostates the faithful have received the severest persecutions… There is a superior intelligence bestowed upon such as obey the Gospel with full purpose of heart, which, if sinned against, the apostate is left naked and destitute of the Spirit of God, and he is, in truth, nigh unto cursing, and his end is to be burned...’’’When once that light which was in them is taken from them, they become as much darkened as they were previously enlightened, and then, no marvel, if all their power should be enlisted against the truth’’’, and they, Judas like, seek the destruction of those who were their greatest benefactors. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Two 1834-37 p.66)

Expounding on this teaching, noted Mormon apologist Hugh Nibley, explained:

Apostates usually become sometimes feverishly active, determined to prove to the world and themselves that it is a fraud after all. What is that to them? Apparently it is everything--it will not let them alone. At the other end of the scale are those who hold no rancor and even retain a sentimental affection for the Church--they just don't believe the gospel. I know quite a few of them. But how many of them can leave it alone? It haunts them all the days of their life. No one who has ever had a testimony ever forgets or denies that he once did have it--that it was something that really happened to him. Even for such people who do not have it anymore, a testimony cannot be reduced to an illusion. (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol.9, Ch.6, p.155)

This theory has not been tested scientifically and is not supported by research or an academic study, but has rather been perpetuated culturally as a Folk doctrine or a principle by adherents.

<--I like the second quote better, but was looking for a Smith teaching on the first – to show how the belief has been promulgated since Smith’s time. I can’t find the Smith quote I like, but this is the closest.-->

History of Anti-Mormonism

Even after establishing a community in Utah, Anti-Mormon activists in the Utah Territory convinced President Buchanan that the Mormons in the territory was in rebellion to the United Stated due to the Mountain Meadows massacre and Plural marriage, prompting him to send one third of its standing army to Utah in what is known as the Utah War.

General trends in Anti-Mormonism

During the first 100 years of Mormonism, Anti-Mormonism focused on topics that did not conform to traditional Christian teachings (see Mormonism and Christianity). These doctrines took a view that Smith plagiarized scripture made up doctrines, and still persists in Anti-Mormon writing today. They characterized Smith as a charlatan, Brigham Young as a power-hungry leader and other successors as conformists. The methods used typically stereotyped Mormons and Church leaders as ignorant, uneducated and superstitious. They consigned Joseph Smith to that of a plagerizer, as he could not have been smart enough to have done what he did, and often pointed to Sidney Rigdon or Oliver Cowdery as the true mind behind Mormonism. The Anti-Mormon movement during this period typically was religious or politically motivated, based on ideologies and sterotypes of Victorian America. For example, much of the anti-Mormonism during the late 1800s focused on the suppression of women by Mormons. They pointed to Utah’s sufferage laws (Women could vote until they were dis-enfranchsised because of polygamy) as a way Mormons used to over-burden women, who did not need to worry about such things. Anti-Mormonism in Missouri focused on the tendancy of Mormons to vote in bloc on such issues as slavery (Mormons tended to by abolistionists) or treatement of Indians or opne judgeships. In Ohio, they focused on the banks failed banking efforts due to the Kirtland Safety Society and other failed economic experiements including the United Order. In Nauvoo, persecutions tended to be based on the large policial influence the Mormons had in the City-state of navoo (the state had a charter that gave it equal rights as the illinoise state legislature and it’s own militial which rivaled the size of the continental army). The city council was predominantly Mormon. Issues including polygamy, freedom of speech, anti-slavery views during smith’s presidnential campaign, the deification of man, the Nauvoo Legion, and more were all issues. In new York and Pennsylvania, Anti-Mormon behavior dealt mainly with issues including whether or not Smith had gold plates, and whether or not those plates belonged to the people, rather than smith, if smith really had visions (theological), smith’s treasure-digging episodes, and strange occultic-similarities pointed out by some ministers (such as smith receiving the plates during the fall equinox).

Because news traveled slowly and especially When the Mormons migrated to Utah, claims obout mormons were hard to prove or disprove, leaving some the ability of Space. An often quote in an anti-mormon work during the time would be you probably won’t notice this doctrine in application in Salt Lake, however, you will find it in outlying mormon settlements, as the church leaders don’t want others to see it. Etc.

Beginning in the early 1900s, psycho-biographies were written of Smith, rather than characterizing him as a deceiver, they characterized him as having mental problems or physical problems that lead to his visions. Charges ranging from drug use by Smith to Smith being an epileptic were given, although difficult to prove due to lack of primary data. This movement, for the first time, gave credence to Smith as having a certain level of genius – although it was misplaced. Works including Fawn Brodie’s ‘’No Man Knows my History’’ and others debunk and point to earlier anit-Mormon workds as being non-credible, however, pointed to new evidence of smith’s natural genius and mental instability as to the background to this genius. No longer was geography used as a seperater, but time was as well. Because it happened over a hundred years ago, this is what really happened.

During the 1960s, Anti-Momron movement followed Mormon scholarly thought, particularly the works of William Barratt and Hugh Nibley. Barrett is somewhat considered the founder of what is called new mormon history – or a naturalistic approach to Smith’s revelations, etc. Nibley on the other hand, rejected new mormon history, however, pushed a point of view that all truth in every religion could be found in Mormonism, hense so many strange cmparisons to pagan religiouns, Gnosticism, and so forth. Anti-Momrons at the time, focused on a naturalistic view of smith, citing external influences to his supposed revelations. This built apon fawn brodie’s work. The tanners need to be included here. The rise of the mromon apologist – nibley and the nemesis – the tanners. Polygamy – and emma’s coldness, Zion’s camp, the 116 pages, etc. the separation was not geography or time, but the supernatural from the spiritual. The movement was killed short by hoffman, etc. and the rise of new mormon documents with the ability to give new insight into him proven false. Documents once deemed suspicious and incredible were now being used as primary documents – even if brodie deemed thm unworthy. Sept six, response of church as church research was being used against the church.

Currnet trend is to acknlolege smith’s genius, and possible spiritual ties, but to say it was of the devil. Smith could only bbe inspired, but by what source?

In the 1980s there arose a segment of professional anti-Mormon acativists including Ed Decker and William Schnoebelen

Extremist anti-Mormons

Anti-Mormon opposition has frequently been violent and vehement. In their early years, the Mormon people encountered frequent persecution and conflict forcing them to move from place to place, resulting in the settlement of the Great Basin and Intermountain West. Even after establishing a community in Utah, opposition to plural marriage and other beliefs prompted the United States government to send one third of its standing army to Utah in what is known as the Utah War. In recent years, Anti-Mormon violence has erupted at General Conference when Anti-Mormons have desecrated sacred Mormon items, such as temple garments or used Hate speech. This extremist activity is often condemned, even by critics of Mormonism and other Anti-Mormons, and has led to laws governing protesting in Salt Lake City.

Professional Anti-Mormons and organizations

Prominent organizations and individuals who are anti

• list of discredited anti's and why they are discredited - (charles larson (may have mixed with another larson), "Doctor" Philastus Hurlburt, Howe, Dee Jay Nelson (80s) etc. false degrees, using old, incorrect research, non-addressing of avaialable sources).
• list of "reliable" anti-mormons and how they present (tanners, etc)

Lay Anti-Mormons

Exmormon Anti-Mormons

• Dissidents - rise in the new Mormon history, september six, etc.
• Exmormons - Why Mormons feel this is a fulfilment of Smith's prophecy of leaving but not leaving alone
• the cultural mormon phenomena, and the rise of exmo's in this segment.

Anti-Mormon tactics and trends

• Tactics they use (take from opposition article)
• patterns between works - see Nibley's “how to write an anti-Mormon book [1]
• The use of the media (video, internet, seminars, live protests)

Attack on Smith and book of Mormon

• root issues

early anti-mormon writers claims of Smith's simplicity; later anti mormon claims of smith's devious brillance. a listing of the common issues that Anti-mormons have with SMith/the Church

online sites listings of issues )alghough I think these often contradict each other) - need to figure out a NPOV to show listing of all that smith "guessed" or would have to had knowledge about according to anti-mormons - examples include understanding of masonry legends for the book of mormon, geography for comoros, biblical names and changes, septagint/hebrew bible similarities for isaiah quotes, understanding of gnosis teaching of eternal marriage, understanding of gnosis teaching and apocyphal (40 day) teaching about signs and tokens, and washings and annointings, water being okay for sacrament; military history issues in the book of mormon and elephant claims; understanding that records were kept on metal plates; similarities of apocolyspe of abraham, Jasher and book of abraham; travel time in jerusalem, Moroni angel parallels, understanding of gnosis teaching of apostacy, quoting from federalist papers, law of hamarabi, plato and alexander the great, use of the word seal as used anciently, understandng of the "gospel of philip" (which was re-discoverd in 1952), correct placement of "destroyed" boat in hypocephalus as well as a two-headed god correct guess-work; understanding of egyptian book of the dead rites, parallels between 3 nephi account being plagerized from Gnostic texts. and so forth. Smith's wide reading of Swedenborg's work, luther's 99 thesis, book of the dead, enoch legends, ethan SMith, solomon spaulding; urim and thummim breastplate andsword legends, Astrology, Magick, wicca, zorastrianism, satanism, black/white inhabitants of america/archeaology; rare baptism for the dead ancient heresies, understandign of arianism christianity; Montanism; Epistle of Barnabas; Arianism; Manichaeism; Camorra; Tibetan Termas and Terton; Kabbalah; no mention of passover in bom; early gnostic belief on pre-existence; busy doing adultery; Need to list all issues - need to make sure they are NPOV, presenting the critical side.

Post-smith, issues.

Polygamy, Blacks, Welfare, Hincklye, homophobia, etc

• "Classic" anti-mormon works and why - EB howe, brodie, Kingdom of the Cults, Godmakers, and Mormon empire (is that the name?)

Credibility issues

Discussion of how some works keep getting resurrected, although proven false (like hurlburts)

• topics that have been generally dismissed or no-longer relevant (brodie, two first vision accounts, polygamy, Godmakers 2 farce, etc) (with links to the appropriate articles to give more detail about the topic and fuller discussion)

Recent issues and trends

• recent hot topics/research (DNA, Nibley's daughter, Kraukhauer, New smith research, temple changes, etc) (with links to the appropriate articles to give more detail about the topic and fuller discussion)
• cultural influences and studies (rise in anti activity in an area led to higher baptism rates during the 80s, studies show most had stronger testimonies or few had loss of testimony of members after encountering them. if antis really wanted to win, they's leave mormons alone and let mormons destroy themselves quote, etc.)

Blind obedience

• The concept of "blind obedience" on both sides - members who discount antis soley because they are anti and they feel they should ignore them, don't really have a testimony and still don't question (anti's call this blind obedience), anti-Mormons who don't do own research, and who rely on others research instead of doing their own and generally don't know what they are talking about/are easily proven wrong/use old issues. (Mormons call this blind obedience).

Apologetics

• BH Roberts, Hugh Nibley, McConkie, FARMS and FAIR's involvemnt in anti-mormon "debunking"/defending
• the rise of lay mormon apologetics
• Credibility issues of lay apologetics

“Most of their arguments have been given reply by the Saints, but they are repeated over and over as though no reply had ever been made. There is a sameness to this literature, but occasionally a new approach comes along. As a perceptive writer once remarked, “new errors, as well as new truths, often appear.” Anti-Mormon Writings: Encountering a Topsy-Turvy Approach to Mormon Origins by George L. Mitton, associate editor, The FARMS Review 16/1 (2004)