To What Extent Are the Brethren Directing Mopologetics?

[_Doctor Scratch]

Top-tier apologists have long claimed that that they are operating purely on a "volunteer" level---that apologetics is, for them, something which they decided to do entirely on their own. They portray themselves as nothing more than a small, humble group of friends who are poorly funded in their efforts. Sure: they may view themselves as "warriors of God," but this is due to the promptings of the Spirit. It has nothing to do with any callings, settings-apart, promptings, or "orders" from the Brethren. Or does it?

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/docume ... SHOW=29648

Interested parties are advised to read over the first few pages following the link. In this fascinating article, we learn first of all that certain General Authorities had been paying rather close attention to...."alternative viewpoints." The article describes a troubling essay written by George Smith---an essay which drew the attention of Neal Maxwell. This next bit, a memo written by Elder Maxwell himself, is what really caught my attention:

A third project would concern the Book of Mormon. It could be a response, without being obviously directed thereto, to the recent ramblings of George Smith. The point would be to show the interior consistency of the Book of Mormon along with recent and relevant external evidences, if the latter were desired.
There are a number of B.Y.U. professors who could help in this project, including Professor John Sorenson.[141]

(emphasis added)

In the paragraph leading up to this quote, it's made clear that Maxwell's letter was written to the Church Board of Education Committee and the Special Affairs Committee, so in a sense Maxwell was using Church bureaucracy to issue orders for the BYU apologists. And indeed, as the article states, only a couple of months later, Sorenson's article appeared.

Almost immediately, spin-control went into effect, with all the major apologetic players staunchly denying that they'd ever seen or even hear of the Maxwell memo. FARMS supporter Robert Smith, for example, wrote an exclamation-point-ridded letter to Lavina Fielding Anderson in which he rather viciously attacked George Smith for publishing the Maxwell memo, and, as the article states, "Sorenson had no recollection of the Maxwell memo." That said, Sorenson did relate the following:

At a certain point in time (in 1984) I was asked, with a handful of other BYU people and some general authorities, to discuss certain writing projects that might be speeded up to counter the “beating” (a word used at the time) that the Book of Mormon was taking without any responses having been made up to that point in time. But that concern went far beyond looking at particular critics like [George] Smith. Soon I for my part was asked to prepare two articles for the Ensign that would convey the tone of what my longer series was intended to do. I very hastily wrote the two “Digging” articles, which appeared in Fall of 1984 prior to the 1985 Book of Mormon curriculum year.

(emphasis added)

Well, once again, it appears that the BYU apologists and the Brethren collaborated to produce apologia, despite all the denials. I guess this seriously undermines the old claims that FARMS was operating purely "on its own." It seems that the Brethren were directing Mopologetics from the get-go.

[_Gadianton]

This is quite damning I think. As has been suggested by critics in the past, the apologists are not free thinkers but rather take orders from Salt Lake City. They must cower in fear over the thought of displeasing their superiors.

[_Paul Osborne]

Why should prophets have to depend on stupid school teachers such as DCP? Prophets should be able to pull rabbits out of hats or whatever it takes. They don't need stupid teachers who lust for attention. Prophets can move mountains and interpret strange languages -- they can even write new scripture. They have visions, revelations, angels, and personal visitations from God himself.

I find it disappointing that prophets depend on school teachers for anything. School teachers should get booted out and leave the prophets to do the work by themselves. I vote that FARMS be dismantled and done away. Out with those guys!

Paul O

[_why me]

This is quite damning I think. As has been suggested by critics in the past, the apologists are not free thinkers but rather take orders from Salt Lake City. They must cower in fear over the thought of displeasing their superiors.

Apologists do not take their cue from the 'Brethern' and they are free thinking but they also have faith in the LDS church. That does not necessarily make them less free but they take on a belief system that they must defend.

And they are not cowering in fear.

[_bcspace]

I think we as members have always been asked to get the word out there and defend the faith in one way or another. However, I personally have neither seen or received any memos except that which you have posted.

I have also gone strongly against some of (what you might erroneously call) "the top lieutenants of apologia" from time to time but have never been censured.

[_bcspace]

I dunno. Reading on it appears that the Dialogue article agrees with the notion that the unnamed apostle was Maxwell preventing a certain thesis of Sorenson's from being published in the Ensign. This seems to throw a whole lot of water on the fire that this thread wants to be.