To What Extent Are the Brethren Directing Mopologetics?
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:34 pm
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:
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:
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.
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:
(emphasis added)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]
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:
(emphasis added)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.
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.