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Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:05 pm
by _DarkHelmet
The revolutionary war period of American history is fascinating. I can't get enough of it. Yesterday I watched another revolutionary war documentary (until my daughter finally dragged me away from it). I hate movies like The Patriot that try to turn it into a war of good vs. evil. But what really offends me is when TBMs can only see it as God's way of providing a free country for the gospel to be restored. How else do you explain how a ragged group of colonials could defeat the greatest army on Earth? That theory is offensive because if you read a little about the war (I'm not an expert by any means), you learn why the Patriots won. There was so much more at stake than guaranteeing that Joseph Smith could start a church free from oppression (as if he encountered no religious oppression in America). Also, many of the people stirring up trouble were radicals. Sam Adams is an American hero today, but at the time he was a terrorist leader. Thomas Paine's anti-Monarchy pamphlets kept the American fighting spirit alive during the dark days of the war. The Boston Tea party disrupted legal commerce. They were like 1960s radicals, or the Occupy movement. The militia would get liquored up in the bar before fighting the British. Yet, we also had the intellectual heavywights like John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. On the battle field George Washington made just enough brilliant maneuvers to overcome his many tactical errors. Howe's decision to take Philadelphia instead of supporting Burgoyne at Saratoga was probably the single biggest error on the British side. It ruined his career and probably was the key event that lost the war for the British. So many great stories. The political back stabbing on both sides. Benedict Arnold's tragic story. Benjamin Franklin's split with his only son, William, who remained a British Loyalist throughout the war. It's just sad that when I try to discuss the revolutionary war with TBM family or friends, it seems like all they want to talk about is Joseph Smith, and how God helped the colonies beat the British so that the gospel could be restored. I find it offensive because it takes all the issues that these people really did fight and die for, tosses those issues aside, and puts God at the center of the conflict where his only concern is providing a place for Joseph Smith to start his church.
"Before the gospel could again shine forth its resplendent light, religious and political freedom first had to be restored. This land had been preserved as a continent apart from the religious oppression, tyranny, and intolerance of Europe. In time, emigrants came to the new land and established colonies. By and large, they were a God-fearing people. A war was fought for their independence, and by God's intervention, victory was achieved. (See 1 Nephi 13:16-19.) By that same omnipotent power the Constitution was born (see D&C 101:80), which guaranteed religious and political liberty (see D&C 98:5-8). Only then was the time propitious for the kingdom of God—that 'stone cut out without hands' to be restored (see Daniel 2:34)." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p109)
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:28 pm
by _harmony
Why couldn't God start the church if the Colonies were still under British rule?
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:34 pm
by _Racer
Don't forget the Mormon doctrine of how the ghosts of all the founding fathers appeared to one of the prophets (BY or Taylor?) and demanded to be baptized for the dead. Can anyone link to that? I swear I was taught that in church.
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:35 pm
by _just me
Racer wrote:Don't forget the Mormon doctrine of how the ghosts of all the founding fathers appeared to one of the prophets (BY or Taylor?) and demanded to be baptized for the dead. Can anyone link to that? I swear I was taught that in church.
Wilford Woodruff. It appears in his journals, I believe.
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:37 pm
by _bcspace
They were like 1960s radicals, or the Occupy movement.
Oh please! Many of them were landed, rich, white, and sometimes slave-owning Protestants. That's the 1960's radical view by the way.
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:41 pm
by _Cicero
Just me is right. If you can find it, I highly recommend Tom Alexander's biography of Woodruff (Signature Books published it).
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:48 pm
by _Stormy Waters
Racer wrote:Don't forget the Mormon doctrine of how the ghosts of all the founding fathers appeared to one of the prophets (BY or Taylor?) and demanded to be baptized for the dead. Can anyone link to that? I swear I was taught that in church.
http://www.LDS.org/general-conference/1 ... ernment%22We know the signers of the sacred Declaration of Independence and the Founding Fathers, with George Washington at their head, have made appearance in holy places. Apostle Wilford Woodruff was president of the St. George Temple at the time of their appearance and testified that the founders of our republic declared this to him: “We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God.”
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:49 pm
by _DarkHelmet
bcspace wrote:They were like 1960s radicals, or the Occupy movement.
Oh please! Many of them were landed, rich, white, and sometimes slave-owning Protestants. That's the 1960's radical view by the way.
Many of them were. But how many of the wealthy landowners were picking fights with British soldiers in the streets? The Boston Massacre was started by a mob harassing a young British Sentry that was just doing his job guarding a custom house. When you picture a mob surrounding soldiers and throwing snowballs and sticks, does it remind you of wealthy, white landowners, or 1960s radicals? John Adams was part of the elite class, and he defended the British Soldiers in court. The Sons of Liberty and other radicals stirred up the spirit of revolution. As the movement matured, the wealthy elite took over.
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:53 pm
by _angsty
I tend to agree with the OP. History rewritten to suit LDS narratives can often be offensive. The prevalent teachings about Native American ancestry serve as another example. The truth is a far more complex, compelling and worthy subject of inquiry. There's something ugly about viewing people and events so bereft of context. I suppose that lack of context is what allows that sort of creative revision.
I realize that not everyone has the time to read up on these matters, but it's unfortunate that these speculations gain traction so easily, while more supportable accounts are ignored or de-emphasized.
Re: Mormon doctrine on the American Revolution is offensive
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:56 pm
by _Stormy Waters
This is more spefically what you were looking for
http://www.LDS.org/ensign/1987/09/the-c ... s-standardThink of it, the Founding Fathers of this nation, those great men, appeared within those sacred walls and had their vicarious work done for them. President Wilford Woodruff spoke of it in these words:
“Before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, ‘You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God.’
“These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and they waited on me for two days and two nights. …
“I straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon Brother McAllister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and fifty other eminent men.” 3
These noble spirits came there with divine permission—evidence that this work of salvation goes forward on both sides of the veil.