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Dan Vogel reviews Richard Lyman Bushman’s award-winning book Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005). The occasion of this review was his participation on a panel convened at the Mormon History Association Meeting, Casper, Wyoming, 27 May 2006. Other Panelists were William D. Russell, Gary Topping, and Martha Bradley-Evans. Newell Bringhurst was the moderator and Bushman was the respondent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR8gQCopz4k&feature=youtu.be

Thanks Dan, I thought you made some solid critiques. I agree that one of the biggest problems with Bushman's book is that he becomes the least objective and the most apologetic when he comes to the issues which would cause the most problems for a Mormon testimony.

Aristotle Smith wrote:Thanks Dan, I thought you made some solid critiques. I agree that one of the biggest problems with Bushman's book is that he becomes the least objective and the most apologetic when he comes to the issues which would cause the most problems for a Mormon testimony.

Had to laugh, because William d'bag Schyver said just the opposite, and he said that but for others who have sway over he, w d'bag s, would publish exposing Bushman for what he really is....some one who consistently sided with apostates and critics.

3sheets2thewind wrote:

Aristotle Smith wrote:Thanks Dan, I thought you made some solid critiques. I agree that one of the biggest problems with Bushman's book is that he becomes the least objective and the most apologetic when he comes to the issues which would cause the most problems for a Mormon testimony.

Had to laugh, because William d'bag Schyver said just the opposite, and he said that but for others who have sway over he, w d'bag s, would publish exposing Bushman for what he really is....some one who consistently sided with apostates and critics.

Will D'bag Schryver being published...that's a good one...

this isn't the exact one I was looking for, but it is close. I haven't yet found where he said he would write about Bushman but for other factors....Bradford sucking at the apostate teet was not a factor.

3sheets: I think the post you're looking for is the one we discussed in this thread:

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=24688

This panel that discussed Bushman's book is one of the best panels ever assembled in critiquing a Mormon work. Dan is (as Richard Bushman says) the most knowledgeable person on the life of Joseph Smith.

Bill Russell and Gary Topping brought wonderful comments to the table, I highly recommend listening to the entire critique. I learned a great deal.

But what really pisses me off, is how talented Dan is, he figured out how to use Youtube.

Cicero wrote:3sheets: I think the post you're looking for is the one we discussed in this thread:

http://mormondiscussions.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=24688

thanks,

I am sick of reading Schryver's inquisitorial bilge.

As to the subject of the panel, Vogel made what I thought were excellent points. In particular, I immediately disagreed with Bushman's way of reading Joseph Smith's experience as a treasure seer, largely because I find it almost impossible to untangle the treasure seer from the prophet. I think that, truth be told, the two are the same. What one sees is a slow evolution in focus. But what do we make of Brigham Young identifying the location of sites anciently dedicated for Nephite temples? I think this is a continuation of the tradition of treasure seership in Mormonism. The focus has shifted (away from acquiring money from the earth), but they are fundamentally the same.