Dr. Peterson, why do you think the Church chose to omit ...

[_cksalmon]

My problem is not that they omitted part of the letter. My problem is that they didn't say they omitted part of the letter.

(and yes, I have the book, and yes, I've read Chapter 38).

Ditto. Especially in light of the fact that they included this statement by the founding LDS prophet Joseph Smith: "As Mr. Bastow has taken the proper steps to obtain correct information, all that I shall ask at his hands, is, that he publish the account entire, ungarnished, and without misrepresentation."

Why would the lesson's author(s) include a statement by Joseph Smith explicitly calling for Bastow to "publish the account entire" and then, themselves, not "publish the account entire"? And, in fact, intentionally omit a very controversial section found in the "account entire" that Joseph Smith explicitly desired to have published?

The answers I've heard from LDS are that the omission was due to space considerations or that the omitted section was not important to the lesson or, more generically, one just can't include everything in these types of manuals. Bah.

There need be no conspiracy theory near to hand to see clearly that the editorial deletion was strategic.

I'd suppose that the manual was written and published for LDS folks assumed to be uninterested in doing the necessary legwork to track down the complete text of the Wentworth Letter. Why would they even think they might need to do so? After all, the Wentworth Letter*, as published in the manual, follows the statement by prophet Joseph Smith that he wished the letter to be published in its entirety.

It seems a transparently shady tactic.

"...[A]ll that I shall ask at his hands, is, that he publish the account entire, ungarnished, and without misrepresentation."

Indeed.

------------------------
*i.e., an incomplete version of the Wentworth Letter.

[_beastie]

You know what's priceless about this?

Here's the portion from the lesson manual:

With the records was found a curious instrument, which the ancients called ‘Urim and Thummim,’ which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast plate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God.

“… This book … tells us that our Savior made His appearance upon this continent after His resurrection; that He planted the Gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power, and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists, the same order, the same priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern continent; that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions; that the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgment of their prophecies, history, etc., and to hide it up in the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days. For a more particular account I would refer to the Book of Mormon, which can be purchased at Nauvoo, or from any of our Traveling Elders.

Ah, the famous ellipses....

(note how they also had to ellipse out the word "also" so as not to alert the reader that something of significance had been ellipsed out of existence)

How many hissy fits have internet defenders of the faith had over the Tanner's use of ellipses? (which they talk about more than demonstrate... I only saw one convincing demonstration of the misuse of ellipses on the Tanner's part)

[_cksalmon]

Ah, the famous ellipses....

(note how they also had to ellipse out the word "also" so as not to alert the reader that something of significance had been ellipsed out of existence)

How many hissy fits have internet defenders of the faith had over the Tanner's use of ellipses? (which they talk about more than demonstrate... I only saw one convincing demonstration of the misuse of ellipses on the Tanner's part)

Yes, but the ellipses clearly indicate that something has been omitted. If certain LDS, ignorant of the implications of this sort of punctuation, are unaware of that fact, then they just haven't done their requisite homework. It's all there in the primary sources, even if all of the Wentworth Letter doesn't appear in the lesson about the Wentworth Letter in which Joseph Smith is quoted as stating that he wishes all of the Wentworth Letter to be published.

It's really not that hard, beastie. You're just trying to pick a fight.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Mms, my guess is that they wished to deemphasize those ideas presented in the omitted portions of the text. The conclusion that there were only those two groups and that the remnants of the Nephite people became solely today's Native Americans, would seem both untenable and embarrassing nowadays.

I think your guess is spot on, Moksha.

I also think omitting it in the way the church did was nothing short of dishonest.

KA

[_beastie]

It's really not that hard, beastie. You're just trying to pick a fight.

Ah, if only I weren't so dense, illiterate, and clueless...

[_harmony]

It's really not that hard, beastie. You're just trying to pick a fight.

Ah, if only I weren't so dense, illiterate, and clueless...

Just read the damn book, Trix. Geez!

[_mms]

I just cannot help but think that the omission was aimed at "the old me" -- the guy who would just read the manuals and the scriptures and a few "popular" publications from Deseret Book (i.e., "Believing Christ"). These folks will use this particular copy of the Wentworth Letter as a reference and will not likely be troubled by the portion omitted. BUT and this is a big ol' BUT :) when those folks are asked to teach a lesson and seek additional materials online, and don't find what they want at LDS.org, or read Rough Stone Rolling and seek additional information about troubling topics online, etc., they will eventually learn that the Church went to rather extraordinary effort to keep certain facts from them AND CONTINUES TO DO SO. The sanitizing is still happening right in front of our very eyes, I am afraid, and this thread provides a striking example for anyone who would dispute this.

[Guest]

WOW.

The remnant

are the Indians

that now inhabit this country.

This is huge, is it not? Some very direct words from the prophet/seer/translator himself, no?

He clearly identifies the American Indians(as in the ones living in the USofA), and keep in mind the "country" was much small at the time of this letter.. further reducing which Indians he is identifying as being DIRECT descendants of of the Lamanites, and thereby placing them closer to Zelph's bones.

Not just the obvious blatant omission, but does this not establish where the Book of Mormon occurred?

Does it not contradict the recent doublespeak err DoubleDay changes to the introduction?

The above statement combined with Smith's Zelph statements... Why is FARMS/MI looking in Mexico??

Rodney Meldrum knows more than all of Farms/MI/Fair.

[_collegeterrace]

I just cannot help but think that the omission was aimed at "the old me" -- the guy who would just read the manuals and the scriptures and a few "popular" publications from Deseret Book (i.e., "Believing Christ"). These folks will use this particular copy of the Wentworth Letter as a reference and will not likely be troubled by the portion omitted. BUT and this is a big ol' BUT :) when those folks are asked to teach a lesson and seek additional materials online, and don't find what they want at LDS.org, or read Rough Stone Rolling and seek additional information about troubling topics online, etc., they will eventually learn that the Church went to rather extraordinary effort to keep certain facts from them AND CONTINUES TO DO SO. The sanitizing is still happening right in front of our very eyes, I am afraid, and this thread provides a striking example for anyone who would dispute this.

Dan will still blame the surprised member for not know the entire contents of the letter as he attempts to stop them from asking WHY there was an omission.

[_collegeterrace]

a side funny part of the letter:

... the chastity of our women was violated ...

Uh yeah, and you know who did that now don'tcha old humpin Joe?