https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/latte ... ar-AAKls6z“The facts are one layer of history, and how they are presented, how they are put together, is another,” Erekson said. “‘Real vs. Rumor’ is really about this other layer — how people take things out of context, how they manipulate it, how they tell part of the story. Those are the things that everybody can learn to recognize. As soon as you see those kinds of distortions, you know this stinks, this doesn’t smell right.”
Erekson has outlined what he calls the “sniff test” — “clues that something just isn’t right” — and other resources in a new book titled “Real vs. Rumor: How to Dispel Latter-day Saint Myths,” which is on sale now from Deseret Book.
The book explores myths, rumors, legends and lore related to Latter-day Saint history as a way to teach others how to think critically and navigate through misinformation to identify truth.
“The sniff tests are clues that something just isn’t right. The thinking habits are skills that combine study and faith,” he said. “Both need to become reflexes that help us make sense of the world around us.”
Hi gives some examples of tall tales that turned out not to be true, for instance...
I bolded a part I think is significant. Multiple First Vision stories anyone?Elvis Presley’s Book of Mormon
In the case of Elvis and the light blue Book of Mormon, the sniff test was that the donor told multiple conflicting stories about the book, the author said.
“Elvis’ father wanted the book destroyed, Elvis’ father wanted the book given to the Osmond family, or the book was sent to an auction house that decided not to sell it,” Erekson said. “All of those could not be correct at the same time.”
One thinking habit is connecting the stories to the historical context.
“The donor said Elvis read the book the last two weeks of his life, which meant he would have read and marked hundreds of pages of scripture while hosting his 9-year-old daughter, preparing to go on tour, and reeling from the publication of a damaging exposé,” Erekson said. “So those things not adding up prompted a more comprehensive investigation.”
Back to considering the Doors Of Death tale by Russell M. Nelson...
Let's hope Russell M. Nelson and Sheri Dew are paying attention, along with members everywhere.When you understand the concept of a sniff test, you don’t need to know every fact to recognize the warning signs, the author said.
“Real vs. Rumor” includes an appendix with four key points:
Survey the situation.
Analyze the contents.
Connect to the context.
Evaluate significances.
Erekson also urged Latter-day Saints to verify the accuracy of stories before sharing them in church settings. His book includes strategies for verifying information and finding the best resources.
“Pause and think before you share a story,” he said. “If you decide to share it, as teachers or speakers, it’s our responsibility to verify the information that we share.”
This book is a very real threat to the Church, getting members to think critically doesn't usually end well.
Grandslam!