Holland wrote:Not everything in life is so black and white, but the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and its keystone role in our religion seem to be exactly that. Either Joseph Smith was the prophet he said he was....No, nor would he be entitled to be considered a great teacher, a quintessential American religious leader, or the creator of great devotional literature. If he had lied...,
...then what? Presumably, Holland would more or less agree with the staff writer's own "trilemma" view, but nonetheless, the staff writer wields Joseph Fielding Smith's legendary pair of scissors such that the reader would never know what the alternative is, exactly, for Elder Holland.
One shouldn't lob slow pitches like that with Billy Shears around.
Billy Shears wrote:I can't tell if this post is opposed to thinking about Joseph Smith in black-or-white terms or is in favor of looking at him that way. According to what Jeffrey R. Holland said in the ellipsesed-out section of the quote you provided, "Joseph Smith must be accepted either as a prophet of God or else as a charlatan of the first order."
When the leaders of the Church insist Joseph Smith be thought of in black-or-white terms, you shouldn't feel too indignant when non-believers comply.
Ouch!
The apologists trip over themselves responding, but what can you possibly say to that?
