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The FAIR JournalThe FAIR Journal is published monthly. It contains information about new apologetic information at the FAIR Web site. If you would like to sign up to receive the FAIR Journal automatically, click here. To return to the index of past FAIR Journal issues, click here.
THE FAIR JOURNAL May 2002
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The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research
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Apologetics: The branch of theology that is concerned with
defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines. (The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition, 2000.)
INSIDE THE JOURNAL
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* THE FOURTH ANNUAL FAIR APOLOGETIC CONFERENCE. The latest info on
our upcoming annual conference.
* FEATURE: THE SOURCE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON: A LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE
EXPLANATIONS. A review of Dr. Daniel Peterson's 2001 FAIR
Conference presentation, as he looks at the divine source of the
Book of Mormon in the face of alternative theories advocated by
LDS critics.
* NEW ON THE WEBSITE: ANTI-MORMON SENSATIONALISM AND SHOCK VALUE!
THE TOOLS OF THE CRITICS OF THE LDS FAITH. Learn just how far
the critics will go in their attempts to damage The Church of
Jesus Christ.
* NEW ON THE WEBSITE: MORMONISM 201. A response to the recently
published and widely publicized anti-Mormon book, Mormonism 101.
FAIR apologists dismantle the work of Bill McKeever and Eric
Johnson, chapter by chapter.
* DOCTRINAL TRENDS IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY AND THE STRENGTH OF THE
MORMON POSITION. An excellent examination of the striking
similarities of early Christian doctrines and LDS doctrines.
How did that happen?
* A FOCUS ON THE SCHOLARS AND APOLOGISTS. Learn all about the
speakers and their topics at this years FAIR Conference.
* BOOK SALE! We must reduce our inventory! Now is the time to get
your hands on THEY LIE IN WAIT TO DECIEVE (4 volume set) by
Robert and Rosemary Brown.
* MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT, SCOTT GORDON.
* FAIR APOLOGETICS INDEX. The Index continues to grow.
* ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS. Interested in writing for FAIR? Learn how
you can have your apologetics work published.
* PUBLISHING NOTES. Learn how you can become more involved in FAIR
and how you can reuse the material we publish.
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THE FOURTH ANNUAL FAIR APOLOGETIC CONFERENCE
TURNING STUMBLING BLOCKS INTO STEPPING STONES--Responding to
Challenging Issues in Mormonism.
"Critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are quick
to point out what they perceive as thorny issues that 'prove' the
Church is not true. For some, these issues present stumbling blocks
to learning and progression. Whether these issues are historical,
cultural, or doctrinal, they can be turned into stepping stones
leading to greater awareness and growth. This conference will explore
the evidence surrounding potential stumbling blocks and discuss them
in the context of the truthfulness of the Gospel." (Scott Gordon, FAIR
President)
This year's conference will be held at Utah Valley State College
(UVSC) located at 800 West University Parkway in Orem Utah on August
9th and 10th. This location is just off of the freeway and should be
easily accessible. Last year's conference was a big success among the
participants, so we are following the same format.
The conference will be from 10-4 on Friday August 9th and from 9-3 on
Saturday August 10th. Lunch will be included each day. This provides
an opportunity to renew friendships and to eat lunch with the
speakers. After you factor in the price of lunch and the accessibility
of the conference speakers, you will agree that the FAIR conference is
one of the best bargains out there.
The price of the conference is as follows (including 2 lunches)
Purchase in Advance:
$45 per person
$75 per couple
Pay at the door:
$65 per person
$95 per couple
This year we will sell a single day ticket
Single Day
$27.50 ($37.50 at the door)
We will also offer discounted Student tickets, but you must show a
student id at the door. The Student tickets will be:
Two day student
Purchase in advance
$35 per person
$55 per couple
Pay at the door student tickets
$55 per person
$75 per couple
Single day student
$22.50 ($32.50 at the door)
Are you tired of not having the answers when friends pose difficult
questions? Are you ready to defend what you know to be true? Come to
the FAIR Conference!
http://www.fairlds.org/conf02.html
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THE SOURCE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON: A LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS
by Cooper Johnson
The number of alternative explanations for the source of the Book of
Mormon are as plentiful as anti-Mormon ministries. It becomes a
literal maze of confusion, if not dealt with carefully. The critics
will lead their readers and listeners to every possible path within
the maze, as long as it doesn’t lead to authentication of the Book of
Mormon. Regardless of the lack of plausibility, critics of the LDS
faith have become all too creative in their quest to provide
alternative scenarios for how the Book of Mormon came to be. From
hallucinations to premeditated fraud to plagiarism, the explanations
seem endless.
Those choosing to defend the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus
Christ have patiently dealt with alternative explanations as they
have surfaced, pointing to the archeological evidence here and the
textual evidence there. And with the additional and constantly
improving scholarship on this ancient text, the Book of Mormon is
increasingly becoming the subject of extensive focus--even by non-
LDS scholars. However, a current and all-inclusive evaluation of the
possible Book of Mormon origins has not been available to the LDS
apologists...not until Dr. Daniel Peterson decided to change that.
For most who attended the 2001 FAIR LDS Apologetic Conference, one
of the most anticipated speakers was Dr. Peterson, the Chairman of
FARMS, Director of ISPART and BYU Professor of Islamic and Arabic
Studies. Dr. Peterson has become one of the leading scholars in the
area of LDS apologetics and a favorite among FAIR members. Needless
to say, we were all anxious to hear what he had to say.
Appropriately, Dr. Peterson was the concluding speaker at the
conference (and is scheduled for this year’s FAIR Conference, by the
way). And, I must say, with the material he presented, there were no
disappointments. He chose to share with us a portion of a project he
had yet to finish, a most comprehensive examination of all the
possible explanations as to the origins of the Book of Mormon. In
other words, Dr. Peterson decided to consider and analyze all of the
possible theories of how Joseph Smith produced the Book of Mormon.
No stone was left unturned.
Read the full article at: http://www.fairlds.org/Book_of_Mormon/Source_of_the_Book_of_Mormon_Looking_at_Alternative_Explanations.html
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NEW ON THE WEBSITE: ANTI-MORMON SENSATIONALISM AND SHOCK VALUE! THE
TOOLS OF THE CRITICS OF THE LDS FAITH
compiled by Cooper Johnson
A common characteristic of the anti-Mormon approach is to use
sensationalistic terms and concepts to make the LDS faith appear to be
strange and eerie. The objective is to paint the LDS faith as the
alien, horrible, powerful, and evil empire positioning itself to
literally take over the world. (Sounds like Star Wars Episode 3, I
know. What can I say; it sells.) You may be giggling at this point,
but it’s true. This is the picture that many critics paint.
Hank Hanegraaff, of the Bible Answerman radio show, uses this tactic
very effectively. I thought it might be interesting to point some of
these out, just using one series of his Bible Answer Man broadcasts in
which he had an anti-Mormon author, Richard Abanes, as his on-air
guest.
These two men follow the typical anti-Mormon agenda to the tee. By the
end of the broadcast, we find that The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, while not "bad people" and while they do uphold
"Christian values," is a "lustful, violent, greedy, deceitful and
murderous" organization with "more economic power than effectively any
other organized religion in existence," and its ultimate goal is the
"political overthrow of America" and to eventually "take over the
world." Wow!
Read the full article at: http://www.fairlds.org/Anti-Mormons/Tools_of_the_Critics_of_the_LDS_Faith.html
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NEW ON THE WEBSITE: MORMONISM 201--A RESPONSE TO THE ANTI-MORMON BOOK,
MORMONISM 101
Project Leader, Kevin Graham
In April 2000, Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson brought out a new book
designed to provide "an accessible, informative introduction to
Mormonism." They titled the book Mormonism 101 (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Books, ISBN 0-8010-6335-3). McKeever and Johnson have
quite a bit of experience sharing information about the LDS Church, as
they are both affiliated with the Mormonism Research Ministry (El
Cajon, California). At first glance it would appear that their
credentials are appropriate to the stated purpose of the book, and
that the reader is in for an authoritative discussion of the Church's
beliefs and practices.
Appearances can be deceiving, however. Like so many other books that
speak out against the LDS Church (often called anti-Mormon books),
Mormonism 101 often resorts to misrepresentation, selective citations,
and poor scholarship to show how members of the LDS Church are lost
souls, deceived by their history and their leaders and destined for
eternal damnation unless they see the light.
Unfortunately, not every reader of Mormonism 101 will have the
background and understanding necessary to see the book for what it
is--one more attempt to stereotype members of the LDS Church and
relegate them to the historical boneyard of misguided religions.
Recognizing that some readers may be misled, Kevin Graham, a member
of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR),
spearheaded a project with other FAIR members to do a chapter-by-
chapter analysis and refutation of the materials presented in
Mormonism 101. This is the genesis and background behind Mormonism
201. The undertaking was massive for the volunteer FAIR members, and
it continues to be a work in progress. (Oh, how we have wished--more
than once--for a paid, professional staff of apologists such as those
associated with the Mormonism Research Ministry and dozens of other
such groups that make their paychecks as professional anti-Mormons.
Such is not the case, however.)
Check out this work-in-progress: http://www.fairlds.org/Mormonism_201
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DOCTRINAL TRENDS IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY AND THE STRENGTH OF THE MORMON
POSITION
by Barry Bickmore
Christianity as a whole is a historical religion. That is, its truth
claims are based on the historical reality of certain events, such as
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In addition, each Christian
denomination is bound to a particular view or range of views of
Christian history that tie into its reason for existence. These
views range from direct continuity with the New Testament Church among
Catholics and Orthodox, to some measure of apostasy and reformation
back to New Testament Christianity among Protestants. Latter-day
Saints believe there was a total apostasy from New Testament
Christianity, and a complete restoration of primitive Christianity was
necessary, although we believe elements of the true faith from all
past dispensations have been included, as well as things which have
been "kept hid from before the foundation of the world." To some
degree, these propositions can be tested.
My intent here is to outline a brief historical argument for the
proposition that the Latter-day Saints represent, in the main, a
restoration of primitive Christianity. I am going to do that by
showing that in some of the most important areas of theology, early
trends in Christian doctrine point from something very like LDS
doctrine and toward the doctrines of later Christianity. Finally, I
will examine how different Christian traditions try to deal with these
facts, and show that the meaning we attach to early Christian
doctrinal development follows quite naturally, while other
interpretations are usually very forced.
Read the full paper: http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/DocTrends.pdf
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A FOCUS ON THE SCHOLARS AND APOLOGISTS: The Speakers at the 4th Annual
FAIR LDS Apologetics Conference
FAIR is extremely pleased with this years line-up of conference
speakers. Some of the top LDS scholars in their field have agreed to
speak to us at the conference.
See a full description of the FAIR Conference speakers, along with a
detailed look at their topics at:
http://www.fairlds.org/conf02b.html
Last year's conference was wonderfully enlightening and fun. This
year's conference will be outstanding and we look forward to seeing
you there. Once you've been to one conference, you won't want to miss
another.
Sign up for this conference at http://www.fairlds.org/conf02.html
If you have a business and are interested in sponsoring a booth at
the conference contact us at the Webmaster
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BOOK SALE!
We *MUST* reduce our inventory in the FAIR Bookstore--the Bookstore
Manager needs to get his car back in the garage. (OK, so it's his
wife's car!)
Now is the time to get your hands on THEY LIE IN WAIT TO DECIEVE
(4-volume set) by Robert and Rosemary Brown. Each book normally sells
for $12.50, which adds up to $50.00 for the entire set of four.
HERE IS THE SPECIAL OFFER!
Purchase any two books for $17.50. (30% OFF)
OR...
Purchase the set of four for $24.99 (50% OFF)
A more revealing look at the tactics used by LDS critics does not
exist. The Browns research is unmatched, in efforts to verify the
claims of many anti-Mormons. Thanks to the Browns, we now know all
about the deceptive practices of critics of the LDS faith.
You should note that these books are not doctrinal defenses of the LDS
faith, but expose the deceitful and dishonest practices of
anti-Mormons. The Browns actually researched documents, obtained
affadavits, obtained transcripts, verified facts from all kinds of
institutions and the documents are actually included in these books.
It is truly an amazing set of works.
Volume 1: A detailed look at the antics of "Dr." or "Prof." Dee Jay
Nelson and his crusade against the Book of Abraham, as well as
some enlightening information about the work of Jerald and Sandra
Tanner.
Volume 2: Learn the truth behind well-known anti-Mormons such as
"Dr." Walter Martin, Wayne Cowdrey, Howard Davis, and Donald
Scales.
Volume 3: This is the magnum opus on the works of the late "Dr."
Walter Martin, a radio personality who would often use his pulpit
to denegrate and deride the LDS faith.
Volume 4: Focuses on the efforts of professional anti-Mormons such as
Ed Decker, Richard Baer, "Dr." Richard Fales, "Dr." Charles Crane,
and "Dr." John L. Smith. Also includes additional information on
Jerald and Sandra Tanner.
To order the books, start here: http://www.fairlds.org/Lie_in_Wait_to_Deceive/
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
by Scott Gordon, President
Thank you for reading the FAIR Journal. I hope you find it helpful.
There are a few important items I want to bring to your attention.
First of all, we are very pleased with the rapid growth of the FAIR
Journal and hope you find it useful. FAIR is dedicated to being a
resource to you. If you have enjoyed these issues or found the Website
to be helpful, please sign up a friend. To sign up a friend you only
need a name and email address. To sign them up go to:
http://www.fairlds.org/Join_FAIR/Sign_Up_For_the_FAIR_Journal.html
Secondly, we are moving ahead with our FAIR Conference this Summer on
August 9th and 10th. You can view the tentative schedule of speakers
here:
http://www.fairlds.org/conf02b.html
If you are looking for a place to stay, three inns that are very close
to UVSC have offered special discount rates to people attending the
FAIR conference. To view the details click here:
http://www.fairlds.org/conf02c.html
Finally, we would like to announce that we are in pre-publication on
the second edition of the very popular book "Guess Who Wants To Have
You For Lunch." Bookstores continue to call every week for copies of
this book, so it should be a hot seller. But to publish this book it
will require some up front money.
We need to raise about $3,500 to publish. If you are able to donate,
please go to the following Web page and click on the link to make
a one-time donation.
http://www.fairlds.org/Join_FAIR/index.html#Donate
Donations are easy to make with your credit card. There are a number
of donation amounts you can make from $5 to $1,000. (Scroll through
the whole page to see all the donation amounts.)
If you would like to mail in a check, send it to FAIR, 2136 Garden
Avenue, Redding CA 96001. FAIR is a 501-C3 non-profit organization,
so donations are tax deductible. As with any donation, check with
your accountant for your particular situation.
No donated money pays anyone’s salary (we don’t have any salaries—all
labor is donated at FAIR), and Rob Fink CPA of Brown, Fink, Boyce and
Astle in Sacramento, CA handles our accounting and keeps us honest.
We appreciate his work.
We appreciate all of your support.
Scott Gordon
FAIR President
-----------------------------------
FAIR APOLOGETICS INDEX CONTINUES TO GROW AND GAIN POPULARITY
We continue to add content to the apologetics index. Now we not only
have the Ensign articles on the various topics indexed, but we also
have many of the LDS Websites on the internet indexed which includes
Website articles, many articles from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism,
the FARMS free site, and some electronic books.
Next time you have a gospel question, you no longer have to try to
remember which website the answer might be on, you can go to
www.fairlds.org, click on the index, click on that one topic and
find a list of great responses from all over the internet. It also has
a keyword search box.
The use of the index continues to rise. We have Sunday School teachers
and Seminary teachers using it now to help prepare for their lessons.
We hope this will be a great resource for you.
------------------------------
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS
We welcome article submissions for the FAIR Web site. If you would
like to submit an article, please review the editing guidelines at:
http://www.fairlds.org/EdStyle.pdf
Submit your article to the FAIR Journal Editor. An appropriate
article would be one that affirms the truthfulness of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
While LDS apologetics (in the broadest sense) deals with refuting
critics of the Church, articles don't necessarily have to deal with
anti-Mormonism, but may deal with some new evidence of the Book of
Mormon, some interesting scripture interpretation, a viewpoint or
quote from the early Christian Fathers or other historical figure,
an interesting lesson idea, an inspiring missionary story, Church
history, or your view on a current event related to the Church or a
piece from a historical journal.
We may also accept articles from people who are not members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that may not necessarily
meet the guidelines of supporting the church if it is a topic of
general interest to people involved in apologetics.
A submission may range in length from several pages to a single
paragraph.
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PUBLISHING NOTES
FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided
in the FAIR Journal and on the FAIR Web site (http://www.fairlds.org)
are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as
official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice.
If someone has forwarded this e-journal to you and you would like to
join you should go to www.fairlds.org and click on the Membership
link.
If you are very interested in apologetics and would like to actively
participate in FAIR you should consider joining our apologetics e-mail
list. Visit www.fairlds.org and click on the Membership link to join
this list as well.
If you manage your own e-mail list, and wish to include some of these
thoughts or articles on your list, contact us through our Web site, at
this page: www.fairlds.org/contact.psp. We have a fairly liberal policy of using our
material so long as you contact us first to gain permission and
clearly identify that your source was FAIR and by adding a link to the
FAIR website (www.fairlds.org).
If you would like to sign up to receive the FAIR Journal automatically, click here. To return to the index of past FAIR Journal issues, click here.
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FAIR is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided on this site are the sole responsibility of FAIR, and should not be interpreted as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice. If you like what FAIR does and you agree with our mission, we invite you to support FAIR in any way you are able. You can make a donation, or visit our Membership page for additional support ideas. FAIR only succeeds through the efforts of our gracious volunteers.
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