The FAIR Journal

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THE FAIR JOURNAL                                         February 2008
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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
----------------------------------------------------------------------

  * MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. Scott Gordon announces the 2008 FAIR 
    Conference.

  * NEW ON THE WEBSITE. "Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The
    Book of Mormon and Archaeology." In their 2005 FAIR Conference
    presentation, John E. Clark, Wade Ardern, and Matthew Roper
    examine how the Book of Mormon is faring in light of new
    discoveries.

  * NEW ON THE WEBSITE. "Apologetics 101." Wayne Arnett reviews the
    hows and whys of apologetics in his 2006 FAIR Conference
    presentation.

  * NEW ON THE WEBSITE. "Book of Abraham 201: Papyri, Revelation, and
    Modern Egyptology." This 2006 FAIR Conference presentation by Mike
    Ash delves into a range of criticisms against the Book of Abraham.

  * NEW ON THE WEBSITE. "A Black Man in Zion: Reflections on Race in
    the Restored Gospel." In this 2006 FAIR Conference presentation,
    Marcus H. Martins discusses the problems and progress of blacks in
    the Church.

  * NEW ON THE WEBSITE. "As Far as it is Translated Correctly: The
    Problem of Tampering with the Word of God in the Transmission and
    Translation of the New Testament." In his 2007 FAIR Conference
    presentation, John F. Hall discusses the transmission and exegesis
    of the New Testament.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. The Church has released a statement about
    the LDS view of the Bible.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. FAIR now has a site on YouTube.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. The Wall Street Journal recently ran an
    article about anti-Mormon responses to Mitt Romney's campaign and
    included an article on the FAIR blog.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. The Church has released an updated video
    showing the growth in the number of stakes from 1847 to 2007.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. A new movie about black Latter-day Saints
    has been released.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. Several new websites have been created to
    explain and defend LDS temple beliefs and practices.

  * RESOURCES ON THE WEB. Andrew Ainsworth blogs on "ten things every
    Mormon needs to know."

  * ASK THE APOLOGIST. Got a question you are dying to ask? Here's
    how.

  * FAIR TOPICAL GUIDE. The Topical Guide on the FAIR Web site is one
    of the most popular resources offered. Learn what is available and
    help us expand our references.

  * FAIR WIKI. The FAIR Wiki is an excellent resource for someone
    looking for a summary of an issue and for pointers to more
    detailed information. Links to many new and changed articles are
    included in this issue.

  * FAIR LDS BOOKSTORE.

  * 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.

  * FAIR JOURNAL ARCHIVES. All of the FAIR Journal issues since
    October 2001 are on the FAIR web site.


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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

One of the great resources provided by FAIR is its annual conference.
These conferences have been held every year since 1999 and have
involved scores of talented scholars and experts speaking on almost
every conceivable topic related to apologetics. These conferences are
extremely valuable not only for the tremendously educational and
inspiring presentations being given, but also for the opportunity to
sit and speak one-on-one with fellow apologists and many of the
leading contributors to LDS apologetics. And, of course, the FAIR
Bookstore always has a huge number of books on sale--you won't find
another opportunity to browse through so many high-quality, scholarly
books on Mormonism, history, and scriptural studies than at the FAIR
Conference bookstore!

For us it is always a challenge to find the right mix of topics and
presenters. FAIR works hard to make sure that the talks are not merely
informative, but that they have relevance to our work to defend the
Gospel and to help members and investigators in their studies. When
our speaker list is announced we are sure you will be excited over not
just what will be discussed, but who we will have the opportunity of
hearing.

With that being said, we are excited to announce the 2008 FAIR
Conference, the tenth conference sponsored by FAIR. It will be held at
the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy, Utah, on August 7 and 8.
For our loyal supporters, we are offing the Early Bird Special for the
month of March. For March only you can sign up for the full two-day
conference, with lunch provided each day, for only $49.95. Mark your
calendars now and reserve those days! We will be providing additional
speaker information in next month's FAIR Journal.

Order your tickets here:

    http://store.fairlds.org/prod/pConR2.html

To keep abreast of the 2008 FAIR Conference as it develops, go to:

    http://fairlds.org/conf08a.html

Also, don't forget to check out FAIR's new DVD about DNA and the Book
of Mormon. You can see information about this new release here:

    http://store.fairlds.org/prod/p1893036073.html

--Scott Gordon
  President


------------------------------

FAIR is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so if you are in the United
States, your donation is tax deductible. Without your donations, FAIR
would cease to exist. Thank you for your support.

    http://store.fairlds.org/bi071.html

You can also contact FAIR via the U.S. Postal Service using the
following address.

    FAIR
    P.O. Box 491677
    Redding, CA 96049-1677


------------------------------
Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and
Archaeology
by John E. Clark, Wade Ardern, and Matthew Roper

This session of the 2005 FAIR Conference was actually given by three
individuals: John E. Clark, Wade Ardern, and Matthew Roper. Each
speakers addressed a different aspect of defending the Book of Mormon
claims from attacks by hostile critics.

Clark dealt with the progression of LDS views of the Book of Mormon
from the time of Joseph Smith to the present. He shows how our
understanding of the book and its New World origins has grown as
scholars have delved deeper into subtle clues of its ancient
authorship. Part of this has been a shift from a hemispheric model of
the Book of Mormon to a limited geographic model, a view much more in
line with the actual claims in the text. Clark discusses what
archaeology can and cannot prove and how careful we must be when
looking at lists of "missing" evidence. And he points out that "By
focusing only on missing evidence, one loses perspective. We all know
what's missing. A question we should ask more often is: What has been
found?"

Arden and Roper reported on an ongoing project to catalog and examine
all of the anti-Mormon attacks on the Book of Mormon since 1829. They
report that as of their presentation, 440 criticisms have been
gathered from 90 sources. These criticisms have been sorted by the
date of their appearance and the frequency of their use has been
plotted. Arden and Roper have then looked at the nature of the
criticisms (e.g., are they even provable or disprovable by
archaeological or scientific means) and how these criticisms have fared
over the years. Their results so far show that, contrary to
expectations for a fraudulent text, the Book of Mormon criticisms are
falling to the results of ongoing archaeological findings and
historical research.

Clark adds his conclusion, "It is an ancient book, its history is
intriguing, and its message of Christ is true and redeeming."

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s310


------------------------------
Apologetics 101
by Wayne Arnett

For those of us involved with defending our beliefs in the face of
nearly two centuries of vitriolic attacks, apologetics is both fun and
rewarding. In terms of priority, it certainly falls behind such
important areas as personal spiritual development, strengthening
family ties, and magnifying church callings, but there are times when
the ability to calmly and powerfully explain some Gospel principle or
historical event can be critical in the life of a family member,
friend, or church acquaintance.

During the 2006 FAIR Conference, Wayne Arnett gave an excellent
introduction to apologetics, describing the basic principles of
effective apologetics and explaining approaches that are the most
fruitful when responding to critical material or individuals. He
points out a number of excellent resources for people who are
interested in learning more and become better apologists for the
restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Arnett expresses the feelings of
nearly all apologists when he says, "So the motivation is one of
dedication, of love for the gospel, of being able to say, 'There are
answers to your questions.'"

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s311


------------------------------
Book of Abraham 201: Papyri, Revelation, and Modern Egyptology
by Mike Ash

At the 2004 FAIR Conference, Mike Ash and Kevin Barney gave a
presentation going over the basic history of the Book of Abraham and
summarizing the approaches to dealing with Book of Abraham questions.
In this 2006 FAIR Conference talk, Ash goes deeper into the topic and
deals with a few specific criticisms raised against the Book of
Abraham.

The apologetics associated with the claims of the Book of Abraham are
more complex than many other aspects of LDS belief and practice, but
Ash deals effectively with some of the most common attacks, such as
the dating of the papyri and the text, some facsimile issues, the
relationship between the Book of Abraham and the Egyptian Sensen text,
and parallels to the Book of Abraham in ancient traditions about
Abraham. As Ash says, "Recent discoveries basically seem to bear out
that Joseph Smith not as wrong the critics claim and in many instances
is correct."

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s312


------------------------------
A Black Man in Zion: Reflections on Race in the Restored Gospel
by Marcus H. Martins

This 2006 FAIR Conference presentation by Marcus Martins is a
fascinating look into the issues surrounding the priesthood ban and
the historical role of blacks in The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Presenting from the perspective of a black
Latter-day Saint, Martin reflects on many aspects of the role of race
and color in a church led by a prophet of God. Martin brings personal
experiences of his own and his father's to help us understand better
how to understand and respond to these issues which have been
troubling to many.

"For those who may still be unwilling or unprepared to leave the past
behind, I only suggest that while they feel so they follow the Apostle
Paul's admonition to be '... an example of the believers, in word, in
conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.'"

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s313


------------------------------
As Far as it is Translated Correctly: The Problem of Tampering with
the Word of God in the Transmission and Translation of the New
Testament
by John F. Hall

One of the most frequent discussions an apologist will have with
anti-Mormons is on the issue of the Bible as an inerrant, complete,
unique, and self-interpreting text. Latter-day Saints are fortunate to
have the divinely-revealed understanding that the ancient texts,
though inspired and critically important, are neither perfect nor
complete, nor can they be understood without the guidance and light of
the Holy Ghost.

In this 2007 FAIR Conference presentation, John Hall reviews the
fundamentals of the New Testament text, explaining such things and the
nature of the extant texts, the process and problems associated with
the transmission of the text, and the importance of understanding the
context and environment in which the texts were created.

"The books of the New Testament also constitute, when understood in
the original meaning and intent of their authors, witnesses of the
veracity of the Church of Jesus Christ in this dispensation. A very
important part of our purpose is to help the New Testament be seen as
the witness of Jesus Christ that it is, through perusal of whose
verses a vibrant portrait of the living Christ may appear."

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s314


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: FAIR YOUTUBE SITE

In a prior Journal we announced that FAIR had begun putting videos on
YouTube. This presence has now been expanded into an integrated site
on YouTube. Here you can find not only FAIR videos but other videos
created to explain or defend LDS history, beliefs, and practices.

Some recent additions to the video collection on the FAIR YouTube site
include:
    * Clips from Journey of Faith I and II
    * Jerusalem in context of The Book of Mormon
    * Nahom
    * Nephi's Bountiful
    * Divine Kingship
    * Jesus Christ in the New World
    * Book of Mormon and the New World

See the videos:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s297


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: CHURCH STATEMENT ON THE BIBLE

Critics of the Church frequently distort the Eighth Article of Faith
that reads "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is
translated correctly." The assertion is often made that Latter-day
Saints frequently appeal to a corrupt Bible to justify LDS beliefs
that are unorthodox. In fact, Latter-day Saints almost never make such
a defense of their doctrines.

The statement on the Bible explains how Latter-day Saints reverence
the Bible and accept its authority while recognizing that it is not
inerrant. "Church members believe that during the centuries-long
process in which fallible human beings compiled, translated and
transcribed the Bible, various errors entered the text. However, this
does not override the overwhelming predominance of truth within the
Bible."

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s293


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: WALL STREET JOURNAL ON MORMONISM

Mitt Romney's campaign for the presidency brought a dramatic surge in
anti-Mormon activity. On February 8 the Wall Street Journal ran an
article entitled "TABERNACLE ON TRIAL: Mormons Dismayed By Harsh
Spotlight." A number of FAIR members provided information for the
author of the article. In addition to the main article, the WSJ also
provided information about the FAIR blog and some of the material
found there. The following link is for the article about the FAIR
blog, which is called "Our Dreams Are Centered In Our Belief in Jesus
Christ': Blogging Mormonism."

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s295


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: CHURCH GROWTH VIDEO

The Church has released an updated video showing the growth in the
number of stakes of the Church from 1847 to 2007. This YouTube video
shows in a visual medium how the Church has expanded rapid since the
end of World War II.

See the video:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s296


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: FIRST VISION ACCOUNTS

A common argument used against The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints involves the multiple First Vision accounts given by
Joseph Smith. Critics argue that the differences in the accounts are
evidence that the event never occurred and that Joseph Smith simply
invented the story years after it was supposed to have happened. LDS
defenders respond by pointing out their similarities and the fact that
it is a sign of its authenticity that Joseph Smith did not relate the
story in exactly the same way each time he told it.

Many resources are available on this fascinating topic. Eldon Watson
has done an excellent site that compares the various versions and
puts them into a format that is easy to understand.

Read the article:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s298

For further information, analysis, and links, read the FAIR wiki:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s299


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: NEW MOVIE ON BLACK LATTER-DAY SAINTS

A new movie was recently released about black Latter-day Saints,
"Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons." The movie,
produced by Margaret Young and Darius Gray, has been screened at the
Utah Film Festival, the Texas Black Film Festival, and the San Diego
Black Film Festival. It tells the history of blacks in the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the life stories of black
men and women from the time of Joseph Smith to the present.

See the trailer:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s304

For more information on the history of blacks in the Church, visit
blacklds.org at:

    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s305

For more information about the issue of blacks and the priesthood,
visit the FAIR wiki at:

    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s306


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: WEBSITES ABOUT LDS TEMPLES

Latter-day Saint temple beliefs are some of the most unique elements
of the faith. Many other Christians view these practices with
suspicion, equating them with Mosaic, pagan, or satanic practices that
were either eliminated by Christ's atonement or forbidden by God as
sinful. The reticence of LDS Christians to discuss the details of the
temple frequently only adds to the negative impression held by those
outside the faith.

But Latter-day Saints see the temple ceremonies as being uplifting and
Christ-centered, and they consider the temple and its covenants to be
part of the eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ. LDS see their temple
worship reflected in beliefs and practices of the early Christians as
well as true followers of God from the time of Adam. Criticisms of
temple symbols and rituals are often made in ignorance of how similar,
or even identical, symbols and rituals have been used by other
Christian groups over the last 2000 years.

Several websites exist to help both Latter-day Saints and their
neighbors to better understand the role and function of temples in
Latter-day Saint religious life.

Visit Ben Spackman's site:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s300

Visit MormonTempleCeremony.com:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s301

Visit "Temple Study":
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s302

Visit the FAIR Topical Guide section on temples:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s303


------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: TEN THINGS EVERY MORMON NEEDS TO KNOW

Latter-day Saints are blessed with an expanded, open canon and modern
revelation to guide the Church. But God has made it clear through his
prophets that no leader is infallible and that each member is
individually responsible for his or her own testimony and knowledge of
the truth. Andrew Ainsworth deals with these issues in his blog, "10
Things Every Mormon Needs to Know."

Visit the website:
    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s308


------------------------------
ASK THE APOLOGIST

FAIR invites the public to submit questions relating to LDS beliefs,
practices, and history. Some questions are asked sincerely by members
and investigators, others are clearly hostile questions challenging
the veracity of the Church and its teachings. Many of these responses
may end up on the Web site as a FAIR paper or brochure. If you have a
question, you may submit it through the FAIR web site.

    http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php

Questions sent to FAIR will be shared with members of FAIR, so it is
not uncommon to receive several responses that approach the issue from
different angles.


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FAIR TOPICAL GUIDE

The Topical Guide is one of the most important LDS apologetic
resources available. If you aren't familiar with this part of FAIR's
Web site, check it out at

    http://www.fairlds.org/apol

The following are the Topical Guide updates for the month.


------------------------------
FAIR WIKI

The FAIR wiki project was started in 2006 to provide a more flexible
and searchable resource for Latter-day Saints and allow others to get
answers to Gospel questions. The wiki is, by design, always a "work in
progress," with many editors at FAIR contributing to articles on a
daily basis. You can access the FAIR wiki at:

    http://www.fairmormon.org

This month the FAIR wiki focuses attention on wiki articles that have
been updated. Each month hundreds of changes are made in the wiki as
new information is incorporated, errors are found and corrected, and
new topics are added. The following are only a few of the scores of
wiki entries that have been modified this month.

"Elias and Elijah at the Kirtland Temple." This article discusses the
criticism of the LDS use of the names Elias and Elijah for different
people when they are different forms of the same name.

    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s292

"Born again translation." This article discusses the term "born again"
and compares how it was used by early Christians with the meanings LDS
ascribe to the term.

    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s294

"Education and Belief." This article discusses the relationship
between education and religious activity in the Church.

    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s307

"Internet Mormons vs. Chapel Mormons." This article refutes the false
partitioning of members into "Internet Mormons" and "Chapel Mormons."

    http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s309


------------------------------
FAIR LDS BOOKSTORE

Our special this month at the FAIR LDS Bookstore is our new DVD about
DNA and the Book of Mormon. Critics intent on discrediting the
Restoration point to DNA studies on indigenous American peoples in an
attempt to expose Joseph, the Book of Mormon, and the Church as
frauds. They claim that scientific evidence excludes any possibility
that Middle Eastern or ancient Jewish travelers came to the Americas
in antiquity. They try to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of
Latter-day Saints and those of other faiths concerning the
authenticity of the Book of Mormon as an ancient religious text.

FAIR's new DVD interviews scholars and scientists to examine the
contentions of the critics and reveal the faith-affirming truth. You
will want this DVD in your collection and to share with friends.

The DVD will be available in the near future through Deseret Book,
but you can get it now through the FAIR LDS Bookstore for only $9.97!

    http://store.fairlds.org/prod/p1893036073.html

--FAIR Bookstore Volunteers



------------------------------
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS

We welcome article submissions for the FAIR Journal and 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, Paul McNabb, by going 
to

    http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php

An appropriate article would be one that affirms the truthfulness of 
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

While LDS apologetics involves refuting critics of the Church, its 
doctrines, and its leaders, articles don't necessarily have to deal 
with anti-Mormonism. FAIR will consider articles that deal with new 
evidence of the Book of Mormon, scriptural passages that involve a 
unique LDS interpretation, a viewpoint or quote from the early 
Christian Fathers or other historical figures, an inspiring missionary 
story, Church history, a view on a current event related to the 
Church, or a piece from an 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.


------------------------------
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 "Join & 
Support FAIR" link.

If you are interested in apologetics and would like to participate 
actively in FAIR you should consider joining our apologetics e-mail 
list. Visit www.fairlds.org and click on the "Join & Support FAIR" 
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 by going to

    http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php

We have a fairly liberal policy of using our material as long as you 
contact us first to gain permission, clearly identify that your source 
was FAIR, and add a link to the FAIR Web site (www.fairlds.org).


--------------------------------
FAIR JOURNAL ARCHIVES

For past issues of the FAIR Journal, go to

    http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/journal


--------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and 
Research (FAIR). All rights reserved.

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.

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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