Recording of an excommunication

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Come on, don't give me the tripe about Deseret Books. If you really believe that, you have your head in the sand. Of the top 20 "controversial" books about Mormon history that have salience and a strong measure of respect (among non-mullahs), how many were published by Deseret Book?

I'm with Mike on this. All the information you would ever need to critique the BOM is found on its pages but that isn't the same as Deseret books publishing the critiques themselves.

I would prefer to see us take a "we have nothing to hide" approach. Otherwise, we look like we are hiding something.

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

I'm with Mike on this. All the information you would ever need to critique the BOM is found on its pages but that isn't the same as Deseret books publishing the critiques themselves.

I would prefer to see us take a "we have nothing to hide" approach. Otherwise, we look like we are hiding something.

How will this new Joseph Smith project affect that perception?

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

I would prefer to see us take a "we have nothing to hide" approach. Otherwise, we look like we are hiding something.

So what is the completely laundry list of requirements the church has to meet in order to prove they aren't hiding anything?

[woot]

Is all this talk of polyandry referring to Joseph marrying the wives of the brethren he sent on missions?

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

So the church has the right to suppress information (which I agree) therefore it is not suppression of information? that's a bizarre argument.

Come on, don't give me the tripe about Deseret Books. If you really believe that, you have your head in the sand. Of the top 20 "controversial" books about Mormon history that have salience and a strong measure of respect (among non-mullahs), how many were published by Deseret Book?

I meant sold. The point I inneffectively made is that within the hallowed walls of the LDS owned bookstores is all the information that shook up Brother Lyndon. I think there is a difference between control and suppression.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

How will this new Joseph Smith project affect that perception?

Well I have spoken about that project before and it can do nothing but help. I should clarify that I think source material should be made freely available. I don't think the church is under any obligation to publish or illuminate its critics.

The JS papers will be interesting in and of them selves, but the scholarship that will follow on people having unfettered access to them will be the real watershed.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

So what is the completely laundry list of requirements the church has to meet in order to prove they aren't hiding anything?

I'm speaking strictly of documents which probably wasn't clear. My only requirement would be that access be given to them all. Of course the church is not required to this anymore than I need to open the books of my business to the public. On the other hand, my business isn't the one true church.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

I meant sold. The point I inneffectively made is that within the hallowed walls of the LDS owned bookstores is all the information that shook up Brother Lyndon. I think there is a difference between control and suppression.

Deseret Books doesn't sell any works by John Krakauer. Come on, you are arguing with all the intelligence of a Snipe.

The book the guy cited, which the SP said was sold in DB, then the guy says "they no longer sell it." Which if true, supports the argument of suppression.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

I'm speaking strictly of documents which probably wasn't clear. My only requirement would be that access be given to them all. Of course the church is not required to this anymore than I need to open the books of my business to the public. On the other hand, my business isn't the one true church.

If I had an important LDS historical document that I wanted scholars to be able to use, I would not give it to BYU or the church.

And that is a very sad thing that many would feel this way. Because it is true. Academic freedom and open access--the church has a POOR tradition of this.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Deseret Books doesn't sell any works by John Krakauer. Come on, you are arguing with all the intelligence of a Snipe.

The book the guy cited, which the SP said was sold in DB, then the guy says "they no longer sell it." Which if true, supports the argument of suppression.

I guess you could call it that but its sort of a soft suppression. To the extent that many members use DB as a barometer of what they should and shouldn't read then I guess thats true. But tease the argument out to its extreme and DB should be caring the works of Gerald and Sandra Tanner?