Richard Van Wagner

[_Kolohe]

I don't know what his status is in the Church and frankly it shouldn't matter.

It should make no difference whether a mormon-themed book is written by an LDS,ex-LDS,"fundamentalist", Community of Christ, atheist, buddhist or evangelical. All such literature should be judged on its onw merits and with a critical eye; whether it comes from Signature Books of FARMS it is the same.

It should make no fifference whether the book was written by Dan Petersen or Dan Vogel, what matters is the soundness of both the arguments and evidences.


I read the book, it was given to me by a friend who had left the Church. It was OK. I wouldn't recommend it, but I wouldn't keep anyone from reading it either. It should come as no surpise that the principle has brought boy joy and sadness to different people; just read Genesis or the Book of Jacob.

There is only one way to get a proper understanding of the principle of plural families and it is by divine revelation.

[_truth dancer]

There is only one way to get a proper understanding of the principle of plural families and it is by divine revelation.

The problem with this is that all sorts of folks believe they are receiving "divine revelation" yet they all disagree and none seem to have figured out a way to determine if they are indeed receiving such.

~dancer~

[_Inconceivable]

There is only one way to get a proper understanding of the principle of plural families and it is by divine revelation.

The problem with this is that all sorts of folks believe they are receiving "divine revelation" yet they all disagree and none seem to have figured out a way to determine if they are indeed receiving such.

~dancer~

I would add, "all sorts of Mormon prophets believed they were receiving divine revelation"


If civil (and criminal) law were to change on the question of polygamy/polyandry would the celestial practice be continued today?

Yes. Absolutely. The only reason the practice was discontinued for a season (and we live in this season) was out of fear of severe punishment by the US government.

If you are a TBM and would deny that it would be reinstated, I would suggest that your explanation does not parallel with modern revelation. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and Lorenzo Snow were either polygamous prophets or they were simply unjustified law breakers that failed catastrophically in interpretting the mind and will of God.

I do not see how one could have it both ways.

Jason,

What your wife is really asking is a form of discrimination (which I partially agree with). She really means to ask, "does the prophet of God place this book on the inspiring and enlightening can read list or is it quietly banned as a faith destroying wolf in sheep's clothing?".

[_LifeOnaPlate]

Like I said, that applies to every book on history.

Amen to that.