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THE FAIR JOURNAL                                          October 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
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 * MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT. Scott Gordon comments on Califonia's
   Proposition 8, which deals with the issue of same sex marriage.

 * FAIR FUNDRAISING. If you would like to help FAIR in its work to
   provide "well-documented answers to criticisms of LDS (Mormon)
   doctrine, belief and practice," we encourage you to contribute
   through the FAIR web site.

 * NEW ON THE WEBSITE: FAIR has added responses to additional
   sections of the "DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography" DVD.

 * NEW ON THE WEBSITE: "Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message."
   Brant Gardner's 2008 FAIR Conference presentation is now available
   on the FAIR website.

 * RESOURCES ON THE WEB: "A letter to a friend: Joseph Smith
   polygamy." J. Stapley blogged on helping people understand
   difficult historical issues.

 * 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 YOUTUBE VIDEOS. FAIR has had a presence on youtube.com for
   several months and new video clips are added frequently.

 * FAIR LDS BOOKSTORE. Check out the FAIR Bookstore's monthly
   specials.

 * 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

In a few days we will be having an election. California, Arizona, and
Florida have initiatives on the ballot related to same sex marriage.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken a position
related to the California initiative which says, "Do all you can to
support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your
means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally
defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are
required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage."

With that in mind, I decided to focus my message to this topic.
Instead of writing a long article on the subject, I decided to provide
some references. The first is the Webpage from the Church which has a
long list of links and video clips. This is really an excellent
resource that everyone should take a look at.

   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s379

This next link is to an article by an organization known as North
Star. North Star is an organization which exists to help people
affected by same-sex attraction deepen their personal relationship
with their Savior, Jesus Christ, and to support them in their desires
to live according to the teachings and covenants they have made in the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This article links to
many of the same resources as lds.org, but it also includes additional
quotes on the issue.

   http://northstarlds.org/feature_2008-10.php

There was an article being passed around the Internet which claimed
the arguments used by the California Proposition 8 proponents were
false. This Website provides a very strong rebuttal to those claims.

   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s380 

Finally, for those who wonder how things work in California and why
some people are worried about this situation, there was a recent
ruling against a physician for refusing to provide fertility services
to a lesbian couple because he believed it was morally wrong.
According to the newspaper article, the lawyer involved in the lawsuit
said specialists who can't live with those choices should probably
reconsider their profession. If a person has religious views that some
women should become pregnant and some shouldn't then the duty is
probably on the (doctors) to avoid the conflict by focusing on another
area of medicine.

I would hate to see a religious test imposed on some professions.

   http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/37085

There are many more blogs and articles that could be quoted and
referenced on this topic. As one blog poster named Stephen remarked
The way the Church was treated the last time we had a disagreement
with the government regarding the definition of marriage informs our
attitudes today. In case you dont remember your history, the
corporation of the Church was dissolved, the U.S. government
appropriated many of the assets of the Church, including the temples,
and in some areas, believing members of the Church were
disenfranchised, being unable to vote or hold office. I think we have
come a long way since that time; and yet it does give one pause. 

However things go in the election, we should remember the words of
Gordon B. Hinckley when he said,

   "I wish to say that our opposition to attempts to legalize
   same-sex marriage should never be interpreted as justification for
   hatred, intolerance, or abuse of those who profess homosexual
   tendencies, either individually or as a group. As I said from this
   pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to
   themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons
   and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church. It is
   expected, however, that they follow the same God-given rules of
   conduct that apply to everyone else, whether single or married."

   Gordon B. Hinckley, "Why We Do Some of the Things We Do," Ensign,
   November 1999

In addition to commenting on the Proposition 8 issue, I would like to
bring to our readers' attention another development. We have received
multiple emails about a talk given by Brother Packer at one ward. You
can read what we have discovered about this talk here:

   http://en.fairmormon.org/PresidentPacker

It seems we like receiving special knowledge from general authorities,
but we do all we can to discourage the general authorities to ever
speak off-the-cuff as we spread their off-the-cuff comments all over
the Internet.

--Scott Gordon
 President

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FAIR FUNDRAISING

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

------------------------------
Reviews of DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography

FAIR has been reviewing the DVD called "DNA Evidence for Book of
Mormon Geography." FAIR itself has no position on where the Book of
Mormon events took place, and members of FAIR hold a variety of views
on the subject, ranging from hemispheric models to local models.
FAIR's review of this DVD was not in response to its proposed setting,
which FAIR will readily support as a candidate for the Book of Mormon
that needs to be evaluated on its merits in light of the known facts
just as all other models should be. Rather the FAIR response stems
from significant problems with the methodology, tone, and evidence
associated with the claims of the DVD that will ultimately impede the
progress of the Book of Mormon rather than further its claim of
historicity.

The main page for the responses to the DVD can be found at:

   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s381

The five new sections are as follows.

   * DVD Section 4: Promised Land
   * DVD Section 5: Prophecies and Promises
   * DVD Section 7: Weather and Climate
   * DVD Section 9: Chronological Evidences
   * DVD Section 11: Nephite Structures

All reviews can be viewed in either HTML or PDF formats. In addition
to the full response, sections 4, 5, and 7 also have executive
summaries that give a shorter, high-level view of the full analysis.

------------------------------
Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message
by Brant A. Gardner

In his presentation at the 2008 FAIR Conference, Brandt Gardner
examined the structural and textual evidences in the Book of Mormon
that indicate what book Mormon intended to write for his future
readers. Gardner looks at book and chapter divisions and points out
previously overlooked complexity and consistency in the Book of Mormon
that show Mormon's outline for his book. In addition to shedding light
on Mormon's structure, Gardner uses the structural and textual clues
to show how Mormon created a text intended to deliver a specific
message to his readers.

Read the article:
   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s375 

------------------------------
RESOURCES ON THE WEB: JOSEPH SMITH POLYGAMY

J. Stapley recently blogged on By Common Consent (BCC) about helping a
friend who was learning about polygamy in the life of Joseph Smith.
Some members of the Church have created an image of certain historical
people or events based on limited knowledge and within a certain view
of how events or people "should have been."

   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s377 

------------------------------
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.

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

Here are some recent additions to the Topical Guide.

* Craig L. Foster
   Review of the movie September Dawn

   Reviews > Media Reviewed
   http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai186.html#media

* David Grandy
   Review of The God Delusion

   Reviews > Books Reviewed
   http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai186.html#books

* John Tvedtnes
   "DNA and the Book of Mormon"

   John Tvedtnes examines the claim made by critics that DNA science
   desmonstrates the fraudulence of the Book of Mormon.

   Book of Mormon > DNA and the Book of Mormon
   http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai195.html

* John Tvedtnes
   "Black Mormons"

   John Tvedtnes responds to the claim that the Church has a racist
   past.

   Race & Cultural Issues > Blacks and the Priesthood
   http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai080.html

* John Tvedtnes
   "Mountain Meadows Massacre"

   John Tvedtnes offers a succinct examinations of the tragic event.

   Early LDS History > Mountain Meadows Massacre
   http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai170.html

------------------------------
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 many wiki
entries that have been modified this month.

"1835 Doctrine and Covenants denies polygamy"
   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s372

   In 1835, a section on marriage that denies that polygamy is being
   practiced in the Church was added to the Doctrine and Covenants.
   This section, written by Oliver Cowdery and added in a priesthood
   conference while Joseph Smith was in Michigan, was not presented
   as a revelation but simply as a statement of belief. This new wiki
   article discusses this section and the events surrounding its
   introduction into the Doctrine and Covenants.

"Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church"
   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s373 

   This FAIR wiki article documents a few of the arguments made in
   the book "Losing a Lost Tribe" and shows how the author misread or
   misrepresented the Book of Mormon text and the development of LDS
   thought on Book of Mormon geography.

"Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon
Church/Index"
   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s374 

   This wiki article has a more complete list of issues and responses
   to the book "Losing a Lost Tribe."

"19th century crimes alleged to be 'worthy of death'"
   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s376

   Critics often go to great lengths to present Brigham Young and
   other 19th century Church leaders as violent, cruel, unforgiving,
   and arbitrary. This wiki article looks at how critics have misused
   sources to present a false picture of LDS leaders and LDS belief
   and practice.

"An Examination of 'Do Christians Believe in Three Gods'"
   http://www.fairlds.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?s378 

   This article is in response to a pamphlet that attempts to explain
   LDS beliefs to non-LDS readers. Unfortunately, the pamphlet
   sometimes misrepresents LDS beliefs and uses standard anti-Mormon
   arguments to make its point.

------------------------------
FAIR YOUTUBE VIDEOS

FAIR has created a site on YouTube that will provide videos on
scholarly material, rebuttals to criticisms, evidences of the Church,
past FAIR conferences, and much more.

   http://www.youtube.com/user/fairldsorg

New videos on FAIRs Youtube site:

* The Legal Trials of Joseph Smith:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA4WsusJgTA

   In this 6-part series, Scholar Joseph Bentley discusses the many
   legal trials that Joseph Smith faced in his lifetime, including
   the controversial 1826 trials.

* The Book of Mormon and New World DNA

   Clips from FAIRs video "The Book of Mormon and New World DNA",
   these clips contain Population Geneticists, Linguists,
   Anthropologists, and Book of Mormon scholars who defuse the
   accusation made by critics that DNA proves The Book of Mormon
   false. This video can be found in FAIRs Bookstore.

   Part 1
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--LJJcaSNps

   Part 2
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlvbbZASUdA

   Part 3
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWg2Oi6md0w

* The Book of Abraham 201
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IQxsZx2iS8

   In this video, Mike Ash goes deeper into the particulars and
   controversies surrounding the Book of Abraham. This is a
   continuation of Mike Ash and Kevin Barney's "The Book of Abraham
   101" given at the FAIR conference and which can be seen here:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl7G1YrDp1Q

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

Come to the FAIR Bookstore to find the Internet's best selection of
materials for LDS apologetics. Whether you are looking for books,
study aids, videos, or audio products, the FAIR Bookstore has what you
need. You can begin your browsing by going to our main site.

   http://store.fairlds.org

We have some great new additions to the FAIR bookstore!

New to the FAIR Bookstore!

==> "A Different God? Mitt Romney, the Religious Right, and the Mormon
   Question" 
   Craig L. Foster. (Draper, Utah: Greg Kofford Books, 2008.
   Softbound, 5x8, 280 pgs. ISBN: 1589581173)

In the contested terrain of American politics, nowhere is the conflict
more intense, even brutal, than in the territory of public life also
claimed by religion. Mitt Romney's 2007-2008 presidential campaign is
a textbook example.

Religious historian Craig L. Foster revisits that campaign with an
astute focus on the never-quite-contained hostility that Romney
triggered among Americas religious right. Although no political
campaign is known for its sweetness and light, the back-stabbing,
mean-spirited attacks, eruptions of irrationalism, and downright lies
exploded into one the chapters of recent American political history.
What does Romney's campaign and the resistance of the religious right
mean for America in the twenty-first century?

Available for only $19.95 (retail is $24.95).

   http://store.fairlds.org/prod/p1589581173.html

==> "The Mormon Quest for the Presidency"
   Newell G. Bringhurst and Craig L. Foster. ("Independence,
   Missouri: Whitmer publishing, 2008. Softbound, 6x9, 314 pgs.
   ISBN: 9781934901106)

The Mormon Quest for the Presidency tells for the first time the
fascinating histories of 10 Mormons who have run for president,
beginning with the movements founder, Joseph Smith. Taken together,
these ten individuals-whose political beliefs span the ideological
spectrum from ultraconservative to ultra-liberal underscore the
complex, multi-faceted nature of Mormonism itself, as it has evolved
from a small American church into a world religion. This book will
explore the campaigns of these ten candidates, with an eye to how
Mormonism informed and affected their unsuccessful presidential bids:
Why did they run? Why did they lose? Was America ready for a Mormon
President in the past? Is it ready now? And will Americans in the
future be willing to elect a Mormon to the nations highest political
office?

Available for only $ 19.95 (retail is $24.95).

   http://store.fairlds.org/prod/p1934901105.html

==> Setting the Record Straight Series

A series of books designed to give clear, easy to understand answers
to controversial subjects. The following sub-titles are available:

   * Joseph Smith: Presidential Candidate
   * Mormon Fundamentalism
   * Mormons and Masons
   * Emma Smith: an Elect Lady
   * Mormons and Polygamy
   * Blacks and the Priesthood
   * Mormons and Homosexuality

To see more details about each book use the following link:

   http://store.fairlds.org/alS.html

Each book is available for only $7.95! Retail is $9.95.

Thank you for using the FAIR bookstore!

--FAIR Bookstore Staff

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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.

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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 "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.

Foundation for Apologetic
Information and Research
PO Box 491677
Redding, CA  96049

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