The new Gospel Answer regarding Joseph Smith's character can be summarized by the observation that "if a critic makes an ad hominem argument, that means the critic has lost the debate."
That's why the other day I suggested that the Gospel Answer should also reference Oliver Cowdery's Letters II and VIII. Oliver addressed the ad hominem attacks on Joseph Smith that were circulating, such as in the 1834 book Mormonism Unvailed.
This is a good definition of ad hominem:
An ad hominem fallacy occurs when someone rejects or undermines an argument by attacking the character, credentials, or other personal traits of the person presenting it, instead of addressing the issue at hand.
https://practicalpie.com/ad-hominem-fallacy/
The article gives a few examples of how it works:
Imagine you're in a debate about climate change. You present facts and figures, but your opponent simply says, "Why should we listen to you? You drive a gas-guzzling car!"
That's an ad hominem fallacy right there. Instead of talking about the data or the logic of the issue at hand, your opponent has shifted focus to you as a person.
An ad hominem fallacy happens when someone tries to discredit an argument by attacking the individual presenting it. They're not taking on the argument itself.
It's crucial to differentiate an ad hominem argument from genuine critique or feedback. Criticism is focused on the argument or the idea, not the person making it. Ad hominem shortcuts through rational discussion, making it a disruptive and often misleading tactic in debates and dialogues.
Ad hominem arguments are an example of a type of logical fallacy. Fallacies are logical errors, usually in arguments, that people make which lead to inconsistent reasoning.
Decades ago, Neal Maxwell made this observation:
Arrivés will come into the Church as its leaders are cruelly caricatured by some in the world. For perspective, imagine how television’s six o’clock news would have portrayed Noah as he worked on his ark day by day. Besides, attention from the Adversary is merely a cruel form of commendation, if we can but stand the “praise.”
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After I made the post, I remembered that few Latter-day Saints today know anything about Oliver's essays, first published in 1834-5 in the Messenger and Advocate as letters. Many LDS are unfamiliar even with the note to Joseph Smith History 1:71 in the Pearl of Great Price, which is an excerpt from Letter I.
When Joseph was alive, Oliver's eight essays were well-known. These essays were the first formal history of the Restoration. Oliver wrote them with the express assistance of Joseph Smith. In 1835 Joseph had them copied into his journal as part of his life story, where we can read them in the Joseph Smith Papers.
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/48
In 1841 they were republished in the Times and Seasons, the Millennial Star, and the Gospel Reflector. They were published as a special pamphlet in England. In 1844 Joseph's brother William republished them again in The Prophet, a New York newspaper.
The Latter-day Saints at the time knew these essays quite well.
Later in Utah, Joseph F. Smith republished the essays in the Improvement Era.
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In Letters II and VIII, Oliver responded to criticisms of Joseph Smith's character, pointing out that critics use imperfections as excuses to reject the gospel.
Excerpt from Letter II
...in reviewing the lives and acts of men in past generations, whenever we find a righteous man among them, there always were excuses for not giving heed or credence to his testimony. The people could see his imperfections; or, if no imperfections, supposed ones, and were always ready to frame an excuse upon that for not believing.
— No matter how pure the principles, nor how precious the teachings—an excuse was wanted—and an excuse was had.
I asked Grok to outline Letter II.
Outline
- Introduction
to the Purpose
- Commitment
to provide a detailed history of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
- Aim
to inform enquirers and those interested in learning about the church.
- Characteristics
of God’s Works
- God’s
works are clear, intelligible, and never in vain, unlike human efforts.
- Human
works may fade, but God’s endure due to His unchanging power.
- Historical
Context of God’s Church
- Reference
to Enoch and Zion, reserved for future glory.
- Overview
of Israel’s history under Moses and Aaron, their organization, and
eventual dispersion.
- Mention
of the Messiah’s advent and the apostles’ ministry until the church’s
loss of visibility.
- Uniformity
in God’s Church
- God’s
church exhibits precise uniformity in ordinances and manner across all
ages.
- Acknowledgment
that some may doubt this due to conflicts with popular systems.
- Defense
of the church’s principles as truth, supported by Tertullian’s quote on
the appeal of true religion.
- Resilience
of True Religion
- True
religion withstands opposition, falsehood, and persecution.
- Its
influence grows despite attempts to suppress it, as seen in its
historical endurance.
- Human
Tendencies to Misjudge the Righteous
- People
often fail to recognize the worth of righteous individuals during their
lifetimes.
- Historical
examples: Jews revered past prophets but rejected John the Baptist and
Jesus.
- Excuses
for rejection often stem from perceived imperfections or societal biases.
- Examples
of Rejected Righteous Figures
- Enoch,
Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus were not fully appreciated in their time.
- John
the Baptist was dismissed as possessed, Jesus as a glutton and sinner.
- Apostles
were later revered but faced rejection during their lives.
- Human
Imperfections and Divine Truth
- Prophets
and apostles, though imperfect, delivered divine truth.
- People
mistakenly assume prophets must be perfect, leading to rejection when
flaws are perceived.
- Jesus,
though perfect, was mocked and equated with evil, showing even perfection
does not guarantee acceptance.
- Conclusion
and Transition
- Reflection
on the human tendency to sacrifice the righteous based on rumor or bias.
I'll discuss Letter VIII in the next post.
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