PURPOSE AND USAGE

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="043005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EDWARD WATSONS WEBWORLD"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>EDWARD WATS</B><B>ON'S WEBWORLD</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTRO"><U><B>INTRO</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="KNOWING TRUTH"><U><B>KNOWING TRUTH</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHY MORMONS?"><U><B>WHY MORMONS?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTELLECTUAL APPEAL"><U><B>INTELLECTUAL APPEAL</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>PURPOSE AND USAGE</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ADAPTABILITY"><U><B>ADAPTABILITY</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHAT IS MORMONISM?"><U><B>WHAT IS MORMONISM?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST"><U><B>THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL EXPERTS"><U><B>BIBLICAL EXPERTS</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="IS MORMONISM A CULT?"><U><B>IS MORMONISM A CULT?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HISTORICAL REFUTATION VS SCRIPTURAL REFU"><U><B>HISTORICAL REFUTATION VS SCRIPTURAL REFUTATION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CREDENTIALS"><U><B>CREDENTIALS</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL VIEW"><U><B>BIBLICAL VIEW</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PERSONAL NOTE"><U><B>PERSONAL NOTE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOOK OF MORMON"><U><B>BOOK OF MORMON</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABBREVIATIONS"><U><B>ABBREVIATIONS</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> PURPOSE AND USAGE</div> <div> <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTRO"><U><B>Introduction</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="KNOWING TRUTH"><U><B>The best way to know the Truth</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHY MORMONS?"><U><B>Why are we called “Mormons”? </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTELLECTUAL APPEAL"><U><B>The intellectual appeal of Mormonism</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PURPOSE AND USAGE"><U><B>What these books are for and how to use them</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ADAPTABILITY"><U><B>The adaptability of Mormonism</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHAT IS MORMONISM?"><U><B>What is Mormonism?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST"><U><B>The Church is the Bride of Christ!</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL EXPERTS"><U><B>The four types of biblical experts</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="IS MORMONISM A CULT?"><U><B>Is  Mormonism a Cult?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HISTORICAL REFUTATION VS SCRIPTURAL REFU"><U><B>Historical refutation vs Scriptural refutation</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CREDENTIALS"><U><B>The issue of credentials </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL VIEW"><U><B>My view of the Bible</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PERSONAL NOTE"><U><B>A personal note</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOOK OF MORMON"><U><B>Coming back to the Book of Mormon</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>[MORMONISM. The Faith of the Twenty-first Century. Volume 1. Edward K. Watson. (Liahona Publications. Copyright © 1998 Edward K. Watson.) pp. lvi-lxiii. MORMONISM: Series Introduction. All rights reserved.]</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What these books are for and how to use them </B></div> <bR> <div>      I have been studying anti-Mormon paraphernalia since I joined the church in 1985. The more mature I became and the more I studied the issues, the more it was evident the anti-Mormons were wrong and were in fact engaging in dishonesty. I resolved to take action instead of merely allowing their deception to continue.  </div> <div>      Aside from receiving an answer from God through honest  prayer, can we support our beliefs by using the Holy Bible? Absolutely! Prayer isn't the only way to receive Truth since it can also be received through the Scriptures, logical deduction, observation, scientific methodology and the like. However, <B>praying and receiving an answer from God himself is the best and </B><I><B>only absolute way</B></I><B> to arrive at spiritual T</B> <B>ruth</B>. The focus and intent of the MORMONISM Series accepts Brigham Young's challenge:</div> <bR> <div>   Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with  it, and see if it will stand the test.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >1</FONT></div> <bR> <div>      These volumes will demonstrate very clearly the Bible supports Mormon doctrine and Brigham Young's challenge proves the LDS church and the Latter-day Scriptures are in complete harmony with the Bible. Latter-day Scriptures are also included to give readers the opportunity to cross-reference certain tenets. <B>Mormon Doctrine is Bible Doctrine</B> and is very noticeable to the honest seeker.</div> <div>      <B>The MORMONISM Series is a comprehensive examination of Mormon theology and isn't an anti-anti-Mormon work.</B>  It isn't a point-by-point refutation of certain anti-Mormon works since it isn't written for conflict but to illuminate. It focuses on doctrinal concepts and shows there is more to “Mormonism” than meets the eye. It is written to help both the Mormons (by answering the arguments our critics use in their attempt to destroy our faith and to equip them with the means to defend it)<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >2</FONT> and non-Mormons (by demonstrating Mormonism is indeed the true church of Jesus Christ). <B>The MORMONISM Series demonstrates the strength, beauty, </B> <B>logicality and biblical nature of Mormonism.</B> </div> <div>      I do not pretend to know the answers to every single argument our enemies present, but I always fall back on my testimony. Whenever issues arise that no clear incontrovertible judgment can be determined (e.g. the Book of Abraham's connection with the Book of Breathing papyri; problematic practices of early Mormon leaders; etc.), the validity of the item can only be ascertained by linked items known to be valid or invalid (Book of Mormon is authentic and since both come from  Joseph Smith, the Book of Abraham has to be authentic as well;  Ezra Taft Benson was an authentic prophet of God, consequently his predecessors have to be as well). </div> <div>      I have no quarrel with other Christian religions and especially the Jews whom I respect greatly.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >3</FONT> These volumes are not meant to put down other beliefs but are purely apologetic works (Luke  12:11-12; Acts  22:1;  24:10;  25:8,16;  26:1,24-29; Phil  1:7,17; 2 Tim  4:16; 1 Pet  3:15).<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >4</FONT> I believe the eleventh Article of Faith which states:</div> <bR> <div> <B> “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”</B></div> <bR> <div>        <B>What would Jesus do? </B>Would he <I>force</I> others to join his church? Would he<I> lie and misrepresent </I>the true beliefs of others? Would he <I>tell</I> his opponents what they believed instead of taking them at their word? Would he solely listen to and believe those who attack the faith of a specific group without giving the target an opportunity of stating their case? Would he drive those who had a different faith out of their homes, persecute them and  incite violence against them? <I>Would Jesus want his followers to do these things to others?</I></div> <div>      In meeting with individuals who are familiar with the Bible and hostile to the Mormon faith, we Mormons are usually at a disadvantage in a confrontational situation because we aren't taught selective arguments in church how our church is true while other Christians are taught how other churches (esp. ours) are false. We seek to edify our faith through studying the Scriptures, while they learn how to put down others by utilizing selective arguments both biblical and non-biblical.</div> <div>      In a confrontational situation, a critic will always change arguments whenever we furnish a satisfactory rebuttal from the Bible or reason. This causes a great number of topics to be touched. We must always keep calm and stick to the topic initially discussed until we're satisfied our opponent realizes his error. When the critic flip-flops to another topic, we should tell him we'll talk about that later but since our critic initially mentioned one topic, we would like to examine that topic some more.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >5</FONT></div> <div>      Each Section of the MORMONISM Series provides adequate support for our beliefs from many sources, both scriptural and secular. Each chapter is divided into sub-sections which gives specific aid to the reader. If one only wishes scriptural references defending a particular Mormon belief, the beginning of various chapters will have the references quoted in full with the important phrases in italics for quick examination. If one wishes to understand how these scriptural passages defend Mormonism, they are expounded immediately after the block if needed. If one wishes to examine the passages opponents of Mormonism use against us and the refutation of their interpretation, one can do so. If one wishes to have a secular examination of the topics, one may do so as well with the included sub-sections. </div> <div>      The correct interpretation and usage of critical Hebrew and Greek words along with the meaning of various scriptural passages are arrived at by referencing over sixty biblical lexicons, biblical commentaries and biblical language dictionaries, <I>all of which are from the leading non-Mormon scholars.</I> Not one is from Mormon scholars to demonstrate the non-biased nature of my scholarship and to prove the best non-Mormon biblical scholars' own understanding supports Mormonism to the detriment of those who oppose the church. I also identify ancient writings related to the Bible when I am aware of a linkage or similarity with a biblical passage. In short, there is something in each chapter for every kind of reader. </div> <div>      Since not everyone uses the same lexicons, dictionaries and commentaries, I will be referencing numerous works to increase the possibility of the reader having a quoted reference work. </div> <div>      Scriptural exegesis is unlike other fields of research given the speculative nature of subjective interpretation. If I only cite one or two passages, an opponent can cite three or four leaving an observer who's ignorant of the real teachings of the Bible thinking either the anti-Mormon is right and I'm wrong, or, the Bible is hopelessly confused on the specific issue in question. </div> <bR> <div> <B>  The MORMONISM Series is guilty of overkill</B>. It references all the passages I know that support the position of the LDS church and all the passage our opponents use which causes it to quote a lot more references than normal to make a point. <B>Its methodology is an encyclopedic examination of the Scriptures and of Mormonism.</B></div> <bR> <div>      What are my options as a member of the church who knows the  Truth when encountering falsehoods? </div> <bR> <div> a.     Be silent and the issue will never be corrected [which allows falsehood to continue unabated]. </div> <div> b.     Oppose but don't cite any proof [which brings the spirit of contention]. </div> <div> c.     Oppose and use a couple of references for proof [which gives uneasiness to the reliability and consistency of the Bible and allows misinterpretation to continue]. </div> <div> d.     Oppose and cite as many references as possible for proof and at the same time refute the references of those who distort the message of the Bible [smash the nut of falsehood with the sledgehammer of Truth]. </div> <bR> <div>      Which is the most effective method to bring the honest in heart to the  True Church of Jesus Christ?</div> <div>      My desire is to leave no room for those who fight against the true church to maneuver. I've always pictured it as a sledgehammer smashing a nut. <B>No stone is left unturned.</B> This I believe will cause those who are truly righteous to abandon falsehood and accept the Light of Truth while leaving the hypocrites exposed for what they truly are. <B>There can be no fence-sitters, one either accepts </B> <B>Truth or one rejects it.</B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> <B>Over 98% of the secular references in the MORMONISM Series are from non-Mormon sources</B> to eliminate the charge of Mormon-bias based upon “faulty” Mormon scholarship.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >6</FONT></div> <bR> <div>      If a Mormon reads the MORMONISM Series seeking a template for bashing the anti-Mormons, that Mormon will be disappointed since these volumes give information to the reader and (for the most part) aren't designed for a debate-type situation since such a situation should be avoided. I deliberately created this layout and structure to make it harder to use this work in emotional debates by young hotheads who like to debate and argue with others, and to encourage the reader to have a deeper understanding of the Scriptures by making the effort to  study the issues instead of having all the answers given to you. <B>I want you to </B> <I><B>understand</B></I><B> the true gospel of Jesus Christ.</B> These books aren't meant to be easy reading, but will give you all the information you need to understand the  Truth, <I>provided</I> you make the effort to study. As you study the Scriptures by using this work as a guide, you will appreciate the truthfulness of the Gospel and will receive the joy and confidence the  true follower of Christ enjoys.<B> When we know and understand the Truth, no opposition can deceive us.</B> Avoid hostile situations since nothing good comes from situations where the  Spirit of the Lord is absent (2 Ne  26:32; 3 Ne  11:29-30; Alma  1:22-24).</div> <div>      Scholars may snicker at the way these books are written since I've tried to avoid a high scholastic writing style that only appeals to scholars and intellectuals. The MORMONISM Series is written in such a way that anyone with a high school reading ability won't have any trouble grasping the different topics. This is to gain as wide a readership as possible especially to those of missionary age (19-21) who will need to be familiar with the contents of these books.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >7</FONT> </div> <div>      The more we encounter anti-Mormons, the more the Mormon realizes our opponents will frequently claim to have read books written by Mormons and the Mormon works weren't convincing or wrong. Indubitably, the Mormon will encounter many critics who will claim I am wrong or ignorant. Since they'll make this claim, bring this book along and ask them to point out where I'm wrong and for them to disprove this work. Being human, I fully expect to be wrong on some particulars but my challenge is for our opponents to refute this book topically, encompassing all of the references to a particular issue be it polygamy, prophecy or living prophets. It will become immediately apparent that this habit of lying is one main  feature of the anti-Mormon movement. Since the devil is the father of all lies (John  8:44) and lying lips are an abomination to God (Prov  12:22); what will be the fate of liars (Rev  21:8)? </div> <bR> <div>  Heb<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.</div> <bR> <div>      The reasoning and arguments I  present are from a Christian position. The non-Christian wouldn't necessarily find responses to his objections since the MORMONISM Series isn't designed for the arguments of the atheist/agnostic or non-Christian critics for the simple reason that the movement that is presently attacking Mormonism is comprised mainly of Christians with the majority from the  fundamentalist sector of Christianity.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >8</FONT> </div> <div>      This study shows the unity of the Bible with the Latter-day Scriptures along with the unity of the present Mormon church and the ancient Christian church. <B>It is not possible to dismiss one without dismissing the other.</B> If one falls, the other falls as well. If one is justified, likewise is the other.<B> The Book of Mormon was written to convince people th</B> <B>e biblical accounts are true</B> (Morm  7:9; D&C  20:11). </div> <div>      The non-Christians and atheists simply dismiss both accounts and groups as unreliable. Their arguments against  Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Scriptures are also used against the Bible and Jesus Christ and they utilize their reasoning and arguments to disprove both the Mormon church together with ancient Christianity. When examining their arguments, it is apparent that they are more effective to the intelligent person because they are not double-standard. They do not judge us Mormons and the Latter-day Scriptures by a different standard than they do with the Bible and ancient Christianity, unlike the  Christian anti-Mormons, who are guilty of such a flagrant offense.</div> <div>       I use the Bible as the Standard in evaluating the validity of the LDS church and the Latter-day Scriptures. Having it as the immovable standard eliminates the dancing frequently seen in debates with non-Christians. The absence of a standard causes an enormous amount of ground to be covered since understandings and definitions are subjective.</div> <div>      We claim  our leaders are prophets just as the biblical prophets were authentic prophets of God. The non-Christians' dismissal of the Bible makes our prophets' legitimacy contingent upon their own subjective standard instead of their consistency with the biblical prophets. We claim our Latter-day Scriptures are supplemental to the Bible, in a state of equality and complete consistency with it. Their dismissal of the Bible's legitimacy makes the validity of the Latter-day Scriptures contingent upon their own subjective standard instead of a pre-existing canon. Because of these facts, they can never prove we're wrong and neither can we prove they're wrong. The entire issue rests upon our different faiths. I could never agree to their definition of authenticity if it isn't identical with the Bible's and neither will they agree with my perception of authenticity if they think it irrational despite its consistency with the Bible.</div> <div>      Tremendous difficulty arises whenever one deviates from the  biblical standard. <B>If we follow different rules and dismiss the other's; we simply can't get anywhere</B> (just like Calvin and Hobbes' baseball game) and clearly won't accomplish anything.</div> <div>      The validity of one's faith lies outside the bounds of objective science. The only way for credibility in this setting is consistency.  <B>Christian opponents of Mormonism aren't consistent.</B> They studiously examine all of the alleged contradictions, anachronisms, errors and plagiarisms in the Latter-day Scriptures and condemn them as fraudulent, all the while ignoring the very same types of “errors” in the Bible, pretending they're non-existent. They'll gleefully point out the fallibility of  Joseph Smith and the  later prophets but will refuse to examine biblical passages which show the biblical prophets were likewise  fallible. They point out various practices of early Mormonism and claim their very oddness and problematic conflict with Western culture proves the LDS church false, while turning a blind eye to the practices of “God's people” in the Bible that our society finds abhorrent. <B>Consistency is paramount for credibility</B>. It is sad to note they have the  zeal but not the knowledge of Truth (Rom  10:2).</div> <div>      It is well-known most  missionaries cease their intense  studying of the Scriptures after their missions. This work is made to equip the reader with an  understanding of the Scriptures next to impossible to achieve for “weekend scripture warriors” and to help fill the  theological vacuum in the LDS church that is the result of not having a professional  clergy.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >9</FONT></div> <div>      All of us should have familiarity with the Scriptures but the practical situations of our lives prohibit full-time  scripture study. Since we're not all going to be theologians or  biblical scholars, whatever scriptural  knowledge we have must be accurate. The MORMONISM Series gives the reader all the references needed to understand the Truth. <B>It is enjoyable to read the Scriptures when one </B> <B>understands its teachings and how various passages are connected.</B></div> <div>      No matter how hard our opponents try, they can never disprove the Book of Mormon, the legitimacy of  Joseph Smith or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Conversely, I can never prove the Book of Mormon is true,  Joseph Smith is a true prophet or the church is true. <B>Only God can prove the legitimacy of any spiritual thing</B>. However, there are three levels of evidence: the <I>possible, probable and provable.</I></div> <bR> <div>  “It's <I>possible</I> for Nancy to win the lottery.” </div> <div>   “It's<I> probable </I>no one survived the plane crash.” </div> <div>   “It's<I> provable</I> 2+2=4.”</div> <bR> <div>      <I> </I>Despite their denials, our critics can only furnish what is <I>possible,</I> making any legitimacy based upon a preponderance of evidence. Things that are <I>probable</I> carry more weight than things that are <I>possible, </I>making the object's status much more unequivocal. Things that are<I> provable </I>convey a certainty and finality that can't be legitimately disputed. Having a thousand arguments against the legitimacy of Mormonism based on “possible” concepts can never invalidate a handful of “probable” items which support Mormonism and can never outweigh one single provable item (e.g.  sincere prayer to God concerning the authenticity of the Book of Mormon). </div> <bR> <div> <B>[ENDNOTES]:</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.JD. 16:41.</div> <div> 2.</div> <div> This will help both themselves (by gaining an appreciation of how strong the LDS position is) and our opponents (by giving them a chance to change their ways and accept the  Truth).</div> <div> 3.If I didn't have a spiritual witness of Jesus as the  Son of God and  God and of the Book of Mormon and latter-day prophets, I would convert to  Judaism. Only Judaism and Mormonism have experienced what is called a “mass revelation” in which numerous people receive spiritual confirmation of the validity of our faiths. The Sinai experience in which God gave the Ten Commandments, the plagues and deliverance from Egypt, the seventy-four who saw God (Ex  24:9-11) demonstrate the Israelites were God's chosen people during that time. We believe Original Christianity succeeded Judaism as being God's Chosen People by Jesus Christ's introduction of the New and Everlasting Covenant with Restored Christianity (Mormonism) inheriting the birthright of Joseph through his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The mass revelations in which numerous people witnessed the same thing, happened with  Joseph Smith and  Oliver Cowdery, the Three Witnesses, the Kirtland Temple Dedication,  Brigham Young's reception of the prophetic mantle and most significantly, the non-simultaneous mass revelations concerning the authenticity of the Book of Mormon millions have received.</div> <div> 4.An apologetic work <I>isn't</I> a book that apologizes. It is a book that defends certain things. An apologist is a defender not someone who apologizes for being a member of a particular denomination. I don't view myself as a polemicist or this work as polemics since I believe the Mormon church is the only true church and not just a branch of it. My focus is to dialog with those outside the church, instead of members of separate branches. See ABD 1:302-307.</div> <div> 5.Certain ground rules need to be followed for an effective discussion with an opponent of the church: </div> <div> #1 Stick to the Scriptures. The Bible must be held as a standard.</div> <div> #2 No ad hominem, rhetoric, emotionalism, scare tactics, raising voices, uninterrupted speaking. Just the facts.</div> <div> #3 Logical arguments are permissible, provided they are consistent with biblical teaching.</div> <div> #4 The other must be given an opportunity to respond.</div> <div> #5 No jumping on to different subjects if unable to refute an original one.</div> <div> #6 An admittance of being unable to refute a doctrinal issue when unable to do so.</div> <bR> <div> 6.I have great admiration for the scholarship of LDS scholars especially those at  BYU and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies ( FARMS) which I consider devastating to anti-Mormon arguments. I've deliberately minimized referencing their work since no matter how good it is, it is automatically dismissed by critics as being biased and second rate.<I> I don't appreciate intentionally handicapping this work</I> but realize it has to be done in order to eliminate this common anti-Mormon charge that is so contrary to the actions of real biblical scholars who recognize Mormon scholars as credible and legitimate. I have never seen <I>any</I> anti-Mormon work that effectively refutes the works of these Mormon scholars. All they do is dismiss them as biased, self-referencing and have no credibility among real biblical scholars, which isn't true at all. No anti-Mormon can dismiss the MORMONISM Series the same way they do other LDS scholarly writings since its references are nearly all non-Mormon. </div> <div> 7.Never mind the fact that I lack  William F. Buckley Jr's gifted vocabulary.</div> <div> 8.This may change in the future with the atheistic and agnostic groups becoming more predominant but until that time comes, these volumes will still be necessary. </div> <div> 9.Since the LDS church doesn't have a professional clergy who studies theology, our doctrines aren't clearly defined and articulated as well as they should. It is difficult for lay persons to have the familiarity necessary for theological formulations and analysis when they only engage in theological research in their spare time. </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca"><U>e-mail me!</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>