“Historical or Hysterical: Anti-Mormons and Documentary Sources” by Matthew Brown at FAIRLDS.org is an excellent new article for any of you dealing with the accusations of anti-Mormons about the character of Joseph Smith, or with anti-Mormon charges of fraud involving the First Vision or the origins of the Book of Mormon. The paper presents a wide body of information to solidly refute some of the most troubling claims. In the process, there is an excellent lesson to be learned about how many anti-Mormons play with documentation to create their case.
Joseph Smith’s Character
Jeff:
Thank you very much for the post and the link. Attacks on the character of Joseph Smith seemed to me as critising anyone else’s flaws (he who is without sin, let him throw the first stone). I recognise that he was not perfect, but he was not as vile and repulsive as many anti-Mormon literature would love to present it. A good reference to critics and to investigators showing that, though not perfect, he DID what he claimed to do, i.e., get the golden plates, translate them by the power of God. I could understand that, if JS was a good man and he did what he claimed to do, most people would come to know that there was a prophet among them (there is still one) and they rejected him.
AlexG
In addition to this, my first Hugh Nibley read was, “The Mythmakers,” takes a very deep look into many accounts of Joseph Smith. Very informative and useful.