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  • The Washington Hypothesis

    I guess we should get a thread started on this, because it is the latest rage in Mormon culture. Amateur LDS historian Timothy Ballard has thrown together a series of stories about George Washington and spins everything as a series of miracles necessary to set the stage for the restoration of the gospel.

    https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Hy.../dp/1629721786

    A central story in the book is a purported vision that Washington had where he **may** have been visited by Moroni. The book is flying off the shelves and Deseret Book. Last week my HPG leader spent half his lesson raving about it. Today my wife said that the GD teacher featured it in his lesson. Was talking to a friend yesterday from Sandy and he said that everyone is his ward is reading it.

    Turns out that legit LDS historians are less thrilled. Here is an interesting review by Ardis Parshall:

    http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2017/0...-deseret-book/

    She argues that he whole Washington vision thing is hogwash and the book is manipulative schlock Deseret Book should be ashamed to be associated with.

    Anybody else hearing some buzz on this?
    "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
    "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
    "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

  • #2
    Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
    I guess we should get a thread started on this, because it is the latest rage in Mormon culture. Amateur LDS historian Timothy Ballard has thrown together a series of stories about George Washington and spins everything as a series of miracles necessary to set the stage for the restoration of the gospel.

    https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Hy.../dp/1629721786

    A central story in the book is a purported vision that Washington had where he **may** have been visited by Moroni. The book is flying off the shelves and Deseret Book. Last week my HPG leader spent half his lesson raving about it. Today my wife said that the GD teacher featured it in his lesson. Was talking to a friend yesterday from Sandy and he said that everyone is his ward is reading it.

    Turns out that legit LDS historians are less thrilled. Here is an interesting review by Ardis Parshall:

    http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2017/0...-deseret-book/

    She argues that he whole Washington vision thing is hogwash and the book is manipulative schlock Deseret Book should be ashamed to be associated with.

    Anybody else hearing some buzz on this?
    No buzz, but I'm pretty far away from The Center.

    Yo, Moroni may have visited a lot of people. Prove he didn't!

    I think she gives Ballard too much of a pass. Cynical me says it's all about selling books and Ballard and those folks at DB and Amazon gotta make a living.

    Looks like he wrote a similar book, The Lincoln Hypothesis: A Modern-day Abolitionist investigates the possible Connection between Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and Abraham Lincoln, published by DB back in 2014.

    The Lincoln Hypothesis reveals documented evidence that Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, check out the Book of Mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. Did he read it? Did it influence him? Was the Book of Mormon a key factor in Lincoln's success and the healing of a nation? The author states, as you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weigh it all accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey.
    It's a series. Can't wait for the Coolidge Hypothesis!
    Give 'em Hell, Cougars!!!

    For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

    Not long ago an obituary appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune that said the recently departed had "died doing what he enjoyed most—watching BYU lose."

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by myboynoah View Post
      No buzz, but I'm pretty far away from The Center.

      Yo, Moroni may have visited a lot of people. Prove he didn't!

      I think she gives Ballard too much of a pass. Cynical me says it's all about selling books and Ballard and those folks at DB and Amazon gotta make a living.

      Looks like he wrote a similar book, The Lincoln Hypothesis: A Modern-day Abolitionist investigates the possible Connection between Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and Abraham Lincoln, published by DB back in 2014.

      It's a series. Can't wait for the Coolidge Hypothesis!
      Yeah, I forgot to mention the Lincoln hypothesis. I guess it turns out that Abraham Lincoln secretly used the book of Mormon to guide all of his critical decisions during the Civil War. Sounds totally believable!
      "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
      "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
      "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

      Comment


      • #4
        I have never heard of this totally plausible theory. But I'm not in Utah county or high priest group, so I'm sure that I miss lots of valuable hypotheses.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Applejack View Post
          I have never heard of this totally plausible theory. But I'm not in Utah county or high priest group, so I'm sure that I miss lots of valuable hypotheses.
          Yes, because if this board has taught us anything, it's that crazy things in the church only happen in Utah.
          "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
          "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
          "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

          Comment


          • #6
            I'd heard of the Lincoln Hypothesis - just this last week in fact - and thought the premise was interesting. I'd even thought about picking it up to read.

            This is the first I've heard of the Washington Hypothesis.

            Funny - but the Washington Hypothesis seems to me to kill any credibility that the Lincoln Hypothesis may have had. But maybe that's just because I gave the Lincoln Hypothesis way too much credit to begin with, and the author reveals himself by writing the second book.

            I'll probably avoid both now.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
              Yes, because if this board has taught us anything, it's that crazy things in the church only happen in Utah.
              Crazy things aren't exclusive to Utah, but crazy things almost always have their beginning there. (And Texas; Texas is it's own brand of crazy)

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Applejack View Post
                Crazy things aren't exclusive to Utah, but crazy things almost always have their beginning there. (And Texas; Texas is it's own brand of crazy)
                OK that makes sense. All of the non-Utah Mormons love and admire the Utah Mormons so much but that they can't help but copy everything they do.

                The Applejack Hypothesis!
                "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

                Comment


                • #9
                  Oh great, the author is a hero that saves children from sex slavery.

                  I hate this kind of stuff so bad. Just when you think the church is making progress with literal-fundamentalistic thinking, stuff like this comes around.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by jay santos View Post
                    Oh great, the author is a hero that saves children from sex slavery.

                    I hate this kind of stuff so bad. Just when you think the church is making progress with literal-fundamentalistic thinking, stuff like this comes around.
                    Wait, really? Like the stuff Hillary was doing at Comet Pizza?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
                      I guess we should get a thread started on this, because it is the latest rage in Mormon culture. Amateur LDS historian Timothy Ballard has thrown together a series of stories about George Washington and spins everything as a series of miracles necessary to set the stage for the restoration of the gospel.

                      https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Hy.../dp/1629721786

                      A central story in the book is a purported vision that Washington had where he **may** have been visited by Moroni. The book is flying off the shelves and Deseret Book. Last week my HPG leader spent half his lesson raving about it. Today my wife said that the GD teacher featured it in his lesson. Was talking to a friend yesterday from Sandy and he said that everyone is his ward is reading it.

                      Turns out that legit LDS historians are less thrilled. Here is an interesting review by Ardis Parshall:

                      http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2017/0...-deseret-book/

                      She argues that he whole Washington vision thing is hogwash and the book is manipulative schlock Deseret Book should be ashamed to be associated with.

                      Anybody else hearing some buzz on this?

                      I haven't read any of the guy's books but I have met him and talked with him a bit. He heads up this charity group called "Operation Underground Railroad" which helps set up sting operations for sex traffickers. He use to work for the DHS as a special agent and saw this stuff going on but due to the government regulations couldn't do anything about it. Finally he quite the DHS and help set up this non-profit that trains and helps foreign governments set up stings to catch sex traffickers. Seems like a reasonable guy to me.
                      "If there is one thing I am, it's always right." -Ted Nugent.
                      "I honestly believe saying someone is a smart lawyer is damning with faint praise. The smartest people become engineers and scientists." -SU.
                      "Yet I still see wisdom in that which Uncle Ted posts." -creek.
                      GIVE 'EM HELL, BRIGHAM!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        No buzz in my stake, yet. Sometimes it take a month or two for the Utah crazy to make it to Texas.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                        "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Haven't heard a word about it in South Jordan, but South Jordan is not in Utah County or Davis County, thank goodness.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by BigFatMeanie View Post
                            Haven't heard a word about it in South Jordan, but South Jordan is not in Utah County or Davis County, thank goodness.
                            It's not??? Cache county?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              The Washington Hypothesis

                              Originally posted by BigFatMeanie View Post
                              Haven't heard a word about it in South Jordan, but South Jordan is not in Utah County or Davis County, thank goodness.
                              Sorry, I misspoke earlier. My buddy lives in South Jordan, not Sandy. Not far from the temple. Everybody in his ward is talking about it.
                              "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                              "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                              "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

                              Comment

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