LDS in survey call for unvarnished history

[scottie]

Wow:

http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/article/660224413/LDS-in-survey-call-for-unvarnished-history.html

[TripletDaddy]

That is from 2007. I'm confused.

[SeattleUte]

That is from 2007. I'm confused.

I'm confused. Has the unvarnished survey been issued?

[scottie]

That is from 2007. I'm confused.

I missed, "From Deseret News archives" when I read it. The date at the top is today's, which I think is based on the most recent user comment.

[TripletDaddy]

I'm confused. Has the unvarnished survey been issued?

No, nor is this a new issue.

I dont understand why this particular story merits a wow this morning. If I'm not mistaken, this very survey has already been discussed somewhere on CG.

Scottie is running out of material.

[Babs]

Scottie is running out of material.

Unlike Triplet?

DDD

[TripletDaddy]

Unlike Triplet?

DDD

Wow.

[Babs]

Wow.

wow?

that's not very triplet-ty at all. You're supposed to STFU or something. harumph.

[pelagius]

That is from 2007. I'm confused.

It, of course, was discussed a little on cougarguard:

http://www.cougarguard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8637

If I remember right, it was much discussed on other Mormon fora.

[CardiacCoug]

That's because most Mormons have no idea what is in the "unvarnished history."

[SeattleUte]

That's because most Mormons have no idea what is in the "unvarnished history."

I think it's asking too much to expect a religion to issue an "unvarnished survey" of its history. Give me a break. That's like making it write its name a million times. I'm not sure it isn't asking too much to expect an organized religion not to squirrel away historical documents and deprive nosy academics of access.

It's not like there isn't enough information out there already to enable intelligent people to make reasoned and rational decisions or conclusions. And it's not like this is the only subject or the most interesting subject in the world to research. Regardless, there is always an imperfect record and smart people and academics have to make reasoned assumptions and extrapolate. I don't think even any of that is necessary with respect to Mormon history.

[pellegrino]

I think it's asking too much to expect a religion to issue an "unvarnished survey" of its history. Give me a break. That's like making it write its name a million times. I'm not sure it isn't asking too much to expect an organized religion not to squirrel away historical documents and deprive nosy academics of access.

It's not like there isn't enough information out there already to enable intelligent people to make reasoned and rational decisions or conclusions. And it's not like this is the only subject or the most interesting subject in the world to research. Regardless, there is always an imperfect record and smart people and academics have to make reasoned assumptions and extrapolate. I don't think even any of that is necessary with respect to Mormon history.

I don't think your analogy works. Does Catholicism (or any other religion) present an official history that its members are supposed to believe and accept as fact? No, they don't. They aren't in the business of writing their own history as a means of tending to their flock's spiritual well being or ensuring their loyalty.

IMO, the church could save itself from a lot of headache and trouble if it would just drop the injunction against reading uncorrelated materials.

[Sullyute]

Olpin said the survey also showed that respodents: • Get much of their information about the church's past from historical fiction. When asked to respond to the statement, "I learned much of what I know about church history from 'The Work and the Glory,"' (a fictional series of books and films about an early Latter-day Saint family and their trials) Olpin said almost half of the respondents answered "yes."

I rolled my eyes at the response above until I realized the age demography of those targeted for the survey.

The survey targeted members who use the church's resources to do family history and sought to determine how they engage with the faith's past.

[Indy Coug]

How do we determine the level of unvarnishing?

[Moliere]

How do we determine the level of unvarnishing?

Lame question. Just allow access to source documents and let the researchers, academics, and apologists have at it. Access to source documents is unvarnished...or at least as unvarnished as it gets.

This quote scares me:

We have a responsibility to share that in a way that correlation will agree with, so we understand that we have limits.