Throughout the early years of my lifetime, the Mormon Church vigorously denied any story that even suggested that Joseph Smith was ever involved in necromancy, witchcraft, or peep-stone money digging. They were called anti-Mormon lies. They regularly excommunicated any member who dared to publish any researched endorsement of the "lie". Today, in view of the Church's admission that those stories were true, it literally creates pain in my heart each time I think about the Church's historical pathway strewn with the bodies of intelligent and well-meaning members who were shunned and cast out for only trying to tell it like it is. Honesty: a virtue taught, no, demanded by a church who will oust you when you try to tell the truth.
Hasn't religion progressed nicely though? At least we aren't murdering people like we used to who dared to endorse the witch's notion that the sun was stationary or the earth was round. Our brutal, medieval barbarianism in modern times is so much more humane. Now-a-days the popular thing to do is to just destroy them psychologically. Then when we finally are forced to admit that they were right, because this a God's work, no apologies are needed... apparently.
I remember an incident in High School with a classmate, David McBride. We sat next to each other in the band's trombone section and became friends. He knew I was Mormon and we occasionally compared religious notes. We had a discussion once that eventually became heated (in a friendly way) when he accused Joseph Smith of putting a rock in his hat to translate the golden plates. Having never heard of that one before, I was absolutely blown away that anyone could accept such a ridiculous supposition as being true. I argued that the claim's own absurdity should certainly confirm the obvious fallacy of such a laughable allegation. I told him that if what he was saying was true, I would leave the Church tomorrow and never look back.
I'm embarrassed to admit it now but I even spun it around and used it to my advantage by preaching a short sermon of chastisement. I pulled out my persecution card and told him how much damage it causes when gullible people fall for anti-Mormon lies then spread them around without documented facts. He was a bit embarrassed and admitted that he didn't know much about it because it was just something he had heard. He asked me to clarify how the translation process was accomplished. I recall being relieved when Mr. Larson, the band director, shushed us so I never got the chance to answer. I'm sure that David would have called me out on the absurdity of the other story I would have had to tell.
David McBride... If you're reading this, I apologize. You were right. I was wrong. He DID translate the plates with a rock in his hat. (Click Here) However, I WAS right regarding the absurdity of that story.
