I always had imagined head members of FAIR as something akin to a recent picture that my pastor friend, Chris Leavell ministering in Ashton, captured over in Yellowstone Park: angry bison shaking dust from their fur and ready to charge.

So I needed to go and experience firsthand these people and their demeanor. Actually, Dan Peterson isn’t an angry bull. He even turned in his chair on Thursday and asked me, “So how are you doing with all this Mormon stuff?” I smiled and told him I had been reared in Southeastern Idaho. Living in a Mormon culture has been pretty much my experience for all my life.

But this is the first time that I have engaged personally with the “top defenders of the faith.” And I want to provide a closing recap alongside Tanya for those curious about another perspective.

First, the Tidbits

– The combination of red licorice and peppermint patties is an extraordinary duo for sweet snacking. You picked my favorites. I think that, I alone am responsible for emptying half of the conference sugar arsenal. I feel pricked in my conscience that I should send my own financial contribution to FAIR. 🙂

 

– John Lynch said 319 attended the FAIR conference this week, 25% higher than previous conferences. I also heard that Dan Peterson and Kevin Barney were added to the FAIR board. For FAIR’s influence, John Lynch said that the most powerful tool of FAIR is their FairWiki. Just this year, 518 inquiries have been directed to “Ask an Apologist”. To round out the year, I could probably ask 500 more questions (we’ll see). And for his extensive work on wiki, especially in the effort expended for response to the Joseph Smith Versus Jesus Christ DVD, FAIR awarded Gregory Smith the “John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.”

 

– During lunchtime yesterday, I did watch all the excerpts shown on the big screens for the latest DVD on the “New Mormon World DNA”. In buying the DVD, you will hear from Keith Crandall, John A. Tvedtnes, Jeffrey Meldrum (fellow Idahoan), Allen Wyatt, and Brian Stubbs.

 

– At the FAIR bookstore, I only bought one book, The FARMS Review (Vol. 19, Number 1, 2007). But of course, the following books on the tables did catch my eye: What About Those Who Have Never Heard by Fackre, Nash, and Sanders; Mormon Polygamy and Mormon Fundamentalism by Brian C. Hales (Mormonfundamentalism.com); Deconstructing Evangelicalism by D. G. Hart; In Discordance with the Scriptures by Peter J. Thuesen; Humble Apologetics by Stackhouse; As God Is We May Become by Steven C. Colwell; and Reformed Christians and Mormon Christians – Let’s Talk by Roger R. Keller. I am told that Roger later converted from reformed Christianity to Mormonism after he wrote the book. Let me add that as I gazed at all the multitudes upon multitudes of books, I really wanted Blake Ostler’s two volumes in his series on Exploring Mormon Thought, but I was too cheap to fork out the bucks, presently. Anybody want to loan me theirs? I do desire to see if Blake shares anything new under the sun. Blake has a third book coming out this fall. And I hear rumor that a fourth will be devoted to examining the theology of the evangelicals. Is this true?

 

 

– I laughed when Lou Midgley showed me the words under his name badge – “No Whining.”

Secondly, the Speakers

Let me share additional highlights.

 

Steven Olsen – “Our fundamental truth claim is that we are restorationists.”

 

But Terryl Givens adds – “The Restoration is not complete.” When Terryl says things like this, my imagination kicks into high gear. Things that LDS believe right now could be dead wrong? When hardly anyone on the earth believes in creation ex nihilo and everyone believes in the spark of divinity within, could a future LDS prophet like Tertellian of old, proclaim the contrary? Is bowing to the mysterious workings of God hundreds of years from now farfetched?

 

John Gee – Someone asked John how well he knew Hugh Nibley. He described Hugh, “Quite eloquent. Very insightful. Somewhat out-of-date. No one has the last word on this topic [Egyptian papyri].” In the closing remarks of John’s lecture, I thought it would have been fair if he also included the statistics of LDS alongside the statistics of religious sectarians. I don’t live unattached to the family problems in Mormon corridor. Underneath, social and psychological heartache abounds.

Margaret Young – In kindness, let me help put in a plug for her. She needs $15,000 more to wrap up her documentary. Any contributions given to Independent Future Productions are tax-deductible. When this film is released to the public, I hope to post a review. I know that President Hinckley has given an apology to the black community, but it would be great to somewhere in print correct the glaring statements of past LDS prophets. They acted like they spoke for God. Well, they did not. And here is one famous line by Darius Gray to the FAIR 2007 audience that I would like to add, “Are we, Latter-day Saints, followers of the Savior, where we ought to be?”

 

Larry Morris – I have already included his worksheet in a past post. On a side note, I am reading his book, And Now You Know (Deseret, 2002). I didn’t realize that he also was born and raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

 

Jeff Walker – I found it humorous when he kept referring to “Joseph and his boys”.

 

Wendy Ulrich – In her psychology session, she put these words on the big screen

I truly thought that hardly any other Mormons had ever doubted. We always teach that all mankind sins, but I thought that to doubt was to simply be infernal and devilish. (I’m not kidding, I still have this remnant feeling, for Mormon culture never discusses philosophical doubts and how to approach them). As I read these words, however, I realized that there is much hope for my spiritual journey.

Do you connect with the penetrating words of this statement by an 18 year old?

 

Later, Wendy interjected, “God’s signature strength. His absolute genius.” And then she went right into Isaiah 61:3, one of my favorite verse. Do you see my first name, Elon, in that Hebrew text? Our family motto is “Growing Oaks of Righteousness for God’s Glory”.

 

John Sorensen – Someone asked a question on archaeological evidence for the historicity of the BoM. John replied, “Wait a little while. It will be finally mustered. Read my forthcoming book. For a few people who know enough, it is already.” Hmm. I don’t know enough.

 

Richard Turley – I missed this session on Reflections on Mountain Meadows. What did he say? When the anniversary of this event arrives, I want to share a post on the subject. It might surprise you. It came to me this summer as I stood and prayed at the place, brokenhearted over my own sin.

 

Craig Foster – He helped provide for me a higher respect for James White. James would drive lengthy distances to come to Conferences. He would wear a tie or suit as he mingled with crowds. What would be the motive behind all this? Hatred for people? And why did James stop coming to Conferences? Craig noted that he wanted to separate himself from the shenanigans of the street preachers. I appreciate the efforts by Craig in sharing such distinctions.

 

David Bokovoy – He spoke on a leitword, “delighteth”, in Isaiah and Nephi writings. He mentioned Scriptural inclusio, highlighted seeing dabar in Isaiah 2:1 and 2 Nephi 11:8, and defended the similarities of prophetic commissions for Isaiah and Nephi (Isaiah 6:1, 2 Nephi 11:2-3). (As an aside, he called the pagan god, Shamash, “a wonderful deity.”)

 

In Isaiah 6, Bokovoy taught that through a purifying ritual, Isaiah became a divine member of the heavenly council. “He [Isaiah] is a God.” The washing ritual allows one to enter the divine realm.

 

In conclusion, he mentioned that among all mainstream Biblicists, multiple authorship of Isaiah is the accepted position. And in agreement, he affirmed that it is like a mathematical equation that provides for him the answers. What is my position? I am a Biblicist that completely rebels against some of the ridiculous consensus of American and European mainstreamers, which is why I will never be published or respected by scholars.

 

But I do promise you this, Lord-willing. I will seriously study the exchange between David Bokovoy and Michael S. Heiser (The FARMS Review, V. 1, No. 1, 2007, pp. 221-323) and post my musings about it.

 

Presently, I love Isaiah and its unity. Next Wednesday’s inductive study, our church family feasts on the beauty of God in Isaiah 26. Wow.

 

Blake Ostler – At the end of his lecture because of the lack of time, he says, “I am just going to blow off the evangelicals at this point” [much laughter from the audience]. Where can I get my hands on his manuscript for what he says here? And see over here for my quickly-typed, poor, choppy recap of his lecture.

 

John Hall – This particular scholar pulls out a quote by Elder Dallin H. Oaks from “Scripture Reading and Revelation”, The Ensign (Jan. 95) to maintain that the LDS perspective on the Bible is the balance between Christian fundamentalism and liberalism. I disagree. I see the whole gamut within Mormonism. Secondly, Hall told everyone they need to learn the original languages (quoting Joseph Smith). On this, I agree.

 

William Hamblin and David Seely – Again, fascinating slides. I have been to some of these places . . . from Instanbul to Rome to the tel Dan in Israel.

 

Daniel Peterson – I can see why this brilliant man who can crack jokes and take jokes is a point man for FAIR. And of course, I am not surprised that Eerdmans is publishing him in 2007.