Comments on: Stare Decisis and the Priesthood Ban http://www.poorwayfaringman.net/blog/archives/863/stare-decisis-and-the-priesthood-ban Camping at the periphery of Mormonism Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:42:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Poor Wayfaring Man http://www.poorwayfaringman.net/blog/archives/863/stare-decisis-and-the-priesthood-ban/comment-page-1#comment-424 Poor Wayfaring Man Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:23:18 +0000 http://www.poorwayfaringman.net/blog/?p=863#comment-424 I haven't found any convincing evidence linking the ban to Joseph Smith either. As you note with the 1947 First Presidency statement, claims by LDS prophets and apostles--even when they make those claims in their roles as God's mouthpiece to the world--can be wrong. I consider their opinions and perspectives to be no more reliable or trustworthy than the average person, and often (as with the 1947 statement, or the statements of George Q. Cannon, Zebedee Coltrin, etc.) even less reliable than the average person, given the perspective-bending biases and incentives to which their judgment is subject. That said, I am not sure you can go so far as to say that a claim that the ban started with Joseph Smith is demonstrably false. It's just unsupported by reliable evidence. If it was logically impossible for Joseph Smith to have enacted the ban, or at least taught or planned it, I don't think the First Presidency would have claimed it. I could be wrong. -PWM I haven’t found any convincing evidence linking the ban to Joseph Smith either. As you note with the 1947 First Presidency statement, claims by LDS prophets and apostles–even when they make those claims in their roles as God’s mouthpiece to the world–can be wrong. I consider their opinions and perspectives to be no more reliable or trustworthy than the average person, and often (as with the 1947 statement, or the statements of George Q. Cannon, Zebedee Coltrin, etc.) even less reliable than the average person, given the perspective-bending biases and incentives to which their judgment is subject.

That said, I am not sure you can go so far as to say that a claim that the ban started with Joseph Smith is demonstrably false. It’s just unsupported by reliable evidence. If it was logically impossible for Joseph Smith to have enacted the ban, or at least taught or planned it, I don’t think the First Presidency would have claimed it. I could be wrong.

-PWM

]]> By: Seth R. http://www.poorwayfaringman.net/blog/archives/863/stare-decisis-and-the-priesthood-ban/comment-page-1#comment-420 Seth R. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:10:48 +0000 http://www.poorwayfaringman.net/blog/?p=863#comment-420 The First Presidency statement in 1947 is interesting because it attempts to link the ban back to Joseph Smith. This is simply historically false on the facts. Just Google "Elijah Abel" for the proof. The ban started with Brigham Young, I've simply been unable to find any convincing evidence linking it to Joseph Smith. The First Presidency statement in 1947 is interesting because it attempts to link the ban back to Joseph Smith.

This is simply historically false on the facts. Just Google “Elijah Abel” for the proof.

The ban started with Brigham Young, I’ve simply been unable to find any convincing evidence linking it to Joseph Smith.

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