Real vs. Rumor: An Interview with Dr. Keith Erekson 

Saying that the circumstances of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were exactly the same is a gross oversimplification.

@@aubreygarner7749 Each of us have individual lives and circumstances for which we make decisions and so no two peolple have the same experiences, I would have thought that need not be explained, they both lived in the same time period so trying to use societal and socioeconomic influences to justify behaviours does not hold water as an argument, but you are correct Aubrey, their circumstances were different, as Brigham Young said himself, Joseph was called of God I was called of Joseph, or so he claimed. Although, there is a litmus test which the scriptures tell us that we can apply, 'You will know them by their fruits' with Brigham Young there is a litany of false teachings and false doctrine and Un-Christlike behaviour which he espoused, so as I said Aubrey you are correct Joseph's individual circumstances were significantly more difficult, more challenging, more harrowing, more refining, than those of Brigham Young and yet he still chose differently, Brigham Young set out shortly after Joseph's death (For which the narrative begins to change for the church) from the beginning and continued to change church history and thereby Joseph's on the printed (altered) page. I don't suppose he envisioned a time where all his collective works would be seen in the plain light of day, I don't think that Joseph knew at the time when he was told 'Your name would be had for good and evil' it would include those in the very church he restored speaking evil of him.

Please point out where Keith Erekson said anything untruthful. I will wait.

@@kp6553 Already you start with mis-direction, stop changing the goal posts, I didn't mention him specifically in this interview. I can produce a boatload of proven lies and times where church leaders have misled the membership and I talk as a member of 47 years, I want truth, not narratives. However, I am in the process of buying his book and will prayerfully, sincerely, objectively read and digest it.

@@williamhaddock1838 you said that church historians are "the last people we should be going to for accurate unbiased church history[.]" You wrote this in response to an interview with a church historian. I am not spinning or twisting your words--I am trying to understand them.

@@kp6553I derive no pleasure from entertaining the idea that from the age of eight until a few years ago, I had been self-deluded because I followed the counsel of the church in not to look anywhere but where they point. Isn't the very point of your podcast to look beyond? I hadn't even watched the video when I commented, so it wasn't in response to the video, it was a result of my many experiences, and what I have learned of Church History over the last four and a bit decades, or when 'people' and particularly those in positions of Leadership 'Wax Lyrical' and in the next breath demonstrate hypocrisy. When President's of the church call each other out for teaching false doctrine. The statements the Prophet is only a man and He CANNOT lead the church astray cannot both be true at the same time, or in conference we are told to be honest in our dealings but more and more revelations come out of the church's dishonesty, whatever their reasoning. Or when a Relief Society leader tells BYU women to focus on family, and by the way in my career I was a litigator, but I loved my family. Or recently when we were told to say, 'Sorry' and 'Apologise' more often, but the 'Church' expects no apologies nor gives them. Does that sound sincere? The last thing I want is to be contentious but I am doing exactly the same as you, I want to understand !!! Eric Blair (George Orwell) reminded us that one of the greatest lies is the 'Omission', something that the church 'Historians' are conveniently good at. I will not follow the 'Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men' provable time after time. I am an academic, I know what critical thinking is, and tell my students to 'Find Out Themselves' and I also am well aware of the 'other' influences and motivations that are upon Lecturers and academics. The church's main problem is that we now have access to much more information, even the church produced materials contradict each other and the scriptures, and have caused many thousands to leave. The constant throng is, find your own revelation, but if your information or interpretation doesn't jibe with ours, You are clearly wrong. I could list a thousand things that cause me problems in the church, and yet I am still a member, have a testimony of Joseph, The BoM and the Saviour. The BoM tells us 'Exactly' what to expect in the church in the last days, after all, we are the Gentiles the book is talking to. From what Keith says I understand what he means when he talks about the difference in the meaning of words, between now and then. I run everything through my 1828 Webster's dictionary, but is he expecting me to believe that Joseph Smith had no idea of 'Romance', or lets take it back further, did Adam look at Eve as simply a vehicle to produce children? If anyone thinks that of Joseph (Like everyone else, a product of his time) they clearly have not read the many correspondences between Joseph and his wife or do not know the man. Did the Lord's explanation of Love diminish somehow over time? Where did the 'Natural Affection' (That men will lose in the last days) come from spoken of in Timothy 2 ?. Anyone in any age that claims to know Jesus Christ knows how to treat and Love another human being (Irrespective of cultural norms) let alone their wife. Did Jacob not give a complete discourse on this thousands of years ago? So do me a favour, what it does work towards though is to explain the abhorrent behaviour of church leaders towards their many polygamist wives. So as I said, I have no wish to be contentious as I am sure you don't, but Joseph told the Relief Society and others that their minds were darkened because they constantly relied on him, he didn't say 'Follow me' he pointed people to Christ, or Moses who would 'That Ye were all Prophets', they didn't trot out at every opportunity 'Follow the Prophet'. When you understand that Christ is the 'Keeper of the Gate' and He only, then I know to whom I look. I haven't listened to any more past his romance comments but I will do, with the focus that only 'Truth' matters. I wish you all the best and I do apologise if I appeared combative, kindness not niceness 😃