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Scott
Lloyd
- Jim Robertson Correspondence
A Study in Concerned Christians Honesty
Having read the correspondence
between Dan Peterson, Jim Robertson, and Mike Burns, regarding the erroneous
presentation by Concerned Christians of the 1998-99 "Brigham Young
manual," Scott Lloyd concluded that he would give it one last try. The following
correspondence is the result:
Letter One
Scott Lloyd to Jim Robertson
Sent Thursday, February 18, 1999
I just visited the SHIELDS web site (www.shields-research.org) and read the
correspondence exchange between you and your webmaster on the one side and Dr. Daniel
Peterson of BYU on the other. It concerns your false allegation that the manual
currently being used for study by the priesthood quorums and Relief Society on the
teachings of Brigham Young contains the statements that Brigham Young never had more
than one wife and that the Church never practiced polygamy. I personally study from
this manual nearly every week and am familiar with its contents, so I know firsthand of
the falsity of your statement. I am incensed that you would perpetuate the falsehood,
stubbornly refuse to correct or retract it and ignore messages that you ought to post
an apology. With a pathetic lack of dignity, your web master tried to cover for you as
you refused to face up to your responsibility. Your behavior sheds a stark light on
your lack of character and integrity. Moreover, it bears out what one author
characterized as a rule that seems to be followed by most anti-Mormons:
The end (converting Mormons) justifies the means (dishonesty) because, after all, one is doing
God a favor. I call on you at long last to correct this error and injustice that has
been carried on far too long already. |
Letter Two:
Jim Robertson to Scott Lloyd
Sent Friday, February 19, 1999
Scott,
I'm so glad that you have chosen to take up the banner of attacking the messenger and
not the message! If you want a retraction and apology, I suggest that you go directly
to the source and get one from Vern Anderson of the Associated Press.
I was just repeating in my own words what was said in the original article.
This article has really stirred up a hornets nest, for which I'm grateful.
We are well aware of the real reason these things are being changed by the church.
With the Olympics coming to Utah, the church wants the issue of polygamy pushed out of the way so it isn't an issue
during the games and the missionaries can spread their deception without being hindered
by your history. Well, I can promise you that the Christian community is not going to
let that happen.
I have sent my reply to you because I felt I owed that to you as a common courtesy,
however, this is the only response I will do. There are many people out there who want
to learn the truth about the LDS church and that is more important to us then getting
in a "spitting battle" with people who don't care to see the truth.
In Christ,
Jim |
Letter Three:
Scott Lloyd to Jim Robertson
Sent Tuesday, February 23, 1999
Jim,
Thank you for responding to my message. Let me emphasize however, that my quarrel is
not with Vern Anderson or his Associated Press article, it is with you.
I know Vern Anderson; he works in the same building as I do. He is too professional -- and frankly,
too smart -- to make an assertion that is so demonstrably untrue, so easily proven to
be false. If he did he would be obliged to publish a correction, and professional
journalists don't like to have to do that, although they will do it when it is clear
that they have made a mistake.
I am also acquainted with the AP article you cited, and nowhere in there does it make
the claim that "LDS leaders ... are ... saying that Brigham Young only had one wife and
that polygamy was never officially sanctioned nor practiced by the LDS Church" as you
say it does. It is clear, Jim, what has happened. You jumped to a conclusion when
reading a newspaper account without carefully considering what the article actually
said or without checking out the manual in question to determine what it actually did
or did not say. (You can buy it at any LDS Distribution Center store.
Do you have a Deseret Book store down there? You can get it there also.)
When called on it, you thus far have been too stubborn and proud to correct yourself, probably rationalizing that
the end, (discrediting the Mormon Church) justifies your carelessness and subsequent
lack of honesty.
Perhaps you are taking some sort of perverse pleasure in the attention this whole
matter has engendered. If so, you owe it to yourself to check out the material on the
SHIELDS web site I mentioned. You come across looking very bad indeed.
And every moment that this false and uncorrected allegation remains posted on your web page compounds
the original error. You would do yourself and Concerned Christians a favor to publish a
correction or retraction. But if you do not, at least I have a glaring example to which
I can refer acquaintances that shows those who take up a vendetta against the Church
often lack the integrity to be accurate in their allegations or to admit when they're
wrong.
Scott |
Letter Four:
Jim Robertson to Scott Lloyd
Sent Wednesday, February 24, 1999
Scott,
Enjoy yourself!!!!!
Jim |
Letter Five:
Scott Lloyd to Jim Robertson
Sent Thursday, February 25, 1999
Jim,
Sadly, I must acknowledge that your reaction was much as I predicted it would be.
I wasn't asking for much. I held out little hope that you would repent and return to
the gospel in its fullness and truth which you once covenanted to uphold.
Nor was I expecting that you would give up your anti-Mormon website and newsletter with their
half-truths, generalizations and out-of-context citations. But I did want to give you
yet another opportunity to retract what is a clear and obvious public misstatement of
fact and acknowledge error in its perpetuation. Ah well, I still believe in miracles.
Your behavior is very telling, Jim. If (hypothetically speaking) you were to succeed in
your endeavor to destroy my faith, still I could never affiliate with a religious
group, sect or denomination whose individual members refuse to measure up even to an
objective standard of honesty.
I hold no ill will toward you, Jim. I pray that somehow, someday, the Holy Spirit again
will find place in your heart and you will know the peace that surpasseth all
understanding
Scott |
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