Back in the 90s I saw a documentary about the Mark Hoffman's forgeries case while I was still a strong believer. It was the case that opened the door to my doubts and why I decided to start investigating all about church. Needless to say, investigating everything opened my eyes and helped me out of the farse.

The fact that I learned about this in a documentary that it was well produced and documented, made me realize that when the church used to say "it is just anti-mormon propaganda" they were really covering their asses. Years before the only thing I hear about it was the existence of "the salamander letter" which I was told "it is evil, not real... Don't look at that propaganda". So hopefully, more documentaries like that one are created and distributed. It is sad that a documentary like "the mormon candidate" by BBC didn't get much attention here in the US and specially here in Utah and I don't understand how it didn't make it big.

The documentary I saw was: City Confidential "Faith and Foul Play in Salt Lake City". I have been trying unsuccesfully to find it on line.

Keep us informed when it shows up online. I would very much like to see it.

Great observations!
I grew up during the Hoffman debacle. I remember at the time no knew what was going on. Bombings here and there we were all worried how much more was coming, who was going to be hit next. It seemed to be linked to mormon intelectuals. So naturally people wondered if the church was doing the secret killings. If blood atonement, the danites, and avenging angels had been resurrected.

But I agree there should be more intellectual critical documentaries, and more "western" dramas. there was Dr. Quinn, gunsmoke, bonanza, little house, lone ranger. None of which even mentions Utah or the mormons. but much of the actual drama in the old west centered around the church. BY's avenging angels had many many people killed. It was a state of fear people lived in for decades. More of this needs to be presented in the media.

I think TBMs can ignore problems with the origins of the church because it's all in the fuzzy past. What matters to them is the church as they experience it right now. That's "The Church" to them. So I think it's more effective to show them how the leaders are uninspired and corrupt. Why didn't the Holy Ghost -- or Jesus himself in one of those face-to-face sessions members believe happen regularly -- tip them off that something was wrong with that Hofmann guy, to not do business with him? Why did the men who preach being forthright and about confessing one's mistakes, bullsh!t their way out of looking bad? Why were they suckered and why did they act exactly like lying fools? And why do TBS sustain them?

Stray Mutt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think TBMs can ignore problems with the origins
> of the church because it's all in the fuzzy past.
> What matters to them is the church as they
> experience it right now. That's "The Church" to
> them.

So true. As long as mormon Jesus keeps finding lost car keys then everything is peachy keen.

It looks like you can buy a DVD of it, both used and new, from Amazon.com sellers, priced from $14.99 plus shipping up to $24.00.

I've bought several CD's from sources like these and never had any problems.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001P5QAIA/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2015 12:30PM by memikeyounot.

The whole Mark Hofmann affair opened my eyes as well. It was the first time I had ever seen LDS apologetics in action.

I was visiting my parents when I happened to glance through the religion section of the Los Angeles Times. I was drawn to it by a picture and article written by Dallin Oaks. While reading the article I was amazed at the lengths Oaks was taking in order to justify a salamander in LDS lore. When I finished the article I remember saying to myself, "What a load of horseshit." Here is what was mentioned in the article -

In any case, it is interesting to note that on August 16, 1985, the Mormon Apostle Dallin Oaks tried to ease the fears of Mormon educators with regard to the Salamander letter by claiming that the words "white salamander" could be reconciled with Joseph Smith's statement about the appearance of the Angel Moroni:

"Another source of differences in the accounts of different witnesses is the different meanings that different persons attach to words. We have a vivid illustration of this in the recent media excitement about the word 'salamander' in a letter Martin Harris is supposed to have sent to W.W. Phelps over 150 years ago. All of the scores of media stories on that subject apparently assume that the author of that letter used the word 'salamander' in the modern sense of a 'tailed amphibian.'

"One wonders why so many writers neglected to reveal to their readers that there is another meaning of 'salamander,' which may even have been the primary meaning in this context in the 1820s.... That meaning... is 'a mythical being thought to be able to live in fire.'...

"A being that is able to live in fire is a good approximation of the description Joseph Smith gave of the Angel Moroni:... the use of the words white salamander and old spirit seem understandable.

"In view of all this, and as a matter of intellectual evaluation, why all the excitement in the media, and why the apparent hand-wringing among those who profess friendship or membership in the Church?" ("1985 CES Doctrine and Covenants Symposium," pages 22-23)

I was then struck with the thought..."If the church will go to such lengths to justify a salamander, what else are they trying to justify?" That started me questioning. Then when it was exposed that the Salamander Letter was a forgery, I kept waiting for Oaks to come out and say, "Never mind." Instead all you could hear were crickets. Later, reading the book "Salamander" pretty much put me on my way out of the church.

TOTALLY!! That was such a lame defense perpetrated by Oaks... I almost forgot I read that too! Lol

Same here. It was the first chink in the armor so to speak of getting through to the reality of what was happening behind the Mormonism

I was finished with the cult during the Mark Hoffman fiasco as I watched the terrible scene unfold with horrified eyes. Here were deadly conmen conning other deadly conmen. The tole and damage to people was costly, inhumane and so tragic. All I could think of was that these people going to such extreme ends to get what they wanted had to be people who really did not care about other people in the least.....they had learned their lesson well from ole Joey that the only person who counts is themselves.

I also felt very embarrassed, once again, to have this unbelievable greedy and gross type of behavior associated with Utah. I do realize that as long as LDSinc exists some of this will go on, but Oh My Gawd I find it sickening and, again, so embarrassing.

I'll NEVER understand why the Feds didn't investigate & prosecute... Bombs + deaths, ya know! Oh wait, maybe the Federel Prosecutor was biased re LDS (for or Against ?!?!