An Insider's View of Mormon Origins

by Grant H. Palmer

Book Overview

Over the past thirty years, an enormous amount of research has been conducted into Mormon origins--Joseph Smith's early life, the Book of Mormon, the prophet's visions, and the restoration of priesthood authority. Longtime LDS educator Grant H. Palmer suggests that most Latter-day Saints remain unaware of the significance of these discoveries, and he gives a brief survey for anyone who has ever wanted to know more about these issues.
He finds that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560851570
• ISBN13: 9781560851578
• Release Date: November 2002
• Publisher: Signature Books
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A Well-Written and Accurate History

If you are a Mormon, I want you to know that I respect your open-mindedness in reading this review. I also want you to know that I like Mormons, and even love a few, some of whom I consider to be the finest people who ever walked in shoe leather, as my grandmother used to say. Note: Your helpful votes are appreciated. Thanks, and please check my reviews of books by Hugh Nibley and John Sorenson, as well as my review of "Echoes and Evidence for the Book of Mormon." If you would like to contact me, see the comment section below. Thanks. I'll limit my review to Palmer's comments about the "Golden Pot," German occult story. Concerning the "Golden Pot," Mormon writers have made many false assumptions and outright errors. Mormon writers who criticize Palmer's chapter on the "Golden Pot" fail to recognize that: German language almanacs were sold in Palmyra, and German immigrants to the United States constituted a higher percentage of the immigrant population than even the Irish who were digging the Erie Canal. The Palmyra bookstore would not have been selling German almanacs if there had not been a fair percentage of German speakers in the area. The rough percentages of different Ethnic groups in Pennsylvania by 1760 were: English (40%), German (30%), Scotch-Irish (20%), and 10% for other groups. So there were a lot of German immigrants in America. Significantly, there was some talk after the American Revolution about whether English or German should be the national language! In the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin grumbled about Philadelphia's bilingual street signs and complained that the Pennsylvania parliament would soon need German-English interpreters. In the late-1700s the parliamentary records of Pennsylvania and new state laws were published in both English and German, and the parliament of Maryland decided to publish a German-language version of the Constitution. Further, Joseph Smith was a traveler from an early age in his father's occult-based, treasure-hunting business. Thus, he repeatedly met people interested in the occult and treasure hunting, so it seems reasonable that he may have heard the story of the "Golden Pot" more than once. The Germans brought with them the occult beliefs and stories, including the story of the "Golden Pot," in which an archivist (actually a salamander) hires a young man to translate some ancient documents using magic pens. The author of the "Golden Pot," E.T.A. Hoffmann, also wrote the tale known to everyone today-The Nuctcracker, which was made into the famous ballet. The story mentions the "faculty of prophecy" and that the documents with their "strange characters" were translated with "greatest clearness and correctness." At the beginning of the story an "old hag" threatens the translator, saying "You'll end up in the crystal." Contrary to what some Mormons writers say, the first English translation of the Golden Pot (1820) preceded the Book of Mormon by ten years, a sufficient time for Hoffman's

Great book for beginners in Mormon History

Every Mormon should read this book. Most of what it contains is not new, but it will be new to most Mormons. Palmer has effectively summarized some of the most important research from the last thirty or so years of Mormon historical studies into an uncomplicated, easy-to-read book for those who are interested in Mormon history, but don't know where to start. This book is an excellent starting place. The one new contribution to Mormon historical studies is Palmer's treatment of Book of Mormon parallels to a Nineteenth Century story by E.T.A. Hoffman, known as the Golden Pot. Whether the Golden Pot is, as Palmer suggests, source material for the Book of Mormon will surely be debated among Mormon scholars. I was completely unaware of the E.T.A. Hoffman's story before reading Palmer's book. Thirty years ago or more, I stood in a Mormon bookstore looking for accurate, even-handed publications treating Mormon historical topics. The pickin's were slim. But beginning in the early 1980s, new books on the history of the LDS church began to trickle into bookstores. Now the difficulty is not that books on Mormon history are unavailable, but that there is an overwhelming number of them. That is what makes Palmer's book so valuable. Palmer has sifted through the voluminous works of thirty years of Mormon historians' writings and produced a brief overview of the myths and truths about Mormon origins. Lacking from the book is any significant treatment of the problematic area of Mormon polygamy. For more information on polygamy, I would recommend Richard Van Wagoner's Mormon Polygamy, and Todd Compton's wonderful biography of the 33 documented plural wives of Joseph Smith, In Sacred Loneliness. Mormon leaders have lagged behind the church's scholars in presenting Mormons with an accurate picture of our past, the past that my ancestors lived as they courageously struggled to establish their Zion in America. Regrettably, most church-approved books on the topic sugar-coat the realities of their lives. The time to face the realities of the Mormon past is long overdue. Mormons deserve a more honest treatment of their (our) church's origins. We may have to admit that the earth is not flat, nor is it the center of the universe. Christianity survived those revelations, and Mormonism can survive the truth about its origins. Palmer concludes his book by suggesting the only real and viable path to the future of Mormonism: placing its emphasis on the value and truth of Christ's teachings rather than on the very human events that led to the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If Mormon leaders want to have a church with real worldwide appeal, they would do well to heed Palmer's advice. In the internet age, troublesome Mormon issues can no longer be swept under the rug. It's time to face them and move the church along on a more honest path.

From one Mormon to another

I'm an active LDS (Mormon) church-goer and I have found Grant Palmer's book to be simply the best LDS book that talks about problems with church history. I could not put it down and several others I told about the book have bought it as well. The first chapter on translation is the best. Very good source documentation as well.Although much of what he says is not new, he says it in a very nice, diplomatic way. He does not offend when he states the facts. His career of service to the church in their education system and the fact that he is still a member gives him enormous credibilityHe also reaches a very interesting conclusion. I found myself dying to know how he ends the book. He is still an active member and was not excommunicated (at least not yet). I completely agree with his conclusions.I highly recommed this book to current, active members who wish to learn about the actual history of the church and not just the sugar-coated versions you get in Sunday School.Perhaps if everyone in the LDS Church were aware of the issues with our history that Grant Palmer talks about, the leadership would be forced to address them and publicly acknowledge the errors of the past so we can save this church and move on. The RLDS Church has already done this. Are we next? Go Grant go. Please write a sequel.

Clear, Direct and Honest

The author of this exceptionally clear & thoroughly documented book is an active, fourth-generation Mormon, a 34-year professional historian and Mormon-studies director at college-level religious institutes.From the Preface: "I, along with colleagues, and drawing from years of research, find the evidence employed to support many traditional [official Mormon] claims about the [Mormon] church to be either nonexistent or problematic."Chap. 1 ("Joseph Smith as Translator/Revelator") concludes that Jos. Smith "mistranslated a number of documents" including the Book of Abraham, used the King James Bible extensively in constructing the Book of Mormon, also weaving in many 19th century concerns, and that the Book of Mormon is of "no value in trying to learn more about ancient America or the Middle East."Chap. 2 ("Authorship of the Book of Mormon") concludes that the Book of Mormon is most likely a 19th-century production pieced together from sources demonstrated to be available to Smith, and therefore not a translation from ancient metal plates which, in any case, were not used and often not even present during dictation to scribes, done by looking not at plates but into a hat with a stone placed in it, often separated from his scribe by a blanket hung between them. This chapter also mentions DNA evidence demonstrating that the origin of Native Americans is not as claimed in the Book of Mormon.Chap. 3 ("The Bible in the Book of Mormon") demonstrates the King James Bible as source for numerous reworked Book of Mormon stories, many anachronisms and King James translators' errors copied in this erroneous form into the Book of Mormon. Quote: "Why would God reveal to Joseph Smith a faulty [mistranslated] KJV text?"Chap 4 ("Evangelical Protestantism in the Book of Mormon") concludes that numerous theological issues addressed in the Book of Mormon probably derived from Smith's Upstate New York religious environment than from the claimed ancient gold plates.Chap 5 ("Moroni and the Golden Pot") examines a long list of parallels between a published story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, and Smith's account of the angel Moroni's visits. The chapter concludes, "It would stretch credulity to believe that this [long list of parallels between Hoffmann's Golden Pot story and Smith's Moroni story] could be a coincidence, and I therefore think that a debt is owed to E.T.A. Hoffmann and the European traditions ..."Chap. 6 ("Witnesses to the Golden Plates") concludes that, despite the LDS Church's current claims, the evidence shows that none of the eleven witnesses claimed to have actually seen the physical gold plates, instead visualizing them "with spiritual eyes" in a prayer-induced trance state.Chap. 7 ("Priesthood Restoration") concludes that Smith's claim to have been personally ordained by John the Baptist, Peter, James and John as resurrected beings, was not at all what Smith originally claimed, but instead evolved over a number of years from the original claim that didn't inv

Grant H. Palmer's "Inside View" is honest and sensitive

Having just finished reading "An Insider's View of Mormon Origins" by Grant H. Palmer, all I can say is, Wow! This is an incredible book. One I, and many other hopeful Mormons, have been waiting a long time for. Palmer is a 34 year veteran of the Church Educational System and is a practicing member of the Mormon church. This is no expose' but he admittedly deals openly and frankly with his topic. "I feel good that I do not cloak the issues in ambiguities...qualifiers and disclaimers", he writes. He is obviously concerned about the way the church is presenting its history. The book is basically an attempt, and a call, to be honest and open with this history. "An Insider's View..." is a survey of the last thirty+ years of research done by Mormon scholars. All the big hitters are referenced: Anderson, Quinn, Jesse, Hill, Van Wagoner, Allen, Murphy, Vogel, Anderson, Bushman, (I could go on). The book is very readable, unlike some previous (informative, but overwhelming) works on Mormonism. This book could (and perhaps should) be the lesson manual for the "real" church history course in Sunday School, Seminary and Institute.I've encountered bit's and pieces of the information presented in Palmers book in various publications and documents, but Palmer brings it all together in a single book and presents additional new information to tie things together in an understandable and interesting way. To quote Palmer, this history, "rings true". This is the first book on Mormon history that I've felt I could give to fellow Mormon family or friends (or leave laying around the house for that matter) to help them understand what went on during the founding years of the church. Many from outside the church have attempted such a book but "An Insiders View..." is better because being a life long and presently committed member, Palmer genuinely appears to be trying to help the church be better, not hurt it.Although the material presented in the book will be tough for members to come to grips with, the tone is open and inviting. Palmer cautiously invites readers to explore the history with him, so this in not an "in your face" anti-Mormon book. In an attempt to help members feel OK about exploring church history, Palmer appropriately quotes former First Presidency member, J. Reuben Clark: "If we have the truth, [it] cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed." The book focuses mainly on the founding events of the church: The Book of Mormon, Book of Mormon Witnesses, Priesthood Restoration and the First Vision. Palmer devotes 5 of the 8 chapters to the Book of Mormon, and then a chapter to each of the other subjects. He gets right to heart of each topic, explaining the issue and the problems, all backed up by credible scholarship. There are copious references for those who feel the need to explore further. Apologist arguments and traditional accounts are considered and explored. Most of the issues that the chur