Friday, March 10, 2006

Mormon Critics Can Quit Now

Got Questions? Apologetics Has Answers
Funny thing about concerns over LDS doctrine: There's an answer to every question. The best source for answers to most questions: Personal revelation and a thorough understanding of the scriptures.

When you're in a hurry, though, give apologetics a try.

What follows is a complete list of the leading LDS apologetics resources available online. Bookmark it, if you wish, because it'll grow.
  • FARMS. The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies. It's housed at BYU, giving it the imprimatur of the Church. The quality of its books and articles is inconsistent, but improving. Click this link to see articles from the 300 or so well respected authors who have contributed to FARMS.
  • FAIR. Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (fairlds.org). The avocational version of FARMS. Click the Topical Guide link for links to the the 2000+ apologetics articles housed at this site.
  • SHIELDS. Scholarly & Historical Information Exchange for Latter-day Saints (shields-research.org). Sort of the hobbyist's version of FAIR. Most of the articles on this site consist of correspondence and reprints of historical apologetics.
  • LDS FAQ. Jeff Lindsay's lengthy list of questions with well documented answers.
  • LDS FAQ. Unlike the same-named site above, this one has sort of semi-official status as a product of BYU Studies.
  • Early Christianity and Mormonism. Barry Bickmore's not-to-be-missed collection of articles on apostacy, cosmology, salvation, temples, biblical evidences and more.
  • Fallacy Alert. Part of Wade Englund's Defending the Faith Against the Adversaries site, currently on hiatus.
  • Mormon Fortress. Apologist Michael R. Ash, who makes a strong argument in favor of apologetics in this Meridian Magazine article, has some interesting original material.
  • Response to Mormon Critics. Part of John and Jenny Walsh's larger All About Mormons site -- the best LDS resource on the Internet, perhaps even including the official Church site. Of particular note are the One-Minute Answers and the Overview of Criticism sections of this site.
  • LDS Topics. The best entry page for Brant Gardner's mind-expanding collection of Quetzalcoatl research, Book of Mormon commentary, essays and papers, and book reviews.
  • Defending the Faith. Michael T. Griffith, a writer for Horizon Publishers, answers critics in this sizable collection of essays.
  • Doctrinal Essays and Links. Writer Chris Bolton responds to various criticisms of the LDS faith.
  • Mormonism Researched. Kerry Shirts' site is in dire need of a graphic artist (Ironic, since Kerry IS an artist), but despite its amaturish layout and often combative tone, the content is generally enlightening.
  • Book of Mormon Questions: The Rebuttal. One Robert Boylan, a member of the Church in Ireland, responds to questions raised by RPCman at LDS-Mormon.com.
  • Comments on the News. The Church's official response to inaccurate reports in various media outlets.
Any additions? Keep us informed!

--The Practical Mormon

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