Controversial Issues on BBC Documentary

I've been on a bit of a hiatus due to health problems, but I now hope to be back on a regular basis. Anyway, I had something on my mind about the recent documentary aired by BBC where John Sweeney investigates the Mormon Church and Mitt Romney. I know its been a while since it aired but I just saw it tonight on Youtube. However, I would like to give my opinion on it.

I would mainly like to comment on the way Elder Holland answered the questions and held his ground in the midst of the controversial topics. I thought he did a very good job under the circumstances. Rather than break the documentary down step-by-step or accuse someone of not doing a good job, I think I will just stick to the issues at hand and give my opinion of some of the subjects covered:

1. Polygamy: I think it should have been emphasized that polygamy was phased out gradually following the 1890 revelation, and completely banned in 1910 with the exception of existing marriages. Also, more effort should have been taken to show that the FLDS is separate from the urban polygamist groups as well as the mainstream LDS church.

2. Book of Abraham: The issue was way too over-simplified by saying that Egyptologists translated the real document and it doesn't match up, and that the pictures were changed. I think maybe Elder Holland could have pointed the way to Hugh Nibley's research, including the research on the hypocephalus that just came out recently in "One Eternal Round." Theologians in LDS and secular circles alike have argued for a Semitic connection to the Egyptian funeral documents and the work of the scholars should have at least been mentioned.

3. Temple Penalties: I think an explanation about how many traditions mention you should be willing to die for your faith, and if that includes not revealing secrets given to you by God, you should be willing to make any sacrifice. I don't think its fair to say that someone can't be loyal to the government because they are willing to keep sacred covenants with God and not subject those sacred covenants to mockery.

4. Strengthening the Members Committee: Most big corporations have an internal affairs department, this is nothing new or sinister. Most churches also keep files on members and try to get members back if they leave. I was with several churches prior to being LDS and this would not have been strange or unusual in any of them. Investigating to make sure standard doctrine is taught and that members who have strayed know they are welcomed back does not seem like a bad thing.

5. 1826 Glasslooking Trial: This was incorrectly said "con-man" which isn't true. When Joseph Smith was on-trial for glasslooking it was because he was trying to make a living by helping people to find buried treasure on their property by gazing into his seer stone. These people believed in his prophetic abilities and did not feel like they had been taken. However, this was an illegal activity in the state of New York. Most believing LDS would not have a problem knowing that Joseph Smith attempted to use his prophetic abilities to get by in frontier America.

After considering these things, I think more and more that the church should explain more controversial materials in their publications. They have been doing this lately, such as in the "Joseph Smith Papers" books and the Book of Mormon issue of the Ensign. I believe that the more these controversial issues are out on the table, they will actually be less controversial because people will know their true explanation. I think it would serve to make the church stronger in the long run.