Vol VIII: The Restored Gospel That Wasn't

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Before You Read

1. A Note on Primary Audience

The Adversary's Narrative

1. The Adversary's Narrative I. The Design Brief
2. II. The Five Excisions
3. III. The Community Architecture IV. The Maintenance Problem
4. V. The Vulnerability I Could Not Close VI. The Limitation I Did Not Anticipate

Introduction

1. How to Use This Guide
2. A Note on Method: Near-Truth as Diagnostic, Not Label
3. The Posture of the Disciple A Word to the Latter-day Saint Who Is Reading This

Preface

1. Preface

Part One

Part One: Origins

1. Part One: Origins Section 1: The Burned-Over District — The Soil
2. Section 2: The First Vision — What It Actually Claims
3. Section 3: The Book of Mormon — Production and Claims
4. Section 4: The Great Apostasy — Where the Foundation Cracks
5. Section 4A: When the Rock Speaks for Itself — The Institutional Circularity Response
6. Section 5: Polygamy — The Revelation That Could Not Stand Section 6: The Book of Abraham Translation — The Primary Diagnostic Crack
7. Section 7: Prophetic Succession and the Brigham Young Era Section 8: The Racial Priesthood Ban — Error Canonized as Revelation
8. Section 9: The Living Prophet — Authority Without Accountability
9. Section 10: The Modern Church — Global Reach and Current Stress

Part Two

Part Two: The Books

1. Part Two: The Books Section 11: The Bible — "As Far as It Is Correctly Translated"
2. Section 12: The Book of Mormon — Claims and Problems
3. Section 13: Doctrine and Covenants — The Living Archive Section 14: The Pearl of Great Price — The Abraham Papyri Disaster
4. Section 15: The Joseph Smith Translation — Altering the Text

Part Three

Part Three: The Theology

1. Part Three: The Theology Section 16: The Nature of God — The Embodied, Progressive Deity
2. Section 17: The Godhead — Three Separate Beings
3. Section 18: The Pre-Mortal Existence — Spirit-Children of God Section 19: The Plan of Salvation — A System of Progressive Exaltation
4. Section 20: Eternal Progression — The Path to Godhood
5. Section 21: The Atonement — What LDS Believes
6. Section 22: The Three Kingdoms of Glory — Heaven Sorted Section 23: Baptism for the Dead — Salvation by Proxy
7. Section 24: Celestial Marriage — Sealed for Eternity or Not at All Section 25: Temple Theology and Christology — What Is Actually Missing
8. A NOTE BEFORE PART FOUR: Why the Move to John 17:3 Is Not a Retreat

Part Four

Part Four: Structure, Liturgy, and What Is Required

1. Part Four: Structure, Liturgy, and What Is Required Section 26: Church Governance — From Prophet to Ward
2. Section 27: The Priesthood — Aaronic and Melchizedek Section 28: Sunday Worship — Sacrament Meeting
3. Section 29: The Temple — What Happens Inside
4. Section 30: Temple Ordinances — The Load-Bearing Layer
5. Section 31: The Temple Recommend — The Institutional Gate Section 32: What Is Required of Members
6. Section 33: Missionary Service — The Two-Year Commitment

Part Five

Part Five: The Conversation

1. The Posture of the Disciple
2. Section 34: Before You Begin — Posture First
3. Section 35: Finding Common Ground Section 36: The Scripture Question
4. Section 37: Engaging the First Vision
5. Section 38: The God Question
6. Section 39: The Book of Mormon Question
7. Section 40: The Book of Abraham Question
8. Section 41: The Great Apostasy Question
9. Section 42: The Eternal Life Question — Where the Conversation Is Always Headed
10. Section 43: The Faith Crisis Member — A Different Conversation
11. Closing: The Measure