The FAIR Journal -:- January 2011

[Wiki Wonka]

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January THE FAIR JOURNAL 2011

The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research

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LATIN - apologeticus GREEK - apologetikos

Apologetics: "The branch of theology that is concerned with

defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines" (The American

Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Houghton

Mifflin Company, 2009).

ABOUT FAIR

FAIR is a 501©3 non-profit organization and relies on donations to

accomplish its work. If you are in the United States, your donation

is tax deductible. All contributions are greatly appreciated. To

make a donation please click on the following link.

Contribute to FAIR

FAIR can be contacted through the internet or the U.S. Postal

Service.

Contact FAIR

FAIR

PO Box 491677

Redding, CA 96049-1677

JOURNAL CONTENTS

* Message from the President * Donating to FAIR

* New on the Website * FAIR Blog * FAIR YouTube * FAIR Wiki

* Off-Site Articles * FAIR Bookstore * FAIR's 'Front Page'

* Ask the Apologist * Copyright Notice and Disclaimer

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

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When most members of the Church think of anti-Mormonism, they

immediately flash on sign-carrying protestors outside of Temple

Square, or they visualize a debate on whether faith or works leads

to salvation. The problem with those visualizations is that those

types of protests and discussions aren't the kind of anti-Mormonism

that has any real impact on members of the church. Some are lulled

into a false sense of security believing that their testimonies are

unshakable. It is with that attitude they venture onto the Internet

to read what others have to say about our beliefs. They may soon

discover that the Church and its history is often conveyed in a

fashion that is totally foreign to what they have learned.

Emails to FAIR have included phrases such as, "I recently became

aware of some things from church history I have never heard before,

"or "Joseph Smith doesn't appear to be the person I learned he was

in Primary."

There are things written in books and on the Internet that sound

very damaging to Joseph Smith and others in Church history. Some

members get very upset when they read it and realize they have not

heard it before. They sometimes come to believe that the items have

been hidden from them through some grand conspiracy of deception and

find their testimony shaken.

The truth is that many of the allegations are taken out of context,

are presented with a negative spin, come from less reliable sources,

or are simply false. While some feel they "should' know about it,

there really should be no expectation for the Church to teach things

about Joseph Smith that aren't true, simply so people are familiar

with those claims. False allegations remain false, even if they are

from a long time ago.

For example, perhaps you will read the common claim that there was

no record of the First Vision prior to 1870. The claim is usually

made with absolute certainty and bravado. The average reader doesn't

know that there are over 62 recorded instances of the First Vision

stretching from 1840 to 1870.

http://en.fairmormon.org/First_Vision/Seldom_mentioned_in_LDS_publications_before_1877_(long)

Perhaps you may read that Brigham Young said that he lives "above

the law." What the average reader doesn't know is that Brigham was

talking about living better than the law, not escaping from it.

http://en.fairmormon.org/Quote_mining/Journal_of_Discourses/JoD_1:361:Analysis

There are numerous other examples that can be cited. But, know that

the arguments and negative treatment put forward by the various

books and anti-Mormon websites have been examined and found to be

unconvincing and often dishonest. FAIR exists to continue to expose

those dishonest claims and to help members of the Church find

answers without having to become research specialists.

I hope that you continue to support us in our efforts by spreading

the word about FAIR and letting people know where they can find the

truth about disturbing claims they may hear.

--Scott Gordon

President of FAIR

DONATING TO FAIR

-----------------------------------

FAIR is labor of love. We are a group of volunteers who spend many

hours trying to research and publish information to help members

respond to critics. We try to price our conferences to be accessible

to as many as possible. But, providing this information does cost

money. In all of your charitable giving, please consider donating to

FAIR. It is only through your donations that we are able to stay in

operation.

If you can donate $10, or $10,000, every dollar helps us.

http://bookstore.fairlds.org/category.php?id_category=47

You can also mail a check to our PO Box

FAIR

PO Box 491677

Redding, CA 96049-1677

NEW ON THE WEBSITE

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Restoring the Original Text of the Book of Mormon

by Royal Skousen

While we often have articles simply responding to criticisms of the

church, we also have articles of pure research that shed new light

on the Book of Mormon. In his 2010 FAIR Conference presentation,

Royal Skousen, linguist and editor of the Book of Mormon Critical

Text Project, reviews the scholarship of the Book of Mormon's text.

http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2010_Restoring_the_Original_Text_of_the_Book_of_Mormon.html'>http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2010_Restoring_the_Original_Text_of_the_Book_of_Mormon.html

If you find that article interesting, you can also read his 2002

talk on Changes in the Book of Mormon.

http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2002_Changes_in_the_Book_of_Mormon.html'>http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2002_Changes_in_the_Book_of_Mormon.html

His books are also on special at the FAIR Bookstore this month.

FAIR BLOG

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There are several interesting entries on the FAIR Blog you might

want to check including a review of season two of the Joseph Smith

Papers DVD.

http://www.fairblog.org/

FAIR YOUTUBE

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Our YouTube site has now posted the entire 1 hour 18 minute rebuttal

to the anti-Mormon video "Bible vs. The Book of Mormon." We

interviewed several scholars and asked them about the accusations

brought up in this critical video. We uncover the truth about their

criticisms and provide evidence for The Book of Mormon. This video

covers Horses, Temples, geography, coins, Hebraisms, and more.

We also have posted a video that looks into the population of the

Hopewell Indians, who lived around the Great Lakes region of the

U.S., during Book of Mormon times to see if they can be considered a

candidate for Book of Mormon peoples. As we learn, the population of

the Hopewell is so small and so spread out, that they would not have

the numbers to comprise the smallest numbers mentioned in The Book

of Mormon. Therefore, cannot be Book of Mormon people.

FAIR WIKI

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The FAIR Wiki addresses a number of criticisms that deal with the

subject of Mormonism and its relationship with history.

Mormonism and history (Summary article)

http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_history

Accuracy of Church Art

Critics charge that the Church knowingly "lies" or distorts the

historical record in its artwork in order to whitewash the past, or

for propaganda purposes. A commonly used example is the inaccuracy of

any Church art representing the translation process of the Book of

Mormon.

http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_history/Accuracy_of_Church_art

"Some Things that are True are not Very Useful"

Elder Packer gave an address to religious educators called "The Mantle

is Far, Far Greater Than the Intellect." The following quote is a

favorite of critics who wish to demonstrate that the Church wishes to

suppress its history and independent thought: "There is a temptation

for the writer or the teacher of Church history to want to tell

everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not. Some

things that are true are not very useful."

http://tinyurl.com/4atmown

"I Have a Hard Time with Historians because They Idolize the Truth"

There is much that critics do not reveal about this quote or its

context, which is attributed to Elder Packer. The source of this

quote is the now excommunicated D. Michael Quinn, who wrote in a

footnote that, "When Elder Packer interviewed me as a prospective

member of Brigham Young University's faculty in 1976, he explained:

'I have a hard time with historians because they idolize the

truth.'" This quote is not from any recorded address by Elder

Packer, nor is it in any of his writings.

http://tinyurl.com/4t2v2vd

Censorship and Revision

Critics claim that the church has "whitewashed" some of the

information about its origins to appear more palatable to members and

investigators. Some feel that this is done intentionally to hide

negative aspects of church history. Others feel that it is done to

focus on the good, but that it causes problems for believing members

when they encounter these issues outside of church curriculum.

http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_history/Censorship_and_revision

LDS Histories Over Many Years Omit Plural Marriage

Some critics charge that LDS histories have a long history of

omitting mention of plural marriage as a cause for the Saints'

troubles in Illinois.

http://tinyurl.com/4gvkm5e

Sidney Rigdon Trial in Times and Seasons versus History of the Church

Critics charge that the account of Sidney Rigdon's 'trial' recorded

in the Times and Seasons differs markedly from the version available

in the History of the Church. They claim that this demonstrates the

Church's tendency to "rewrite" history after the fact.

http://tinyurl.com/4g3q8xn

Wilford Woodruff cCriticizes Publication of Polygamists

Some critics charge that the Church's desire to hide its historical

plural marriage is exemplified by Wilford Woodruff's criticism of

assistant Church Historian Andrew Jenson's decision to publish the

names of those who were married to Joseph Smith.

http://tinyurl.com/4gxn3v3

Hiding the Facts in Plain Sight Using Church Publications

Quite a few items that critics claim were hidden by the Church were

actually published in Church magazines such as the New Era, the

Ensign and the Friend.

http://tinyurl.com/6k9c7k6

Orson Hyde's Blessing Altered in the History of the Church?

Critics claim that the ordination blessing given to Orson Hyde is an

example of false prophecy. They also claim that Hyde's blessing was

altered in the History of the Church for propaganda reasons.

http://tinyurl.com/5ul4xtn

Church Discipline of Scholars: The "September Six"

Critics claim that the Church excommunicates or disfellowships

scholars who publish historical information that is embarrassing to

Church leaders. Despite the fact that these disciplinary actions are

carried out by local leaders, some critics insist that they are in

reality instigated by general authorities.

http://en.fairmormon.org/Church_discipline/Scholars

OFF-SITE ARTICLES

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In 2008 the Oxford University Press journal Literary and Linguistic

Computing published a statistical argument that resurrected the

claim that Samuel Spalding was the author of Book of Mormon. A reply

to that paper is now available on-line.

G. Bruce Schaalje, Paul J. Fields, Matthew Roper, and Gregory L.

Snow, "Extended Nearest Shrunken Centroid Classification: A New

Method for Open-Set Authorship Attribution of Texts of Varying

Sizes," Literary and Linguistic Computing.

http://llc.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/01/18/llc.fqq029.full

Matthew Roper, in the FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages:

15-85 reviews the book "Prophecies and Promises: The Book of Mormon

and the United States of America" by Bruce H. Porter and Rod L.

Meldrum.

In Prophecies and Promises, Bruce H. Porter and Rod L. Meldrum set

forth their case for situating Book of Mormon events in the central

and eastern United States. Porter and Meldrum claim their view is

supported by prophetic statements of Joseph Smith. Matthew Roper

writes a review of the book here:

http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805

FAIR BOOKSTORE

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Come to the FAIR Bookstore to find the Internet's best selection of

materials for LDS apologetics. Whether you are looking for books,

study aids, DVDs, or audio products, the FAIR Bookstore has what you

need. You can begin your browsing by going to our main site.

http://bookstore.fairlds.org/

Be sure to check out the Clearance Section. We have many older books

and some new books with slightly damaged covers that offer great

deals to buyers.

Clearance Special:

>> Rebuilding Zion: The Religious Reconstruction of the South,

1863-1877

(Limited to stock on hand)

Daniel W. Stowell. New York, New York: Oxford University Press,

1998. Softbound, 6x9" 278 pgs.

During the Civil War and its aftermath, Southern evangelicals

remained convinced that their cause was both Christian and just.

This position became more entrenched as Northern evangelicals

entered the South after the war, aiming to save freedmen. Author

Daniel Stowell plots the conflict that resulted from these competing

visions of the religious reconstruction of the South. By

demonstrating how the Southern vision eventually came to

predominate, he shows how the Southern Churches became one of the

principal bulwarks in the creation of the myth of the "Lost Cause,"

Southern honor, and curious moral righteousness of the South's

treatment of both slave and freedman.

Retail Price: $24.00

Special FAIR Price: $12.00 (50% Discount)

>> The Japanese Missionary Journals of Elder Alma O. Taylor 1901-1910

(Limited to stock on hand)

Reid L. Neilson, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 2001,

Dissertations in Latter-day Saint History series, 8.5x11" softbound,

472 pages. ISBN: 0842524959

Alma O. Taylor, called to the Japan Mission at age eighteen, and his

parents would have been shocked had they known his mission would

last nearly nine years. Alma, the eighteen-year-old lad, would

return a twenty-seven-year-old man, having served one of the longest

continuous missions in Church history.

For eight and a half years (August 1901--January 1910), Alma worked

with intense fervor, keeping a detailed journal of his experiences

and impressions. Alma's journal recaptures early Mormonism in Japan

through the eyes of a young missionary. The body of this book is

devoted to making his writings available for the first time to all

those interested in the foundational events of the Church in Japan.

Alma's many accomplishments included learning both the spoken and

written Japanese word; assisting in the translation of missionary

tracts, Church hymns, and the Book of Mormon; serving as president

of the Japan Mission from his early to late twenties; opening new

proselyting areas throughout Japan; and finding, teaching,

converting, and strengthening many of the early Japanese Saints.

Shortly before Alma left his mission, he recorded his feelings about

his final year in Japan: "During the year I have had many

experiences some the most pleasant in life and some the most bitter

that humans are called upon to experience. . . . Great is the debt

of gratitude I owe to the Lord for His many blessings."

Retail Price: $23.95

Special FAIR Price: $11.97 (50% Discount)

January Specials:

http://bookstore.fairlds.org/category.php?id_category=50

>> Restoring the Original Text of the Book of Mormon (2010 FAIR

Conference MP3)

Royal Skousen, The Foundation for Apologetic Information and

Research 2010

Presentation from the 2010 FAIR Apologetics Conference, in MP3

format.

Once purchased, the mp3 will be automatically sent your email

account. You will have 7 days to download.

Retail Price: $4.95

Special FAIR Price: $4.47 (10% Discount)

>> The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text

Edited by Royal Skousen. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2009.

Hardbound, 7.75x9.5", 837pgs.

Over the past twenty-one years, editor Royal Skousen has pored over

Joseph Smith's original manuscripts and identified more than 2.000

textual errors in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. Although

most of these discrepancies stem from inadvertent errors in copying

and typesetting the text, the Yale edition contains about 600

corrections that have never appeared in any standard edition of the

Book of Mormon, and about 250 of them affect the text's meaning.

Citing the earliest sources available, Skousen corrects the text in

a work of remarkable dedication that will be a landmark in American

religious scholarship.

Retail Price: $35.00

Special FAIR Price: $28.00 (20% Discount)

>>The Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon

Royal Skousen (Editor), Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research

& Mormon Studies (FARMS) and Brigham Young University, 2001, 10x13"

hardbound, 553 pages.

A stray ink drop and a quirk of nineteenth-century script make the

difference between "retain that wrong" and "repair that wrong". More

than a decade of meticulous research revealed such insights as Royal

Skousen prepared transcripts of the original and printer's

manuscripts of the Book of Mormon for publication.

Now published for the first time ever, the manuscripts help you

discover the original phrasing of the Book of Mormon (including

Hebrew-like expressions), provide surprising evidence on the process

by which Joseph Smith translated, and show how editors and printers

have modified the wording to make it conform to the expectations of

contemporary English readers.

The original manuscript is the text written down by scribes as

Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. Most of this manuscript

was destroyed by mold and water seepage. Only 28 percent of the

original is extant. The printer's manuscript is the handwritten copy

that was made to take to the printer for typesetting. It is

virtually 100 percent extant.

The book features:

* Typographic facsimiles of each manuscript (an exact reproduction

of the text in typescript)

* A fragment showing what is considered the oldest existing sample

of Joseph Smith's handwriting

* Color and ultraviolet photographs of select parts of the

manuscripts

* A history and physical description of the manuscripts

* Photographs of select parts of the manuscripts

* A history and physical description of the manuscripts.

Retail Price: $49.95

Special FAIR Price: $39.96 (20% Discount)

>> The Printer's Manuscript of the Book of Mormon (2 Volume Set)

Royal Skousen (Editor), Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research

& Mormon Studies (FARMS) and Brigham Young University, 2001, 2

hardbound volumes, 979 pages. ISBN: 0934893063

A stray ink drop and a quirk of nineteenth-century script make the

difference between "retain that wrong" and "repair that wrong". More

than a decade of meticulous research revealed such insights as Royal

Skousen prepared transcripts of the original and printer's

manuscripts of the Book of Mormon for publication.

Now published for the first time ever, the manuscripts help you

discover the original phrasing of the Book of Mormon (including

Hebrew-like expressions), provide surprising evidence on the process

by which Joseph Smith translated, and show how editors and printers

have modified the wording to make it conform to the expectations of

contemporary English readers.

The original manuscript is the text written down by scribes as

Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. Most of this manuscript

was destroyed by mold and water seepage. Only 28 percent of the

original is extant. The printer's manuscript is the handwritten copy

that was made to take to the printer for typesetting. It is

virtually 100 percent extant.

The books feature:

* Typographic facsimiles of each manuscript (an exact reproduction

of the text in typescript)

* A fragment showing what is considered the oldest existing sample

of Joseph Smith's handwriting

* Color and ultraviolet photographs of select parts of the

manuscripts

* A history and physical description of the manuscript's writing

* Color and ultraviolet photographs of select parts of the

manuscripts

* A history and physical description of the manuscripts

Retail Price: $99.95

Special FAIR Price: $79.96 (20% Discount)

>> Analysis of Textual Variants of The Book of Mormon, Volumes 1-6

Royal Skousen, Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and

Mormon Studies (FARMS), 2004-2009, 9x12.25", hardbound.

Vol. 1: Analysis of Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon is a

beautiful book and the fourth part in Professor Royal Skousen's

ongoing Book of Mormon critical text project. This book considers

every significant change that has occurred in the English Book of

Mormon over the 175 years since Joseph Smith first dictated it to

his scribes; it also considers a number of conjectured revisions for

specific passages. Volume 1 commences with the Title Page and the

Witness statements, and then proceeds from 1 Nephi 1 through 2 Nephi

10. It thus represents approximately one seventh of the Book of

Mormon as we have it.

Vol. 2: Analysis of Textual Variants represents the central task of

the Book of Mormon critical text project - namely, the attempt to

recover the original English-language text of the Book of Mormon.

When completed, this series will analyze the entire text of the Book

of Mormon, from the title page to the end of Moroni and will

consider every significant variant in the text as well as many

potential variants.

Volume 2 includes a definitive treatment of the one passage that has

caused more debate than any other in the history of the Book of

Mormon text - namely, should 2 Nephi 30:6 read "a white and a

delightsome people" or "a pure and a delightsome people"? In

addition, Volume 2 provides striking evidence that the vocabulary of

the original text of the Book of Mormon actually dates from the

1500s and 1600s, not from the 1800s. See, for instance, the

discussion regarding the phrase "the pleasing bar of God" (in Jacob

6:13) and the use of the verb require in Enos 1:18 ("thy fathers

have also required of me this thing").

Vol. 3: Analysis of Textual Variants represents the central task of

the Book of Mormon critical text project - namely, the attempt to

recover the original English-language text of the Book of Mormon.

When completed, this series will analyze the entire text of the Book

of Mormon, from the title page to the end of Moroni and will

consider every significant variant in the text as well as many

potential variants.

Volume 3 includes a definitive treatment the chapters beginning in

the middle of Mosiah and proceeding through Alma 20.

Vol. 4: Analysis of Textual Variants represents the central task of

the Book of Mormon critical text project - namely, the attempt to

recover the original English-language text of the Book of Mormon.

When completed, this series will analyze the entire text of the Book

of Mormon, from the title page to the end of Moroni and will

consider every significant variant in the text as well as many

potential variants.

Volume 4 includes a definitive treatment the chapters 21-55 of Alma.

Vol. 5: Analysis of Textual Variants represents the central task of

the Book of Mormon critical text project - namely, the attempt to

recover the original English-language text of the Book of Mormon.

When completed, this series will analyze the entire text of the Book

of Mormon, from the title page to the end of Moroni and will

consider every significant variant in the text as well as many

potential variants.

Volume 5 includes a definitive treatment of Alma 56--3Nephi 18.

Vol. 6: Analysis of Textual Variants represents the central task of

the Book of Mormon critical text project - namely, the attempt to

recover the original English-language text of the Book of Mormon.

When completed, this series will analyze the entire text of the Book

of Mormon, from the title page to the end of Moroni and will

consider every significant variant in the text as well as many

potential variants.

Volume 6 includes a definitive treatment of 3 Nephi 19-Moroni 10

Retail: $49.95 per volume

Special FAIR Price: $39.96 per volume (20% Discount)

>> Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon

John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne (Editors). Provo, Utah:

Foundation for Ancient Research & Mormon Studies (FARMS), 1999.

The FARMS Research Updates of the 1990s, plus some similar short

notes from the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, in a new

collection.

Aimed at a general audience, these Updates are brief,

easy-to-understand reports of new research on the Book of Mormon.

They tell of intriguing ideas and developments that have emerged

from exploring the Book of Mormon from many perspectives. Pressing

Forward will interest all people who want to know what's new in Book

of Mormon research.

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ,

having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all

men. Wherefore if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of

Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the father: Ye

shall have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20)

Most people who work with the Book of Mormon feel that they have

barely scratched the surface. The richness and complexity of that

book offer an inexhaustible wealth of understanding.

The ultimate goal of this effort is to help all the students of the

scriptures to "press forward. Feasting upon the words of Christ."

Retail: $14.95

Special FAIR Price: $11.96 (20% Discount)

Thank you for using the FAIR bookstore!

FAIR'S 'FRONT PAGE'

-----------------------------------

FAIR's 'Front Page' is a free news clipping service and the

recipient can unsubscribe at any time. It is not sent in any

official Church or other capacity. It is for those who are

interested in keeping abreast with what is being said around the

world about the LDS Church and its members. Sometimes media

portrayal of the LDS Church, its members and of other religions is

not positive or accurate. The responsibility for the interpretation

and use of this information lies with the reader. As all information

comes from other news sources and has not been independently

verified, FAIR cannot guarantee or be responsible for the security

of links in the clipping service. FAIR will attempt to exclude news

articles containing strongly offensive language but cannot guarantee

that some will not slip through. Some links may also lead to

offensive images. To receive this service click on the link below,

enter your email address in the white box, and push the "Sign-Up"

button.

http://www.fairlds.org/

ASK THE APOLOGIST

-----------------------------------

The public is invited to submit questions related to LDS

*apologetic* issues to "Ask the Apologist." This feature can be

accessed by clicking on the following link:

http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php

Mark the box labeled "Questions (for the FAIR apologists)." Then

fill in accurate information in the five white boxes and push the

"Send Comments" button. All inquiries will be shared with members of

the FAIR List and the questioner may receive multiple responses from

FAIR volunteers. All responses reflect the opinions of the

respondents only and not the official position of FAIR or The Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE & DISCLAIMER

-----------------------------------

Copyright © 2011 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and

Research (FAIR). All rights are reserved. FAIR is not owned by,

controlled by, nor affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter Day Saints. All research and opinions provided in FAIR

publications are the sole responsibility of FAIR and the individual

authors who provide the information, and should not be interpreted

as official statements of Latter Day Saint history, doctrine,

practice or belief.

Foundation for Apologetic

Information and Research

PO Box 491677

Redding, CA 96049