DBMormon Posted February 23, 2013 Author Posted February 23, 2013 In my reading of books that deal with a lot of church issues I've read a lot from degree-holding experts and a lot from non-degree holding writers who do it almost as a hobby (i.e. it's not their profession to deal in those matters). My general rule of thumb is that when I read the "hobby writers" books I like to look at the evidences brought forth, the sources, etc, but I don't put much stock in the conclusions the "hobby writer" has come to. I will read them, but I'm more interested in just the evidences. With a professional degree-holding writer, I will put a little more stock in their conclusions, simply because I feel they are more "expert" at determining those conclusions based on their academic experience in them. I still like to look at the evidences alone and come to my own conclusions, but I definitely give more weight to the degree holding expert's conclusions than I do the hobby expert's conclusions.In fact Brian Hales and Brant Gardner both are not certified experts in the field they are experts in aka Polygamy and BOM translation. correct?
volgadon Posted February 23, 2013 Posted February 23, 2013 agreed, but those that are certified do not have a monopoly on it.I'm all for autodidacts. I am one myself. 2
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