The following is taken from this archived web page:
Sandra Tanner's Changing Conversion Story
A "wicked" parody by Craig Ray
Utah Lighthouse Ministry has for a number of years criticized the official account of the Joseph Smith Testimony. They claim that Joseph Smith told different accounts of his First Vision to different people. They claim this "proves" that Joseph Smith made up the story, and that he added to his story to make it more believable. Latter-day Saints have repeatedly pointed out that people often relate their experiences slightly differently to different audiences at different times, and indeed several accounts of events in the Bible add details not included in others, etc. (See Matt 2:16, Luke 2:42-49, John 2:1-11 also see each of the Gospels and the inscription on the cross) All of this has not deterred the Tanners from their criticism of the Joseph Smith story, however.
But what if someone were to subject "Sandra Tanner's Testimony" to the same criticism? How would it fare? There have been several published accounts of her life as a Mormon, but Sandra never seems to tell the same story twice, frequently adding and deleting important points. We can't be sure just why Sandra would change her story so many times, but one thing is clear - Joseph Smith's Testimony bears up to this sort of criticism better than Sandra Tanner's.
This work briefly examines the various accounts of Sandra's Testimony, and shows some glaring discrepancies. I have used some of the same subject headings the Tanners do in their attack on the Joseph Smith story in Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? ( pages 143-162) and I have consciously mimicked the Tanners' style of emphasis (underlining, ALL CAPITALS, bolding & monotonous repetition). The moral of this story is, "Judge not, lest ye be judged."
Sandra's Testimony Criticized
Apologist's for the LDS Church are starting to question the actions of Sandra Tanner. They want to know why Sandra has changed details about her leaving the Mormon Church. Various accounts do not match. Important details have been suppressed. The question is Why?
Strange Accounts
It is strange to some, that Sandra openly criticizes Joseph Smith because of alleged discrepancies in his history, and yet has MAJOR PROBLEMS in her own history. Interviews have surfaced that reveal differing accounts of her leaving Mormonism. These interviews reveal strange things that previously were not mentioned in Sandra's testimony. In September 1983, Brigham Young University Special Collections Library printed "MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY" By Sandra Tanner. I will use this Testimony as her "official account."
An Important Change
From her official account, one would think that Sandra grew up in the LDS Church and was very active. Statements such as: "I grew up on very great faith-promoting stories... I can't fault my Mormon up-bringing... I had a very fine ward,... I was a very active Mormon...." In other accounts that have surfaced, it would seem Sandra has changed her story. In an interview with Scott Faulring in 1981 Sandra admitted "I was the most active member in my immediate family". This revealing statement changes the perspective just a bit. Now she is comparing her activity with her family. In an account written in 1984, (Restoration July 1984 Vol. 3, Num 3) it says about Sandra:
"I thought I was in pretty good standing with God. I knew I sinned but I felt my activity in the Church would somehow outweigh what I did wrong,...I was stealing and doing many other things that I knew were wrong. Besides the things that were wrong in my own life, I began to have doubts about my church." In 1990, in the book, Why We Left Mormonism it says: " Sandra was baptized at age eight, and she attended Primary sporadically." According to the dictionary, sporadically means "Occurring at irregular intervals." It now is clear that Sandra was not as active as it first appeared.
Revision Required
As Sandra continued to tell her story, she may have realized that she needed to come forward with more details about her history. She needed to admit that she studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses as a youth, before the Mormons found out she was suppressing the information. In 1990, she admitted to studying with Jehovah Witness neighbors while still in High School. She claims to have listened to several lessons.
In 1990, it was written that Sandra's parents were "both devout Mormons". Later they "became less active in the church" when Sandra was about eight years old. It was in 1980, ten years earlier though, Moody Press wrote that Sandra was "Born and raised in the Mormon Church, she had very strong ties to it...." This seems to indicate that her parents were active and raised her up in the Church, unlike the 1990 account. In 1970, Gilbert K. Westgard II tells a slightly different story. "Her parents were quite active in the Church when she was small, but by the time she had reached her teens their activity had ceased."
First History
Sandra started sending out a letter in 1960, she wrote about why she left the Church. About a month later, she released a second letter identifying certain errors that were in the first letter. In the 1980's Sandra continued to change her history. The pattern continued into the 90's. In 1998, Sandra admitted that her mother was always bothered with Temple Garments. This was not published previously to this time.
Too Many Stories
I have gathered nine different printed stories about Sandra and her leaving the Church. I personally listened to yet another version. Each is unique. Each one has some details that are conspicuously missing from the other versions. Of the nine printed versions, only three are available at Sandra's bookstore. Is she trying to suppress the other versions? Does she not want someone to compare the other versions with each other? Is she trying to hide something?
Source Of Confusion
Simple details have changed in Sandra's story. In 1981, Sandra stated she had lived "in an expanding Mormon area." In 1983 it was "a different environment." In 1990, it was described as "heavily Catholic." Just as she had changed her story about how active she was, now she seems to be changing the area she grew up in.
What was her upbringing really like? Was she a "very active Mormon" as she claimed in her official version in 1983? Her Father was in-active, her mother questioned the Church's teaching when she was in Junior High School. She had a brother that attended a Christian School, and a Grand-mother that attended anti-Mormon meetings. It was not till later that Sandra revealed that she had an uncle that was B'hai, a cousin that was Muslim, and as a teenager she studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses. She was stealing and committing other sinful acts, and she started doubting Mormonism in her High School years. Yet she claims she came from a very active Mormon up-bringing.
THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A VERY ACTIVE MORMON UP-BRINGING.
No wonder Sandra was confused and did not know if the Church was true.
An Evolving Story
It appears, that Sandra started adding to, and taking away from her story as she went. Maybe it was to make it appear more acceptable. Maybe it was to suppress details to not bring about criticism. We do not know for sure, except that the details vary at every turn. She added that she paid tithes and kept the Word of Wisdom (unlike Jerald who was smoking and drinking at the age of 14). She confessed to committing sins and stealing. Maybe for sympathy, maybe for guilt. We do not know for sure. We do know for sure, the stories do not match.
No Revival
In her official account, Sandra mentions going to a revival. This was not mentioned in any previous accounts, nor was it mentioned in any accounts after. Did Sandra make this story up? Checking newspapers on microfilm, no mention of revivals appear at the time indicated. There seems to be a lack of sufficient evidence to show that any revival occurred at the place where Sandra was living at the time. Did she borrow the revival story from Joseph Smith's writings, to make it more believable to Mormons?
A Changing Story
In her official account, Sandra said: : "I went on to the institute of religion when I started college." In 1970, she said: "When I started college I enrolled in the Mormon Institute of Religion class." In 1990, she continued to affirm this scenario: "When she (Sandra) enrolled in Institute of Religion classes at college,.... It would appear that Sandra began Institute classes when she began attending college. However, if you read what she said in January 1981, it says: In fact, my senior year in high school, I actually went to Institute rather than Seminary. I graduated from Seminary in the 11th grade,..." It now appears that Sandra actually started Institute while still in high school. SANDRA'S STORY CONTINUES TO CHANGE!
Sandra A Christian?
When Sandra went to her alleged revival, she claimed: "I understood nothing of that service, and I assume it was a very fine revival meeting....I'm sure it must have been a very moving service. I did not understand one word of it." When Sandra attended Jerald Tanner's anti-Mormon meeting at his parents basement, she re-called: "It just sounded like a re-run of discussions I'd had with my mother, so I wasn't really tuned in." In another version of her story, it says: "Jerald took Sandra to many different churches in the San Fernando Valley and Burbank areas, hoping that she would be touched by some minister's sermon and make the decision to dedicate her life to Christ." It may have been too difficult a task for her to accept Christ, since after she married Jerald "Sandra neglected her bible reading. Jerald encouraged her to read a little from her bible each day. But she kept putting it off."
On October 24, 1959, Sandra's official account recalls: "I was listening to a Christian radio station there, and a minister came on during the day....And as that man preached right in my own front room,...I accepted Christ as my Savior. This was a very moving experience for me." Another version recalls: "Early one morning I decided to listen to the radio for awhile. I turned to a Christian station. A minister was preaching...Nothing ever struck me with such force. I opened my heart to God and received Christ as my Savior. The Holy Spirit flooded my soul with such joy..." Jerald says that afterwards, the radio station played a song. Sandra never mentions the song in her accounts. In 1961, Sandra recalled that this sermon "struck her with such force that she felt that her heart's door had been opened to Christ..." In 1998, Sandra recalls that the sermon "was a revelation to her" and "she asked God to be her Savior." She said that Jerald came home from work and "didn't really believe me for a couple of weeks."
This shocking statement brings up several unanswered questions:
How did she know she was a Christian? What did she do to show others that she was a Christian? Why didn't Jerald believe her? Was she in the habit of lying? What finally convinced Jerald that she really was a Christian? What is her definition of a Christian?
Sandra Changes Her Mind
It is obvious that Sandra told different stories to different people. It may have something to do with her "Mormon up-bringing." She grew up in a heavily Catholic area, with Jehovah Witness neighbors, she had "in-active parents" during her teen years, she had an uncle that was B'hai and a cousin that was Muslim, and a Grand-mother that attended anti-Mormon meetings. She married a guy that started drinking and smoking at the age of 14, was in jail when under 18 years of age, and dabbled in MAGIC and ILLUSION and was paid for it. She admitted that she did not live up to the standards of the Church, and neither could her husband. No wonder she was confused and told different stories.
Now they write articles and books trying to tear down the religion that they themselves were not able to live.
THE LATTER-DAY RESEARCH CENTER
PO BOX 5004
MESA, AZ 85211-5004
