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The Lincoln Hypothesis: A Modern-day Abolitionist Investigates the Possible Connection Between Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth US president during a very dark time in America's history. Author Timothy Ballard explores the crucial role that President Lincoln played to bring this nation closer to heaven. Readers will see Lincoln as a man inspired of God who invoked a covenant relationship between America and its maker—not unlike the national covenants invoked by righteous leaders in the Book of Mormon. In addition, The Lincoln Hypothesis reveals documented evidence that Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, check out the Book of Mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. Did he read it? Did it influence him? Was the Book of Mormon a key factor in Lincoln's success and the healing of a nation?
The author states, "As you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weight it accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey."
The author states, "As you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weight it accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey."
240 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2014
239 people are currently reading
2709 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Ballard
19 books256 followersTIMOTHY BALLARD graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University in Spanish and political science, then went on to receive an MA (summa cum laude) in international politics from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Tim has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as well as an agent for the Department of Homeland Security. He is also the author of The American Covenant: One Nation under God. He lives in Southern California with his wife and six children.
http://deseretbook.com/Timothy_Ballar...
http://deseretbook.com/Timothy_Ballar...
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September 26, 2014
In this book Timothy Ballard asserts that Lincoln not only read the Book of Mormon, but that it was perhaps the most important document that influenced his political thinking during the Civil War. I began this book as a skeptic, and left unconvinced of his theory.
In addition to Ballard’s claims about Lincoln and the Book of Mormon, he asserts that the United States was formed under a covenant with God to preserve liberty, especially religious liberty. What Ballard fails to mention is the federal government’s determination to rid the United States of the second relic of barbarism: polygamy. If, as Ballard asserts, the Civil War was won and the 14th Amendment created to preserve the right to worship, why then were Mormon lands and money seized by the federal government to eradicate the practice of polygamy? Furthermore, other religions have had their practice of religion stifled throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century.
Ballard also attempts to simplify the Civil War, making the cause, at least after the Emancipation Proclamation, solely about slavery. Many Union soldiers, including General William Sherman, General Ulysses S. Grant, General Winfield Scott Hancock, and others were ambivalent about emancipation and viewed the cause they were fighting for as preserving the Union. Moreover, to assert that Southerners were fighting to keep slavery and not preserve state’s rights is convenient for Ballard, but disregards historical evidence.
The style of the book leaves much to be desired as well. In the preface Ballard claims that he will present evidence to his reader and encourages the reader to examine the evidence; yet, he is condescending to other scholars who disagree with his speculative theory or beliefs. Throughout the book he credulously asks his readers how they could not agree with him. Well, Mr. Ballard, I will tell you. When you present a theory anchored by speculation and circumstantial evidence it is hard to swallow. Although Ballard presents much circumstantial evidence, the connections are tenuous at best.
If anyone is interested in a good book about slavery and Abraham Lincoln I would recommend The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner. It won the 2011 Pulitzer.
In addition to Ballard’s claims about Lincoln and the Book of Mormon, he asserts that the United States was formed under a covenant with God to preserve liberty, especially religious liberty. What Ballard fails to mention is the federal government’s determination to rid the United States of the second relic of barbarism: polygamy. If, as Ballard asserts, the Civil War was won and the 14th Amendment created to preserve the right to worship, why then were Mormon lands and money seized by the federal government to eradicate the practice of polygamy? Furthermore, other religions have had their practice of religion stifled throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century.
Ballard also attempts to simplify the Civil War, making the cause, at least after the Emancipation Proclamation, solely about slavery. Many Union soldiers, including General William Sherman, General Ulysses S. Grant, General Winfield Scott Hancock, and others were ambivalent about emancipation and viewed the cause they were fighting for as preserving the Union. Moreover, to assert that Southerners were fighting to keep slavery and not preserve state’s rights is convenient for Ballard, but disregards historical evidence.
The style of the book leaves much to be desired as well. In the preface Ballard claims that he will present evidence to his reader and encourages the reader to examine the evidence; yet, he is condescending to other scholars who disagree with his speculative theory or beliefs. Throughout the book he credulously asks his readers how they could not agree with him. Well, Mr. Ballard, I will tell you. When you present a theory anchored by speculation and circumstantial evidence it is hard to swallow. Although Ballard presents much circumstantial evidence, the connections are tenuous at best.
If anyone is interested in a good book about slavery and Abraham Lincoln I would recommend The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner. It won the 2011 Pulitzer.
May 12, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyed this one! I think I'm going to start calling this the "Year of the Lincoln." While this book is speculative (only documents that we can try to connect the dots with) it still was packed with goodness. Author Timothy Ballard speculates Abraham Lincoln's relationship with the LDS church as well as his spirituality and his views on the spiritually damning institution of slavery. Also some pretty killer miracles that happened during the Civil War.
The author says, "perhaps the only real connection is that men were being guided by the same Heavenly Father and were being given the same heavenly solution to America's challenges." That is really what I took from it. I think Abraham Lincoln was destined to be where he was in the time period that needed him most. What I also took from this book is that sometimes in life we are called to do great things that only we can do. Abraham Lincoln said, "Doesn't it seem strange to you that I should be here? Doesn't it strike you as queer that I, who couldn't cut the head off a chicken, and who was sick at the sight of blood, should be cast into the middle of a great war, with blood flowing all around me?" I think it's just proof that we can do great things when life calls upon us to be great. To quote the great Frederick Douglass in this book, "It is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake." It is my sincere hope that we can learn from the past and see with our hearts and practice kindness. And when negativity or evil challenges that, we can be the thunder and the storm of goodness and stand up for one another. :D BE THE THUNDER DARLINGS! ;D
The author says, "perhaps the only real connection is that men were being guided by the same Heavenly Father and were being given the same heavenly solution to America's challenges." That is really what I took from it. I think Abraham Lincoln was destined to be where he was in the time period that needed him most. What I also took from this book is that sometimes in life we are called to do great things that only we can do. Abraham Lincoln said, "Doesn't it seem strange to you that I should be here? Doesn't it strike you as queer that I, who couldn't cut the head off a chicken, and who was sick at the sight of blood, should be cast into the middle of a great war, with blood flowing all around me?" I think it's just proof that we can do great things when life calls upon us to be great. To quote the great Frederick Douglass in this book, "It is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake." It is my sincere hope that we can learn from the past and see with our hearts and practice kindness. And when negativity or evil challenges that, we can be the thunder and the storm of goodness and stand up for one another. :D BE THE THUNDER DARLINGS! ;D
January 8, 2015
I have read many, many books on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. I am a Latter-day Saint also and have studied and taught LDS history and doctrine for the last twenty years. Reading this book reminded me of a comment a colleague made after a recent symposium talk we attended. The speaker made some very compelling arguments and offered some intriguing possibilities. As we drove away, I asked him what he thought about the presentation, and he said something like, 'A lot of what he said was good - some of it might even be true.' If you are looking for good historical writing, you don't want to read this book. And I didn't really like the author's writing style either - it's a little too overbearing in its tone in some places (although he does hedge appropriately in a few places, especially in his conclusion) and he goes off on too many tangents. However, it is hard not to want some of what he is saying to be true, especially if you are LDS. I do believe that God's plan is much bigger than we suppose and involves God's necessarily using people of many different religions and backgrounds and in many different positions to accomplish His purposes. So although I do want some (maybe most?) of what Ballard speculates to be true, it will take a lot more research - some of which will have to happen in the next life when you can ask Lincoln in person - in order to actually be substantiated. While I may desire to accept some of what Ballard asserts on faith, it certainly can't be presented as historical fact. But then again, I do believe in some things that I can't prove in a strictly historical or academic sense. So I am a little torn over what I think about this book - or even what I want to think about this book. I wouldn't say it's particularly well-written but it is interesting to think about. If nothing else, Ballard gives us a lot to think about as Americans and the interconnectedness of our faith and our citizenship. We could use a lot more of that in our country today!
I think it would be good if more people would explore history and write about it from this perspective, because I think too many people want to divorce faith from citizenship. Lincoln certainly didn’t think that was necessary or advisable—especially after 1862, when he may have been reading the Book of Mormon. I would love for what Ballard wrote about in his book to be true, but I don’t know that it is. In fact, there are some things that are probably, or certainly, not true. For example, Lincoln sometimes used the phrase "humble instrument in the hands of God" (or similar phraseology) to refer to what he hoped to be in his political opportunities. Because this phrase doesn't occur anywhere in the Bible, Ballard suggests that Lincoln may have gotten this from the Book of Mormon, which he had checked out from the Library of Congress for eight months in 1862. However, in a speech given to the New Jersey Senate on Feb. 21, 1861, Lincoln said, "I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be an humble instrument in the hands if the Almighty." Thus, Ballard's argument is historically flawed and wherever Lincoln got that phrase (or came up with it on his own), he didn't get the phrase from the Book of Mormon. There are lots of other interesting tidbits that could be true, but I would love to have some more solid proof that it is—proof that we may not be able to get in this life, and proof that not even Lincoln himself may realize. Sometimes we are affected by things that we don’t even realize ourselves. This may have been true with Dwight Eisenhower and it may have been true with Lincoln as well. For example, Ezra Taft Benson was Eisenhower’s Secretary of Agriculture for eight years. During that time, Benson was the main reason that every presidential cabinet meeting began with prayer and he would frequently write memos and letters to Eisenhower that included long passages from the Book of Mormon—and it was during Eisenhower’s administration that “In God We Trust” was printed on our paper money, and it was during Eisenhower’s administration that the phrase “under God” was officially added to the Pledge of Allegiance (see Reed Benson’s article in "Out of Obscurity: The Church in the Twentieth Century"). Other historians have provided other possible influences as to why Eisenhower felt compelled to make these changes, but I certainly think that Benson’s influence and faith in the message of the covenant theology found in the Book of Mormon could have had either a direct, indirect, or sub-conscious impact on Eisenhower as well. The same could certainly be true for Lincoln. Either way, this book got me thinking about the roles of faith and citizenship—something that we could all think more about if we really want to remain a nation blessed by the Almighty God, as so many Presidents and Prophets have believed.
I think it would be good if more people would explore history and write about it from this perspective, because I think too many people want to divorce faith from citizenship. Lincoln certainly didn’t think that was necessary or advisable—especially after 1862, when he may have been reading the Book of Mormon. I would love for what Ballard wrote about in his book to be true, but I don’t know that it is. In fact, there are some things that are probably, or certainly, not true. For example, Lincoln sometimes used the phrase "humble instrument in the hands of God" (or similar phraseology) to refer to what he hoped to be in his political opportunities. Because this phrase doesn't occur anywhere in the Bible, Ballard suggests that Lincoln may have gotten this from the Book of Mormon, which he had checked out from the Library of Congress for eight months in 1862. However, in a speech given to the New Jersey Senate on Feb. 21, 1861, Lincoln said, "I shall be most happy indeed if I shall be an humble instrument in the hands if the Almighty." Thus, Ballard's argument is historically flawed and wherever Lincoln got that phrase (or came up with it on his own), he didn't get the phrase from the Book of Mormon. There are lots of other interesting tidbits that could be true, but I would love to have some more solid proof that it is—proof that we may not be able to get in this life, and proof that not even Lincoln himself may realize. Sometimes we are affected by things that we don’t even realize ourselves. This may have been true with Dwight Eisenhower and it may have been true with Lincoln as well. For example, Ezra Taft Benson was Eisenhower’s Secretary of Agriculture for eight years. During that time, Benson was the main reason that every presidential cabinet meeting began with prayer and he would frequently write memos and letters to Eisenhower that included long passages from the Book of Mormon—and it was during Eisenhower’s administration that “In God We Trust” was printed on our paper money, and it was during Eisenhower’s administration that the phrase “under God” was officially added to the Pledge of Allegiance (see Reed Benson’s article in "Out of Obscurity: The Church in the Twentieth Century"). Other historians have provided other possible influences as to why Eisenhower felt compelled to make these changes, but I certainly think that Benson’s influence and faith in the message of the covenant theology found in the Book of Mormon could have had either a direct, indirect, or sub-conscious impact on Eisenhower as well. The same could certainly be true for Lincoln. Either way, this book got me thinking about the roles of faith and citizenship—something that we could all think more about if we really want to remain a nation blessed by the Almighty God, as so many Presidents and Prophets have believed.
August 14, 2018
This is a simply amazing book! I enjoyed it so much and learned so much that two days after completing the audio version I listen to it again ! I then ordered the hardbound copy, which I am currently reading along with the author's other book, "The Washington Hypothesis." LDS readers will gain some new insights and non-lds readers will find this a fascinating historical perspective and an interesting hypothesis. It is the subject matter and the historical events presented in the book that make it so fascinating. The author is not a particularly gifted prose writer, but rather a gifted searcher of truth and meaning. I concur with his conclusions and highly recommend this book.
September 18, 2016
The reason I read the book was out of curiosity. Having been LDS myself, I was quite interested in seeing how the Book of Mormon would possibly fit within the story of Lincoln and the Civil War. It wasn't too bad, when taking in mind this was only a thesis. The author takes us along on his journey of discovery, and while there were many interesting parts, most of the evidence was indirect and circumstantial, and thin at best. Even though Lincoln checked out a copy of the Book of Mormon, and it was in his possession for many months, this didn't change his stance on the Mormons from what I know. He just let them be, as he certainly had bigger problems to worry about.
Another part that could have been kept out of the book (in my opinion), were the personal experiences the author shares about his work for the CIA in eradicating modern day slavery. Despite the great work he is able to accomplish by freeing modern day slaves, and bringing the perpetrators to justice, it almost came across as if he was trying to draw a direct parallel between himself and Lincoln, which, in my opinion, came across as a bit arrogant. It was a part of the book that could have been left out completely, as it didn't add much to his thesis and was probably only added to create a(n emotional) bridge between our time and Lincoln's, so that the reader would connect better to his (Lincoln's) story.
Having read James M. McPherson's 'Battle Cry of Freedom' earlier (which was great!), this book certainly made me want to learn more about Abraham Lincoln, as it felt like much of Lincoln's life, character and motivations were either overlooked or weren't explored to a satisfy-able depth.
Another thing that bothered me about this thesis, was the lack of information of the LDS community, at the time, regarding their position on slavery and servitude. From my own studies it would appear that (some of) the LDS people at the time considered certain races to be of lesser stature and that they would perhaps be better off in a capacity of servitude. Brigham Young, while addressing the Utah Territorial Legislature on January 5th, 1852, said:
"It has long since ceased to become a query with me, who were the most amenable to the laws of righteousness: those who through the instrumentality of human power brought into servitude human beings, who naturally were their own equals, or those acting upon the principle of nature's law, brought into this position or situation, those who were naturally designed for that purpose, and whose capacities are more befitting that, than any other station in society. Thus, while servitude may and should exist, and that too upon those, who are naturally designed to occupy the position of "servant of servants." Yet we should not fail into the other extreme, and make them as beasts of the field, regarding not the humanity which attaches to the colored race: nor yet elevate them, as some seem disposed, to an equality with those whom Nature and Nature's God has indicated to be their masters, their superiors;"
This, in my opinion, would contradict the theory that while the Latter-Day Saints were safely tucked away in the mountains (Utah), the rest of the country (i.e. all the states, North and South) would have to wage war in order for them to humble themselves, and 'repent' ('National Repentance' is what the author calls it) of the sin of slavery, as it would appear the Latter-Day saints weren't entirely blameless here (despite their own persecution before they headed west) when looking at their own idea's and beliefs about slavery at the time.
This would seem like an important topic that perhaps should have been included in the narrative, as it would paint a more honest picture about the LDS Church and people in regard to the question of slavery and emancipation.
Reading about Lincoln's change of heart was very interesting and enjoyable. When your son dies in the middle of a most horrible civil war, it would cause most men (and women) to take a long hard look at themselves, God, and the meaning of it all. Whether or not the Book of Mormon (pretty much the main selling point of the book) actually made a difference in Lincoln's life remains unknown. The book does not provide a definitive answer to that question. All it offers are speculations based on Lincoln't actions and writings afterwards. So who knows.
Another part that could have been kept out of the book (in my opinion), were the personal experiences the author shares about his work for the CIA in eradicating modern day slavery. Despite the great work he is able to accomplish by freeing modern day slaves, and bringing the perpetrators to justice, it almost came across as if he was trying to draw a direct parallel between himself and Lincoln, which, in my opinion, came across as a bit arrogant. It was a part of the book that could have been left out completely, as it didn't add much to his thesis and was probably only added to create a(n emotional) bridge between our time and Lincoln's, so that the reader would connect better to his (Lincoln's) story.
Having read James M. McPherson's 'Battle Cry of Freedom' earlier (which was great!), this book certainly made me want to learn more about Abraham Lincoln, as it felt like much of Lincoln's life, character and motivations were either overlooked or weren't explored to a satisfy-able depth.
Another thing that bothered me about this thesis, was the lack of information of the LDS community, at the time, regarding their position on slavery and servitude. From my own studies it would appear that (some of) the LDS people at the time considered certain races to be of lesser stature and that they would perhaps be better off in a capacity of servitude. Brigham Young, while addressing the Utah Territorial Legislature on January 5th, 1852, said:
"It has long since ceased to become a query with me, who were the most amenable to the laws of righteousness: those who through the instrumentality of human power brought into servitude human beings, who naturally were their own equals, or those acting upon the principle of nature's law, brought into this position or situation, those who were naturally designed for that purpose, and whose capacities are more befitting that, than any other station in society. Thus, while servitude may and should exist, and that too upon those, who are naturally designed to occupy the position of "servant of servants." Yet we should not fail into the other extreme, and make them as beasts of the field, regarding not the humanity which attaches to the colored race: nor yet elevate them, as some seem disposed, to an equality with those whom Nature and Nature's God has indicated to be their masters, their superiors;"
This, in my opinion, would contradict the theory that while the Latter-Day Saints were safely tucked away in the mountains (Utah), the rest of the country (i.e. all the states, North and South) would have to wage war in order for them to humble themselves, and 'repent' ('National Repentance' is what the author calls it) of the sin of slavery, as it would appear the Latter-Day saints weren't entirely blameless here (despite their own persecution before they headed west) when looking at their own idea's and beliefs about slavery at the time.
This would seem like an important topic that perhaps should have been included in the narrative, as it would paint a more honest picture about the LDS Church and people in regard to the question of slavery and emancipation.
Reading about Lincoln's change of heart was very interesting and enjoyable. When your son dies in the middle of a most horrible civil war, it would cause most men (and women) to take a long hard look at themselves, God, and the meaning of it all. Whether or not the Book of Mormon (pretty much the main selling point of the book) actually made a difference in Lincoln's life remains unknown. The book does not provide a definitive answer to that question. All it offers are speculations based on Lincoln't actions and writings afterwards. So who knows.
November 11, 2023
UPDATE TO THE ORIGINAL REVIEW: The man who wrote this book, and spent considerable space within its pages tooting his own little horn about what a great person he is because he set up an organization which frees people from sexual slavery, is himself a vile and utterly contemptable sexual assaulter of women. He spares no feeling for the "monsters" who do such things in his book, and we should therefore spare no feeling for him. Timothy Ballard is a monster. His terrible book is the least of his many crimes against humanity.
WHAT FOLLOWS IS MY ORIGINAL REVIEW:
What an awful assault on established methods of research and logical argument. Ballard seems to think that personal anecdote, speculation, claims of personal spiritual experiences, metaphor, and flimsily-drawn connections count as sturdy evidence. After making his inane argument, he claims that, "Much of this information is substantiated and corroborated." Where was this done? In a separate book, perhaps? There is absolutely no convincing evidence offered in this book whatsoever.
After assembling his unsubstantial evidence, Ballard attempts to set his absurd central claim down on top of it all (His argument being that Lincoln read the Book of Mormon and through his reading was - to borrow phrases from Ballard - "converted" to the idea of a "national covenant" on the land of America). This transaction is something akin to setting an anvil on top of a house of cards with the hope that the one will support the other.
Beyond his ridiculous ideas, Ballard's writing style is steeped in Mormonesque phraseology. It appears that he envisioned the book as the world's longest and most highly speculative Sunday School lesson (Which, if you know Mormons, is really saying something). He overuses the words, "Indeed," "Even," and "Very," as if he were trying to write a companion piece to the Book of Mormon. He phrases way too many questions in the pseudo-scriptural form of "Is this not...?" "Does this not...?" etc. Also, he uses way too many exclamation points! I'm not kidding! It's like he's yelling at you the whole time!
Finally, Ballard seems absolutely immune to any and all ideas which contradict his specific point of view. When he addresses his critics, he is only aiming at the other Mormons who don't share his odd and very specific ideas. He is either not aware or he chooses to ignore the many scholars who will no doubt find him barking mad. He has constructed something which is - to borrow a term from John Taylor - "fried froth." It is neither form nor substance.
Ballard seems to think he has unraveled this deep mystery, as if he were peeling back layer after layer of an onion (an analogy he actually applies to himself in the book.) I can certainly see why this book is like an onion. It stinks and I feel like I need to wash my hands when I'm done handling it.
If you are looking for any sort of historical account of Lincoln's life and works, please do not linger on this book. Allow me to suggest literally any other book on the topic. Honestly, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is more grounded in reality and historical fact.
WHAT FOLLOWS IS MY ORIGINAL REVIEW:
What an awful assault on established methods of research and logical argument. Ballard seems to think that personal anecdote, speculation, claims of personal spiritual experiences, metaphor, and flimsily-drawn connections count as sturdy evidence. After making his inane argument, he claims that, "Much of this information is substantiated and corroborated." Where was this done? In a separate book, perhaps? There is absolutely no convincing evidence offered in this book whatsoever.
After assembling his unsubstantial evidence, Ballard attempts to set his absurd central claim down on top of it all (His argument being that Lincoln read the Book of Mormon and through his reading was - to borrow phrases from Ballard - "converted" to the idea of a "national covenant" on the land of America). This transaction is something akin to setting an anvil on top of a house of cards with the hope that the one will support the other.
Beyond his ridiculous ideas, Ballard's writing style is steeped in Mormonesque phraseology. It appears that he envisioned the book as the world's longest and most highly speculative Sunday School lesson (Which, if you know Mormons, is really saying something). He overuses the words, "Indeed," "Even," and "Very," as if he were trying to write a companion piece to the Book of Mormon. He phrases way too many questions in the pseudo-scriptural form of "Is this not...?" "Does this not...?" etc. Also, he uses way too many exclamation points! I'm not kidding! It's like he's yelling at you the whole time!
Finally, Ballard seems absolutely immune to any and all ideas which contradict his specific point of view. When he addresses his critics, he is only aiming at the other Mormons who don't share his odd and very specific ideas. He is either not aware or he chooses to ignore the many scholars who will no doubt find him barking mad. He has constructed something which is - to borrow a term from John Taylor - "fried froth." It is neither form nor substance.
Ballard seems to think he has unraveled this deep mystery, as if he were peeling back layer after layer of an onion (an analogy he actually applies to himself in the book.) I can certainly see why this book is like an onion. It stinks and I feel like I need to wash my hands when I'm done handling it.
If you are looking for any sort of historical account of Lincoln's life and works, please do not linger on this book. Allow me to suggest literally any other book on the topic. Honestly, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is more grounded in reality and historical fact.
April 18, 2024
I have so much respect for Tim Ballard. He is an incredible man and I admire what he stands for, but I disagree with the entire premise of this book.
First, the principles Lincoln lived are what made him great, not whether or not he read the Book of Mormon.
Second, Tim Ballard includes good facts and quotes in his book, but his analysis felt tenuous at best and closer to a conspiracy theory than a solid hypothesis. I felt like he interpreted events to fit his theory instead of fully exploring alternative interpretations. There just isn’t enough there to support his conclusions.
If you’re going to read a book about Abraham Lincoln, read Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin!! It. Is. The. Best!!!!
First, the principles Lincoln lived are what made him great, not whether or not he read the Book of Mormon.
Second, Tim Ballard includes good facts and quotes in his book, but his analysis felt tenuous at best and closer to a conspiracy theory than a solid hypothesis. I felt like he interpreted events to fit his theory instead of fully exploring alternative interpretations. There just isn’t enough there to support his conclusions.
If you’re going to read a book about Abraham Lincoln, read Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin!! It. Is. The. Best!!!!
November 17, 2015
I typically don't consider myself as one who enjoys history. Perhaps I've been reading the wrong books. This book was fascinating. Lincoln, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon in a light I've never considered before. Lots to think about. Tim Ballard is a modern-day abolitionist. Inspired by Abraham Lincoln he does a great work rescuing victims of sex crimes. Will definitely read his next book.
May 4, 2017
I was very interested in reading this book and looked forward to its teachings and ultimate hypothesis. The book was an easy read; unfortunately, phrases were often repeated and the exclamation point was liberally used. I found this to be distracting and had to force myself to finish the book. I did appreciate the historic photos of individuals, documents, and events.
March 2, 2015
The concept and premise of this book is intriguing. Abraham Lincoln and Joseph Smith are fascinating figures and as a Latter-Day Saint it is exciting to contemplate Lincoln being impacted by the Book of Mormon. The author was clearly passionate about the subject and the book was well researched.
The low rating came because I found the writing style infuriating. Take me from A to B in a logical way. Don't tell me about B and get me excited about hearing about B only to reveal that you need me to know C,D,E,F first and then we can talk about B. It just felt like I was being strung along to the point I forgot what questions I was excited about hearing about in the first place. To me, phrases like, "I've gotten ahead of myself...." "More on that later...." and "But first let me say....." denote poor editing and arrangement.
I wanted to give up on this book so many times. It is a testament to the subject matter and the true excitement of the author that I didn't.
It was a worthwhile read.
The low rating came because I found the writing style infuriating. Take me from A to B in a logical way. Don't tell me about B and get me excited about hearing about B only to reveal that you need me to know C,D,E,F first and then we can talk about B. It just felt like I was being strung along to the point I forgot what questions I was excited about hearing about in the first place. To me, phrases like, "I've gotten ahead of myself...." "More on that later...." and "But first let me say....." denote poor editing and arrangement.
I wanted to give up on this book so many times. It is a testament to the subject matter and the true excitement of the author that I didn't.
It was a worthwhile read.
September 22, 2018
Lincoln has always been my favorite whether Ballard's hypothesis is correct or not, I believe Lincoln was placed where he was placed to do what he did.
I would like to read a book about Ballard's current work fighting slavery.
I would like to read a book about Ballard's current work fighting slavery.
May 28, 2019
A book about the Book of Mormon and Abraham Lincoln? Yes, please!!! While this book is founded on conjecture, the hypothesis is fascinating. Did President Lincoln actually reading the Book of Mormon that he had signed out of the Library of Congress and had in his possession for 9 months? The evidence laid forth in this book doesn’t make it absolutely certain, but one would have to draw that conclusion amongst the staggering amount of data and documentation. I am always amazed at the massive about of quotes we have recorded from our 16th President and this book is replete with them. I enjoyed this from beginning to end!
December 7, 2020
Must read!
One of the things I took from this story was friendship. What an incredibly hard time in our country's history and William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State and great friend stood by his side.
Abraham Lincoln - like the founding fathers - was raised up for such a time and did well his part.
One of the things I took from this story was friendship. What an incredibly hard time in our country's history and William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State and great friend stood by his side.
Abraham Lincoln - like the founding fathers - was raised up for such a time and did well his part.
October 15, 2021
This is an important book. I really enjoyed this look at Abraham Lincoln, America, and the founding principals and covenants on this land.
March 17, 2022
I read the book with an open mind and high hopes since it was recommended to me by a few friends. I had an idea that Ballard was a worshipper of Lincoln given his background but I was quite astonished at how far his worship went. The first few pages of the book slap you in the face and give you a sour taste just in the first few paragraphs. His comparison of Lincoln to our Savior Jesus Christ is insulting and wrong. But it does give you an idea of what’s going on in Ballard’s mind - and the rest of the book is no different. In various points throughout the book Ballard compares Lincoln to Joseph Smith, Father Abraham the prophet, and other various prophets found in scriptural cannon. This is probably my biggest grievance with the book but it isn’t the only one.
The reason why I gave Ballard a two star review is because he at least does a decent job recounting Latter-Day Saint history throughout the period. And his understanding of the Constitution shows he’s spent at least some time in the scholarship. But the entire premise of the book is laughable, at best. Chapter 9 is full of fictitious claims and stretches that would make even politicians squirm with how far he takes the smallest conveniences as absolute fact. With the Book of Mormon being his foundational argument of change in President Lincoln I cannot in good faith give this book a good review. I was not convinced at all. I have no doubt he had very personal, powerful, promptings, but that should not be the basis of dictating a book that gullible members of the Church will take as fact - given his language in the book. He at least is smart enough to make the title of the book a “hypothesis”, but the language in the book proves he takes these “findings” as facts and even goes as far as dedicating an entire chapter to tearing down other opinions that at least have some grounding of fact here on planet earth. I’m not angry with Tim, I actually love him and what he does, but it’s people and books like this that give members of the church a bad rep. The arrogance to claim the Book of
Mormon is what changed Lincoln without even the slightest bit of evidence will provide ammunition to the churches enemies to strike with. Luckily, and for good reason, his audience is strictly to members of the church - and we should not be surprised by that.
The reason why I gave Ballard a two star review is because he at least does a decent job recounting Latter-Day Saint history throughout the period. And his understanding of the Constitution shows he’s spent at least some time in the scholarship. But the entire premise of the book is laughable, at best. Chapter 9 is full of fictitious claims and stretches that would make even politicians squirm with how far he takes the smallest conveniences as absolute fact. With the Book of Mormon being his foundational argument of change in President Lincoln I cannot in good faith give this book a good review. I was not convinced at all. I have no doubt he had very personal, powerful, promptings, but that should not be the basis of dictating a book that gullible members of the Church will take as fact - given his language in the book. He at least is smart enough to make the title of the book a “hypothesis”, but the language in the book proves he takes these “findings” as facts and even goes as far as dedicating an entire chapter to tearing down other opinions that at least have some grounding of fact here on planet earth. I’m not angry with Tim, I actually love him and what he does, but it’s people and books like this that give members of the church a bad rep. The arrogance to claim the Book of
Mormon is what changed Lincoln without even the slightest bit of evidence will provide ammunition to the churches enemies to strike with. Luckily, and for good reason, his audience is strictly to members of the church - and we should not be surprised by that.
October 9, 2017
Where to start? I really struggled with this book. I started it probably 3 different times in the past 18 months and just could not get hooked. Finally I forced myself to grind through it on a business trip to get it off my reading list. So, that should be your first red flag.
Next, I was skeptical of the author’s background and qualifications (or lack thereof) to write this book. He obviously has a passion for American and LDS history, but his approach to and analysis of this topic was not even-handed as you would expect from a historian. The basic premise is interesting, especially to the LDS or otherwise religiously-inclined reader: What connections can be drawn between President Abraham Lincoln and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, and/or the Book of Mormon? And what divine inspiration and or influence did Lincoln receive from such interactions, if any?
Next, had Ballard just used the circumstantial evidence he found to offer some possible explanations and to allow the reader to draw his/her own conclusions, I think I would have appreciated the book a bit more. Instead, Ballard attempts to sway the reader into seeing the facts in a manner that support his theories. He presents no real evidence to support other possible opinions/explanations, and rarely acknowledges any weaknesses in his own opinions/explanations. (And many of his opinions/explanations seem to be gleaned from a few other sources that he refers to and cites heavily.)
But the worst part of this book has to be Ballard’s actual writing style. He is all over the place—asking rhetorical questions, constantly using exclamation marks and hyperbole, alternating between formal historical prose and modern first-person banter. At some points, it seems like he has transcribed a speech because the writing is so colloquial, in a way that no serious historical writer would ever write. The only name I could come up with for this “genre” is “condescending frat bro.’s thoughts on history”—not because I think Ballard is that kid of person, but because that is the type of writing in this book. Unfortunately.
Next, I was skeptical of the author’s background and qualifications (or lack thereof) to write this book. He obviously has a passion for American and LDS history, but his approach to and analysis of this topic was not even-handed as you would expect from a historian. The basic premise is interesting, especially to the LDS or otherwise religiously-inclined reader: What connections can be drawn between President Abraham Lincoln and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, and/or the Book of Mormon? And what divine inspiration and or influence did Lincoln receive from such interactions, if any?
Next, had Ballard just used the circumstantial evidence he found to offer some possible explanations and to allow the reader to draw his/her own conclusions, I think I would have appreciated the book a bit more. Instead, Ballard attempts to sway the reader into seeing the facts in a manner that support his theories. He presents no real evidence to support other possible opinions/explanations, and rarely acknowledges any weaknesses in his own opinions/explanations. (And many of his opinions/explanations seem to be gleaned from a few other sources that he refers to and cites heavily.)
But the worst part of this book has to be Ballard’s actual writing style. He is all over the place—asking rhetorical questions, constantly using exclamation marks and hyperbole, alternating between formal historical prose and modern first-person banter. At some points, it seems like he has transcribed a speech because the writing is so colloquial, in a way that no serious historical writer would ever write. The only name I could come up with for this “genre” is “condescending frat bro.’s thoughts on history”—not because I think Ballard is that kid of person, but because that is the type of writing in this book. Unfortunately.
November 29, 2014
Writing is hokey but subject matter is powerful. Ballard makes a compelling case Lincoln viewed his role and duty as president as fulfilling a covenant relationship with God. While it isn't politic to discuss in today's environment, Lincoln's references to his calling by God to deliver the country out of the sin of slavery is clear. After the Gettysburg address, with extensive references to God, the audience said amen instead of clapping.
Further, the circumstances with respect to Mormons is fascinating. He checked out a BOM during the civil war and used phraseology that is only found in the BOM in some of his speeches and writing. D&C 121 refers to their "houses and barns shall perish," in reference to the mobs who persecuted the saints. JS ran for president on an anti slavery platform that infuriated the pro slavery people. Later, Lincoln's general order #11 during the civil war removed all in Jackson county from their homes and barns due to their mobocracy and persecution wrt the abolitionists thus fulfilling the D&C prophecy.
Also great quote by Jefferson: "If the freedom of religion guaranteed to us by law can rise in practice, the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted will again be restored to their original purity."
Further, the circumstances with respect to Mormons is fascinating. He checked out a BOM during the civil war and used phraseology that is only found in the BOM in some of his speeches and writing. D&C 121 refers to their "houses and barns shall perish," in reference to the mobs who persecuted the saints. JS ran for president on an anti slavery platform that infuriated the pro slavery people. Later, Lincoln's general order #11 during the civil war removed all in Jackson county from their homes and barns due to their mobocracy and persecution wrt the abolitionists thus fulfilling the D&C prophecy.
Also great quote by Jefferson: "If the freedom of religion guaranteed to us by law can rise in practice, the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted will again be restored to their original purity."
July 5, 2017
First of all, I have to say that I really respect Timothy Ballard for the great work that he does to rescue children who are caught up in sexual slavery. The work of Operation Underground Railroad is so important!
I wanted to love this book, but it was hard for me. I found many parts of it to be far too repetitive and dry, so I did a fair amount of skimming just to get through it. There were certain parts which were inspiring, and I appreciated the "connections" between Joseph Smith and Abraham Lincoln. However, I would much prefer to read different types of books about LDS church history or U.S. history. I've read so much about the Prophet Joseph and also about our great president Lincoln that moved me far more than this book did. I guess it's just a matter of style and preference, but I'd probably give this book a 2.5 rating.
I wanted to love this book, but it was hard for me. I found many parts of it to be far too repetitive and dry, so I did a fair amount of skimming just to get through it. There were certain parts which were inspiring, and I appreciated the "connections" between Joseph Smith and Abraham Lincoln. However, I would much prefer to read different types of books about LDS church history or U.S. history. I've read so much about the Prophet Joseph and also about our great president Lincoln that moved me far more than this book did. I guess it's just a matter of style and preference, but I'd probably give this book a 2.5 rating.
October 11, 2025
I couldn’t finish this book. There are just too many other things I want to read more. Ballard is making a really interesting proposal, but his book is about twice as long as it should be. It feels like he’s working hard to fill more space so his book will be longer. He could have made all his points and presented all his evidence in a smaller space and I would have been happy to read it. But the book just seemed to be taking a super long time to convince me of something that can never ultimately be proven in this life. People are either going to believe it or they’re not. I just got worn out on how long it was taking to get to the bottom line. If you really dig this kind of thing, which I don’t, then you’ll probably enjoy it more and be glad it lasted as long as it did.
April 24, 2015
I am not a fan of books that speculate. I honestly don't even know what made me get this book from the library AND read it.
But once I started, I couldn't stop. This book is not so much about Lincoln reading the Book of Mormon, but about the covenant of a covenant people on a covenant land with God. And the God of this covenant land is Jesus Christ.
I thought I'd have a hard time with this, but ended up loving the insights and, more importantly, the desire to stand up for freedom and liberty and what being a covenant land really means. Such a good read.
But once I started, I couldn't stop. This book is not so much about Lincoln reading the Book of Mormon, but about the covenant of a covenant people on a covenant land with God. And the God of this covenant land is Jesus Christ.
I thought I'd have a hard time with this, but ended up loving the insights and, more importantly, the desire to stand up for freedom and liberty and what being a covenant land really means. Such a good read.
November 20, 2015
The Lincoln Hypothesis is an incredible book! Not only did Lincoln check out a copy of The Book of Mormon from the Library of Congress during his presidency (and during the bleakest part of the Civil War), there is much evidence that is presented in this book that he actually read it (or parts of it) and believed its message! Some of this is conjecture and speculation by the author, but he explains his reasoning in a convincing way and provides much historical evidence which doesn’t “prove” anything, but it makes one wonder…
September 6, 2017
This book makes me so incredibly sad. I believe every word of it. Unfortunately, since the book was published, The United States have drifted miles upon miles away from the American Covenant, as described by Timothy Ballard.
It is unlike me to write long reviews, but I'd like to edit this review and write down some of my thoughts to explain why I believe the above. Warning: this will get political!
The Lincoln Hypothesis never quite goes into detail about the American Covenant (Ballard actually wrote a duology on this topic that I definitely intend to read), but it does mention several elements:
First and foremost, slavery is white supremacy.
Ballard dedicates two chapters to this. Near the end, The Lincoln Hypothesis has a chapter aimed at the critics. To those who say "the Southern States didn't fight over slavery." I think he proves very well that they did. By extension, I think one can say that the Confederate Flag, which many say is not a symbol of slavery but of freedom and of the right to secede, is purely a symbol of slavery. Earlier, Ballard expresses the reasons for slavery, and why slavery was so important to the people of the South. He touches on the economic reasons, but much more important to him, in light of the American Covenant, was the heart of the slavers. With a great number of quotes from confederalists, he proves that the real problem is white supremacy—the conviction that being white is superior and that white people should always be the masters.
This conviction describes Donald Trump completely. It is, of course, obvious in his support of Nazis and the KKK, but it's so much more than that. Think, for example, about all of his attacks on the latino community, especially on Mexicans. He even wants to build a wall to keep them out. That wall is a campaign promise, and he's still working to accomplish is. Even beyond that, he is currently in the process of evicting children from illegal immigrants who were born and raised in The US and have known nothing but America and being American. Everything about them is American, except the color of their skins. Even the Republican party is against this extreme injustice. This is all based on a deep conviction that whites are supreme and should remain supreme. Illegal immigration is currently at a 17-year low and even Trump himself has admitted that a wall is probably not possible to build completely, and will probably not make much of a difference. So why is he so intent on building that wall? Because it is a symbol of white supremacy. It tells not just Mexico, but the entire world: "This is America, this is where White Man rules, and that will never change."
Think back also to Trump's many tweets criticizing Obama during the previous eight years. What did he focus on? Obama's birth certificate and the conspiracy theory that Obama is Muslim. Why do you think he, and many Republicans, focused so heavily on that, rather than Obama's policies and actions? Because those two things are what they perceive as the biggest threads to America, the white supreme utopia that they see it as. A black man in office, who might even be Muslim, as far-fetched as it may seem? They cannot handle that!
Second, the family is the most important unit under the covenant.
The Lincoln Hypothesis speaks about this a lot, and with a lot of passion. After all, Timothy Ballard has personally seen the damage of slavery to children and their families. The sin of slavery broke up that primary covenant unit.
If there is one thing that Trump isn't, it's a family man. Trump has had many wives, and he has literally admitted that, once she gets too old, he'll trade his current wife for a younger model. Despite being married, Trump has committed sexual assault on many women. He has even admitted to doing so on audio. Even in office, he continues to make sexual innuendos at the women around him, including journalists who captured it on camera.
Trump does not value women, and Trump has no respect for the family. The destruction of the family is one of the biggest threats to the American Covenant, and right now, a President is in office who personifies that destruction.
Third, religious freedom.
This is what it's all about, according to The Lincoln Hypothesis: religious freedom. God took the Israelites out of Egypt so they could build their tabernacle. God took the Mormons out of America, so they could build temples and be safe from the Civil War. The Civil War directly led to religious freedom and the building of many temples throughout the covenant land. This is what will be lost if we allow the covenant to be broken again.
This also brings me to the biggest problem I have with Donald Trump in this context: he is an enemy to religious freedom. Yes, you're right, it's not our religion on the line. He's not coming after Christians or even Mormons. He's okay with temples. For now.
If there is one important element of religious freedom that even Joseph Smith was aware of (see Articles of Faith 11), it's that you cannot cherry pick which religion to apply freedom to. If Nazi Germany, Lenin Russia, Stalin Soviet Union, and Communist China and North Korea have taught us anything, it is that, once religious freedom is limited, it will eventually disappear. As soon as you attack the freedom of one religion, you are attacking the freedom of all religions.
Yes, Donald Trump is only going after Muslims at the moment. But do you truly believe that he won't come after other religious minorities next? Isn't that exactly what happened prior to the Civil War, when white supremacists likened Mormons to Blacks and claimed neither had any rights? Trump has already gone on record with a lot of negativity about Mormons. He is an enemy to religious freedom, and he will do away with the American Covenant.
How about moral agency?
Now, there is a threat here that Trump does not pose. It is the threat of the Democrats taking things too far. I personally believe that religious freedom is in extreme danger in The US. I'm not talking about forbidding a baker from refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple. Apartheid will never be a good thing in the sight of God. I'm talking about the actual fear we should have for the sanctity of our temples. We should actually fear whether or not our temples will continue to be allowed to be governed the way we want and know to be right.
I believe, however, that the biggest threat isn't "political correctness," like Trump and his followers like to claim. In fact, I think the biggest threat to our temples is the exact opposite: it is the polarization from American Christians.
For some reason, the majority of American Christians has chosen to focus on one particular aspect of their faith: the limitation of moral agency. On all sides, Republicans are attempting to limit this. They are trying to rob gays of their constitutional rights. They are trying to govern the bodies of women. They do not do this in love, but have elected to use rejection as their tool. I think they have completely missed the point of the gospel in doing so. Yes, gay practices are a sin. Yes, life is sacred and should be protected. However, these are but small elements of the gospel, of God's doctrine. Much bigger aspects are love, service, taking care of one another. I'm not talking about full-blow socialism here, but about caring for one another, instead of focusing on the differences. I'm talking about somehow sharing of our wealth, so none are left wanting. The Lincoln Hypothesis doesn't explicitly mention it, but the Book of Mormon mentions it constantly. Whenever the Nephites live under that American Covenant, the most important sign is that they take care of each other and no one is in need. American Christians focus on rejecting those who they do not morally agree with, and forget that Christ taught them to focus on loving everyone and taking care of each other.
I believe that the key to stopping the cycle of polarization is in American Christians renewing the American Covenant and caring for all, approaching those with different morals with love, and remembering how important moral agency is to the Kingdom of God. Once this happens, I am completely convinced that morality will follow. We see this pattern throughout the scriptures as well as throughout history.
Lastly, the American constitution.
The Lincoln Hypothesis continuously mentions the American constitution. Now, I don't necessarily agree with this. The American constitution isn't all that special, as far as I'm concerned. I think there are better, more God-fearing constitutions out there. However, I think that what Ballard really means by upholding the constitution, is the need to protect the rights and liberty of all.
Again, I believe that Trump is a danger to this constitution. Already, he has been recalled by the judicial system on several occasions for acting unconstitutionally. I believe that he does not care about the constitution. He has spoken many times about ignoring the constitution if it suits his needs. I mean, just look at his more recent attempt at discriminating those who are allowed to serve in the military based on sexual identity. If that isn't an awful, terrifying sign of his complete alienation of the rights and liberty of American citizens, I don't know what is.
Now, personally, I would take this further. I believe in capitalism, in the free market. What I don't believe in is what some have taken to calling "economism." Economism is the modern tendency to view the economy as the greatest good in society, rather than its people. In The United States today, there is a growing gap between rich and poor. The cost of living has increased exponentially in the last forty years, while wages have lagged behind. Corporations get richer, and the people get poorer. I'm not advocating socialism here, but at some point, in order to uphold the American Constitution, which starting words are, "We, the people," the individual needs to be protected and taken care of again. An economy left unchecked will only lead to the destruction of the people it is meant to serve. I believe that, in order to uphold the constitution and the American Covenant, The United States as a whole needs to realize that the people are the greatest good, and not the economy. Only when every man and woman gets an honest chance of realizing the American Dream, like they had when you were young, will the constitution be truly upheld, and will Americans fulfill their end of the American Covenant.
Unfortunately, in Donald Trump, a minority of the American people have elected not just someone in the pocket of the economists, but an actual economists. Time and again, Trump has proven that he cares more about money than people. This is unconstitutional at best.
Conclusion
In reading The Lincoln Hypothesis, I realized more and more that, like Ballard says, the American Covenant is in extreme danger. Donald Trump is the antithesis of the American Covenant. Trump is a modern, federal-level Governor Boggs. Trump is the biggest enemy to God's reign in The United States. He will turn the nation away from God for good, and in doing so will damage the very foundation of the constitution and leave the people shattered.
I can honestly only see three things happening. Either the American people repent of their sins, and fast—and I believe that we Mormons have a sacred responsibility to lead them in repentance—or we're heading toward a purge and return to the American Covenant, as described in The Lincoln Hypothesis or the wholesale destruction of the Americanites like that of the Nephites of old.
Unfortunately, this time God will not take his people out of the land to preserve them, for his people are part of the problem. Despite God's prophets warning the people of the dangers of Donald Trump and his rampant racism, members of the church have ignored the voice of their prophets. We live in a time of apostasy and unless the saints heed the warnings of their leaders, we are headed for destruction.
In this, I take solace in God's promise that the priesthood will not be taken from the earth again. Perhaps, when inspiration prompted President McKay to tell the saints to build up Zion in their own countries, God started the process of removing his people and his priesthood from the covenant American lands.
It is unlike me to write long reviews, but I'd like to edit this review and write down some of my thoughts to explain why I believe the above. Warning: this will get political!
The Lincoln Hypothesis never quite goes into detail about the American Covenant (Ballard actually wrote a duology on this topic that I definitely intend to read), but it does mention several elements:
First and foremost, slavery is white supremacy.
Ballard dedicates two chapters to this. Near the end, The Lincoln Hypothesis has a chapter aimed at the critics. To those who say "the Southern States didn't fight over slavery." I think he proves very well that they did. By extension, I think one can say that the Confederate Flag, which many say is not a symbol of slavery but of freedom and of the right to secede, is purely a symbol of slavery. Earlier, Ballard expresses the reasons for slavery, and why slavery was so important to the people of the South. He touches on the economic reasons, but much more important to him, in light of the American Covenant, was the heart of the slavers. With a great number of quotes from confederalists, he proves that the real problem is white supremacy—the conviction that being white is superior and that white people should always be the masters.
This conviction describes Donald Trump completely. It is, of course, obvious in his support of Nazis and the KKK, but it's so much more than that. Think, for example, about all of his attacks on the latino community, especially on Mexicans. He even wants to build a wall to keep them out. That wall is a campaign promise, and he's still working to accomplish is. Even beyond that, he is currently in the process of evicting children from illegal immigrants who were born and raised in The US and have known nothing but America and being American. Everything about them is American, except the color of their skins. Even the Republican party is against this extreme injustice. This is all based on a deep conviction that whites are supreme and should remain supreme. Illegal immigration is currently at a 17-year low and even Trump himself has admitted that a wall is probably not possible to build completely, and will probably not make much of a difference. So why is he so intent on building that wall? Because it is a symbol of white supremacy. It tells not just Mexico, but the entire world: "This is America, this is where White Man rules, and that will never change."
Think back also to Trump's many tweets criticizing Obama during the previous eight years. What did he focus on? Obama's birth certificate and the conspiracy theory that Obama is Muslim. Why do you think he, and many Republicans, focused so heavily on that, rather than Obama's policies and actions? Because those two things are what they perceive as the biggest threads to America, the white supreme utopia that they see it as. A black man in office, who might even be Muslim, as far-fetched as it may seem? They cannot handle that!
Second, the family is the most important unit under the covenant.
The Lincoln Hypothesis speaks about this a lot, and with a lot of passion. After all, Timothy Ballard has personally seen the damage of slavery to children and their families. The sin of slavery broke up that primary covenant unit.
If there is one thing that Trump isn't, it's a family man. Trump has had many wives, and he has literally admitted that, once she gets too old, he'll trade his current wife for a younger model. Despite being married, Trump has committed sexual assault on many women. He has even admitted to doing so on audio. Even in office, he continues to make sexual innuendos at the women around him, including journalists who captured it on camera.
Trump does not value women, and Trump has no respect for the family. The destruction of the family is one of the biggest threats to the American Covenant, and right now, a President is in office who personifies that destruction.
Third, religious freedom.
This is what it's all about, according to The Lincoln Hypothesis: religious freedom. God took the Israelites out of Egypt so they could build their tabernacle. God took the Mormons out of America, so they could build temples and be safe from the Civil War. The Civil War directly led to religious freedom and the building of many temples throughout the covenant land. This is what will be lost if we allow the covenant to be broken again.
This also brings me to the biggest problem I have with Donald Trump in this context: he is an enemy to religious freedom. Yes, you're right, it's not our religion on the line. He's not coming after Christians or even Mormons. He's okay with temples. For now.
If there is one important element of religious freedom that even Joseph Smith was aware of (see Articles of Faith 11), it's that you cannot cherry pick which religion to apply freedom to. If Nazi Germany, Lenin Russia, Stalin Soviet Union, and Communist China and North Korea have taught us anything, it is that, once religious freedom is limited, it will eventually disappear. As soon as you attack the freedom of one religion, you are attacking the freedom of all religions.
Yes, Donald Trump is only going after Muslims at the moment. But do you truly believe that he won't come after other religious minorities next? Isn't that exactly what happened prior to the Civil War, when white supremacists likened Mormons to Blacks and claimed neither had any rights? Trump has already gone on record with a lot of negativity about Mormons. He is an enemy to religious freedom, and he will do away with the American Covenant.
How about moral agency?
Now, there is a threat here that Trump does not pose. It is the threat of the Democrats taking things too far. I personally believe that religious freedom is in extreme danger in The US. I'm not talking about forbidding a baker from refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple. Apartheid will never be a good thing in the sight of God. I'm talking about the actual fear we should have for the sanctity of our temples. We should actually fear whether or not our temples will continue to be allowed to be governed the way we want and know to be right.
I believe, however, that the biggest threat isn't "political correctness," like Trump and his followers like to claim. In fact, I think the biggest threat to our temples is the exact opposite: it is the polarization from American Christians.
For some reason, the majority of American Christians has chosen to focus on one particular aspect of their faith: the limitation of moral agency. On all sides, Republicans are attempting to limit this. They are trying to rob gays of their constitutional rights. They are trying to govern the bodies of women. They do not do this in love, but have elected to use rejection as their tool. I think they have completely missed the point of the gospel in doing so. Yes, gay practices are a sin. Yes, life is sacred and should be protected. However, these are but small elements of the gospel, of God's doctrine. Much bigger aspects are love, service, taking care of one another. I'm not talking about full-blow socialism here, but about caring for one another, instead of focusing on the differences. I'm talking about somehow sharing of our wealth, so none are left wanting. The Lincoln Hypothesis doesn't explicitly mention it, but the Book of Mormon mentions it constantly. Whenever the Nephites live under that American Covenant, the most important sign is that they take care of each other and no one is in need. American Christians focus on rejecting those who they do not morally agree with, and forget that Christ taught them to focus on loving everyone and taking care of each other.
I believe that the key to stopping the cycle of polarization is in American Christians renewing the American Covenant and caring for all, approaching those with different morals with love, and remembering how important moral agency is to the Kingdom of God. Once this happens, I am completely convinced that morality will follow. We see this pattern throughout the scriptures as well as throughout history.
Lastly, the American constitution.
The Lincoln Hypothesis continuously mentions the American constitution. Now, I don't necessarily agree with this. The American constitution isn't all that special, as far as I'm concerned. I think there are better, more God-fearing constitutions out there. However, I think that what Ballard really means by upholding the constitution, is the need to protect the rights and liberty of all.
Again, I believe that Trump is a danger to this constitution. Already, he has been recalled by the judicial system on several occasions for acting unconstitutionally. I believe that he does not care about the constitution. He has spoken many times about ignoring the constitution if it suits his needs. I mean, just look at his more recent attempt at discriminating those who are allowed to serve in the military based on sexual identity. If that isn't an awful, terrifying sign of his complete alienation of the rights and liberty of American citizens, I don't know what is.
Now, personally, I would take this further. I believe in capitalism, in the free market. What I don't believe in is what some have taken to calling "economism." Economism is the modern tendency to view the economy as the greatest good in society, rather than its people. In The United States today, there is a growing gap between rich and poor. The cost of living has increased exponentially in the last forty years, while wages have lagged behind. Corporations get richer, and the people get poorer. I'm not advocating socialism here, but at some point, in order to uphold the American Constitution, which starting words are, "We, the people," the individual needs to be protected and taken care of again. An economy left unchecked will only lead to the destruction of the people it is meant to serve. I believe that, in order to uphold the constitution and the American Covenant, The United States as a whole needs to realize that the people are the greatest good, and not the economy. Only when every man and woman gets an honest chance of realizing the American Dream, like they had when you were young, will the constitution be truly upheld, and will Americans fulfill their end of the American Covenant.
Unfortunately, in Donald Trump, a minority of the American people have elected not just someone in the pocket of the economists, but an actual economists. Time and again, Trump has proven that he cares more about money than people. This is unconstitutional at best.
Conclusion
In reading The Lincoln Hypothesis, I realized more and more that, like Ballard says, the American Covenant is in extreme danger. Donald Trump is the antithesis of the American Covenant. Trump is a modern, federal-level Governor Boggs. Trump is the biggest enemy to God's reign in The United States. He will turn the nation away from God for good, and in doing so will damage the very foundation of the constitution and leave the people shattered.
I can honestly only see three things happening. Either the American people repent of their sins, and fast—and I believe that we Mormons have a sacred responsibility to lead them in repentance—or we're heading toward a purge and return to the American Covenant, as described in The Lincoln Hypothesis or the wholesale destruction of the Americanites like that of the Nephites of old.
Unfortunately, this time God will not take his people out of the land to preserve them, for his people are part of the problem. Despite God's prophets warning the people of the dangers of Donald Trump and his rampant racism, members of the church have ignored the voice of their prophets. We live in a time of apostasy and unless the saints heed the warnings of their leaders, we are headed for destruction.
In this, I take solace in God's promise that the priesthood will not be taken from the earth again. Perhaps, when inspiration prompted President McKay to tell the saints to build up Zion in their own countries, God started the process of removing his people and his priesthood from the covenant American lands.
August 30, 2018
Thoughtful, well-researched, and enlightening read. It was slightly speculative, but we were warned from the beginning.
All of the direct quotes were really what drew me in. I feel like I understand Lincoln's character a bit better now than I did before, as well as the events (and miracles) of the Civil War. Also, I feel like a lot of the evil mindsets regarding minorities are applicable to many in our country today.
“As a nation we began by declaring that ‘all men are created equal.’ We now practically read it ‘all men are created equal, except Negroes.’ When the Know-Nothings [anti-immigrant/antiminority party] get control, it will read ‘all men are created equal, except Negroes and foreigners and Catholics.’ When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty—to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.” —Abraham Lincoln
“The loss of slavery would call white men’s right to rule over blacks into question, and once right to rule in any sphere was weakened, its legitimacy became suspect in every sphere. . . . Black slavery constantly reminded white men that in a society where most residents (African Americans, women, and children) were disenfranchised and subordinate to them, the independence that white men enjoyed as adult white males, and the ability to command . . . set them apart and identified them as men.” - Prof. Chandra Manning
If it's possible, I have even more love and respect for Lincoln than I did before.
All of the direct quotes were really what drew me in. I feel like I understand Lincoln's character a bit better now than I did before, as well as the events (and miracles) of the Civil War. Also, I feel like a lot of the evil mindsets regarding minorities are applicable to many in our country today.
“As a nation we began by declaring that ‘all men are created equal.’ We now practically read it ‘all men are created equal, except Negroes.’ When the Know-Nothings [anti-immigrant/antiminority party] get control, it will read ‘all men are created equal, except Negroes and foreigners and Catholics.’ When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty—to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.” —Abraham Lincoln
“The loss of slavery would call white men’s right to rule over blacks into question, and once right to rule in any sphere was weakened, its legitimacy became suspect in every sphere. . . . Black slavery constantly reminded white men that in a society where most residents (African Americans, women, and children) were disenfranchised and subordinate to them, the independence that white men enjoyed as adult white males, and the ability to command . . . set them apart and identified them as men.” - Prof. Chandra Manning
If it's possible, I have even more love and respect for Lincoln than I did before.
August 10, 2022
A story about Ben Gates going to the library of Congress to find the city of gold, Cibola.
Hypothesis: “a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.” Ballard for sure gave some sorts of evidence and put together an investigation but he pulls fact and truth from assumption and guesswork. I think the thing I hated most was how I felt he was talking to me as if I were void of any physical capacity of thought. “Can you guess what I’m gonna say next? Can you do it? It’s gonna blow your mind. You just wait and see! No guesses? Okay I’ll tell you! You won’t believe it, but it’s true! Hehe.”
I applaud the work that Tim Ballard does in child trafficking. He has and continues to do great work. However his work with the pen is wild. Just wild.
The church history was enjoyable but beyond that, it was a hard read. “Was Abraham Lincoln a prophet in this dispensation? Am I prophet!? Was Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith a similitude of Honest Abe and ol’ Will Seward!? I need a drink.”
I don’t claim to be able to write any better or be an expert on Lincoln. I am a firm believer that history is subjective and has many sides. But this book is pure clickbait for all members of the church. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints absolutely love a good goose chase that is intertwined with church history, American history, freedom, the Book of Mormon, and ends with a testimony! Suckers fly off those Deseret bookshelves like toilet paper in the peak of Covid.
I’m proud that I finished this book. Do I believe Lincoln was a prophet? No. Will I be reading any other works of Timothy Ballard? Can you guess? You won’t believe it! It’s gonna come as a surprise to you. Okay I’ll tell you! Hehe. No.
Continue your work in trafficking Tim. God be with you, but please stop writing books in this fashion and allowing members of the church to call reading your book a fair pursuit of truth in history.
Hypothesis: “a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.” Ballard for sure gave some sorts of evidence and put together an investigation but he pulls fact and truth from assumption and guesswork. I think the thing I hated most was how I felt he was talking to me as if I were void of any physical capacity of thought. “Can you guess what I’m gonna say next? Can you do it? It’s gonna blow your mind. You just wait and see! No guesses? Okay I’ll tell you! You won’t believe it, but it’s true! Hehe.”
I applaud the work that Tim Ballard does in child trafficking. He has and continues to do great work. However his work with the pen is wild. Just wild.
The church history was enjoyable but beyond that, it was a hard read. “Was Abraham Lincoln a prophet in this dispensation? Am I prophet!? Was Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith a similitude of Honest Abe and ol’ Will Seward!? I need a drink.”
I don’t claim to be able to write any better or be an expert on Lincoln. I am a firm believer that history is subjective and has many sides. But this book is pure clickbait for all members of the church. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints absolutely love a good goose chase that is intertwined with church history, American history, freedom, the Book of Mormon, and ends with a testimony! Suckers fly off those Deseret bookshelves like toilet paper in the peak of Covid.
I’m proud that I finished this book. Do I believe Lincoln was a prophet? No. Will I be reading any other works of Timothy Ballard? Can you guess? You won’t believe it! It’s gonna come as a surprise to you. Okay I’ll tell you! Hehe. No.
Continue your work in trafficking Tim. God be with you, but please stop writing books in this fashion and allowing members of the church to call reading your book a fair pursuit of truth in history.
March 22, 2021
Absolutely fascinating read! I knew I loved Abraham Lincoln, but I love him even more after this book. I had a thought in my mind all book long, but I just couldn't articulate it. Then a quote that was included at the end of the book by Gordon B. Hinckley expressed my thought exactly,
"For a good while there has been going on in this nation a process that I have termed the secularization of America. . . . We as nation are forsaking the Almighty, and I fear that He will begin to forsake us. We are shutting the door against the God whose sons and daughters we are. . . . Future blessings will come only as we deserve them. Can we expect peace and prosperity, harmony and goodwill, when we turn our backs on the Source of strength? If we are to continue to have the freedoms that evolved within the structure that was the inspiration of the Almighty to our Founding Fathers, we must return to the God who is their true Author. . . . God bless America, for it is His creation.”
I would give it 5 stars, but it was redundant at times.
"For a good while there has been going on in this nation a process that I have termed the secularization of America. . . . We as nation are forsaking the Almighty, and I fear that He will begin to forsake us. We are shutting the door against the God whose sons and daughters we are. . . . Future blessings will come only as we deserve them. Can we expect peace and prosperity, harmony and goodwill, when we turn our backs on the Source of strength? If we are to continue to have the freedoms that evolved within the structure that was the inspiration of the Almighty to our Founding Fathers, we must return to the God who is their true Author. . . . God bless America, for it is His creation.”
I would give it 5 stars, but it was redundant at times.
November 1, 2017
There are so many things I loved about this book! Finding out that Abraham Lincoln checked out the Book of Mormon from the Library of Congress, had it in his possession for months, returned it, then issued The Emancipation Proclamation. For those who believe that America is a promised land, and land of liberty, even a land of covenant, this is amazing information. This is the tip of the iceberg, and I could go on.
For a brief synopsis of the book, read this article from the author by clicking on this link: http://www.ldsliving.com/Did-Lincoln-...
For a brief synopsis of the book, read this article from the author by clicking on this link: http://www.ldsliving.com/Did-Lincoln-...
December 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t all speculation, like I feared. It had so many facts. I love reading most stories about Abraham Lincoln and his presidency. This book made me love him even more. I enjoyed learning that he had checked out the Book of Mormon from the library of Congress, and had it for a long while after his son passed away. I also enjoyed looking at him in a different light, comparing Seward and him to Hyrum and Joseph in some aspects, standing up for what is right, and what God wanted for this country.
September 4, 2017
This reading brought a whole new light to the situation our country was in during Lincoln's administration and the heavy responsibility that was his. It caused me to consider beliefs in a way I'd never though about before. It was my first book by Ballard and I look forward to reading his other books. Quite fascinating reading!
May 23, 2018
I’ve read several books on Lincoln but none with the focus and energy this one had. It was an awesome book.
Between this and The Washington Hypothesis I used almost a whole can of Book Darts. I feel closer to knowing the heart and soul of both of these American leaders and feel a much deeper sense of regard for them.
So glad I read these books. Kudos to Timothy Ballard for researching, discovering, and writing both books.
Between this and The Washington Hypothesis I used almost a whole can of Book Darts. I feel closer to knowing the heart and soul of both of these American leaders and feel a much deeper sense of regard for them.
So glad I read these books. Kudos to Timothy Ballard for researching, discovering, and writing both books.
July 1, 2020
I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while and I’m so glad I finally did! I am so grateful for the imperfect people from our history that (I believe) had righteous intentions for our country and listened to God, and sacrificed a lot to help America. If you’ve been thinking about reading this book, now is a great time!
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