The stellar and planetary alignment of the inscription
gives a date of 583 BC.
This date allows just the right amount of time
for our little band to go to Egypt,
and return to Palestine briefly
before making their way to Spain, then Ireland.
Posted on 04/27/2006 7:47:46 AM PDT by Hammerhead
What are your thought on the Nephilims and the secondary tie-in to the Mormon Church. I find this subject fascinating....if not VERY creepy.
From Wikepedia:
In the Book of Mormon, Nephi, the son of Lehi, is a prophet and founder of the Nephite people. He is also the author of First and Second Nephi, the first two books of the Book of Mormon. For other people by the name of Nephi that appear in the Book of Mormon,....
Nephi's father had a vision that Jerusalem would be destroyed, so he and his family left the city and went into the wilderness of the Arabian Peninsula. By the seashore, Nephi was commanded by God to build a ship, and though his brothers ridiculed him, Nephi did.
With the help of a compass called the Liahona, Nephi, his family, and his friends traveled across the oceans to the Americas.
Nephi was made ruler over the people, who were called the Nephites after him, and succeeding kings were called Second Nephi, Third Nephi, etc., after him.
The origin of the name Nephi is uncertain. It is not an attested Hebrew name, but some LDS apologists have speculated that it may be a Hebrew form of the attested Egyptian name Nfr. In Phoenician and Aramaic inscriptions of Egyptian names containing nfr, the nfr element is rendered npy, and the closely related Hebrew language would presumably transcribe the name the same way. (See A Note on the Name Nephi)
Alternatively, both believers and skeptics have occasionally proposed a connection between Nephi and the biblical Nephilim, the singular of which would be Nephil.
The name "Nephi" also appears in the Apocrypha, in 2 Maccabees 1:36 "And Neemias called this thing Naphthar, which is as much as to say, a cleansing: but many men call it Nephi." In this context it refers to naphtha.
Also some of the earliest recordings of Joseph Smith's first vision report that he was visited by an angel named Nephi...could it have been a fallen angel that "restored" the Church to the Latter Day Saints?
Early testimony that the name of the angel who appeared to Joseph was Nephi, not Moroni.
"He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi." Millennial Star, vol. 3, p. 53 (1842)
"Again, when we read the history of our beloved brother, Joseph Smith, and of the glorious ministry and message of the angel Nephi" Millennial Star, vol. 3, p. 71 (1842)
Joseph Smith - "When I first looked upon him I was afraid, but the fear soon left me. He called me by name, and said unto me, that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi." 1851 Pearl of Great Price, p. 41 (1851)
Joseph Smith - "He called me by name, and said unto me, that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi." Times and Seasons, vol. 3, p. 753 (1842)
Well how about a house made directly by the Lord, totally unmade by mere mortal hands? Why do LDS temples have the inscription on them that read, "The House of the Lord," when the apostle Paul said that "...the Lord of heaven and earth...does not live in temples made with hands?" And, later, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God"?
I know folks can find almost anything on blogs, and that blogs don't carry "invincible truth"...but they can be as testimonial as the testimonies that LDS missionaries bear door to door. For example, note these two stories whereby women inside the temple mention "creepy" feelings:
"As a convert, I always knew not everything was '100%true', I just wanted so badly to be part of the group. Also, they don't tell you all the weird stuff right away. For my husband who was born into it...We hated the temple ceremony always, because it was so creepy. I think that was the beginning of the end for me. I was so disturbed, I wish I had walked out when they asked me to take off all my clothes and put that sheet on. EEEEEWWWW. I'm so embarassed that I did that!!! I mean, I'm a rational, normal person and yet I didn't walk out when I KNEW something was VERY wrong. I feel like I will never recover from my experience with Mormonism........." [This was found on a blog: http://www.postmormon.org/forum_vb/archive/index.php/t-44.html ]
In 1990, I was privileged to attend the Temple with my wife and to be sealed to her. It was, again, a wonderful, inspiring, spiritual experience meer words can't ever describe.[Spiff]
Well, from other blogs, this is not a universal "feeling" you experienced. Note this written in a UK religion thread as espoused by an LDS temple bride:
"...go to this room, go in the cubicle and take everything off... I felt so self-conscious and mortally embarrassed to be wearing not a stitch under the ‘shield'. (A ghost-like sheet that I clutched both sides closed on) I stayed in that dressing room for a long time. I was willing myself to have the courage to leave... With tears of embarrassment and shame in my eyes I emerged from that little stall and led to a room with a curtain with a short round little old lady on a stool. She took my package of garments, handed them to another lady who disappeared behind another curtain. She tried to reassure me and then quietly started saying some stuff really quietly... then she proceeded to touch different parts of my skin, in short, made me feel downright creepy. Violated... She then led me to another room where there was another lady on a stool. She started doing the same thing but with oil. I remember closing my eyes, clenching my teeth and willing myself to stay there and endure this. My future marriage depended on my enduring this. After this, I noticed my garments, opened, and hung over a bar on the wall. Instead of allowing me to be a dignified adult, they PUT these on me! Yes, they held them open, just as I hold underpants and pants open for my 3 year old child. And being in a trance like state, I stepped in. They could tell I think, that I was stunned into silence because they said, 'normally we take the shield off of you and then put your garment top on, but we'll let you step into it.' So like a robot I stepped into my garment top and they shimmied it up my body. I inquired whether I could go put clothes on and they said yes. Finally, I had passed one of the tests of the temple: enduring the washing and anointing. For the record, I will NEVER in my life do that again. On we went to the little chapel where I was relieved to finally see my fiancé. He knew how bad all of that was for me and hugged me for a long time. I wanted to leave. I felt just awful inside, like this was all wrong. But I had been told my whole life that the endowment was to be looked forward to, so I pressed on. We walked into the endowment room... I felt baffled that I was sitting across the aisle from my future ‘eternal companion.' I remember we moved from room to room and getting to briefly see my fiancé as we moved to different rooms. I remember thinking how funny he looked in that baker's hat, but then repenting of my light minded ness because I was in the temple. And most of all, I remember it being over and being relieved to get back in the car and leave the place. We ate at a little Subway on the way home. What a way to celebrate a major life moment!"
And related comments such as: "My experience was the same as yours, except mine was 'pre-1990' so it was even more bizarro. Suffice it to say that I was so stunned I remember little but slashing my throat in pantomime..."
Source: http://groups.google.com/group/uk.religion.christian/browse_thread/thread/8e1bf21ae41898d0/e84b87cab7819fdc
My experiences in the St. George temple were very disturbing....it was probably the beginning of the end for me.
So then what yer saying is nephilims is correct usage ?
;-)
( As one who's been heard to utter all y'all on more than one occasion........ ).
Interesting Nephi stuff but what of my observation that this particular angelology isn't exclusive to Mormons?
LOL! I spent my formative years in the "southwestern midwest," so I'm likely to say "all OF y'all."
I really was curious about your position, you being former LDS and all, about the angels and men in Genesis Chapter 6. Whether or not you thought it was a Mormon only position or if there was room for other Christians to take the same postion. Guess you're not up to it.
Years ago, in the 1970's, Dwane Edward Spencer (Word Keys which Unlock Scripture radio program out of WOAI in San Antonio, Tx) had an interesting take on Nephilim and "giants".
He said the "Sons of God" were men who were believers in God, and the "Daughters of men" were daughters of those who did not follow God.
The children born of them were fierce warriors who were honored in their tribes as "demi-gods" because of their fighting ability. Tall of stature they were the "giants" but not what we would consider giants.
The Israeli spys were so frightened by them they exaggurated their height. "We were as grasshoppers before them!"
I don't know anything about it really. It's just wild speculation. What exactly is your question?
Mormons have a central character named Nephi. Perhaps this same Nephi returned as an angel to Joseph Smith (as I referenced in my previous posts to this thread,) and restored the LDS Church.
Nephilim (plural) are referenced in Genesis 6:4 "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-- and also afterward-- when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."
Are Nephilim "fallen ones?" Does the word Nephil in Hebrew mean fallen one? You have probably studied Hebrew, I have not.
Did a "fallen one" bring the LDS Church to Joseph Smith? Is it just a coincidence that seems to link the Book of Mormon to the Bible? I don't know. What do you think?
Check out my post #18 to you. Check out the portions of NT writings that hint strongly that 1st Century Christians were of the opinion angels and men co-habitated. I guess instead of asking you I should comment that I know many Christians that accept the same and that the doctrine is not excluse to the Mormon religion.
I have no idea.
Is it just a coincidence that seems to link the Book of Mormon to the Bible?p>Naw probably no coincidence but I don't think I'd be afraid to study and perhaps stake out a non-mainstream Christian position in one area just because somebody might think it smacks of LDS theology.
all i know is to trust my gut. And the feeling I got when I visited the Mormon Temple during Christmas was something TOTALLY false.
So? I don't care how ya feel about the Mormon Church. I wasn't defending them. I'm just saying the evidence is there that some 1st century Christians including Jesus' brother Jude believed Angels and men co-habitated. The Christian/Mormon polemic doesn't interest me.
Which Temple was that?
And what are we going to do with another one called Tephi?
Was she a daughter of one of the Nephilim?
http://www.asis.com/~stag/jerrytea.html
I don't know what to do about Tea Tephi. Was her last name Green? If so, then you and I could be descended from the same tribe. ;-o
**What are your thought on the Nephilims and the secondary tie-in to the Mormon Church.**
Ideas/Thoughts?
It seems to me the Sons of God were of the line of Seth* and the daughters of men were of the line of Cain.
*Genesis 4:26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord. (In Scripture those who call on the name of the Lord are called Sons of God)
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