Posted on 09/04/2009 3:44:02 PM PDT by Colofornian
The biggest problem with the Book of Mormon is that it exists, says Sen. Bob Bennett...The Republican senator from Utah is the author of "Leap of Faith," which was recently released by Deseret Book...Bennett didn't like the way the Book of Mormon was represented in media coverage leading up to the 2002 Winter Olympics...
"The tenor of the articles that kind of started me on this was that no one of any intelligence could believe the incredibly outlandish story about angels and gold plates, that any person with the slightest bit of education would reject this out of hand," he said...
Bennett approaches the subject of forgery as a debater, which he was in college, and analyzes both sides. He said he tried to be as objective as possible and attempted to "look at all the arguments, for and against, and test them for validity."...Bennett studied forgeries before he was a senator when he worked as Howard Hughes' public relations director.
Because every work of writing reveals something about the author, Bennett said it's possible to learn a lot from applying these tests to different texts.
...If you read 'Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling,' you get acquainted with Richard Bushman," he said.
[SNIP]
...It can be hard to get a grasp on the basic story of the scriptures as there are many tangents and retelling of events.
"The Book of Mormon is a history where the historian is constantly interrupting the plot to burst into vision and sermon," he said. "So when the sermon is over, you're 14 pages away from where the story stopped, and you can't remember where you were...I think it will find an audience among members of the church who find the Book of Mormon kind of confusing."
(Excerpt) Read more at mormontimes.com ...
(Hey, the Senator and I agree!!! I'd just been thinking earlier today: What a waste of millions & millions of man-hours...poor time stewardship)
From the article: Bennett didn't like the way the Book of Mormon was represented in media coverage: The tenor of the articles that kind of started me on this was that no one of any intelligence could believe the incredibly outlandish story about angels and gold plates, that any person with the slightest bit of education would reject this out of hand," he said...
(Well, the MSM occasionally gets things right)
Because every work of writing reveals something about the author, Bennett said it's possible to learn a lot from applying these tests to different texts.
Well, yes, you do learn a lot. But here's the problem -- and this story doesn't tell me if Bennett addressed one of the most basic problems in his "study" of the book: Simply put, thousands of edits have been made in the BoM through the years.
Now, Lds like to say most were minor edits & didn't significantly change the text, but #1, nobody ever says who made the changes or why -- and, more importantly, the overall impact of the edits is that the book comes across a lot more polished than when originally written. [We've heard of the phrase, "death by 1,000 cuts" -- this was an attempt to give "life" to a dead manuscript by literally 3,000 edits!]
Now why is that such an important issue? Because minus the edits, the pure beauty and majesty of King James English stands even more in stark contrast to the rough writing style of Joseph Smith! When you read the original Book of Mormon, it becomes quite obvious you have at least two authors -- somebody from the 17th century (King James committee) and somebody stumbling with grammar issues, errors of personalities, rambling run-on sentences, etc. from the 19th century (Smith). [Remember, people in the 1820s spoke closer to our vocab than to 1611 -- except in church settings where the KJV was read]
The article says the portended historical narrative is constantly interrupting the plot to burst into vision and sermon...So when the sermon is over, you're 14 pages away from where the story stopped, and you can't remember where you were...
Translation: The Book of Mormon rambles on in tangent fashion.
From the article: ...members of the church ...find the Book of Mormon kind of confusing."
(Yeah, we know. And after reading it, we can understand why)
Is Senator Bennett a mormon ???
Yes
Can’t we just go to the original source, those gold plates. Right?
( Or did the Scientologist abscond with them, hiding it Hughes Lear Jet on trips to Mexico to meet Romneyions? )
Do tell me what religion you are so I can understand why you ask these questions...
Do tell me what religion you are so I can understand why you ask these questions...
Mormon royalty.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Bennett is the son of Frances Marion Grant and the U.S. Senator Wallace Foster Bennett,[2] as well as the grandson of Heber J. Grant, the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bennett attended high school at East High, and he earned his B.S. from the University of Utah in 1957 majoring in Political Science. He also served as the Student Body President at the University of Utah.
In 1962, Bennett married Joyce McKay, a granddaughter of David O. McKay, the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This couple has six children: Julie, Robert, James, Wendy, Heather, and Heidi.
MOrmans are very nice people. At least the one’s I have met.
The Book of Mormon speaks of great battles, blacks being cursed, (civil rights activists made them change that, some god that cow-tows to public opinion) and of swords and spears and elephants in the new world.
NOPE, no iron age society in all of the Americas. No Elephants and Poor Joseph Smith forgot that DeSoto is the one that brought the horses.
SO, if you want to believe this pseudo work and bet your eternity on it, well I’ve been to Salt Lake City and seen the women for myself. I certainly understand, but you’re making a very big and eternal mistake.
You aren’t God, you’re not going to be gods.
Get over it, get saved and repent of this foolishness.
Or anyone who knew Joseph Smith would've rejected it. Oh wait, they did. The "witnesses" later rejected their support of Smith saying he was a prankster.
I am LDS, merely making a point that “human intelligence” does not equal God’s wisdom... not even close.
Countering a (any) religious document with scientific facts (whether they be the laws of physics or logical/grammatical structure, it is the same) is a moot point. Unless of course you are an atheist attempting to disprove the notion of a central creator.
well, for one, the gospels give several similar accounts - which is in itself incredible in an oral culture. Secondly - Christ fulfilled about 100 prophecies leading up to the crucifuxion....Mormonism story is based on one person, later shown to be a false prophet
KIND of confusing???
“’Which leap the reader wants to make is, of course, up to the reader,’” Bennett said. “
Here’s my leap personal of faith:
The Articles of Faith
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Joseph Smith
God uses the foolish things to confound the wise.
“I’ve been to Salt Lake City and seen the women for myself”
I’ve been to SLC recently and I haven’t a clue what on earth you are talking about.
I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father. Please don’t insult my Heavenly Father. Jesus died for me to save me from my sins so that I can return to live with my Heavenly Father forever. The Holy Ghost has sealed this in my heart.
Stop insulting my precious Savior, Jesus Christ, who died for me.
I am a Mormon and I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
www.mormon.org
CTR - We are a peculiar people.
And useful idiots are allowed lots of rope to perpetuate stupidity.
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