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How to Book of Mormon is Not Like the Bible
Meridian Magazine ^ | Grant Hardy

Posted on 06/29/2010 8:28:07 AM PDT by Colofornian

Quite reasonably, the current “Introduction” to the Book of Mormon begins, “The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible.”...

Yet...we are likely to point out some significant differences as well...

...The Bible is more of a library than a single book, and there are tremendous differences in genre...

At first glance, the contents of the Book of Mormon appear to be similarly diverse...On closer inspection... the Book of Mormon turns to be entirely narrative. The whole book takes the form of a story told by narrators...but we know who is responsible for every word in the Book of Mormon. It’s either Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, or Moroni (plus a few minor authors...). This means that the Book of Mormon, as a whole, is a much more integrated and deliberately constructed volume than the Bible.

...the Book of Mormon operates by very different literary principles than the Bible. Consider the characteristics of Old Testament narrators as described by Shimon Bar-Efrat, formerly of Hebrew University at Jerusalem:

“The narrator in most biblical narratives appears to be omniscient”

“Biblical narrators do not usually mention themselves”

“Biblical narrators [generally] make no reference to their activity in writing the narratives”

“The narrators do not...address their audience directly”

“Outside the books of Kings there are very few instances in which the narrator passes judgment”

How many of these statements are true of the Book of Mormon? None of them.

Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, and Moroni are...often...participants in the stories...They interrupt their narratives regularly to tell us about their lives, their testimonies, and their desires. They worry about their “weakness in writing” (Eth. 12:23, 40; cf. 2 Ne. 33:1, 4). And they do not hesitate to address readers directly to explain their intentions,...editorial techniques,...emotional responses to...events...

(Excerpt) Read more at ldsmag.com ...


TOPICS: History; Other Christian; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: beck; bible; bookofmormon; glennbeck; inman; lds; mormon; mormons
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To: Colofornian
It is hard to take the poster serious in their efforts attacking The Book of Mormon for not being Christian when their Grammar shows the true Intellect behind the attacks e.g. “ How to Book of Mormon is Not Like the Bible (And Why We Should Celebrate That!)”

Where to begin on this ridiculous post!

The criticism of the grammar! of the OP, "take the poster" (singular) "when their" (multiple)...Grammar (not proper noun, but capitalized), Intellect (not proper noun, but capitalized...

That's just a start!...criticism of the OP's title of the thread, which by FR rules is the title of the original article, written by "a mormon Professor" (when their Grammar shows the true Intellect!!) published in Meridian Magazine!

Note the TITLE!

It's hard to take this poster serious when obviously needed is...

grammar for dummies

41 posted on 06/29/2010 9:37:41 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (Obama: "a guy who throws a baseball like a girl and eats cilantro" H/T Fishtalk)
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To: greyfoxx39

serious=seriously....proofread, GF, proof read.


42 posted on 06/29/2010 9:44:54 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (Obama: "a guy who throws a baseball like a girl and eats cilantro" H/T Fishtalk)
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To: Colofornian

Hole buncha peeople on thiss thred need to git spel chek an grammer check.

Either y’all are trying to post too quickly, or you missed the part of school where they taught how to communicate using words. Please, just slow down a bit and double check your spelling and grammar. It is so much easier on the eyes and brain to read when written correctly.


43 posted on 06/29/2010 9:49:12 AM PDT by lurk
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To: Gasshog

Leave this thread, since you can’t refrain from potty references.


44 posted on 06/29/2010 9:49:16 AM PDT by Admin Moderator
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To: lurk
U R so crrt on that.
Blame predictive spelling on some cell phones, and not typing as fast as we think.
45 posted on 06/29/2010 10:02:47 AM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: Colofornian

A Bible is a Bible and nothing else is a substitute.


46 posted on 06/29/2010 10:03:32 AM PDT by CodeToad
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To: svcw

“The BoM is the word of Joseph Smith (a thug, a grifter, a flim flam man, a con artist, a known liar, a known adulator, a known pedophile, a thief, a murderer............ and on and on.)”

That bastard Mohammed certainly gets around, doesn’t he? ;)


47 posted on 06/29/2010 10:06:23 AM PDT by Levante
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To: Levante

Joey Smith also want to be a “2nd Mohammad”

“I Will Be a Second Mohammed”

In the heat of the Missouri “Mormon War” of 1838, Joseph Smith made the following claim,
“I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword.’ So shall it eventually be with us—‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’ ”[1]

It is most interesting that a self-proclaimed Christian prophet would liken himself to Mohammed, the founder of Islam. His own comparison invites us to take a closer look as well. And when we do, we find some striking—and troubling—parallels. Consider the following.

Mohammed and Joseph Smith both had humble beginnings. Neither had formal religious connections or upbringing, and both were relatively uneducated. Both founded new religions by creating their own scriptures. In fact, followers of both prophets claim these scriptures are miracles since their authors were the most simple and uneducated of men.[2]

Both prophets claim of having angel visitations, and of receiving divine revelation to restore pure religion to the earth again. Mohammed was told that both Jews and Christians had long since corrupted their scriptures and religion. In like manner, Joseph Smith was told that all of Christianity had become corrupt, and that consequently the Bible itself was no longer reliable. In both cases, this corruption required a complete restoration of both scripture and religion. Nothing which preceded either prophet could be relied upon any longer. Both prophets claim they were used of God to restore eternal truths which once existed on earth, but had been lost due to human corruption.

Both prophets created new scripture which borrowed heavily from the Bible, but with a substantially new “spin.” In his Koran, Mohammed appropriates a number of Biblical themes and characters—but he changes the complete sense of many passages, claiming to “correct” the Bible. In so doing he changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place. In like manner, Joseph Smith created the Book of Mormon, much of which is plagiarized directly from the King James Bible. Interestingly, the Book of Mormon claims that this same Bible has been substantially corrupted and is therefore unreliable. In addition, Joseph Smith went so far as to actually create his own version of the Bible itself, the “Inspired Version,” in which he both adds and deletes significant portions of text, claiming he is “correcting” it. In so doing he also changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place.

As a part of their new scriptural “spin,” both prophets saw themselves as prophesied in scripture, and both saw themselves as a continuation of a long line of Biblical prophets. Mohammed saw himself as a continuation of the ministry of Moses and Jesus. Joseph Smith saw himself as a successor to Enoch, Melchizedek, Joseph and Moses. Joseph Smith actually wrote himself into his own version of the Bible—by name.

Both prophets held up their own scripture as superior to the Bible. Mohammed claimed that the Koran was a perfect copy of the original which was in heaven. The Koran is therefore held to be absolutely perfect, far superior to the Bible and superceding it. In like manner, Joseph Smith also made the following claim. “I told the Brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book.”[3]

Despite their claim that the Bible was corrupt, both prophets admonished their followers to adhere to its teachings. An obvious contradiction, this led to selective acceptance of some portions and wholesale rejection of others. As a result, the Bible is accepted by both groups of followers only to the extent that it agrees with their prophet’s own superior revelation.

Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith taught that true salvation was to be found only in their respective religions. Those who would not accept their message were considered “infidels,” pagans or Gentiles. In so doing, both prophets became the enemy of genuine Christianity, and have led many people away from the Christ of the Bible.

Both prophets encountered fierce opposition to their new religions and had to flee from town to town because of threats on their lives. Both retaliated to this opposition by forming their own militias. Both ultimately set up their own towns as model societies.

Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith left unclear instructions about their successors. The majority of Mohammed’s followers, Sunni Muslims, believe they were to elect their new leader, whereas the minority, Shiite Muslims, believe Mohammed’s son was to be their next leader. Similarly, the majority of Joseph Smith’s followers, Mormons, believed their next prophet should have been the existing leader of their quorum of twelve apostles, whereas the minority, RLDS, believed Joseph Smith’s own son should have been their next prophet. Differences on this issue, and many others, have created substantial tension between these rival groups of each prophet.

Mohammed taught that Jesus was just another of a long line of human prophets, of which he was the last. He taught that he was superior to Christ and superceded Him. In comparison, Joseph Smith also made the following claim.

“I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.”[4]

In light of these parallels, perhaps Joseph Smith’s claim to be a second Mohammed unwittingly became his most genuine prophecy of all.
________________________________________

[1] Joseph Smith made this statement at the conclusion of a speech in the public square at Far West, Missouri on October 14, 1838. This particular quote is documented in Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, second edition, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971), p. 230–231. Fawn Brodie’s footnote regarding this speech contains valuable information, and follows. “Except where noted, all the details of this chapter [16] are taken from the History of the [Mormon] Church. This speech, however, was not recorded there, and the report given here is based upon the accounts of seven men. See the affidavits of T.B. Marsh, Orson Hyde, George M. Hinkle, John Corrill, W.W. Phelps, Samson Avard, and Reed Peck in Correspondence, Orders, etc., pp. 57–9, 97–129. The Marsh and Hyde account, which was made on October 24, is particularly important. Part of it was reproduced in History of the [Mormon] Church, Vol. III, p. 167. See also the Peck manuscript, p. 80. Joseph himself barely mentioned the speech in his history; see Vol. III, p. 162.”

[2] John Ankerberg & John Weldon, The Facts on Islam, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1998), pp.8–9. Eric Johnson, Joseph Smith & Muhammed, (El Cajon, CA: Mormonism Research Ministry, 1998), pp. 6–7.

[3] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.4, pp.461.

[4] Documentary History of the [Mormon] Church, vol.6, pp.408–409.


48 posted on 06/29/2010 10:14:20 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Levante

Well, JS did claim to be the next mohammed.


49 posted on 06/29/2010 10:16:45 AM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: Levante
Sorry forgot the quote.

“I will be to this generation a second Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was ‘the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword.’ So shall it eventually be with us—‘Joseph Smith or the Sword!’ 1838

50 posted on 06/29/2010 10:19:25 AM PDT by svcw (Habakkuk 2:3)
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To: Tennessee Nana

Thank you very much for your post. Very illuminating.


51 posted on 06/29/2010 10:24:53 AM PDT by Levante
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To: svcw

Thanks for your post.


52 posted on 06/29/2010 10:26:30 AM PDT by Levante
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Comment #53 Removed by Moderator

To: Godzilla

“that ‘spirit’ you feel is not the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit has feelings and when you say things about Him that are not true He is agrieved. I love the Holy Spirit. One of His jobs is to help us draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

This is my heart-felt statement: “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.”

“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost”

1 Corinthians 12:3

I think it’s creepy that you have the nerve to say such things about the precious wonderful Holy Ghost.


54 posted on 06/29/2010 11:51:31 AM PDT by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: Godzilla

“that ‘spirit’ you feel is not the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit has feelings and when you say things about Him that are not true He is agrieved. I love the Holy Spirit. One of His jobs is to help us draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

This is my heart-felt statement: “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.”

“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost”

1 Corinthians 12:3

I think it’s creepy that you have the nerve to say such things about the precious wonderful Holy Ghost.


55 posted on 06/29/2010 11:51:49 AM PDT by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: katana

their “scripture” is a fairly obvious fraud.
\
Have you read the Book of Mormon or have you only read what other people have written about the Book of Mormon? Just asking.


56 posted on 06/29/2010 11:53:30 AM PDT by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: Colofornian
 




"Now the way he translated was he put the urim and thummim into his hat and Darkned his Eyes than he would take a sentance and it would apper in Brite Roman Letters. Then he would tell the writer and he would write it. Then that would go away the next sentance would Come and so on. But if it was not Spelt rite it would not go away till it was rite, so we see it was marvelous. Thus was the hol [whole] translated."
---Joseph Knight's journal.


"In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us."
(History of the RLDS Church, 8 vols.
(Independence, Missouri: Herald House,1951),
"Last Testimony of Sister Emma [Smith Bidamon]," 3:356.

"I, as well as all of my father's family, Smith's wife, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, were present during the translation. . . . He [Joseph Smith] did not use the plates in translation."
---(David Whitmer,
as published in the "Kansas City Journal," June 5, 1881,
and reprinted in the RLDS "Journal of History", vol. 8, (1910), pp. 299-300.

In an 1885 interview, Zenas H. Gurley, then the editor of the RLDS Saints Herald, asked Whitmer if Joseph had used his "Peep stone" to do the translation. Whitmer replied:

"... he used a stone called a "Seers stone," the "Interpreters" having been taken away from him because of transgression. The "Interpreters" were taken from Joseph after he allowed Martin Harris to carry away the 116 pages of Ms [manuscript] of the Book of Mormon as a punishment, but he was allowed to go on and translate by use of a "Seers stone" which he had, and which he placed in a hat into which he buried his face, stating to me and others that the original character appeared upon parchment and under it the translation in English."


"Martin Harris related an incident that occurred during the time that he wrote that portion of the translation of the Book of Mormon which he was favored to write direct from the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said that the Prophet possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone, Martin explained the translation as follows: By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin and when finished he would say 'Written,' and if correctly written that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used."
(Edward Stevenson, "One of the Three Witnesses,"
reprinted from Deseret News, 30 Nov. 1881
in Millennial Star, 44 (6 Feb. 1882): 86-87.)

In 1879, Michael Morse, Emma Smith's brother-in-law, stated:
 
 "When Joseph was translating the Book of Mormon [I] had occasion more than once to go into his immediate presence, and saw him engaged at his work of translation. The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating word after word, while the scribes Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other wrote it down."
(W.W. Blair interview with Michael Morse,
Saints Herald, vol. 26, no. 12
June 15, 1879,  pp. 190-91.)


Joseph Smith's brother William also testified to the "face in the hat" version:
 
"The manner in which this was done was by looking into the Urim and Thummim, which was placed in a hat to exclude the light, (the plates lying near by covered up), and reading off the translation, which appeared in the stone by the power of God"
("A New Witness for Christ in America,"
Francis W. Kirkham, 2:417.)


"The manner in which he pretended to read and interpret was the same manner as when he looked for the money-diggers, with the stone in his hat, while the book of plates were at the same time hid in the woods."
---Isaac Hale (Emma Smith's father's) affidavit, 1834.



57 posted on 06/29/2010 11:57:43 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: killermedic
Maybe they should check out Anti-Mormonism for Dummies!!!!
 
 
I have a BETTER idea!!


KJV
 Galatians 1:6-9
 6.  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
 7.  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
 8.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
 9.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
 
 
 
 
ANYBODY???
 
Like this fine looking fellow???
 
 
 
 
 

2 Corinthians 11:12-15
 12.  But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
 13.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
 14.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
 15.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
 
 

Like THESE guys??
 
 
 
 
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
 
 


 
Ephesians 2:1-2 
1.  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:


 
1 Corinthians 4:17
  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
 
1 Corinthians 11:2
   Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
 
2 Thessalonians 2:15
   Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
 
2 Timothy 1:13
   Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
 
2 Timothy 3:14-15
 14.  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
 15.  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

58 posted on 06/29/2010 11:59:23 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: killermedic
It is hard to take the poster serious in their efforts attacking The Book of Mormon for not being Christian when their Grammar shows...


59 posted on 06/29/2010 12:00:58 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: killermedic
Maybe they should check out Anti-Mormonism for Dummies!!!!

Maybe they should check out Anti-CHRISTIANITY for MORMONs!!!!

60 posted on 06/29/2010 12:05:29 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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