Posted on 08/29/2007 8:36:48 AM PDT by meandog
I just thought you ought to know that about the crusty old BYU prof...incidentally, he was "inspired" to rebut Brodie's magnificent scholarship by none other than the hierarchy of the church; kinda strange prodding in the annals of academia. Besides, although Nibley was fluent in several ancient languages, he was hardly a historian of the statue of Brodie (if you'll remember she was also the lady who exposed Thomas Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemmings). The church could not apparently get someone in the BYU history department to agree with them in countering Brodie.
No, you changed it into a question about the accuracy of Joseph Smith's translation, so I went in that direction with my response
BTW, The prophet Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 194).
Yes, he did. The meaning of the phrase "most correct" is not the same as that of the word "perfect" or "flawless". Also, the statement was made in the context of religious works. He wasn't comparing it with mathematics texts or dictionaries.
I honestly don't know much on the subject. I have read much of Dr. Nibley's work in relation to the Pearl of Great Price, and he was a brilliant man.
I also know a man who was a student of Dr. Nibley's at BYU, as well as a personal friend of one of his sons. He has nothing but high praise for him, as well as a few amusing stories. :-)
Many brilliant minds are at times quirky, eccentric and at odds with authority. Dr. Nibley seems to fit that description.
If you've ever visited the campus at BYU, then you know that it is a fairly conservative atmosphere. Back in the 1960s, when Nibley was on the faculty and one of the most prized faculty members for his remarkable work in linguistics, the old prof used to tool around and tell the students that it was perfectly all right for them to dress, look, and smell like the hippie trash that gathered around Berkely--he even encouraged it. This got him into hot water with the church as well as the school's administration but they could do nothing about it. He had written his rebut to Brodie a decade and a half earlier and was then pretty much of a sacred cow at BYU. He was a real kook, anti-war type but an extremely gifted scholar in ancient languages--but, it should have been expected, after all Noam Chomsky is an extremely gifted and talented linguist also (though a complete nitwit in politics and war).
IOW, he was a coward and willing to murder for fear of loss of political power. Pontius Pilate felt the same way which is probably the reason Gov. Ford compared himself to him extensively in his History of Illinois.
However, it does not make it right to murder because of political fear.
>>I dont think [Governor Ford] he had much choice
[Rameupton:IOW, he was a coward and willing to murder for fear of loss of political power. Pontius Pilate felt the same way which is probably the reason Gov. Ford compared himself to him extensively in his History of Illinois.
However, it does not make it right to murder because of political fear.]
Actually, this shows what kind of coward you are. Governor Ford is my new hero, all the Mormons in Illinois would have been slaughtered to the man woman and child had he not acted as judiciously as he did.
But dear Freepers, why trust either FastCoyote or Rameupton, why not go to the original testimony and see which of the two of us is full of IT: From Governor Ford’s memoirs:
http://solomonspalding.com/docs/frd1854c.htm#pg313
Make sure to read all of it (as I have) before spouting more ignorant baloney from the mothership.
I now have more documentation than anyone posting here, and the consensus emerging from Mormon, exMormon and anti-Mormons is that ole Joseph was a land speculator, bank ponzi artist, treasure hunter and pompous wanabe king/prophet/general. And that comes from everyone from close associates to two Governors and a number of military men. The conspiracy necessary to pull of a collected disinformation campaign becomes exceedingly unlikely.
Okay, I am prepared for the usual response (How can you believe the testimony or the Governor of the State of Illinois who was a non-Mormon?). The rule is, only Mormons are pure persecuted saints, everyone else is a liar, we know the song and dance by now so save your breath.
I haven't heard that one in awhile. :)
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