From the QUEEN of the ad hominem!
Posted on 01/08/2008 4:09:13 PM PST by tantiboh
Mitt Romney is facing an unexpected challenge in Iowa from rival Mike Huckabee, who has enjoyed a groundswell of support from religious voters, particularly evangelical Christians wary of the clean-cut former Massachusetts governor because of his Mormon religion.
The common worry among evangelicals is that if Romney were to capture the White House, his presidency would give legitimacy to a religion they believe is a cult. Since the LDS church places heavy emphasis on proselytizing -- there are 53,000 LDS missionaries worldwide -- many mainstream Christians are afraid that Mormon recruiting efforts would increase and that LDS membership rolls would swell.
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THE ONLY PROBLEM with those fears is that they don't add up. Evangelicals may be surprised to learn that the growth of church membership in Massachusetts slowed substantially during Romney's tenure as governor. In fact, one could make the absurdly simplistic argument that Romney was bad for Mormonism.
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ONE WAY TO GAUGE what might happen under a President Romney would be to look at what happened during the period of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Held in Salt Lake City, they were dubbed the "Mormon Olympics."
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Despite all the increased attention, worldwide the Church grew only slightly, and in fact in the year leading up to the games the total number of congregations fell. Overall, from 2000 to 2004, there was a 10.9 percent increase in memberships and a 3.6 percent increase in congregations.
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The LDS church is likely to continue its current modest-but-impressive growth whether or not Romney wins the White House. Perhaps the only real worry for evangelicals is that, if elected, the former Massachusetts governor will demonstrate to Americans that Mormons don't have horns.
Carrie Sheffield, a member of the LDS Church, is a writer living in Washington, D.C.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
This 'true fact' will come back to bite you.
Me too; but I'd like to be 'touched' by some evidence as well.
Can you tell me; theologically speaking, of course; just what the phrase "...and so forth." means that is found in your AoF twice?
Sounds like you're pretty intolerant of that, Fred, which, in turn, (if you're right), would grant you tread eligibility!
(Hey, I was only trying to match chirp for chirp):
Your incessant pestering of MHG:
I’m hearing crickets chirping. (#1351)
I'm still hearing crickets. Care to respond with some substance? (#1374)
Chirp...chirp...chirp. (#1376)
Chirp....chirp....chirp (#1381)
Just respond. I’m getting tired of hearing these crickets. Are you in opposition to this article of the consitution or not. Real easy. (By the way I did listen, pretty nice) (#1386)
You're big on spiritual things. Take into consideration the spirit in which the article was written. (#1392)
Why, I recognize beggin' for a proper education when I see it. I recognize a chick yappin' for its momma, beak wide open, when I see it.
Delphi I really appreciated your SA, the description of what has been taking place by those who lack discipline in the art of diologue and whom just want to throw anything out there, thinking it will chase away things that are uncomfortable to them.
Is there any who are capable of a civilized discourse?
Oh, please. You’ve been given plenty of “evidence.” The Book of Mormon is its own evidence. I write for a living. I know how much time it takes, how much research, and how much rewriting, to write a 50 page appellate brief that hangs together. The Book of Mormon could not have been written as it was — dictated in one draft over a period of about two months — by an uneducated farmer in his early 20’s who could not, as his wife said, write a decent letter. It is dense with meaning, internally consistent, and consistent with the Bible. It contains sophisticated doctrine and Hebrew literary devices that were unknown even to the learned at the time.
You're simply NOT getting into the spirit of the framers!
Listen, most of them, either directly, or by second or third generation, had come from Europe where...
(a) ...there existed a bottleneck as to authority--namely royalty...the party system was a "one-party" system--the royal family!
(b) ...some of them had been persecuted or oppressed religiously.
So, in framing the Constitution...
(a)...the framers wanted to do cartwheels to make sure that their choices for public office was not determined by anything resembling a monarchy solo ticket;
(b)...Secondly, whereas new expressions of the Christian faith in Europe made some folks targets of persecution and oppression by governments, they wanted to ensure that the same disqualification system wasn't transported across the seas. They were taking direct aim at governmental usurpation of a citizen's right to run for public office.
To somehow conclude that they were taking only direct aim at every voter to send them a message that they MUST vote (every time) for every religious minority under the sun sets liberty on its ear!
It is if you are legitimizing a church that claims to be mainstream Christian and really is not Christian.
What are you afraid of wmfights, you think so little of Jesus after all he has been through this some how will diminish what?
There are several here most of the time I do not talk too because it is like a broken record and full of pop culture and flipped remarks.
Things of the God rise about so much of this and should not be mixed in with irreverent banter.
PS I realize ya'll can object on a technicality that the article doesn't pertain in this instance but please note the spirit in which the article of the constitution was written and then curl up on your beds in the fetal position sucking your collective thumbs.
Thanx for the ping. I guess I would expect that from the most uncharitable Christian I've ever seen on these threads. Back to the fetal position with you. lol.
Things of the God rise about so much of this and should not be mixed in with irreverent banter.
Ya but its their ministry. God is using them to "hate" you back into the proper kingdom dontcha know. Kinda like the Holy Spirit's hitmen.
From the QUEEN of the ad hominem!
The Focus Action Web site, citizenlink.org, averages about 250,000 visits a month, and is the political arm of James Dobson's Focus on the Family based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Dobson draws a radio audience in the millions and candidates compete for his support. But he has only made one endorsement in a presidential race, in 2004, backing George W. Bush.
Romney is treated favorably in the videos, compared with fellow Republican contenders John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council in Washington, which is also linked to Dobson's ministry, calls Romney's positions "solidly conservative across the board."
Minnery argues that the media has been unfair to Romney, then says, "Mitt Romney has acknowledged that Mormonism is not a Christian faith and I appreciate his acknowledging that. He said, 'But on the social issues, we are so similar,' and that is true.'"
Minnery based his interpretation on the section of Romney's December speech in which the former governor professes "that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind," then acknowledges that religions differ on their beliefs about Christ and "each religion has its own unique doctrines."
Mormons feel maligned by claims that they aren't Christian. The scriptures of Latter-day Saints include the Old and New Testament, but also include sacred books that contain the revelations of their 19th century founder Joseph Smith.
The church said in a statement Friday that "all of our dreams and future aspirations are centered in our belief in Jesus Christ."
...I am hearing a voice from Endor!
We need to remember outer darkness has little to none of the spirit of the Lord in them so they must resort to pop Culture etc.
Oh, come on. Mohammed was illiterate.
It is dense with meaning, internally consistent, and consistent with the Bible. It contains sophisticated doctrine and Hebrew literary devices that were unknown even to the learned at the time.
A BIOLOGIST LOOKS AT THE BOOK OF MORMON by Dr. Thomas Key (http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/biologist_looks.htm)
I have thoroughly enjoyed my LDS friends. It is refreshing to be around people who live their convictions. So, it is not with malice, but with deep love and respect that I point out a few of the numerous scientific problems in the Book of Mormon.
LANGUAGE PROBLEMS 1 Nephi 1:2 and Mosiah 1:4 assert that the native language of the Hebrews in 600-91 BC was Egyptian. Mormon 9:32 differs in saying that it was Reformed Egyptian around 400 AD. However, it is well established that in 600 BC the Hebrews spoke Hebrew. As a result of the Babylonian Captivity (560-538 BC) Hebrew was reduced to the language of the scribes, priests and rabbis. Aramaic became the language of the Hebrews. Then, in 70 AD, Titus forced the Hebrews out of Palestine, and they acquired the languages of the nations to which they were scattered. The Hebrews had not spoken Egyptian since Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt many centuries earlier.
In consulting with professors of Semitic languages at the University of California and elsewhere, I could find no evidence of the existence of "Reformed Egyptian", nor for the claim that the following words are Egyptian or Semitic at all: Shazar (1 Nephi 16:13-14), Irreantum (1 Nephi 17:5), deseret (for "bee' in Ether 2:3), Liahona (Alma 37:38), or other names that are unique to the Book of Mormon.
GEOGRAPHICAL PROBLEMS 2 Nephi 5:15:16 is self-contradictory about the presence of minerals.
1 Nephi 17:5 is a description of Arabia which is "called Bountiful because of its much fruit and also wild honey." Arabia is bountiful in sunshine, petroleum, sand, heat and fresh air, but certainly not in "much fruit and also wild honey", nor has it been since creation times. 1 Nephi 18:1 indicates that the Jews made a ship from ample timber of Arabia. The same objection above applies here.
1 Nephi 2:6-9 speaks of an Arabian river named Laman that flows continually into the Red Sea! There has been no river whatever in Arabia in recorded history!
The numerous descriptions of the Nephite's new land cannot be correlated with any distinct geographic features of Meso-America such as lakes or rivers.
BOTANICAL PROBLEMS In 1 Nephi 18:24 (591 BC) we read that upon arrival, the Nephi and his followers planted the numerous seeds they had brought, and that the seeds "did grow exceedingly, wherefore we were blessed in abundance."
As is well known, the dominant crops of the Near East were grapes, olives, wheat, barley, figs, dates, flax, onions, leeks, garlic, beans, pomegranates, and sycamore figs, certain melons, various oranges, lemons and peaches. American crops such as potatoes, tobacco, blueberries, cranberries, eggplants and maize (our "corn") were unknown in the Old World until modern times.
There is no evidence whatever that the Near Eastern crops ever "did grow exceedingly ... in abundance" until modern Europeans brought them to the Americas. Admittedly, while modern European colonists did find grapes in the Americas, they are an entirely distinct species from that of the Old World.
OTHER PROBLEMS are when 3 Nephi 18:18 speaks of wheat in the Americas in 34 AD. 1 Nephi 13:7, Alma 1:29, and 4:6, Helaman 6:13 and Ether 10:4 speak of linen (flax cloth). Barley is mentioned in Mosiah 9:9, figs in 3 Nephi 14:16 and olives in Jacob 5, 1 Nephi l7: 14, 15:7-16. None of these existed here at that time. "Neas" and "sheum" are mentioned in Mosiah 9:9 as two prominent and abundant plants. Yet, if they were so prominent and important, why are there no references to them in Old World literature, and why have they not survived?
Plant grafting is mentioned in 1 Nephi 15:16 and Jacob 5, yet there is no evidence that the Indians practiced this in 600 BC - 421 AD. Pruning is mentioned in 2 Nephi 15:6 and faces a similar problem. To describe seed and plant growth as "swelling" (Alma 32:28-34 and 33:23) is naive and grossly inaccurate. It reflects the error of preformationism (a discredited scientific hypothesis which held that the entire totality of the mature organism is contained in miniature in the seed).
ZOOLOGICAL PROBLEMS Contrary to what 1 Nephi 18:25 asserts, North America had no cows, oxen, asses, horses or goats "for the use of man" between 600 BC and the time European colonists brought them.
2 Nephi 21:6-8 plagiarizes the KJV of Isaiah 11:6-8 and applies it to North America (see also 2 Nephi 30:12-14). But North America had no sheep, lions, leopards, or the two snakes (asps and cockatrices) mentioned at that time.
Ether 2:2-3 and 5:4 explain that Jared and his family captured the birds, fish and bees, and gathered seeds with which they populated North America. But American birds and fish are distinctly different from Old World species. Honeybees were first introduced by Europeans. Ether 6:1 claims that Jared and his small family kept alive all of the species of fish that now inhabit the Americas for 344 days in their aquaria!
Ether 9:18-19 contains several problems: First, it lists domestic cattle, oxen and cows as separate species! Second, these did not exist in the Americas at that time. Third, domestic swine did not exist here then. Fourth, horses, asses and elephants did not exist in America at that time. Prehistoric forms became extinct centuries earlier and were not "useful to man." Fifth, "cureloms" and "cumons!' are not identified by LIDS scholars. Yet, it would be most unlikely for such supposedly useful and common domestic animals to go extinct.
There are serious problems in the description of the behavior of poisonous snakes, etc. in Ether 9:30-34: First, the notion that snakes increase as a drought increases is contradicted by the fact that reptiles are particularly sensitive to heat and lack of water, and would die off faster than other animals. Second, even with the large population of modern America, only about twenty people die yearly by snakebite. It is certainly not realistic for Ether to claim that numerous people and animals were exterminated by snakes. Third, it is totally unlike sheep for all of them to flee in one direction. Fourth, it would not be realistic for sheep to be driven to the south by poisonous snakes, as there are many fewer snakes in the north. Fifth, snakes have never cooperated with one another in driving animals in any direction. Sixth, it would have been impossible for people to have eaten in such few days the countless animals that had been killed by the snakes. Seventh, Ether 10:21ff tells us that the land was densely covered with people, while Ether 10: 19 says that "the land was covered with animals of the forests." Ether 10:12 speaks of raising much grain. All of this simply does not square with the idea of an epidemic of poisonous snakes. People, farming, and predatory animals will not allow snakes to become numerous.
Satyrs (2 Nephi 23:21) and dragons (2 Nephi 23:22,8:9) are mentioned as literal creatures. Chickens (3 Nephi 10:4-6) and dogs (Alma 16:10, Mosiah 12:2, and 3 Nephi 7:8) were non-existent here at the time. In 3 Nephi 20:16 and 21:12, lions are described as 'beasts of the forests." Contrary to popular opinion and the Book of Mormon, lions do not live in forests or jungles. They live in savannas and veldts (few scattered trees) and lions never inhabited the Americas.
Silk is erroneously mentioned as being produced in the Americas at that time (1 Nephi 13:7, Alma 4:6 and Ether 9:1 7 and 10:24). But silkworm moths had not yet been introduced from Asia. Clothes moths are mentioned in 3 Nephi 13:19-20 and 27:32, yet there were no woolen garments for moths to attack, as sheep had not yet been introduced. Needless to say, clothes moths had not yet been introduced to North America.
2 Nephi 17:15 lists two foods at that time; butter and honey. But Indians had no milk animals nor honeybees. Candies are made either of beeswax, beef tallow or paraffin, so that a reference to candies in 3 Nephi 8:21 is unacceptable.
MICRO-BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS Alma 46:40 attributes "the cause of disease to ... the nature of the climate," instead of to fifth, poor diet, or germs. Alma 16:1 tells us that the stench of those killed in one battle was so strong that "the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years ... and their lands remained desolate." Action of bacteria, fungi, worms, insects, vultures etc., would require no more than a few weeks at the very most to disposes of these carcasses and their odors-not "many years!" 3 Nephi 17:7 mentions leprosy in 34 AD, yet the first known case in the Americas was in 1758.
PHYSIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS Ether 15:30:31 says that Shiz was beheaded and that "Shiz raised upon his hands and fell, and after that he had struggled for breath, he died." Obviously, without the brain to control the arms, legs, and breathing, all of this was totally impossible. Ether 14:2 specifically says that "every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand," and yet a distinct minority of Indians, and people in general, for that matter, are left-handed. Alma 57:25 asserts that all in an army of 2,060 received many wounds, yet none died.
The implied reproduction rate in the Book of Mormon is astronomical! The story starts in 600 BC and ends in 421 AD. It involves a handful of people who travel from "the land of Jerusalem" [sic] to the Promised Land of America. Every four or five years or so there are devastating wars that kill many thousands of people (Alma 28:2, etc.), or as Ether 15:2 says, "nearly two millions of mighty men" in addition to their wives and children. For this to be so, it would be necessary for each couple to have scores of children, and for them to reach maturity in three or so years throughout the supposed period between 600 BC and 421 AD.
The description of the resurrection body in Alma 40:23 is astounding to say the least. It says that nothing shall be lost, not even a hair. In light of the fact that we shed a few score body and head hairs every week, and we "decommission" countless blood, skin, and other cells weekly, it is unrealistic to assert that all of these lost parts will be restored to us.
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROBLEMS Ether 2:20 says that the Lord instructed Jared to make a hole in the top and one "in the bottom" of each barge. What was the hole "in the bottom" for-to let water and wastes out? Ether 2:23 explains that if windows were put in the barges, the barges would be dashed to pieces.
In describing Christ's crucifixion, 3 Nephi 8:20-23 says that the darkness was so great for three days that candles and torches could not give off light. Why not?
Alma 24:16 speaks of burying swords in the earth to keep them bright. On the contrary, this would speed their rusting. Even stainless steel would rust eventually under those conditions. Steel was unknown in the Americas prior to its being introduced by the Europeans, contrary to 1 Nephi 4:9; 16:18; 2 Nephi 5:15; Ether 7:9.
TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS It is erroneous for a book supposedly written in North America at that time to mention bellows (1 Nephi 17:11), fine steel bow, (1 Nephi 16:18) swords (2 Nephi 1:1 8, etc.), scimitars (Alma 2:12), sackcloth (2 Nephi 13:24, carts (2 Nephi 15:18,28) chariots (Alma 18:12; 20:6; 3 Nephi 21:14), numerous large buildings (Ether 10:5, etc.), many highways (Helaman 14:24), cement (Helaman 3:7-9), forts (Alma 48:8), a javelin (Alma 51:34), bushel (3 Nephi 12:15), breastplates (Mosiah 8:10), head plate and armor for the loins (Alma 46:13), compass (Alma 37:38, 44), spindles and spinning (Alma 37:40), sickles (Alma 26:5), yoke (1 Nephi 13:5), strong cords (Alma 26:29) a trumpet (3 Nephi 13:2), street corners (3 Nephi 13:5), chains (2 Nephi 1: 13, etc.), hoe (Ether 10:25), harp, tabret and viol (2 Nephi 15:12), plow (Ether 10:25), fuller's soap (3 Nephi 24:2), barns (3 Nephi 13:26) and candles (3 Nephi 8:21).
ANTHROPOLOGICAL PROBLEMS The Book of Mormon was supposedly written during the period in question, but there is no evidence that the Indians had anything other than simply pictorial writing at that time. They wrote no books. It is not appropriate to find references to many official records (Helaman 3:15), jot and tittle (3 Nephi 12:18), scrolls (Mormon 5:23, 9:2) and Alpha and Omega (3 Nephi 9:18); especially since Joseph Smith declared that there was no Greek in the Book of Mormon!
OTHER CULTURAL PROBLEMS include references to mammon (a Greek god of wealth3 Nephi 13:24), lawyers and judges (Alma 10: 14-15 and 3 Nephi 6: 1), acre (an Anglo-Saxon word-2 Nephi 15:10), "south-southeast direction" (1 Nephi 16:13), synagogues (a Greek word not in use until during and after the Babylonian exile in 586 BC, twenty years too late to be in the Nephite writings-3 Nephi 24:2), Gentiles (a term also unknown until after 538 BC- 1 Nephi 13:19), etc...
The Book of Mormon divides humanity into "black and white" and "Jew and Gentile" -most unrealistic for the Americas at the time-especially since the term "Jew" was never used of the Israelite people until after the Babylonian captivity (cf. Ezra 4:12 in the Old Testament, c.538 BC) about 63 years after Lehi's family hopped the boat to the New World. The Mongoloid race is totally ignored, even though there were no black people in America until the coming of the European slave trade and the Indian people are Mongoloid!
The Book of Mormon teaches that Indians originated from Hebrew settlers in the Americas that wandered away from the Lord. 1 Nephi 12:11 says that as they wandered away in unbelief, "they became a dark, loathsome and filthy people." 1 Nephi 13:15 praises future Americans as being "white, exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain." But Palestinian Semites do not have pale skin like the Anglo-Saxon settlers of America. 1 Nephi 5:21, Jacob 3:3-9, and Mormon 5:15-17 say that God cursed the Indians with a dark skin. 2 Nephi 5:23 and Alma 3:6-10 say that anyone who marries an Indian "shall be cursed with the same cursing." If this were true, why do people who are only part Indian not look full Indian?
2 Nephi 30:5-7 predicts that when Indians accept the LDS gospel that they will again become a "white and delightsome people." 3 Nephi 2:15 gives supposed examples of this. 2 Nephi 13:4 says that punishment from sin shall include "instead of well set hair, baldness," yet baldness is much more common among Caucasians. In 1981, the LDS altered the Book of Mormon to read that the Indians will become "pure and delightsome." However, in its many contexts, the Book of Mormon is highly explicit about the curse of a dark skin.
Instead of Semitic origin, Indians are distinctly Mongoloid, having straight and black hair, brown eyes, little facial or body hair among men, high cheekbones, skin pigmentation, occasional Mongoloid blue spot, certain blood traits, etc. Most of these racial traits are utterly unlike the characteristics of Semitic people, who do not possess the Mongoloid blue spot or features, and who have copious facial hair among the men and wavy head hair. Dark skin, instead of being a curse, is a protection against skin cancer. And Indians are certainly not innately more filthy, loathsome, or ugly than any other people!
OTHER PROBLEMS Numerous historical and archaeological problems exist. The first edition of the Book of Mormon contained numerous grammatical and spelling errors. There are many contradictions between the Book of Mormon and other Mormon writings. And the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible in many places. Lack of space prohibits a listing of examples of the above problems.
"Dense" literary wise? 2,000 "it came to passes" and exceeding use of the word "Exceedingly"!
And the following is ALL from another source: http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/BOM/abs/long.html
Let's review 1 Nephi, shall we?
"I make a record in the language of my father ... the language of the Egyptians." That's a strange language an Israelite around 600 BCE to write in! 1:2
It only took Nephi and his family three days to travel from Jerusalem to the Red Sea. (A distance of 250 miles) 2:6
After cutting off Laban's head, Nephi puts on Laban's clothes, and speaks to his servant "in the voice of Laban." The servant is fooled into thinking Nephi is his master. 4:19-21
Laban's servant figured Nephi was Laban and that he spoke for the church. What church? The Jews in 600 BCE didn't have churches, did they? 4:26
It must have been an exceedingly good costume! Even Nephi's brothers thought he was Laban (because he was wearing Laban's clothes). 4:28
"The plates ... I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi." Okay, I guess we'll call them the plates of Nephi. 9:2
A round brass ball "of curious workmanship" leads Lehi through the wilderness. A compass, perhaps? But compasses didn't exist in 600 BCE 16:10, 16
Nephi breaks his bow, "which was made of fine steel." But the technology for making steel did not exist in 600 BCE. 16:18
God "sent fiery flying serpents" to bite people. 17:41
In building the boat, "We did work timbers of curious workmanship." 18:1
"Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men." (In case you didn't get it the third time, Nephi didn't build the ship after the manner of men.) 18:2
Nephi says that whatever he wrote on the plates was sacred. But he admits that he might make some mistakes, just like they (the guys who wrote the bible?) did. Not that he's making any excuses, of course. 19:6
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers. 21:23
How could Nephi, supposedly writing this around 590 BCE, quote words from the book of Malachi, which was not yet written? 22:15
,b>Notice that this verse (which was supposed to have been written around 600 BCE) quotes Peter's paraphrase of Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19, rather than the Old Testament verses themselves. 22:20
And onto 2 Nephi:
Joseph Smith got a little carried away with the fruit of various loins. In a single chapter (3) he mentions "fruit of my (his or thy) loins" 21 times. Verse 12 must set an all time record for fruits of loins: 5. 3:4, 5, 6, 7(3), 11(2), 12(5), 14, 18(4), 19(2), 21
Joseph Smith makes some modest prophecies about himself. He will be a choice seer, esteemed highly, and shall do "a work of great worth." He will be great in God's eyes, like Moses, and will do God's work. He will bring forth God's word, confound false doctrines, establish peace, and bring knowledge in the latter days. All those who seek to destroy him will be confounded. He will be like God and will bring God's people to salvation. He will have exceeding faith, work mighty wonders, and do what is great in the sight of God. 3:6-24
Nephi brought along the brass plates and the magic ball (or compass) that God made with his own hands. This was about 1600 years before compasses were used in navigation. 5:12
Nephi teaches his followers to build buildings and work in iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, and silver. But evidence is lacking for such pre-Columbian metallurgy, and it would be well beyond the capabilities of a handful of immigrants from the ancient Near-East around 590 BCE. 5:15
The Nephites built a temple, like Solomon's but with not quite as many precious things. According to the bible (2 Chr.2:2), it took 150,000 men seven years to build the temple, but Nephites crew of a dozen or so men managed just fine. 5:16
"And kings shall be thy nursing fathers." 6:7
Wasn't it God that cut Rahab (the sea monster) to pieces, wounded the dragon, and dried up the sea? Yeah, it was him all right. Who else could do that? 8:9-10
The kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers. 10:9
Nephi says he's going to include some more words of Isaiah, (He's already included about 5 chapters. See 1 Ne.17:39, 20:1-22, 21:1-21; 2 Ne.6:5-7, 6:16-18, 7:1-11, 8:1-25, 9:50-51, 10:9) because his "soul delighteth in his words." So he throws in another 13 chapters or so. 11:2
"The Lord shall hiss for the fly ... and for the bee." 17:18
Isaiah has sex with a prophetess who conceives and bears a son. (You weren't expecting a daughter, were you?) God then tells Isaiah to call his name Mathershalalhashbaz. (It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) 18:3
"And the weaned child shall put his hand in the cockatrice' den." A cockatrice is a serpent, hatched from a cock's egg, that can kill with a glance. They are rare nowadays. 21:8, 30:14
Dragons will live in Babylonian palaces and satyrs will dance there. 23:21-22
Notice that Joseph Smith threw in another "and it shall came to pass" into verse 4, even though it was missing from the verse (Isaiah 14:4) he was copying from. I guess he just couldn't resist! 24:4
"Out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent." What ever happened to these fascinating biblical creatures? 24:29
Nephi's "soul delighteth in in the words of Isaiah." That's probably why he included 13 consecutive chapters from Isaiah. (2 Ne.12-24) 25:5
Joseph Smith (or Nephi) repeats the bible stories about the fiery serpents (Num. 21:6-9) and the water-bearing rock (Ex.17:6, Num.20:11). He figures that if you believe those stories, you'll believe his as well. 25:20
God will destroy (in various ways) those who "dwindle in unbelief." 26:15 God won't give good stuff to those who "dwindle in unbelief." 26:17 God will get the Gentiles to kill all those who "dwindle in unbelief." 26:19
The Book of Mormon prophesies itself! 27:6 The Book of Mormon will be sealed until God delivers it to a man. (Gosh, could that man be Joseph Smith?) 27:7-9
Another marvelous BoM prophecy: many shall say, "A Bible! We have got a Bible." And they certainly have. This is especially amazing since this prophecy was allegedly made around 550 BCE, long before either the canon or the name of the "Bible" existed. 29:3
Fools will say, "A Bible! We have got a Bible, and we need no more (damned) Bible." 29:6
Before many generations pass, Native Americans will convert to Mormonism, their skins will turn white, and they will become a "delightsome" people. 30:6
Those who reject the Book of Mormon are of the devil. 33:5 Those who believe in Christ will also believe in the Book of Mormon. 33:10
And onto Jacob:
God made the Lamanites (Native Americans) filthy and dark skinned "because of their fathers." 3_9
If writing on metal plates was so tough, then why did Nephi bother copying 22 chapters from Isaiah? 4:1
"Adieu" is a French word which did not exist at the time the book of Jacob was supposedly written (ca. 500 BCE). 7:27
And onto Mormon:
All this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon. 18:30
Mosiah translated the Jaredite plates by looking at stones in the bottom os a hat -- just like Joseph Smith did with the Book of Mormon! 28:13
A seer is someone who can translate things by looking at stones in the bottom of a hat. 28:16
And onto Alma:
The Lamanites were naked, and their skins were dark because of a curse from God. 3:5-6 God darkened the skin of the Lamanites (Native Americans) to keep them separate from the Nephites. 3:8 Whoever "mingles his seed" with the Lamanites will be cursed by God and will "bring the same curse upon his seed." (Their children will have dark skins.) 3:9 Whoever is led away by the Lamanites will have "a mark set upon him." (God will darken his skin?) 3:10 God darkened the skin of the Lamanites (Native Americans) to forever separate them from the Nephites. 3:14 Whoever "mingles his seed" with the Lamanites will be cursed by God. (They and their children will have dark skins.) 3:15
The bible is wrong about Jesus being born in Bethlehem (see Luke 2:4-7). He was (according to the Book of Mormon) born in Jerusalem. 7:10
Now the reckoning is thus -- a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a shum of gold, and a limnah of gold. A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and an onti of silver. A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold .....Now an antion of gold is equal to three shiblons. 11:5-19
Ammon, being filled with the Spirit of God, brags a bit about killing people with his sling and chopping off arms. 18:16 "Others say that he is dead and that he stinketh ... but as mor myself, to me he doth not stink." 19:5
The Lamanites that converted were called "Anti-Nephi-Lehies." Now that's a catchy name! 23:17 God's curse of the Lamanites was lifted from the "Anti-Nephi-Lehies." So did their skin became "white and delightsome" again? 23:18 The king named his son "Anti-Nephi-Lehi." 24:3
Joseph Smith used "behold" 27 times in this chapter. This may be the most "beholds" in any chapter in literature. (The most it's ever used in the King James Version is 21 in Lev.13.) 26:1
Korihor (who spoke the plain and simple truth) was the Anti-Christ. 30:12
The Nephites were all "Christians", "true believers of Christ" -- 73 or so years before Christ was born, and well over 100 years before the Bible (Acts 11:26) claims the followers of Christ were first called "Christians". 46:13-16 The Nephites were called "Christians" 70 years before Jesus was born. 48:10
"God would prosper them in the land, or in other words,...God...would prosper them in the land." 48:15
And onto Helaman:
"From the west sea [Pacific], even unto the east [Atlantic]; it being a day's journey for a Nephite." (Nephites could walk 5000 kilometers in one day.) 4:7
The only way anyone can be saved is "through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ." This statement was supposedly made in 30 BCE! 5:9
And onto 3 Nephi:
"The unbelievers" set aside a day just to kill believers. (They called it "National kill a believer day.") 1:9
God makes a repetitive and rambling speech announcing his own birth. He says that he'll be born tommorow. And that later that evening "a sign would be given." 1:12-13
God removed his curse from the "good" Lamanites (the ones that "united with the Nephites"), and they "became exceedingly fair, with skins 'white like unto the Nephites.'" 2:14-16
"And thus had the twenty and second year passed away, and the twenty and third year also, and the twenty and fourth, and the twenty and fifth; and thus had twenty and five years passed away." 5:7
When Jesus died, the inhabitants of many great cities died with him. Entire cities were sunk into the ocean, or were burned, or destroyed by earthquakes. 8:8-10, 14 When Jesus died, "the face of the whole earth became deformed." 8:17-18 For three days after Jesus died, there was absolutely no light -- not from the sun, moon, or stars, or from candles, campfires, or fireflies. 8:20-22 And it came to pass that a voice (from the sky) was heard by every human on the planet! 9:1 The sky voice makes a long speech decrying the slaughter of his "fair sons and daughters." (That would be the Nephites. The dark skinned folks are the Lamanites.) 9:2
These words ("I am the Alpha and Omega") are taken from the book of Revelation, which was not written at the time (34 CE). And they wouldn't have meant anything anyway to the Nephites since "alpha" and "omega" would have been greek to them. 9:18
All of the people again heard a disembodied voice from the sky. 10:3 "How oft have I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.... How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.... How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens.... How oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings...." 10:4-6
And they hear the voice again (for the fourth time), but again they couldn't understand it. 11:4
"And behold, the third time" (or the fifth?) they heard the voice. But this time they undersood! 11:5
After they were blessed by Jesus, the disciples became whiter than anything else on earth. 19:25 The disciples were white -- as white as Jesus! 19:30
Note that "Sun" in Malachi 4:2 is changed to "Son" in the BOM. 25:2
And onto 4 Nephi:
"The thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth."
"And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed."
"The people of Nephi ... became an exceedingly fair and delightsome people." (God especially likes white people.)
"And it came to pass that the seventy and first year passed away, and also the seventy and second year, yea, and in fine, till the seventy and ninth year had passed away; yea, even an hundred years had passed away." (The 71 - 100th years passed.)
Everyone was perfectly happy. No lies were told, no murders committed, not a single envious thought or discouraging word could be found among all the people. 16-17 All was well until a few of the people revolted against the church and began to call themselves Lamanites. So there were Lamanites in the land again. 20
And onto Mormon:
"And now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak:" 7:1
Mormon wrote a letter to the Lamanite king asking him to fight a war with the Nephites at hill Cumorah (near Manchester, New York). 6:2-5 Mormon decides to write down a record on the plates of Nephi and bury them on hill Cumorah. 6:6 The Lamanites killed 230,000 Nephite soldiers in one day near hill Cumorah. 6:10-15
"If ye believe that ye will believe this also." (If you believe the Bible, you will believe anything (including the Book of Mormon). 7:9
"If there be faults [in the Book of Mormon] they be the faults of a man [Joseph Smith]." 8:17
The book of Mormon was written in "reformed Egyptian". If the plates had of been larger, Moroni would have used Hebrew and there wouldn't have been so many mistakes. (Reformed Egyptian is a really tricky language.) 9:32-33 Because nobody knows "reformed Egyptian" anymore, God arranged for Joseph Smith to translate them. 9:34
And onto Ether:
Moroni translated the 24 plates that the people of Limri had found. And although he seems to remember some stuff about Adam, the tower of Babel, etc., he decided to leave that part out since you can read all about it in the Bible. 1:2-3
Under God's instructions, the Jaredites build small, light barges to travel to the New World. 2:16 "They were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish ... and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish." (It was as tall as a tree and as tight as a dish.) 2:17
"And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood." 2:20
"Ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea." The Jaredites are plunged into "the depths of the sea", but they survive using a magic light that Jesus gives them. 2:24-25
"Ye shall write them in a language that they cannot be read." God tells the brother of Jared to write his scriptures in a language that no one can read. (Good idea!) 3:22
"These stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye shall write." God gives the brother of Jared two magic stones that will "magnify the eyes of men" so that they can read what Jared writes. 3:23-24
"And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord." (Moroni sealed up the interpreters.) 4:5
Those who disbelieve in the Book of Mormon are in an "awful state of wickedness." 4:15
"I am fair, and I will dance before him, and I will please him....I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head of my father the king." Gosh, I wonder where this came from? (Matthew 14:6-11) 8:10-12
"There came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people." 9:31
To punish the people for "their wicked combinations," God sent wars, famines, and pestilences. The resulting destruction was the greatest ever seen on the face of the earth -- greater than the flood of Noah, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or World War II. Yet there is no evidence for any of this today. 11:7
"And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things..." Don't you just love the way people talk in the Book of Mormon? 12:6
"When God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight of the brother of Jared." 12:20
"The Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing." 12:23-25
The brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove -- and it was removed." 12:30
"The brother of Shared...received great strength to his army because of secret combinations." 14:8
"One of the secret combinations murdered him in a secret pass." 14:10
"And the scent thereof went forth upon the face of the land, even upon all the face of the land; wherefore the people became troubled by day and by night, because of the scent thereof." (All that to say, "It stank!") 14:23
"There had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children." Millions of people were "slain by the sword", yet no swords have ever been found from pre-Columbian America. 15:2
Millions of Jaredites kill each other in battle, leaving only their two leaders alive: Coriantumr and Shiz. Coriantur cuts of the head of Shiz (with his non-existent sword, of course) and then dies. Don't you just love a happy ending? 15:30-32
("I was technically wrong...and realize you could object on the basis that I was technically wrong...but what does that matter if I make false claims?..as long as I can get my free ad hominent shots in."
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