Single Word Change in Book of Mormon Speaks Volumes

Salt Lake Tribune ^ | November 8, 2007 | Peggy Fletcher Stack

[Colofornian]

The LDS Church has changed a single word in its introduction to the Book of Mormon, a change observers say has serious implications for commonly held LDS beliefs about the ancestry of American Indians.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe founder Joseph Smith unearthed a set of gold plates from a hill in upperstate New York in 1827 and translated the ancient text into English. The account, known as The Book of Mormon, tells the story of two Israelite civilizations living in the New World. One derived from a single family who fled from Jerusalem in 600 B.C. and eventually splintered into two groups, known as the Nephites and Lamanites.

The book's current introduction, added by the late LDS apostle, Bruce R. McConkie in 1981, includes this statement: "After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians."

The new version, seen first in Doubleday's revised edition, reads, "After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians."

LDS leaders instructed Doubleday to make the change, said senior editor Andrew Corbin, so it "would be in accordance with future editions the church is printing."

The change "takes into account details of Book of Mormon demography which are not known," LDS spokesman Mark Tuttle said Wednesday.

It also steps into the middle of a raging debate about the book's historical claims.

Many Mormons, including several church presidents, have taught that the Americas were largely inhabited by Book of Mormon peoples. In 1971, Church President Spencer W. Kimball said that Lehi, the family patriarch, was "the ancestor of all of the Indian and Mestizo tribes in North and South and Central America and in the islands of the sea."

After testing the DNA of more than 12,000 Indians, though, most researchers have concluded that the continent's early inhabitants came from Asia across the Bering Strait.

With this change, the LDS Church is "conceding that mainstream scientific theories about the colonization of the Americas have significant elements of truth in them," said Simon Southerton, a former Mormon and author of Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA and the Mormon Church.

"DNA has revealed very clearly how closely related American Indians are to their Siberian ancestors, " Southerton said in an e-mail from his home in Canberra, Australia. "The Lamanites are invisible, not principal ancestors."

LDS scholars, however, dispute the notion that DNA evidence eliminates the possibility of Lamanites. They call it "oversimplification" of the research.

On the church's official Web site, lds.org, it says, "Nothing in the Book of Mormon precludes migration into the Americas by peoples of Asiatic origin. The scientific issues relating to DNA, however, are numerous and complex."

Mormon researcher John M. Butler and DNA expert further argues that "careful examination and demographic analysis of the Book of Mormon record in terms of population growth and the number of people described implies that other groups were likely present in the promised land when Lehi's family arrived, and these groups may have genetically mixed with the Nephites, Lamanites, and other groups. Events related in the Book of Mormon likely took place in a limited region, leaving plenty of room for other Native American peoples to have existed."

In recent years, many LDS scholars have come to share Butler's belief in what is known as the "limited geography" theory. By this view, the Nephites and Lamanites restricted their activities to portions of Central America, which would explain their absence from the general American Indian genetics.

Kevin Barney, a Mormon lawyer and independent researcher in Chicago, welcomes the introduction's word change.

"I have always felt free to disavow the language of the [Book of Mormon's] introduction, footnotes and dictionary, which are not part of the canonical scripture," said Barney, on the board of FAIR, a Mormon apologist group. "These things can change as the scholarship progresses and our understanding enlarges. This suggests to me that someone on the church's scripture committee is paying attention to the discussion."

[Utah Binger]

Watch the personal attacks pal.

[DelphiUser]

Watch the personal attacks pal.

I'm sorry "pal", I was not aware that I had attacked you any more personally than you attacked me, please PM me and tell me where I crossed the line, and you did not.

In fact, I spoke of the ring of your testimony, and self censored the comments that came to mind as inappropriate.

P.S. Thanks for reading my post.

[Colofornian]

Mormons believe that a) We are saved by Grace, and b) we have been commanded to do all that we can do. Often this the Book of Mormon is quoted: 2 Ne. 25: 23 23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

Note, Delf--and all--that Delf doesn't give the proper "order" of the above. He lists 2 Nephi 25:23 as if it was (a) grace; and (b) "all we can do" as if that's the way 2 Nephi 25:23 plays out. But the passage reads more like (b) "all we can do"--with this teeny-tiny footnote (a)--grace.

For when does grace kick in according to 2 Nephi 25:23? Only AFTER ALL you can do.

Now, tell me. What spiritual superman exists who could ever say? "Yup, I've done all I can do. Spiritually. Physically. Emotionally (love-wise). Behavior-wise. Ethically. Morally. Characteristically. Intellectually. Yup, my sins of omission have been shut out. I've done ALL I can do. OK, God. Now, that I've done all I can do, I'm eligible. I'm worthy. Go ahead. Taser me with your grace."

Ironies abound! First of all, if my works ("all I can do" is what magnetically draws grace, then it stops being grace...grace defined is undeserved love & gift & favor.). Tell you what Delf, let's see if your Mormonism can be consistent just for one Christmas. (A direct challenge).

As you make your Christmas list this season for your loved ones, apply 2 Nephi 25:23 to it. Your standard would read as such: "My loved ones are be-graced this Christmas after all they can do." Then just sit back and silently evaluate them. Have they done ALL they can do? (If not, not even a coal for their stocking).

The other irony in all of this is that of all the passages in the Book of Mormon--and a good chunk of the BoM has either been directly lifted from the Bible or is similar in theology--is that this passage is the most antithetical of what's in the Bible [All: LDS don't get their major doctrines from either the Bible or the Book of Mormon]. 2 Nephi 25:23 is the passage from hell slipped in amidst content truth (not historical truth) so as to go undetected.

[MHGinTN]

"Could it be that obedience and faith is also as important as money to help the work progress as well as the soul progress?" ...

Could it be that you're clueless, that Ananias and Sapphira chose to LIE and were called for it? If you read the passages with a non-cult mind, you can even hear Peter's words to them regarding the LIE being the point of their SIN against the Holy Spirit's leadership. They were not ordered to sell all they had, in fact Peter even tells them 'when you held the property you sold, was it not yours to do with as YOU saw fit?' They tried to look like they were giving the full sale price to the common funds while withholding a portion for themselves, but the LIE that they had given the entire sale price was the point of condemnation. Of course, no Mormonism Apologist would comprehend that if it doesn't fit the lie the apologist wants to promote regarding commandment to give 100%! There was NEVER such a command, Mormon. But that was a typical Mormon try to fabricate a lie to be supported by scripture mischaracterized by the apologist cultish mindset.

[colorcountry]

I suppose Delph forgot this scripture:D&C section 132

4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.

6 And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.

"After all you can do," is NOT equivalent to "grace." It shows you how much Mormonism changes standard definitions of words.

[metmom]

10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

So everyone who lived before J Smith unburied and translated those golden tablets are of the church of the devil? 1800 years is a long time to let something that serious go.

[metmom]

Often this the Book of Mormon is quoted: 2 Ne. 25: 23

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

This is said to be a departure from the Bible, even though the footnotes (footnote C) goes directly to James 2:14-26

**************************************************************

It is a departure from the Bible. Works are only EVIDENCE of faith (Heb 11) not a prerequisite for entering heaven.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

and Eph 2:4- 9 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast..

Gal 2:16. ...nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Gal 3:1-11 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU ." So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

BTW, the above quote (So they can do it to others and their family has no say in the matter? That takes..... well... guts, shall we say?) was mine....

[greyfoxx39]

In your opinion, which is more disrespectful performing proxy ceremonies with the full intent and belief of helping the dead, quietly and behind closed doors, or Gathering in parking lots and sidewalks with bull horns to denigrate and desecrate families and the dead who died serving their country. Remember that both groups claim to be doing this out of belief, and that Fred Phelps' group are Baptists, and the people inside a building, being quiet are the Mormons, which is more offensive?

Glad you asked and brought up the Phelps example.

1.The Baptist Church leadership, and the millions of Baptists do NOT, in any way, approve of Phelps actions while the LDS leadership is in FULL approval, nay even COMMANDS the practice of proxy baptism:

"... mortals have to be saviors on Mount Zion, acting by proxy for the dead." (LDS "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 325)

"We know something about our progenitors, and God has taught us how to be saviors for them by being baptized for them in the flesh, that they may live according to God in the Spirit." (LDS "prophet" John Taylor, March 20,1870, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 14, 3/20/1870)

"We have a great work before us in the redemption of our dead....There are fifty thousand millions of people in the spirit world...Those persons may receive their testimony, but they cannot be baptized in the spirit world, for somebody on earth must perform this ordinance for them in the flesh before they can receive part in the first resurrection and be worthy of eternal life." (LDS "prophet" Wilford Woodruff, JoD, Vol. 22, p. 234)

“Some may feel that if they pay their tithing, attend their regular meetings and other duties, give their substance to the poor, perchance spend one, two, or more years preaching in the world, that they are absolved from further duty, but the greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the dead!” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol II, pp 42-44).

2. What Phelps does, repugnant as it is, is done OPENLY and he and his followers suffer the consequences of their actions, such as the lawsuit just recently filed against them. They do not perform their actions in secret "behind closed doors" while the relatives of the dead go uninformed.

3. The actions of the Phelps group offend millions, but directly affect a smaller number of people. The proxy baptism of the dead, IF IT WERE KNOWN has the potential of directly affecting millions if they KNEW of this practice. Jews have protested the practice of baptizing their dead, the church leaders have agreed to stop the practice, but members continued the practice as late as 2004 after a 1995 agreement by church leaders to stop.

Jewish Group: Mormons Still Baptize Dead

From the above article:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long collected names from government documents and other records worldwide for posthumous baptisms. Church members stand in to be baptized in the names of the deceased non-Mormons, a ritual the church says is required for them to reach heaven.

 

The practice is primarily intended to give salvation to the ancestors of Mormons, but many others are included, since the church believes that individuals' ability to choose a religion continues beyond the grave. Non-Mormon faiths have objected to the baptisms.

 

"It's ridiculous for people to pretend they have the key to heaven," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. "And even if they say they want to do somebody a favor ... it's not a symbol of love. It's a symbol of arrogance."

 

In 1995, the Mormon church acceded to demands by Jewish leaders that the denomination stop posthumously baptizing Jews. But Helen Radkey, a Salt Lake City researcher, said on Friday that the process still hasn't ended.

 

She said she has found posthumous baptism records for 268 Dutch Jews killed in Polish concentration camps, which she described as a "small sampling." All the death camp victims, incorrectly listed in the Mormon database as dying in "Auschwitz, Germany," were posthumously baptized well after the 1995 agreement.

 

Mormon leaders reaffirmed the 1995 pact in December 2002, after Radkey found at least 20,000 Jews in the church's International Genealogical Index. The church says proxy baptisms have been performed for nearly every one of the 400 million names in the database. "The Jews have to either accept what the Mormons are doing or take legal action," Radkey said.

 

Michel's group asked Sen. Hillary Clinton (news - web sites) to intervene in the matter and the New York Democrat met last month with Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican and LDS member, though neither side would comment on the session.

 

The church directed its members after the 1995 agreement to not include the names of unrelated persons, celebrities and non-approved groups, such as Jewish Holocaust victims, for the baptisms, according to documentation the Mormon church provided Friday to The Associated Press.

 

The church also assumes that the closest living relative of the deceased being offered for proxy baptism has consented. The pact, however, "did not guarantee that no future vicarious baptisms for deceased Jews would occur," according to church documents. In a Nov. 14, 2003, letter, church elder D. Todd Christofferson wrote Michel that the church did not agree to find and remove the names of all deceased Jews in its database of 400 million names. "That would be an impossible undertaking," Christofferson wrote.

I quoted from your post:How better can you learn of Jesus than by doing his work of bringing souls unto him? how better to help the Dead by proxy work of earthly ordinances so that, if they choose to accept the gospel the ordinances that have been done for them they can progress. How better to increase your spirituality become closer to God, than to read the scriptures while waiting, and then be instructed of God, by his servants. It truly was a wonderful evening spent with my wife, serving Jesus the way he has asked us to.

The emphasis was on your assumption that what you did was (a)somehow increasing your spirituality; (b) instructed by GOD; (c) serving Jesus the way HE has asked us to; therefore benefiting you personally...NOT on your pleasant "date".

In other words, the experience to YOU, from your description, was noteworthy because of the effect on your self-esteem and YOUR eternal glory, for "doing the work", rather than benefiting the unknown dead for whom the "work" was performed. THAT is why I remembered your post so vividly.

Are mormons doing this work to benefit the dead by giving them, what they believe to be a "second chance at salvation:"

Or are they doing it to further their OWN quest for "exaltation"?

I suggest you answer your own question: Remember that both groups claim to be doing this out of belief, and that Fred Phelps' group are Baptists, and the people inside a building, being quiet are the Mormons, which is more offensive?

[greyfoxx39]

I also have to laugh when the Church is accused of being so rich... perhaps having a lay ministry really goes along way to making the funds that are collected go toward worthwhile purposes instead of gobbled up in pastor salaries.

Like two-billion dollar malls?

[greyfoxx39]

Where are the LDS folks today??

I bet they're out trying to dig up another Christian leader to endorse Mitt now that the National Right to Life Committee is going for Fred.

[Colofornian]

So everyone who lived before J Smith unburied and translated those golden tablets are of the church of the devil? 1800 years is a long time to let something that serious go.[Metmom]

Yes, nice pick up, Metmom...And, yes, Elsie, ever on the ball as you are in citing the relevant LDS "Scripture" as you did on post #212 w/ 1 Nephi 14:10 from the Book of Mormon: 10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

Non-LDS & LDS need to really pay attention to this verse & how the LDS general authorities have interpreted it.

I can't tell you how many "not-so-apologetics oriented"--"nice"--"befriending" LDS FREEPERS who will wander thru or lurk in these posts have yet to take in the full implication of this verse.

They think, "Why are folks always pickin' on us poor LDS?" "What have we done to them?" "We never publish broadsides against other churches so why are we always the target?"

Yet they fail to comprehend the broadside that this one verse constitutes against the entire Protestant & Catholic & Orthodox churches! If the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said that they were but one church among many, I wonder what the response would be? But the LDS have never left that option open.

And so, Joseph Smith narrows it down for us: Only two churches. Smith and his followers say the LDS church is the "Church of the Lamb." All other "churches," say LDS and its general authorities, are really only one church: "the church of the devil."

You see, Protestants, Catholics & Orthodox. You really didn't comprehend that all true believing Mormons deem you as "Satanic," now did you? According to 1 Nephi 14:10, all non-LDS church members are Satan worshippers...and yes, Metmom, as you picked up, that goes back some 1500 years or so.

Jesus prophesied, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against my church." Well, according to Mormon beliefs, yes, it did prevail against his church for 1500 years.

The irony here is overall LDS "lamb" theology...the book of Revelation describes a marriage between the "Lamb, Jesus Christ" and the Bride, His Church. (Funny, I don't hear LDS talk about any such marriage...too preoccupied with alleged eternal marriages to their own spouses--and for past LDS--marriages to multiple spouses...to pay attention to those Scriptures).

All in all, that's quite a gap: The Lamb refers to the Church as His bride (and the latter-day saints find any such perspective as foreign & alien to their notions)...yet the supposed "one true" church on earth describes the Bride as Satanic.

[Old Mountain man]

I am glad you have taken the trouble to read some of the scriptures.

[Elsie]

They didn’t just live the law of tithing, a mere 10 percent, they lived a FULL 100 PERCENT, all things in common.

You seem to forget that this was NOT any 'command'!

 

 

  Acts 4:31-37
 31.  After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
 32.  All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
 33.  With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
 34.  There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
 35.  and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
 36.  Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement),
 37.  sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

 

Acts 5

 1.  Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
 2.  With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.
 3.  Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
 4.  Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
 5.  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

---

---

 

The RCC used to sell 'indulgences' so beleievers could GAIN an advantage over those who did not buy any.

 

Today, the LDS organization 'sells' EXALTION, a BETTER level than plain, ol'  Heaven 101, to those who will pay 10% of their income.

[MHGinTN]

Selah!

[Elsie]

I'm sorry "pal", I was not aware that I had attacked you any more personally than you attacked me, please PM me and tell me where I crossed the line, and you did not.

Why PRIVATE, if it was done in full view of the rest of us?

[Elsie]

I am glad you have taken the trouble to read some of the scriptures.

Me, too!

They reveal a LOT!!

[Elsie]

(And if you’re REALLY good; you can even get exaltATion!!)

[Old Mountain man]

Well, if you have come to believe that the Church is false, what possible reason could you have for demanding a “complete and honest” accounting? In other words, how is it any of your business?

I will answer for you: It is not!

[Grig]

“The question I have, and this applies to anyone who claims extra-Scriptural revelation, is why it took so long for this to be made known?”

What exactly is the ‘this’ you think took so long to be made known? We believe gospel as we teach it is what Christ and the apostles taught, but as the church fell into apostacy some things were lost and some things were changed and some things were added. We believe our church to be a restoration of original Christianity.

God didn’t just sit around and wait till 1820 to start the restoration either, he was preparing the world for it all along. The Reformation and the weakening of the power of the Vatican was part of preparing for the Restoration, the formation of the USA with it’s freedom of religion was another major building block.

Those who didn’t get a chance to accept the fullness of the gospel in their life will get that chance between death and the resurection. Even if you don’t believe there was an apostacy, the fact remains that billions upon billions of people through time (and even today) die without even hearing the gospel. By the time we get to the judgment, everybody will have had a fair chance no matter when or where they were born to make it to heaven.

[DelphiUser]

Note, Delf--and all--that Delf doesn't give the proper "order" of the above. He lists 2 Nephi 25:23 as if it was (a) grace; and (b) "all we can do" as if that's the way 2 Nephi 25:23 plays out. But the passage reads more like (b) "all we can do"--with this teeny-tiny footnote (a)--grace.

A) Don't tell me what I believe, for you don't know.
B) I gave the proper emphasis, you need both, and Grace you can't do without, works well, a quadrapelegic can make it to heaven, and has no ability to do works which is why it's an individual "all you can do" thing.

For when does grace kick in according to 2 Nephi 25:23? Only AFTER ALL you can do.

Misread the scriptures all you want, maybe that is why you are no longer a Mormon but that is not how WE read them.

Now, tell me. What spiritual superman exists who could ever say? "Yup, I've done all I can do. Spiritually. Physically. Emotionally (love-wise). Behavior-wise. Ethically. Morally. Characteristically. Intellectually. Yup, my sins of omission have been shut out. I've done ALL I can do. OK, God. Now, that I've done all I can do, I'm eligible. I'm worthy. Go ahead. Taser me with your grace."

I don't think I have ever seen a more specious post on FR.
You don't earn grace, that's the point of it being grace, Mormons believe in Grace, we also believe in works which evidently you never understood were you actually paying attention in church all those years? If so, I don't know how you "missed" so many of the central teachings of the church.

Ironies abound!

You have a gift for under statement.

First of all, if my works ("all I can do" is what magnetically draws grace, then it stops being grace...grace defined is undeserved love & gift & favor.). Tell you what Delf, let's see if your Mormonism can be consistent just for one Christmas. (A direct challenge).

I agree completely with your definition of Grace, and I agree that if you "Earn Grace" it is not and cannot be called grace.

I will happily apply the Gospel as I interpret it, not as you interpret it this Christmas, thank you.

As you make your Christmas list this season for your loved ones, apply 2 Nephi 25:23 to it. Your standard would read as such: "My loved ones are be-graced this Christmas after all they can do." Then just sit back and silently evaluate them. Have they done ALL they can do? (If not, not even a coal for their stocking).

I will judge them (if you insist) the same way I hope to be judged, they will all get presents as usual.

The other irony in all of this is that of all the passages in the Book of Mormon--and a good chunk of the BoM has either been directly lifted from the Bible or is similar in theology--

So, the places where the BOM quotes from Isaiah, are "most"? ROTFLOL! And imagine that, God is consistent in what he teaches! It must be a copy for he would never testify of Jesus twice (do you see how you sound here, at least to Mormons?)

is that this passage is the most antithetical of what's in the Bible [All: LDS don't get their major doctrines from either the Bible or the Book of Mormon]. 2 Nephi 25:23 is the passage from hell slipped in amidst content truth (not historical truth) so as to go undetected.

REally, please explain the existence of James 2: 14-36 in the Bible then. Here, I'll make it easy, here's a copy so you don't even have to go back up the thread. James 2:14-26

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Compare that with the Scripture in Question from the Book of Mormon: 2 Ne. 25: 23

23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

Please explain how James 2 is from God and 2 Ne 25 is of the devil.

This should be fun to watch.

Also, explain why such a stealth scripture is so emphasized by the church that is is used by missionaries everywhere as an explanation that we can't just have faith only (along with James 2), Next you will say we emphasize it so no one will notice that we are slipping it in "undetected".

Yes, your post is filled with irony, and that is ironic!

MHG, can you post some of your excellent popcorn pictures?