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 ...
I didn't say anything about Mormonism.
Quoting George Romney: equality of the races. What a hoot.
Is it true that the plates were lost?
They weren’t lost.
An angel took them back to heaven after they had been translated.
What is in your heart right now?
Paul the Apostle states in Galatians 1:6, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” What Paul referred to here as “another gospel” was the danger of adding human works (specifically keeping of the Jewish Law) to the finished work of Christ.
I have many families members who are mormons. It is mormonISM that I detest.
My heart is in freedom, how about yours?
(As a side note, trying to compare mormons vs Samaritans V Jesus' parables is a great example of the lack of understanding of Biblical principles and historical concepts of lds.
“Now, I fully believe you are feeling A spirit, a demonic spirit that is keeping you tied to Mormonism, not the Spirit of God.” [reganaut]
I think it’s weird that you said what you said to me. Very weird {sandy}
- - - -
That isn’t ‘wierd’ at all. It is the truth. Point blank honest. I don’t mince words, especially about things like this.
What is ‘wierd’ is that you think ‘all good feelings’ (warm fuzzies) must come from God, or be the Holy Spirit and THAT is not biblical.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit slaps us upside the head.
Um...
Apparently re-writing the Word of God is common practice for lds, it has been going on for awhile now.
I offered no opinion or statement regarding Mormonism.
My heart is in freedom, how about yours?
My heart is continually falling short of the mark. It is only through His grace that I am saved. His desire for me is to see things as He sees them and to be made perfect, just as He is perfect. And I can state with utmost certainty that my heart is nowhere near perfect.
(As a side note, trying to compare mormons vs Samaritans . . .
I wasn't comparing Mormons with Samaritans. I was comparing the prejudice of the Jews against the Samaritans with the prejudice of some posters here against the Mormons. I regret that you were unable to understand that Biblical principle.
Um what?
Someday I am going to write a vanity on why “CTR” ticks me off so much.
It would be interesting to have a mormon distinguish ‘their feelings’ between the presence of the Holy Spirit and that of an unholy spirit.
be patient, being anti-Mormon does not mean being Pro-Christian and Biblically literate.
Sandy, I would say that one of the things that Reaganaut is pointing out is to focus on what (not who -- this "spirit" is...since the BoM references this "spirit" as an "it" (2 Nephi 32:5)...and believe me, Sandy, the Holy Ghost of the Bible is not an "it!"
So not only does the BoM & its "prophet" Nephi call the Holy Ghost an "it" -- but note that this spirit is one of murder:
"And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him...And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him..." (1 Nephi 4:10, 12)
I look at that...I think of the murders by Ron and Dan Lafferty (one of them who had been active in his Lds ward in youth ministry) of their sister-in-law and her child -- and how one of them had a "personal revelation" to commit such a murder as they set up a "school of the prophets" just like what Smith set up...[All: Read Krakauer's book, Under the Banner of Heaven for details]
And I think of the Mountain Meadow Massacre...
And I think of the LeBaron murders among fundamentalist Mormons...
How often (perhaps) have these Mormon mass murderers dutifully begun a "read through the Book of Mormon" starting in January -- and quickly come upon 1 Nephi 4 right up front...where they think it's a-OK for a "spirit" to nudge them into shedding blood???!!!
Is this the "spirit" you reference and who "nudges" you, Sandy? This "Book of Mormon spirit?"
Actually my foresight into how all the Anti’s act and use the exact method you describe is the most flattery I could have received. Thank you for the ego bump.
Please look at all the “disparagement” as you put it, that someone who defends the case of Mormonism and their views receives since you want to take the “moral high-ground.”
I believe the Greatest Teacher referred to that as removing the beam from ones own eye before removing the mote from another’s.... not verbatim but the idea is intact. I am assuming that you wouldn’t put belittling others beliefs an attack, though as you don’t care but to try to link me to the liberal, socialist prophet, Saul Alinsky.
I invite you to watch the disparagement that will come at the hands of the Anti’s that gather here as Wolves around a flock waiting for opening... here it is ! Come and Get it!
I will be following up with you Mr. Highground!
Um the big MORMON in the middle of your edited verse...
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