As always, Reaganaut & Szonian, you make some good points.
I'll take your advice & not post future threads re: this campaign.
Beyond the campaign, tho, it's worthwhile having a discussion how ex-Mormons and Christians deal with...
...both the plagiarized word-for-word KJV chapters imported in the BoM as well as plagiarized phrases lifted from the KJV;
...and then thirdly, what do we do with ANY common-ground theological statements?
If we were to draw this on a continuum, I see it as:
Many ex-Mormons' position would be similar to yours, which I might take liberty by using this analogy: "Hey, even if that plate looks like any other plate, why would you serve up anybody food on that knowing both its source and the fact that it's been 'dishwashed' with sewer water?"
(This is a pretty tough argument to try to oppose)
Certainly in this way, I didn't think through the verses Paul deals with a similar matter -- eating meat sacrificed to idols. I should have at least drawn a parallel from 1 Cor. 10:25-33 before posting:
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Certainly I am thankful that God's word is not chained or bound (what Paul said of the Gospel to Timothy), but I should have realized the objections it would raise. Still, this matter also goes beyond the Book of Mormon, as Muhammad lifted many phrases from the Bible -- and I certainly don't sanction the Koran.
On the other side of the continuum is the phrase, "All truth is God's truth." This position assumes...
...that no matter what source is trying to distort God's truth, it was His before the usurpers came along...therefore, we honor the Original Dispenser -- not its secondary capitalizers;
...and, that at least from jumpstarting dialogue, we recognize common-ground beliefs.
Certainly dangers exist with this last position:
(1) Do we inadvertently wind up sanctioning poison-well sources?
(2) Do we fail to recognize one of the points brought out in the Hollywood movie, The Book of Eli?
For those of you who haven't seen that movie, one character is desperate to get a complete Bible -- and fully for lack of noble purposes.
He believes the way to deal with social anarchy is to "control the masses" via becoming the chokepoint for no doubt what could be a "filtered" presentation of the Bible to serve that leader's ambitious purposes.
Therefore, were this leader to gain control of a Bible for self-serving purposes, he would have no doubt suppressed a good chunk of it while probably releasing his "reader's digest" version of it.
The parallels with Smith would then be striking:
Smith carefully chose which chapters and phrases from the Bible he wanted to import to give the BoM an air of authenticity;
He suppressed most of it;
He used it for ignoble purposes -- to establish himself as a religious leader and then glorify himself...Even Brigham Young in D&C 136:6 says that Smith & his brother "lived for glory."
Etc.
Anyway, Reaganaut & Szonian: It's obviously I offended each of you, and I'm sorry. I should have thought through how highlighting this campaign effects ex-Mormons). And I should have thought through its implications. It doesn't mean that this whole issue (my I mentioned in the third graph I wrote above) should not be discussed -- re: advantages, disadvantages, and what the Lord would have us do.
And I suggest people read Texson66's Galatians 1 admonition to me. We need to ask the question, "By highlighting even a smidgen of a false gospel -- even when that portion might be in agreement with the Bible, do we advertently promote it?"
I think there is a corollary between this campaign and Paul speaking to the people of Athens about their unknown God.
Paul did not infer that he agreed with the Athenians and their worship of their pagan God ....
22”Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious[3].
23”For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
—Acts 17:22-17:31, KJV
Good post, but I’m not offended by the original posting. Although the premise or understanding of the citation is what is being discussed, for me, it’s the source.
I am not in a position yet to fully understand the point being made in the original. So, as an apostate, I’m extremely wary of any comparisons being made between Christianity and mormonism. Especially any that may appear to give sanction to mormonism. My position is to flat out reject them in order to prevent confusion.
Gotta remember, mormonism is the only religion that I’ve practiced, so my theological background and understandings of Christianity are lacking.
No offense given, none taken.