WHY HAS BOOK OF MORMON GONE THROUGH SO MANY CHANGES SINCE IT WAS TRANSLATED DIRECTLY FROM TABLETS?

Hebrew-translation.org ^ | Chris Solomon

[Colofornian]

Although Joseph Smith said God had pronounced the completed translation of the plates as published in 1830 correct, many changes were made in later editions. There are at least 3,913 changes, and not all of them minor or merely grammatical. The LDS Church suggests that the changes are unimportant, but actual examination does not bear this out, especially when one considers that the Golden Plates were supposedly translated letter-by-letter by the power of God (H. of C. 1, pp. 54-55). Spelling or grammatical errors are one thing, but changes in doctrine and errors in consistency and common sense are quite another.

Doctrine

1) Title page: 1830: "by Joseph Smith, Jr., author and proprietor."

Today: "translated by Joseph Smith, Jr."

2) First Book of Nephi, p. 25, 1830: "Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh."

Today: 1 Nephi 11: 18: "is the mother of the Son of God."

3) First Book of Nephi, p. 25, 1830: "behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father!"

Today: 1 Nephi 11:21: "yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!"

4) Second Book of Nephi, p. 117, 1830: "and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and delightsome people."

Today: 2 Nephi 30:6: "and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and delightsome people."

5) Book of Alma, p. 303, 1830: "yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable according to their wills."

1950: Alma 29:4: "yea, I know that he allotteth unto men according to their wills."

Today: Alma 29:4: "yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable according to their wills."

6) Book of Alma p. 315, 1830: "But behold, as the seed swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow, and then ye must needs say, That seed is good; for behold, it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow."

Today: Alma 32:30: "But behold, as the seed swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow, and then ye must needs say, That seed is good; for behold, it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow. And now behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say that I know that this is a good seed; for behold, it sprouteth and beginneth to grow."

Consistency

1) Book of Mosiah, p. 200, 1830: "on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Benjamin had a gift from God."

Today: Mosiah 21:28: "on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God."

2) Book of Mosiah, p. 214, 1830: "My soul was wrecked with eternal torment."

Today: Mosiah 27:29: "My soul was racked with eternal torment."

3) Book of Alma, p. 278, 1830: "the multitude beheld that the man had fell dead." (Also p. 310)

Today: Alma 19:24: "the multitude beheld that the man had fallen dead."

4) Book of Alma, p. 388; 1830: "For behold, Ammon had sent to their support."

Today: Alma 57:17: "For behold, Ammoron had sent to their support."

Now, was it the Lord or Joseph Smith who could not spell, keep doctrine and characters straight. And who was it that even had serious problems with grammar and logic? There are even more strange things such as the following:

1) Jacob 7:27: "and to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu." (What is a French word doing in a document supposedly written by a Hebrew in Egyptian living in America around 421 B.C.?)

2) Helaman 9:6: "when the judge had been murdered, he being stabbed by his brother by a garb of secrecy" (How can one be stabbed by a garb (garment)?)

3) Alma 13: 1: "my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children." (How can you ‘cite’ someone’s mind ‘forward’ to something that happened in the past?)

4) Alma 24:19: "they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war for peace." (What is a ‘weapon of peace’, and can it be the same as a weapon of war?)

5) Alma 43:38: "they being shielded from the more vital parts of the body." (How does one shield oneself from the vital parts of one’s own body?)

6) Ether 15:31: "And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his hands and fell; and after that he struggled for breath, he died." (Impossible)

The sad thing is even after so many revisions it’s still chock full of inconsistencies and anachronisms.

[piusv]

Oh stop your crap Elsie. I am not “helping out Mormonism”. What I am doing is making sure that what I’m reading is accurate. Even when I disagree with a religion, I’m not willing to jump on the bandwagon if I know I’m dealing with the truth.

[piusv]

edit to previous post: change *if* to *unless*.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “WHY HAS BOOK OF MORMON GONE THROUGH SO MANY CHANGES SINCE IT WAS TRANSLATED DIRECTLY FROM TABLETS?” <<

.
They subscribed to a “tablet update” service?

[piusv]

Yes, I saw that in the OP. I guess what I’m wondering is if anyone has actually checked to see that these doctrinal changes really did happen. If they did, then I’m with ya. Just because someone (the OP) says to me that the 1830 version said this and the current version now says this doesn’t mean I’m going to believe them right off. Granted, it is easy for me to lean towards believing the OP because I think Mormonism is a farce, but if I’m honest I know I really don’t know that these changes happened.

[ejonesie22]

If you are ever bored enough or curious enough (it can be a toss up) look at Mormon history even from their own sources. The “prophecies” alone are interesting and strangely enough quite timely when a change is needed...

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

“Yes, I saw that in the OP. I guess what I’m wondering is if anyone has actually checked to see that these doctrinal changes really did happen. “

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That was a different link. And, yes, they did happen. I’ve compared the 1830 Edition of BOM to the modern version as well.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

“I worry more about pharisaical Christians!!!!”

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IOW, you worry more about Christians doing their duty. They can’t be accused of being Pharisees, since usually Pharisees are ineffectual, and considering the people who have come out of the LDS thanks to these kinds of threads, no one here is ineffectual... well, except for you, since you’re more worried about what the Christians are doing than what you should be doing.

[AD from SpringBay]

The iPad, Kindle, Nook, and the many android-based devices have all gone through multiple changes. Just last night, my ASUS MeMO downloaded an upgrade. Doesn't it make sense that the Book of Mormon would change through the years?

[SZonian]

On page 538 of the first edition we read as follows:

“Condemn me not because of mine imperfection; neither my father, because of his imperfection; neither them which have written before him, but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than that which we have been.

“And now behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge in the characters, which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech. And if our plates had been sufficiently large, we should have written in the Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in the Hebrew, behold, ye would have had none imperfection in our record. But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.” [Mormon 9:31-34]

That the “author” of this passage states they wrote the book in “reformed Egyptian” and even begged “forgiveness” for the potential “errors” didn’t think to “write” in their native Hebrew doesn’t strike any as just a bit odd?

Where can I, or anyone else for that matter find any reference to this “reformed Egyptian” spoken of in the BoM? Once it has been established that “reformed Egyptian” is a legitimate language, then I guess we could debate about the rest.

I would also be curious to know why a group of people raised and “schooled” in Hebrew would deign to “alter” it.

The “inconsistencies” are just too conveniently excused away.

[Elsie]

For the same reason the Christian Bible has changed throughout history. Somebody different edited it.

Keep reading; you're only up to #1.

[Alex Murphy]

Where can I, or anyone else for that matter find any reference to this “reformed Egyptian” spoken of in the BoM? Once it has been established that “reformed Egyptian” is a legitimate language, then I guess we could debate about the rest.

In Post 57, above.

[Elsie]

Anyone wanna go to Guyana?

How about to some COMET??

But; the BEST bargain of all: Braco!

For only $8 he’ll gaze in your general direction!

[Elsie]

Oh stop your crap Elsie.

Sorry; but whenever I see questions in a response; I can't help but think of the FIRST question:

"Did GOD really say..."

[Elsie]

Ok...

that makes a bit more sense... ;^)

[Elsie]

Planned Obsolescence?

[Elsie]

Just because someone (the OP) says to me that the 1830 version said this and the current version now says this doesn’t mean I’m going to believe them right off.

Good!

Way too many people will accept what they read as gospel and do NO checking.

(Did you know that the bank manager in Kenya is sending me $175,000?)

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I like to post the ACTUAL data from MORMON sources for folks to look at themselves.

If they STILL cling to what they've been 'taught'; tain't my problem any more.

[Elsie]

Doesn't it make sense that the Book of Mormon would change through the years?

This might be an acceptable question; IF the Golden Plates© were actually used as a base to make changes from.

[Elsie]

IF the Golden Plates© were actually used as a base to make changes from.

WAIT!!!

The GP's weren't used to 'translate' it the FIRST time, so I guess you are on to something here!

[SZonian]

How did I miss THAT!!??

Awesome!

[Elsie]

“And now behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge in the characters, which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech. And if our plates had been sufficiently large, we should have written in the Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in the Hebrew, behold, ye would have had none imperfection in our record. But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.” [Mormon 9:31-34]

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The "Caractors" are the only tangible evidence in existence related to Smith's story.

No gold plates, no brass plates, no peep stones, no Urim and Thummim...

only these "Caractors," not a single one of which is in the purported languages.

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Smith's translation of the Caractors. According to Martin Harris (Joseph Smith - History, 1:64), "I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated,* and he said they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters."

Speak right up now in all truthfulness. Isn't it revealing how Smith started out making a stab at creating believable "caractors" but quckly gave up and produced nothing but squiggles, ending up wih a series of nothing more than crude little scribbles? Yet Professor Anthon supposedly translated them!

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*Harris must have had two or three pieces of paper with him—one with characters and a translation of them (on the same paper or a separate one) and one with untranslated characters—quite likely the "Caractors." Some Mormon "scholars" have gone out on a limb, sawed it off, and knocked themselves out trying to translate from these true Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic characters a segment that would correspond with a verse from 1 Nephi.

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Modern-day experts in Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic. In 1829, any knowledge of these languages possessed by U.S. scholars would have been rudimentary at best. Expertise in them has vastly improved since then. So go ahead, do it. Get any modern expert in these languages to identify which of these "Caractors" are Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac and Arabic. Better still, accept the claim of Mormon apologists that Anthon did indeed so testify and that his appraisal of the Caractors was correct. (Op. cit, pp. 73-75)

Save your money! Samples of Assyriac/Aramaic and Arabic writing:

 

What say you? Which of Smith's "Caractors" resemble the Assyriac and Arabic ones? No need to pay experts for their analysis. A child could accurately check this out. These writing systems have remained constant for well over 3000 years.