'Tis a reason that there's almost not a week goes by that Michael Ash doesn't have to devote an apologetics piece about Book of Mormon geography and/or BoM historicity in his Deseret News column.
(Simply put: It's because (a) the sheer volume of questions coming up on the matter; and (b) the LDS general authorities, based upon what they circulated Oct. 24, 2010, don't want to have to deal with those questions directly!)
Top 2010 FR Lds threads dealing with these issues:
* The Fight Over Book of Mormon Geography [Top categorical thread of the year: 1,067 replies]
* Book of Mormon geography articles by Joseph Smith? [125 replies]
* Two points about Book of Mormon geography
* Book of Mormon geography stirring controversy
* DNA doesn't prove Book of Mormon historicity, either
* Anthropological Problems in the Book of Mormon
I must say, the more I learn about Mormonism, the more confusing it becomes. It seems to have a lot of moving parts.
I think the LDS church needs a church consultant to help them get rid of all their falsehoods. Maybe even a crack team of auditors.
Seriously. They should confess to the falsehhods and genuinely remake the lds into a Biblical church. Of course, more than a few leaders need to get born again for this to truly occur.
IBPD
Dear Ask Tommy
If we believe in free agency, then why is our church trying to buy a street in Manti in order to keep Christians from sharing their faith near the pageant grounds?
Signed Inquisitive Pesterer
Dear IP,
Because we can...
Signed Tommy
PS Make sure you send in your 10%. The mormon god needs it.
Dear Ask Tommy
Why does our church emphasize Gethsemane for the atonement rather than the cross?
Signed TBM in Sandy
Dear TBM
Blood is icky stuff...
and the violence is scary for children
Signed Tommy
Dear Ask Tommy
I need direction on the Virgin Birth. We don’t believe there was some type of physical union between Heavenly Father and Mary, do we?
Signed A member of the Twoo Church
Dear Twoo
Think about how you got here ...
Think about your parents...
The mormon god is a man like your Dad...
Signed Tommy
Dear Ask Tommy,
How do I answer my Christian friends who have been showing me this DNA video saying there is no scientific connection between Native Americans and the Lamanites talked about in the Book of Mormon?
Nephi
Dear Nephi
It is good that you asked me and not Godzilla or ejonesie
Tommy
Dear Ask Tommy
I’ve been shown some very difficult verses in the Bible about salvation, as my Christian friends say it’s possible to know that we are forgiven because it’s not based on my efforts. It seems to contradict the way I’ve been taught. How can I answer?
Signed Mike is Bountiful
Dear Mike
You have no friends outside the LDS
Do not listen to the Gentiles.
Tommy
Dear Ask Tommy
Is it true that three of the apostles have been spiritually married in the temple to second wives for eternity?
Signed What about the Proclamation ?
Dear What
Yes Isnt it wonderful.
And three is a low estamate.
Signed Tommy
Dear Ask Tommy
there must be archaeological evidence to support the Book of Mormon story, but I’m being told there’s none. Can you please direct me to these artifacts?
Wondering in Salt Lake
Dear Wondering
Youve been talking to Godzilla and ejonesie havent you ?
When is your next temple recommend interview ?
Tommy
Dear Tommy
Is it true that Joseph Smith was married to some 34 different women at the same time, 11 of whom were already married to other men and 11 who were teenagers?
Signed Astonished
Dear Astonished
Someone has lied to you.
It wasnt all at the same time.
Sometimes Joseph waited a whole week between women.
Tommy
I’d like them to answer “Who is Jesus Christ”?
What!!!??? PD’s spam links don’t answer EVERY question???
Let's ask RESTORNU!!
SHE claims to have had ALL her questions answered by MORMONism!
Why bother the leaders with questions, all you need is a good hat and a good rock.
Why bother the leaders with questions, all you need is a good hat and a good rock.
FLASH TRAFFIC INTERCEPT:
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A FAITHFUL MORMON
FREEPER AND THE HIGH PROPHET OF MORMONISM:
[STOP]
.............................................
Dearest High Prophet Thomas S. Monson,
As a faithful Mormon who is extremely worthy,
wears the garment daily, if a full-tithe-payer
(on net, not gross, of course), and is honest
in all my dealings, I am deigning to approach
You, Your-Exalted-Highness-Who-Owns-Luxury-
Shopping-Malls to ask a small question.
I realize you have so many faithful, worthy
internet plants out here who are posting our
official links that address all things. My best
friend PD faithfully posts these official
links every day, numerous times.
And I hasten to add, Your Highness, that I’ve
read his official links. Repeatedly and faithfully.
Yet I still notice that our official links never get
around to actually answering any real questions. All
out team seems to do is “address” issues.
With great humility and worthiness, I submit that
perhaps, Dear Highness, we should actually post some
materials that answer the questions people are asking.
This would be a big help to those of us who are on
the front lines of FreeRepublic, a sorid, squalid
site, filled with people who won’t vote for our leading
star, Mitt RINOmney. Plus, they pick on us and ask
questions that are too hard to answer by ourselves!!!
I’m tiring (in a worthy way) of being unable to
answer these questions and having to post links to
the official sites.
For instance, Your-Highness-Who-Speaks-for-God-as
-Our-Living-Prophet, here’s some I can’t answer...
“How can God be omnipotent (having power over all
things completely) while we believe in more than
one God? How could Gods ALL have complete power over
each other?”
“How can God be without beginning or end when we
teach He used to be a man?”
“How can we be the restoration of the Church, when
everything unique about our teaching (polytheism,
polygamy, temple rituals, etc.) never existed in the
Church?”
“Why aren’t our Temple Rituals written down in our
sacred writings? Why are they exactly like the Masonic
rituals?”
Really, your Eminent-Prophet-Highness, I grow weary
of not being able to list any:
... objective facts
... objective evidence
... objective logical argument
ANYTHING OBJECTIVE! That would support all our claims.
Do we have anything??
Oh, I still have my burning bosomatic testimony. It’s
just that, well, they (Christians!) have the Bible,
archeology, dna, history, etc. that they can point to
to support what they teach. We don’t have ANY evidence
that is objective. I am spending all day trying to
explain the whole Jewish Indian thing and overcome
the contradictory DNA evidence.
Please respond. I’ve searched through PD’s spam links
repeatedly, but our official sources don’t say anything
about that kind of thing. They’re really just feel good
pablum.
Please don’t think me unworthy, Your Prophetness. In
fact, don’t think I am not filled with feelings, but
I am not going to use my real name, just in cast you
get enraged. I’ve read our officials refuse to answer
our questions, so I am writing to you. Please have
mercy on those of us who are stuck interacting and
trying to defend the sacred Mormonic Verses.
Worthily,
Joseph Smith, VIII
...............................................
[STOP]