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TODAY'S THEME
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The Prophet Joseph Smith -by Alvin Gittins
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In my very first post of this blog, I told you of someone I called, "a so-called, scholar." I called him such because I considered it quite unschooled for him to say that "every time I read from the Book of Mormon I see evidence in its pages of the rough frontier nature of Joseph Smith." Of course in saying that, he was implying that the basically uneducated Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, by himself, out of his own very limited knowledge instead of translating it from an ancient record as he actually had done.
I also told you in my very first blog post how this same man went on to describe this Book of Books as "flawed literature." I suggested then that he must not be a reader of the Book of Mormon because the Book of Mormon is not flawed literature. Instead it is filled with great profundities. I gave you two examples in my just previous post and now I give you one more:
This is something I learned in the Gospel Doctrine Sunday School class in my LDS ward five years ago:
Our teacher had us read verse 16 of Chapter 12 of II Nephi of the Book of Mormon.
In this scripture, a Book of Mormon prophet is quoting from the version of the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 2 contained in a large collection of scriptures which they had brought with them from Jerusalem.
Next, our teacher had us look at a footnote at the bottom of that Book of Mormon page: It says: "The Greek (Septuagint) has "ships of the sea." The Hebrew has "ships of Tarshis." The Book of Mormon has both, showing that the brass plates had lost neither phrase."
Let me first explain what is meant by " The brass plates." As explained in the Book of Mormon, after the prophet Lehi and his entire family who lived in Jerusalem in about 600 BC had left their home there and by the Lord's instructions, had taken their tents and provisions and had begun a long and difficult journey which would eventually lead them to their "promised land" which turned out to be somewhere in Central America, the Lord, through revelation, gave Lehi further instructions. He was told to send his four sons back to Jerusalem to obtain what was their equivalent of the older portion of our Old Testament so that during their long and arduous journey, and when they reached their "promised land," they would have the holy word of God to guide them in raising their children in truth and righteousness. The Book of Isaiah was one of the books contained in the Brass Plates. It, of course, is in the more more recent versions of the Bible too.
It is well known among Bible scholars that in various subsequent translations of the scriptures, through errors made by transcribers, etc. the oldest versions of them are held to be the most correct versions. That makes sense doesn't it? In the footnote our Sunday School teacher had us read, we have evidence of this very thing. The oldest version (from Lehi's Brass Plates) is the more correct version, each of the two newer versions listed above having one phrase missing."And upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures."
Now I would like each of you to view what I wrote in my very first blog post to which I referred to in my very second blog post which I have just referred to above:
In viewing Part 1 of the "Mormons," produced and shown by PBS in May of 2007, I was appalled by their treatment and neglect of the Book of Mormon. In it, a so-called, "scholar" described this Book of Books as flawed literature. I heard him say that every time he reads from the Book of Mormon he sees evidence in its pages of the rough frontier nature of Joseph Smith, who he apparently suggests, wrote that book. With his saying that, I have to question whether he has ever even read the Book of Mormon. I have never seen such evidence he proposes anywhere in that book.
Hugh Nibley, a great Mormon scholar, now deceased, was a great authority on the Book of Mormon and knew personally a number of its chief critics. He often said that Book of Mormon critics are all well known for their never having read it.
If I were to interview the writer, editor and producer of that PBS production, Helen Whitney, I would ask her: "Why have you allowed such statements to be made about the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. and the Book of Mormon, without letting a believing Mormon respond directly to such allegations?
My present purpose is to give you just one short example of something from the Book of Mormon that illustrates that it could not have been written by a frontiers boy with very little education.
Several years ago I read a report of a scholarly man from the Near East, who was possibly Jewish, who became overwhelmed emotionally when he heard for the the first time ever, verse 25 (above) read in a meeting of some kind at BYU where he was an invited guest. This verse no doubt helped him as it can help us, to come to grips with the true purpose of the Fall of Adam.
Now I ask you, the readers of this blog, "Have you really read the Book of Mormon?" And if you have, have you heeded the exhortation of the Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni?
Is the Book of Mormon the reflection of the thinking of an uneducated frontiers boy or is it the inspired translation of the writings of ancient prophets, beginning with Nephi, son of Lehi, who was born in Jerusalem, who, with his family, migrated to the Americas under the guidance of their God?
I bare my personal witness it is the latter.
Neil BirchHere are a few verses from the Book of Mormon which illustrate very clearly that book testifies of Jesus Christ:
2 Nephi 2:25: "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."
2 Nephi 2:26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
(Moroni 10:4) "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."
Now I'd like you to view that previous blog post (my very first blog post I referred to above):
In viewing Part 1 of the "Mormons," produced and shown by PBS in May of 2007, I was appalled by their treatment and neglect of the Book of Mormon. In it, a so-called, "scholar"
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| Jose Caldiero |
described this Book of Books as flawed literature. I heard him say that every time he reads from the Book of Mormon he sees evidence in its pages of the rough frontier nature of Joseph Smith, who he apparently suggests, wrote that book. With his saying that, I have to question whether he has ever even read the Book of Mormon. I have never seen such evidence he proposes anywhere in that book.
Hugh Nibley, a great Mormon scholar, now deceased, was a great authority on the Book of Mormon and knew personally a number of its chief critics. He often said that Book of Mormon critics are all well known for their never having read it.
If I were to interview the writer, editor and producer of this PBS production, Helen Whitney, I would ask her: "Why have you allowed such statements to be made about the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. and the Book of Mormon, without letting a believing Mormon respond directly to such allegations?
My present purpose is to give you just one short example of something from the Book of Mormon that illustrates that it could not have been written by a frontiers boy with very little education.
Several years ago I read a report of a scholarly man from the Near East, who was possibly Jewish, who became overwhelmed emotionally when he heard for the the first time ever, verse 25 (above) read in a meeting of some kind at BYU where he was an invited guest. This verse no doubt helped him as it can help us, to come to grips with the true purpose of the Fall of Adam.
Now I ask you, the readers of this blog, "Have you really read the Book of Mormon?" And if you have, have you heeded the exhortation of the Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni?
(Moroni 10:4) "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."Is the Book of Mormon the reflection of the thinking of an uneducated frontiers boy or is it the inspired translation of the writings of ancient prophets, beginning with Nephi, son of Lehi, who was born in Jerusalem, who, with his family, migrated to the Americas under the guidance of their God?
I bare my personal witness it is the latter.
Neil Birch
Now I have chosen to finish this Post (46p) by having you listen to some verses from the Book of Mormon. In these verses you will listen to the words of writings from the Brass Plates of Laban (The Nephite's version of the Old Testament. I have referred to them above. They were written during the same era of time that our Old Testament was written. And without doubt contained some of the same prophetic writings as our Old Testament. However, the writings which I now quote are not found anywhere in our Old Testament (Please pay special attention to those prophetic verses in which the not yet come to earth Lord Jesus Christ is referred to:
http://classic.scriptures.lds.org/en/2_ne/25
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This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.
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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement.Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
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TO OPEN NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other BlogPost You Desire To Access): After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on That Which is Underlined at the Very End: (The Book of Mormon is Indeed, Another Testament of Jesus Christ and Contains Quotes From Ancient Scriptures Which are Similar to Our Old Testament in which are also Found Testaments of Jesus Christ! -Post 46p
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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.
If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.
J. Neil Birch
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.
J. Neil Birch
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