Is the Book of Mormon a 19th century production?

[_cafe crema]

All adult LDS promise to slit their throats and disembowel themselves, nothing says death more than that. That is one gory death culture the LDS have going, standard slasher movie stuff.

No they don't.

You're right they don't, but they did, all of them, up until recently and you did if you married your wife in the temple. You participated in a death ritual, talk about a death culture. Like I said it was slasher movie stuff.

[_why me]

[quote="café crema"]
I asked you to provide references for this, please do so.
[quote]

When you look at some people in the catholic church, when they look at the crucifix, they focus on the suffering, especially during easter when one does the stations of the cross. Also, a crucifix that one can find in some convents and in some churches show the blood in graphic detail as Christ hangs from the cross. I would have a hard time believing that when someone is praying before such a crucifix, the focus is on life and not his death and suffering.

[_jon]

When you look at some people in the catholic church, when they look at the crucifix, they focus on the suffering, especially during easter when one does the stations of the cross. Also, a crucifix that one can find in some convents and in some churches show the blood in graphic detail as Christ hangs from the cross. I would have a hard time believing that when someone is praying before such a crucifix, the focus is on life and not his death and suffering.

There's nothing quite like a massive generalisation to try and add strength to a point of view.
I'm sure "some Catholics" do focus on Christs suffering.
Are you suggesting that there aren't "some Mormons" doing the same?

[_Polygamy-Porter]

All adult LDS promise to slit their throats and disembowel themselves, nothing says death more than that. That is one gory death culture the LDS have going, standard slasher movie stuff.

No they don't.

This is true today today, but before the 1990 changes to the temple ceremony, all did make this oath. I know this to be fact because I made that oath.

[_MCB]

There's nothing quite like a massive generalisation to try and add strength to a point of view.
I'm sure "some Catholics" do focus on Christs suffering.
Are you suggesting that there aren't "some Mormons" doing the same?

But doing that is contrary to Mormon teachings. Catholics identify with Christ and focus on Christ's sufferings. It reduces the impact of their own suffering for the sake of the Gospel.

The knife-work in the temple has everything to do with fear and nothing to do with release. It has the strongest parallel with the Gadianton vows.

[_beastie]

This is true today today, but before the 1990 changes to the temple ceremony, all did make this oath. I know this to be fact because I made that oath.

As did I, and several others on this board.

The fact that so many LDS today do not seem to know about these former oaths demonstrates how effectively the LDS church rewrites history.

[_Buffalo]

I don't know of very many scam artists who would voluntarily incriminate themselves, unless they're already in trouble and trying to reduce their sentences.

But as far as I can tell, the witnesses were really sort of gullible dupes.

And what about yourself? What was your excuse? Weren't you a gullible dupe to? However, you seemed to realize it. At least one or two of the witnesses would have been no different. As time moves on, we begin to reevaluate our experiences. We begin to see a clearer picture of what took place. The witnesses would have been no different. Many left the fold and when they did, they would have reevaluated their experience if a reevaluation was needed. However, they seemed to have been through quite an experience, a very real and spiritual experience, so much so, that no reevaluation was necessary regardless of how they felt about Joseph Smith.

I was raised Mormon, and so was raised emotionally attached to the religion, and had a hard time overcoming my cognitive bias.

Many Mormons never deny the reality of their "spiritual" experiences, even after they leave. That doesn't make them real.

[_cafe crema]

I asked you to provide references for this, please do so.

When you look at some people in the catholic church, when they look at the crucifix, they focus on the suffering, especially during easter when one does the stations of the cross. Also, a crucifix that one can find in some convents and in some churches show the blood in graphic detail as Christ hangs from the cross. I would have a hard time believing that when someone is praying before such a crucifix, the focus is on life and not his death and suffering.

All that is just a product of your imagination and can be applied equally well to LDS who visit Carthage Jail.

[_MCB]

All that is just a product of your imagination and can be applied equally well to LDS who visit Carthage Jail.

Except that the focus of those who vist the Carthage Jail is anger at those who dun'it, rather than on personal self-sacrifice. The difference is because of the victory of the Resurrection.

[_why me]

Except that the focus of those who vist the Carthage Jail is anger at those who dun'it, rather than on personal self-sacrifice. The difference is because of the victory of the Resurrection.

Not it isn't. The majority of people who visit catharge jail go there to see just where Joseph Smith was murdered. The anger against the mobs have long subsided. Or as some would claim: to see the place where Joseph was martyred.