Book of Mormon Contradiction: Freedom of Belief

[_Cicero]

I also find it interesting that Korihor was magically struck mute by Alma and then unable to earn a living.

This reminded me of a funny story from my mission. I was discussing the story of Korihor with one of my companions. He was an odd duck, and that is putting it mildly. I remember him saying that he was envious of Korihor. Our conversation went something like this:

Comp: I wish that would happen to me.

Cicero: WHAT, you want to become an anti-Christ???

Comp: No, but I wish an angel would appear to me like that.

Cicero: Dude, it was an angel of the devil sent to deceive him.

Comp: I know that, but I still wish it would happen to me. Heck, I would actually like Satan to appear to me.

Cicero: WHAT, why on earth would you want that to happen???

Comp: Because then I would know for sure that God is real and that the church is true.

True story. My comp was a bit nuts obviously, but I always did find it puzzling that Korihor would believe an angel telling him to preach that there is no God.

[_Cylon]

Holy cow, how did I miss this thread before?! Fireworks going on here. I guess this explains Ray's testimony thread.

And Ray, belief in God does not require belief in a religion.

Cylon, true belief in God actually requires disbelief in religion.

Huh. Well, I guess that explains why you haven't started your own church. I have sometimes wondered.

[_Nightlion]

Nightlion, I look forward to your sharing some previously unthought of doctrine from the Book of Mormon that is not mundane Protestant Christianity.

At no time in Protestant Christianity does the love of God shed ITSELF upon the people. Meaning that it is an independent act of God to put his love into our inward parts and not simply accepting Jesus as our personal Savior and feeling a relief from the wages of sin and guilt, which is not given of God but inferred from Protestant gospel teaching.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1 Nephi 11:22

22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.


The Book of Mormon teaches better than any other book the actual event of God changing people by his own will and power after various degrees of faith are manifested. Even the Lamanites who finally feared God when the brothers Nephi and Lehi shook the prison turned with sufficient faith to be born of God not even realized that they had repented sufficiently.

Notice too how the Book of Mormon leaders were keen on making certain the people got the gospel precisely right. See Moroni 6 and Christ injunction in 3 Nephi 18 and Alma's campaign to see to it that the people were truly born of God.

This is not the Protestant version of being born of God, thank you Jesus, when the accept the Lord as Savior and have to be TOLD that they are this and that and forever saved and halleluiah. Big difference.

That Joseph Smith got the real gospel precisely correct in the Book of Mormon is the greatest proof of God and that he was a prophet. Joseph himself did not even understand the gospel competently at the time. In fact, although he did teach it correctly he was only beginning to recognize the evil of allowing people to continue without getting it right near the end of his life and would have started a reformation and cleansed the church had he lived longer. But he did not want to do it and prayed to be appointed elsewhere. WHY? He knew that he would offend and lose most of his friends and Joseph loved friendship overmuch.

[_Darth J]

1 Nephi 11:22

Thanks, Nightlion. The Christian world never imagined that God loved them until the Book of Mormon came along.

[_Nightlion]

1 Nephi 11:22

Thanks, Nightlion. The Christian world never imagined that God loved them until the Book of Mormon came along.

I perceive that it is somehow impossible for the light of truth to dawn in your heart. This is not about if God loves anyone. It is simply the huge and disparaging difference between the FORMS of godliness and the POWER of godliness.

You must be born again to SEE it. Which, I suppose, is precisely why you never will. And then again, I am going to be the only one sad at that. hmm!

[_Cylon]

I perceive that it is somehow impossible for the light of truth to dawn in your heart. This is not about if God loves anyone. It is simply the huge and disparaging difference between the FORMS of godliness and the POWER of godliness.

You must be born again to SEE it. Which, I suppose, is precisely why you never will. And then again, I am going to be the only one sad at that. hmm!

At least we know we'll always have you here to lament over the fate of our lost damned souls. That's comforting.

[_Nightlion]

I perceive that it is somehow impossible for the light of truth to dawn in your heart. This is not about if God loves anyone. It is simply the huge and disparaging difference between the FORMS of godliness and the POWER of godliness.

You must be born again to SEE it. Which, I suppose, is precisely why you never will. And then again, I am going to be the only one sad at that. hmm!

At least we know we'll always have you here to lament over the fate of our lost damned souls. That's comforting.

Oh ye metal men, how could you have fallen? Why did you only meddle in contentions and not become men of mettle equal to the day.

Perhaps an applique in embroidery would set that nicely on your wall.

[_Cylon]

Oh ye metal men, how could you have fallen? Why did you only meddle in contentions and not become men of mettle equal to the day.

Perhaps an applique in embroidery would set that nicely on your wall.

YES! I love it! Now I just have to learn to embroider.

[_Darth J]

Oh ye metal men, how could you have fallen? Why did you only meddle in contentions and not become men of mettle equal to the day.