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In another thread, Mister Scratch made the following comment:

It seems to me that the import of your request far surpasses Bill Hamblin's stupid and mean-spirited Book of Mormon "challenges."

This sent me on a walk down memory lane, back to the days before I was banned from MA&D. I seem to remember that Bill Hamblin had a number of these challenges, but I can recall only one with any detail:

Referring to the 100% dearth of any Nephite or Lamanite artifacts in Mesoamerica, Hamblin asked his audience, particularly the critics, if they could perform the equivalent feat of identifying any evidence of Christians in Rome before A.D. 150 or so.

I gave what I thought, in all humility, was a brilliant reply (paraphrasing):

"Nephites and Lamanites in Mesoamerica were not akin to Christians in Rome. Nephites and Lamanites were the Roman Empire of Mesoamerica.

If the Book of Mormon is true, it should be no more difficult to find evidence of Nephites and Lamanites in Mesoamerica than it is to find evidence of the Roman Empire in Rome."

As expected, Dr. Hamblin found some way to pooh-pooh that, of course.

While we're on the subject, does anyone remember John Gee's equally inane "Book of Abraham" challenge? You know, the one wherein you had to give him your real name, phone number, address, and social security number so that he could examine your Ph.D.-level Egyptological proficiency before granting you the right to speak on any Book of Abraham topic whatsoever? That was classic.

FOCUS:

Does anyone else remember any of Bill Hamblin's Book of Mormon "challenges?" If so, please share them here with any results or impressions you may recall.

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I've known Professor Hamblin for many, many years.

You're safe, here, to suggest that he's an idiot. He almost certainly won't come to this board. That's lucky for you.

Daniel Peterson wrote:I've known Professor Hamblin for many, many years.

I don't doubt that for a second.

You're safe, here, to suggest that he's an idiot.

I never suggested he was an idiot. In the thread title, I called his challenges idiotic, not he himself.

He almost certainly won't come to this board. That's lucky for you.

Why is that "lucky?" On the contrary, I'd love to have him here.

"if they could perform the equivalent feat of identifying any evidence of Christians in Rome before A.D. 150 or so"

1)
Paul's letter to the romans;

2) there is another letter where a roman officer is writing to someone asking him what they should do with the christians;

3) others mention that Nero empales them on a pole at his parties and burns them and the louder they yell the better.

Wow......now we're looking for remnants of a superpower in the Americas that made all surrounding nations tremble and established protectorates and taxed much of the known world?

Are you reading some expanded version of the Book of Mormon I don't have access to?

Straw Man Construction 101.

The Nehor wrote:Are you reading some expanded version of the Book of Mormon I don't have access to?

You certainly insinuate we are wrong/stupid.
Dude, I am neither stupid or about remembering what missionaries taught
me about Book of Mormon/Lamanites.
I think you perfectly know this, especially DCP, what he taught on mission field.
Normal people with average memories do not turn to be a Winston Smith, the hero of 1984.
If DCP's mind would be open thruth, I'd bet a cool 100K, that he knows the truth and yet he fakes, like you do.
What a life to live.
A pathetic, intellectually dishonest all the way.
But most people like you anyway, DCP, even though they know you well.

by the way, Bill Hamblin is nothing but an intellectual coward, in my opinion.

solomarineris wrote:by the way, Bill Hamblin is nothing but an intellectual coward, in my opinion.

LOL. Your opinion and about $2.55 will get you an Espresso at Starbucks.

Dr. Shades wrote:

He almost certainly won't come to this board. That's lucky for you.

Why is that "lucky?" On the contrary, I'd love to have him here.

I'd love to have him here, too. DCP will try mightily to keep him away, though. Think about the many beatings we've doled out to the hapless Good Professor. Bill Hamblin, who isn't as tough of an opponent as DCP, would be like putty in our hands, and he'd be bound to erupt in yet another embarrassing outburst, ala his disgusting RfM rampage.

That's why he stays away; he knows he would get his butt kicked.

The Nehor wrote:Wow......now we're looking for remnants of a superpower in the Americas that made all surrounding nations tremble and established protectorates and taxed much of the known world?

Are you reading some expanded version of the Book of Mormon I don't have access to?

Do you have a version that doesn't have 4 Nephi? The homogeny of religion and lack of warfare might show up in the archaeology of a people.