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For two years, I commuted by bus from Provo to SLC. 3 hours a day. Spent that time reading the Book of Mormon. During my long commute in Houston (4 years), I had the Book of Mormon on CD and alternated between listening in English and Spanish.

Runtu wrote:For two years, I commuted by bus from Provo to Salt Lake City. 3 hours a day. Spent that time reading the Book of Mormon. During my long commute in Houston (4 years), I had the Book of Mormon on CD and alternated between listening in English and Spanish.

If you were like me, then you probably eventually saw a chasm between the Church and the Gospel. Or maybe not.

Ray A wrote:If you were like me, then you probably eventually saw a chasm between the Church and the Gospel. Or maybe not.

It was during that time that I noticed how textually dependent the Book of Mormon was on the New Testament. After studying the issue for several months, I concluded that the book wasn't an actual history. But it was OK because it was inspired.

I have read 1 Nephi about 100 times, 2 Nephi about 30 times, what comes after 2 Nephi?

Ray A wrote:

Runtu wrote:For two years, I commuted by bus from Provo to Salt Lake City. 3 hours a day. Spent that time reading the Book of Mormon. During my long commute in Houston (4 years), I had the Book of Mormon on CD and alternated between listening in English and Spanish.

If you were like me, then you probably eventually saw a chasm between the Church and the Gospel. Or maybe not.

I may be the lone dissenter here, but I friggin' loved reading the Book of Mormon while in High school. The holy Ghost tarried with me, instead of leaving to do more interesting things (like the daily crossword, or working out to Richards Simon's "sweatin' with the oldies") and dwelt with me almost nightly.

It played a big part in helping to keep me away from drugs and pre-marital sex that were just running rampant in cosmopolitan N. Orem in the mid 80's. The drug part makes me very grateful. The lack of pre-marital sex...not so much. Sad really. Ok, if I must be honest, I cry a lot thinking of the hot lovin' I missed out on.

Sometimes in my dreams, I see the Holy Ghost pointing his/her/its bony incorporeal finger at me in mocking derision for giving up all the tail I could have had. I see the HG standing next to Spencer W. Kimball laughing uproariously at my naïvété and general folly.

Runtu wrote:It was during that time that I noticed how textually dependent the Book of Mormon was on the New Testament. After studying the issue for several months, I concluded that the book wasn't an actual history. But it was OK because it was inspired.

Which eventually lead to your conclusion that it is a fraud (?). I'm not at all a fan of "historicity" (maybe DCP can convince me otherwise?). Maybe part of the "reason" is that I see Mormon 8 as "prophetic". We are slowly stumbling towards chaos and extinction. My hope for humanity grows dimer by the day. And whether it be fiction or not, I think Mormon 8 is a dire warning to all of us. I don't feel any shame in saying that we should heed the lessons of Mormon 8.

7And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.

8And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. And behold also, the Lamanites are at war one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war.

I sympathise with Jesus: "Weep not for me, but weep for your children."

Put me down for over 20 times.

What did it in for me was that I was completely bored with it and not getting a thing out of it at the end. I assumed that this was of course my fault, because I had heard countless times that GAs continued to learn new stuff with each re-reading of the Book of Mormon.

So, I assumed that I just didn't know enough background to make all the connections that I should make. Shortly after this I was after this called to be an early morning seminary teacher for Old Testament. I thought, "What a great way to get the background information to learn the Bible, figure out the whole polygamy thing once and for all, and get some added background for the Book of Mormon."

That was the beginning of the end.

I've probably read it more than 20 times in my life, including 15 or so before I left for my mission.

Honestly, Twain was just being a jerk. Some of the stories in the Book of Mormon are quite compelling -- very similar to a well written novel.

Ray A wrote:If you were like me, then you probably eventually saw a chasm between the Church and the Gospel. Or maybe not.

Hi Ray, thanks for asking.

I read it around 24 times cover to cover - twice of which was with my wife and kids in the morning. But I studied it like a text book as well. I took the verse in Proverbs very seriously - I didn't just want to know it. I sincerely wanted to understand.

Primarily, I wanted to get nearer to God (refering to Joseph Smith's preface about what the book could do better than any other). Getting nearer to God meant I needed to become born of Christ and develop Charity. It became simpler to see this was the main theme. I still wouldn't consider the book "Chloriform in Print".

It didn't take long for me to see what you call, "the chasm between the Church and the Gospel". Some of the last words my former bishop said to me were, "I hope someday you'll come back to the Gospel". I replied (and at the time), "I never left it. I left the church. These words are certainly not synonomous". He appeared completely baffled. It never occurred to him otherwise.

The church would be led by better men if they actually wrote it's wisdom in their hearts. For one thing, they wouldn't be spending the widow's mite on the corruptable things like malls, lavish podiums and large throwny chairs with armrests to rest themselves from whatever else they are doing. They would give as Jesus is said to have given. The church doesn't resemble the Book of Mormon at all. That something I noticed many years ago although I remained faithful to both.

Wisdom Seeker wrote:I have read 1 Nephi about 100 times, 2 Nephi about 30 times, what comes after 2 Nephi?

3rd Chloroform.