Joseph Smith vs. JR Tolkien and CS Lewis

[_Nightlion]

I marveled today that a 20 something country bumpkin was able to produce not just the Book of Mormon but the unequaled anywhere by anyone an original, commanding word of the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants (seldom considered or critiqued) of some 250 pages. And having men jump and run accordingly.

Compared with:
The two mentioned Oxford College chums that fed off each others genius and did their best work in midlife after years and years of study and fantasy collaborations.

I say young Joseph bested them both and will prove to have left them in the future dust of obscurity.
The reason being that Joseph was a true prophet and Almighty God was with him.

Laugh all you want at the silly notions of travel promotion that claim the Book of Mormon took place where it didn't.

Why nobody seriously studies the only possible location for the Book of Mormon in South America is beyond strange.

You know that the nation of Chile produces thousands of tons of STEEL every year. RIGHT? Nephi smelted steel to make tools in Vietnam where, in the North, there is an abundance of Iron ore. And how is it that Nephi even knew that the sword of Laban was of the finest steel? He must have been qualified to know. RIGHT?

The narrative of the Book of Mormon is directionally UP AND DOWN AND NORTH AND SOUTH. That is the Andes folks and the Amazon Basin (Sea East) was filled with water from the time of the flood of Noah (like the Great Basin of Utah/Nevada/Oregon was filled after the flood of Noah with a huge amount of sand deposits) and the rainfall kept it filled until a surface break drained it beginning after the earth changes at the death of Jesus Christ. There is still an underground river that also drains the Amazon Basin manifesting the under the sea alluvial fan of silt deposits out there. If the Amazon River had been flowing for thousands of years it would have the single greatest delta on earth. But it does not. Yet there is the greatest deposits out at sea away from the mouth of the River.

And in the North of Colombia is the perfect setting for the strategy of Cumorah. The relics have been confiscated by the natives ever since. When a farmer uncovered a burial complex lately 5000 people plundered it immediately. There is no reason to expect Book of Mormon relics to just be found laying around South America waiting for scholars to stumble across them.

I am rambling.

[_moksha]

There is no reason to expect Book of Mormon relics to just be found laying around South America waiting for scholars to stumble across them.

Absolutely right about South America. We would have better luck turning our attention to finding a Book of Mormon next to one of the ivory tiaras (worn exclusively by the Elders) in the Denisova Cave in Siberia.

BYU Anthropologist Elder Darby O. Gill knew to seek out the little people, from both the Shire and Denisova. He hopes to excavate the double flute of Brother Coriantumr Tumnus any day now. With such a finding he might even proclaim himself "a "Judge in Cair Paravel".

Others might be able to follow Elder Gill's footsteps if only someone would use a marker to highlight the rock outcropping pointing to the Wardrobe door.

I am rambling.

Welcome to the club.

[_Goya]

I marveled today that a 20 something country bumpkin was able to produce not just the Book of Mormon but the unequaled anywhere by anyone an original, commanding word of the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants (seldom considered or critiqued) of some 250 pages. And having men jump and run accordingly.

Compared with:
The two mentioned Oxford College chums that fed off each others genius and did their best work in midlife after years and years of study and fantasy collaborations.

Granted they all wrote fantasy literature. But this explains why the Book of Mormon suffers by comparison, doesn't it?

[_Goya]

Vietnam

I'll admit it, I missed this reference in the Book of Mormon.

[_Nightlion]

Vietnam

I'll admit it, I missed this reference in the Book of Mormon.

Pure logic. BYU thinks it takes three years of wadding through much tribulation and having children along the way to get from Jerusalem to the shores of Oman. LOL

They were sneaking through strange lands and told NOT to make fire, so as to pass by undetected, for more than three years and wadding through deep rivers to cross to the shores where there was Iron Ore and great timbers for making tools and a ship to cross the ocean. Three years from stealthily leaving Jerusalem might have first gone to the Red Sea, but wisely they did not wait there three years to get found out, they changed course as directed by the ball of curious workmanship......(which, by the way....was superfluous for getting to the Arabian coast) to have to pass undetected to a sea shore over three years time. And there is Iron Ore in the north of Vietnam and wonderful waterfalls and is also mentioned in the Book of Mormon in the land they called Bountiful......no desert wasteland that!

[_Goya]

Vietnam

I'll admit it, I missed this reference in the Book of Mormon.

Pure logic. BYU thinks it takes three years of wadding through much tribulation and having children along the way to get from Jerusalem to the shores of Oman. LOL

They were sneaking through strange lands and told NOT to make fire, so as to pass by undetected, for more than three years and wadding through deep rivers to cross to the shores where there was Iron Ore and great timbers for making tools and a ship to cross the ocean. Three years from stealthily leaving Jerusalem might have first gone to the Red Sea, but wisely they did not wait there three years to get found out, they changed course as directed by the ball of curious workmanship......(which, by the way....was superfluous for getting to the Arabian coast) to have to pass undetected to a sea shore over three years time. And there is Iron Ore in the north of Vietnam and wonderful waterfalls and is also mentioned in the Book of Mormon in the land they called Bountiful......no desert wasteland that!

Then why not South Africa? It makes even more sense than Vietnam. Better waterfalls, more iron ore, easier route for the ball of curious workmanship. Plus, they could have played off that whole white-and-delightsome thing.

[_Nightlion]

Vietnam

I'll admit it, I missed this reference in the Book of Mormon.

Pure logic. BYU thinks it takes three years of wadding through much tribulation and having children along the way to get from Jerusalem to the shores of Oman. LOL

They were sneaking through strange lands and told NOT to make fire, so as to pass by undetected, for more than three years and wadding through deep rivers to cross to the shores where there was Iron Ore and great timbers for making tools and a ship to cross the ocean. Three years from stealthily leaving Jerusalem might have first gone to the Red Sea, but wisely they did not wait there three years to get found out, they changed course as directed by the ball of curious workmanship......(which, by the way....was superfluous for getting to the Arabian coast) to have to pass undetected to a sea shore over three years time. And there is Iron Ore in the north of Vietnam and wonderful waterfalls and is also mentioned in the Book of Mormon in the land they called Bountiful......no desert wasteland that!

Then why not South Africa? It makes even more sense than Vietnam. Better waterfalls, more iron ore, easier route for the ball of curious workmanship. Plus, they could have played off that whole white-and-delightsome thing.

Mostly because they landed on the 30th degree south latitude in Chile.

[_no thanks]

In many ways Joseph Smith compares favorably to Tolkien and Lewis. Both of them were highly advantaged compared to Smith, yet he produced interesting literature as well. His lack of education (and editing) certainly shown through. But creating the Book of Mormon is impressive. It would have been quite the feat with a modern computer. With a good rewrite or two and a good editor, and removing all the Isaiah quotes, you might have the makings of an ok trilogy.

[_Nightlion]

Aside from the Book of Mormon it was the Doctrine and Covenants that sparked this post. Even those who lost faith never criticized the commandments Joseph received. Standing there as he was moved upon to speak the world of the Lord must have sealed a conviction. There is nothing like the D&C in all scriptures. Calling the frontier indians Lamanites it about it. This is the Lord speaking plainly and directly to this age. It is not as appreciated as it should be. That is the fault of LDS leaders in all camps. The reason it is not appreciated is because it condemns us. What else could we expect?

[_sunstoned]

I marveled today that a 20 something country bumpkin was able to produce not just the Book of Mormon but the unequaled anywhere by anyone an original, commanding word of the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants (seldom considered or critiqued) of some 250 pages. And having men jump and run accordingly.

Compared with:
The two mentioned Oxford College chums that fed off each others genius and did their best work in midlife after years and years of study and fantasy collaborations.

I say young Joseph bested them both and will prove to have left them in the future dust of obscurity.
The reason being that Joseph was a true prophet and Almighty God was with him.

Laugh all you want at the silly notions of travel promotion that claim the Book of Mormon took place where it didn't.

Why nobody seriously studies the only possible location for the Book of Mormon in South America is beyond strange.

You know that the nation of Chile produces thousands of tons of STEEL every year. RIGHT? Nephi smelted steel to make tools in Vietnam where, in the North, there is an abundance of Iron ore. And how is it that Nephi even knew that the sword of Laban was of the finest steel? He must have been qualified to know. RIGHT?

The narrative of the Book of Mormon is directionally UP AND DOWN AND NORTH AND SOUTH. That is the Andes folks and the Amazon Basin (Sea East) was filled with water from the time of the flood of Noah (like the Great Basin of Utah/Nevada/Oregon was filled after the flood of Noah with a huge amount of sand deposits) and the rainfall kept it filled until a surface break drained it beginning after the earth changes at the death of Jesus Christ. There is still an underground river that also drains the Amazon Basin manifesting the under the sea alluvial fan of silt deposits out there. If the Amazon River had been flowing for thousands of years it would have the single greatest delta on earth. But it does not. Yet there is the greatest deposits out at sea away from the mouth of the River.

And in the North of Colombia is the perfect setting for the strategy of Cumorah. The relics have been confiscated by the natives ever since. When a farmer uncovered a burial complex lately 5000 people plundered it immediately. There is no reason to expect Book of Mormon relics to just be found laying around South America waiting for scholars to stumble across them.

I am rambling.

You lost me at the flood of Noah. Didn't happen.