DiscussMormonism.com

Leaving aside the question of just how impressive or not the Book of Mormon is on an absolute scale, what are its most impressive passages? What parts of the Book are most deserving (or come closest to deserving) respect or even reverence?

I think this is a pretty profound passage. It allows mankind to get a brief glimpse into the mind of God and better understand why there are different races.



2 Nephi 5:21:

21 And he had caused the acursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and bdelightsome, that they might not be centicing unto my people the Lord God did cause a dskin of eblackness to come upon them.

I also really like this one. Really explains the recent school shootings in their proper Mormon theological context.

Alma 14:10-11

And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

I suspect that above we find a couple of peoples lest favorite passages. People probably can find more negatives, I vaguely remember that there are some.

I do not think the book distinguishes itself by poetic power or literary beauty. I think people find inspiration in the overall story and how that story leads into the story of the creation and growth of the LDS church.

huckelberry wrote: ↑

Sun May 29, 2022 4:32 pm

I suspect that above we find a couple of peoples lest favorite passages. People probably can find more negatives, I vaguely remember that there are some.

I do not think the book distinguishes itself by poetic power or literary beauty. I think people find inspiration in the overall story and how that story leads into the story of the creation and growth of the LDS church.

Do not discount the effect of the 'Bible English'. Even though I gave up the sect of Christianity I belonged to quite a while back, anything expressed in that language automatically takes me into the mental equivalent of 'sacred space'. I am sure that worked a dream on the somewhat rural American audience to whom the Book of Mormon was first presented.

The only problem is that I have enough reading experience that there is a nasty kind of mental jerk when Mr Smith screws up the grammar, or puts in ways of thinking that are clearly of the early 19th century rather than of the Old Testament or New Testament periods.

huckelberry wrote: ↑

Sun May 29, 2022 4:32 pm

I suspect that above we find a couple of peoples lest favorite passages. People probably can find more negatives, I vaguely remember that there are some.

I do not think the book distinguishes itself by poetic power or literary beauty. I think people find inspiration in the overall story and how that story leads into the story of the creation and growth of the LDS church.

Yes, after all, I just listened to RFM's podcast on the Dan Lafferty Interview held in 2000, and Lafferty was so impressed with the Book of Mormon he literally "was led by the Spirit" to commit murder just like Nephi did with Laban, and has no remorse whatever about it. He did what the Spirit told him to, and that was that. The inspiration overall was taking life and thinking it was all good. And the fact that Lafferty is Elijah preparing for Christ's 2nd Coming, that is pretty important to him, so he was just doing the Holy Work of the Lord... Lafferty is evidence of the Mormon fruit of pure, complete cult-think, directed by the prophets helping members take the scriptures literally, and persuading them of the importance of listening and obeying the Spirit (and their teachings), no matter what.

I love how polygamy in all its forms is condemned by God as "wicked" and "abominable." Jacob 2:24, 27

The passages in Ether 9:18, 19 and 1 Nephi 19:25 have been a huge blessing for historians, anthropologists and archaeologists. It’s the only written record of the flora and fauna we have of ancient America. Many different fields of science have benefitted from this.

18 And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.

19 And they also had ahorses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.

1 Nephi 19:25:

25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.

Ether 15:30-32:

Millions of Jaredites kill each other in battle, leaving only their two leaders alive: Coriantumr and Shiz. Coriantur cuts of the head of Shiz (with his non-existent sword, of course) and then dies. What are the odds? Don't you just love a happy ending?

God told Nephi that he would lead him to a new land, a land that God had prepared just for him that was better than everywhere else on earth. God made the New World just for Nephi and his family. Even though this new land had been occupied by millions of Native Americans for at least 15,000 years, God made it for Nephi, not for them. 1 Nephi 2:19-22