Page 1 of 3
More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 4:57 pm
by Gabriel
To be filed under
White House Scripture Chase Champion.
From
Hope in Our Hearts, 2009, Russell M. Nelson, pp. 82-83
Russell M. Nelson wrote:
Other Old Testament passages foretell of the Book of Mormon. One such passage came to mind when I attended a prayer breakfast at the White House in Washington, D.C., hosted by President Bill Clinton. During an informal reception that preceded the breakfast, I was chatting with a distinguished and scholarly Jewish rabbi from New York. Our conversation was interrupted by another rabbi who asked his colleague from New York if he could recall the scriptural reference to the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph that would come together one day. My friend paused for a moment, stroked his chin pensively, and then replied, "I think you will find that in the book of Ezekiel."
With that, I could not restrain myself. "You might look in the thirty-seventh chapter of Ezekiel," I interjected. "There you will find the scriptures that you seek."
My rabbi friend expressed surprise: "How did you know that?"
"This doctrine," I concluded, "is very important in our theology."
Indeed it is. You know it, and I know it.
"Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand" (Ezekiel 37:16-17).
Saints of modern Israel in 160 nations across the world are blessed to hold the Bible and the Book of Mormon in their hands. The worth of this privilege must never be underestimated.
Isaiah described the spirit of the Book of Mormon as "familiar" (Isaiah 29:4). It resonates with people who know the Old Testament, especially those who are conversant with its Hebrew language. The Book of Mormon is rich with Hebraisms - traditions, symbolisms, idioms, and literary forms. It is familiar because more than 80 percent of its pages come from Old Testament times.(15)
...
[Footnote] 15. Personal communication from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 5:51 pm
by Philo Sofee
This story reeks with story telling. I have noticed that every single faith promoting story is told in vaguest of terms about the who and when so that it is nigh impossible to even check into. Who were the rabbis? Are they still alive to possibly confirm or disconfirm this happened? No, of course not.... hee, hee, but he told the truth anyways because he says so. This story actually convinces me to be even more wary of what Nelson says, or has said. It is pure hooey. It could NOT have happened in that manner not only not between he and a rabbi, but between the rabbi and the rabbi...
a conversation could have happened where he did end up talking about the Book of Mormon with a Jew or two, I am not doubting that. I am doubting this very construction of the conversation. It is too pat, too convenient, and too invented in favor of a walk away feel good about the Book of Mormon being true.
A Mormon scoops a rabbi..... sure, and Nelson can fly to the moon on his own in his own body without any external props too.
Nelson go the last word in with a rabbi, on the rabbi's home turf, the Old Testament.... sure, and Nelson can do 1,000 one arm pushups daily without sweating or grunting or slowing down.
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:02 pm
by Doctor CamNC4Me
There you will find the scriptures that you seek.
Is Russell M. Nelson a Jedi?
- Doc
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:07 pm
by malkie
Doctor CamNC4Me wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:02 pm
There you will find the scriptures that you seek.
Is Russell M. Nelson a Jedi?
- Doc
No - that was SWK.
I'm surprised you didn't know that
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:10 pm
by Philo Sofee
The good ole reliable BS Meter PEGS here...... and the fact that Nelson leaves the impression that the rabbis agreed with his Mormon interpretation without nary a word of such an obvious blunder! And in their own Old Testament! This is entirely 100% IMPROBABLE. It DID NOT HAPPEN in this manner. And only General Authorities ever simplify it always down to a kindergarten grasp and understanding to match their own as if the entire world sees it so simplistically and agree... Nauseating, positively nauseating.
And there is no possible way they let him or agreed with him on his ridiculous view of Isaiah 29. Isaiah is their baby! This didn't happen. Not in the way Nelson implies.
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:13 pm
by Doctor CamNC4Me
malkie wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:07 pm
Doctor CamNC4Me wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:02 pm
Is Russell M. Nelson a Jedi?
- Doc
No - that was SWK.
I'm surprised you didn't know that
Oh, that’s right! Darth Nelson is a Sith.
- Doc
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 9:11 am
by IHAQ
Gabriel wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 4:57 pm
To be filed under
White House Scripture Chase Champion.
From
Hope in Our Hearts, 2009, Russell M. Nelson, pp. 82-83
Russell M. Nelson wrote:My friend paused for a moment, stroked his chin pensively, and then replied, "I think you will find that in the book of Ezekiel."
With that, I could not restrain myself. "You might look in the thirty-seventh chapter of Ezekiel," I interjected. "There you will find the scriptures that you seek."
Is the moral of the story about being an insufferable know it all?
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 11:38 am
by Physics Guy
"There you will find the Scriptures that you seek."
It's kind of funny that Nelson remembers himself as speaking like Gandalf, but it would be even funnier if he actually did speak like that. In that case there might really be corroboration of this story, because either of the rabbis might well have recorded their hilarious conversation with this unbelievable Mormon guy.
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 12:56 pm
by Philo Sofee
Physics Guy wrote: ↑Fri May 07, 2021 11:38 am
"There you will find the Scriptures that you seek."
It's kind of funny that Nelson remembers himself as speaking like Gandalf, but it would be even funnier if he actually did speak like that. In that case there might really be corroboration of this story, because either of the rabbis might well have recorded their hilarious conversation with this unbelievable Mormon guy.
Ha! A very good point.....
Re: More light reading: Russell Surprises Rabbi during Reception preceding Presidential Prayer Breakfast
Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 1:47 pm
by Fence Sitter
LDS schtick, in case some of you haven't noticed, or haven't sat in enough F&T meetings, is to take everyday events and show how God favored the speaker in some way. The clear message is God favors LDS members over other people so Mormonism must be true. Nobody questions whether the stories are true or even why God cares about such mundane events, they just congratulate the speaker for having made up recognized divine involvement.