Taught hat-looking and seer stones today. So......?

[_solomarineris]

If the word on the plates was sus or some Nephite equivalent thereof, horse is a perfectly accurate translation.

I so agree with you DCP.If Book of Mormon so explicitly says "Horse", then it is a "Horse".
Except nobody has any evidence horse or chariots existed in Mesoamerica.
I know that you know this, yet you choose to play dumb.
But I don't want to discredit you.

[_moksha]

If the word on the plates was sus or some Nephite equivalent thereof, horse is a perfectly accurate translation.

Like many species, there might have been greater and lesser Tapirs. There is a likelihood that having lost their companions in the last great battle, that these mighty Tapir Steeds set sail for distant shores, leaving only their diminutive cousins - the lesser Tapirs in Book of Mormon lands.

[_bcspace]

A horse is a horse is a horse of course when it comes to the Book of Mormon.

Do you know what else I taught in the lesson? From the same Ensign article referrenced in the OP...

There are some things that the Book of Mormon is not. It is not a text of history, although some history is found within its pages. It is not a definitive work on ancient American agriculture or politics. It is not a record of all former inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere, but only of particular groups of people.

And no one batted an eye either. Plenty of people who grew up in the 50's 60's and 70's in my class......

[_ludwigm]

...

Wait a minute - the Lord himself causes to appear on the stone an English text, which is read off by Joseph from the stone, and written down by Oliver at his dictation. Oliver then reads what he has written back to Joseph - and if and only if what Oliver has written is correct, then the Lord makes the text disappear, and shows the next portion. The process is then presumably repeated until the book is completely translated. That is what David Whitmer is telling us, is he not?
Now if that account is right:

I'm not sure that it's entirely right. David Whitmer was not privy to the translation process, and his account seems to me too automatic. It's pretty clear that Joseph's mindset entered into the translation process (think of the time he couldn't translate when he'd had a spat with Emma), and I suspect that the process depended upon an interaction between his mind and, for lack of a better or more precise way of putting it, the stone.

A computer or a television set flips on when we hit the appropriate button, indifferent to our mental, emotional, or spiritual state. The Urim and Thummim and/or seerstone did not.

Deductions (of that sentence above):
1. The expression "Urim and Thummim" and "seerstone" are freely replaceable. That two device do (or can do) the same.
2. That two device is not indifferent (=take account?) to our mental, emotional, or spiritual state. So, those devices read our mind.
Unfortunately, we (humanity) doesn't have that devices. The Church may have them, but doesn't use them.

My private conclusions:
- I like science fiction. I have >800 volume of this genre on my bookshelves. While I read them, everything written in them are existing. But that stories become nonexisting in the minute of closing the book. Faith promoting (?) stories work different. They remain existing outside of the written texts.
- There are stupid people, who not only believe stupid things, they want to believe them.
- DCP said an eternal truth. I can't do anything while I have a spat with my wife.

.

.

ad

[_Jaybear]

...

My private conclusions:
- I like science fiction. I have >800 volume of this genre on my bookshelves. While I read them, everything written in them are existing. But that stories become nonexisting in the minute of closing the book. Faith promoting (?) stories work different. They remain existing outside of the written texts.
- There are stupid people, who not only believe stupid things, they want to believe them.
- DCP said an eternal truth. I can't do anything while I have a spat with my wife.

So the seer stone only works for those who are mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually righteous, like Joseph Smith. Oh, and it only works in a manner (head buried in hat) that no one else but the seer can see what appears on the stone.

Interesting how that works.

Is it not reasonable to infer from the fact that the LDS leaders have the stone, and they don't use it, that either (1) none of believe actually believe Joseph Smith's claim and haven't even bothered to try to use the stone, or (2) they have tried and failed. I suppose the faith promoting option is that they do use the stone, but their experiences with the stone are too sacred to share with the general public.

Perhaps its just me, but if I had a special stone that I could use to get answers to life's mysteries, I would be using it all the time.

[_harmony]

So the seer stone only works for those who are mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually righteous, like Joseph Smith. Oh, and it only works in a manner (head buried in hat) that no one else but the seer can see what appears on the stone.

Were that the case, Fanny plays an even bigger role. Gee... harmony is right once more.

Interesting how that works.

Is it not reasonable to infer from the fact that the LDS leaders have the stone, and they don't use it, that either (1) none of believe actually believe Joseph Smith's claim and haven't even bothered to try to use the stone, or (2) they have tried and failed. I suppose the faith promoting option is that they do use the stone, but their experiences with the stone are too sacred to share with the general public.

I suspect #1. Perhaps #2. #3 is highly doubtful. And I think they'd feel stupid if they ever tried using it.

Perhaps its just me, but if I had a special stone that I could use to get answers to life's mysteries, I would be using it all the time.

And there's the biggest reason you aren't one of the Brethren.

[_cinepro]

Is it not reasonable to infer from the fact that the LDS leaders have the stone, and they don't use it,

How do we know they don't use it?

[_Dr. Shades]

How do we know they don't use it?

Probably because it's buried deep in "Vault F" and not sitting on the prophet's desk.

[_bcspace]

So my conclusion after bringing this up in class is that there is no sign of a differentiation between chapel and internet Mormons in our ward. Probably not even in the whole Church.

[_harmony]

So my conclusion after bringing this up in class is that there is no sign of a differentiation between chapel and internet Mormons in our ward. Probably not even in the whole Church.

Internet Mormons tend to shut the heck up during meetings. We aren't about to take on the responsibility of bruising someone else's testimony.

Besides, we're much more likely to be found in the rousing discussion taking place in the Foyer than in a quorum or Relief Society meeting.