Implications Of Discovering The Body Of Jesus.

[_Uncle Dale]

...
Uncle Dale: I agree it would be very intriguing. That old Mormon joke about Christ returning to Salt Lake City would have to be replaced with, “sorry, but he ain’t returning, anywhere”.
...

Guess it depends upon what is meant by the term "Christ." For my purposes,
it is not the "last name" of Jesus, but rather a designation for "anointed one."
Given that understanding, I'm perfectly willing to affirm that the "Body of Christ"
returns everywhere that two or more gather in his name.

In that sense, the "body" is not a human body of flesh and blood -- it is more
like the term "body politic," or "body of citizens" making of a commonwealth.

"While you live your troubles are many, poor Jerusalem.
To conquer death, you only have to die.
You only have to die. "

UD

[_bcspace]

BC: Not only would Christianity not be “true”. Mormonism wouldn’t be either.

That is correct. I equate Mormonism with orginal and pure Christianity.

[_JohnStuartMill]

BC: Not only would Christianity not be “true”. Mormonism wouldn’t be either.

That is correct. I equate Mormonism with orginal and pure Christianity.

Oh, isn't that just precious!

[_Uncle Dale]

BC: Not only would Christianity not be “true”. Mormonism wouldn’t be either.

That is correct. I equate Mormonism with orginal and pure Christianity.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I'd been told that the most basic
definition of Mormonism is "All Truth."

If, through some currently inexplicable development, it were discovered
that Jesus left a corpse here on earth, would not that unexpected fact
simply become a part of "All Truth?"

No matter what set of facts makes up "All Truth" in the future -- isn't it still
"Mormonism" by definition? -- even if we currently cannot accept such
unfathomable professions (such as a Jesus-body left behind) as facts?

UD

[_Mary]

Ray, I'm not sure that it could ever be proven, but I think that the reaction from theologians to the Talpiot Tomb was incredibly interesting.

You have people like James Tabor, who could embrace such an event, and other christian theologians who could not.

If the Talpiot tomb did indeed contain the bones of Jesus of Nazareth, and if he did have a wife and at least 1 child, then I think it would be wonderful. It would prove that he existed as a real person, and people would then just have to sift the myth from the historical reality.

I don't think finding Jesus' body would prove that the biblical characters were bearing false witness, rather that the writers who wrote about these characters were trying to create a certain type of history that tried to bring in Romans and Jews together to form a kind of religion that they could all relate to as their own?

Just some thoughts.

Mary

[_bcspace]

That is correct. I equate Mormonism with orginal and pure Christianity.

Oh, isn't that just precious!

You have your own sweet spirit in your own choice way.

[_bcspace]

That is correct. I equate Mormonism with orginal and pure Christianity.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I'd been told that the most basic definition of Mormonism is "All Truth."

I wouldn't say it's a major definition but we do accept all truth yes.

If, through some currently inexplicable development, it were discovered that Jesus left a corpse here on earth, would not that unexpected fact simply become a part of "All Truth?"

It would render so many things untrue (Bible, Book of Mormon, Isaiah, Joseph Smith, etc.) that to obey truth would be to declare Christianity dead and start over with something else.

No matter what set of facts makes up "All Truth" in the future -- isn't it still "Mormonism" by definition? -- even if we currently cannot accept such unfathomable professions (such as a Jesus-body left behind) as facts?

See the above. I think what you are proposing is a moral relativity that by definition rejects absolute truth. Truth cannot be truth unless it's absolute.

[_Uncle Dale]

...
Truth cannot be truth unless it's absolute.

OK -- then let's start with a lesser example.

In 1857 people in Utah said that the Mountain Meadows Massacre
was perpetrated by the Indians. It was impossible that Mormons were
in any way involved (see Deseret News and other 1857-58 reports).

In later years it was discovered that John D. Lee and some other Mormons
actually planned, carried out, and covered up their role in the massacre.

In 1857, it was unacceptable to say that Mormons were responsible. In
later years, the responsibility of Lee and his LDS associates became a
part of the facts comprising "All Truth" -- or, by definition, "Mormonism."

Thus the seeming impossible later was known to be reality.


Today we say that Jesus could not have risen from the dead and left a
corpse behind. But, if such a corpse were discovered, then the
DETAILS of his rising from the dead would have to be re-explained.

Just as the DETAILS of that 1857 Massacre were eventually re-explained;
or Adam=God was re-explained; or no-black-priesthood was re-explained.

Are you saying, for the record, that it is absolutely impossible, in LDS
doctrine, that the risen Christ could have left a corpse behind --- and
therefore, if such an event truly occurred, then the ABSOLUTE "All Truth"
WOULD NOT BE Mormonism?

UD

(added: as a side issue, we might also consider Jehovah as a celestialized,
progressed man, from some previous era -- a Jehovah who would have had
two bodies, if his earthly shell rose from the dead to be celestialized)

[_bcspace]

Thus the seeming impossible later was known to be reality.

An absolute truth.

Today we say that Jesus could not have risen from the dead and left a corpse behind. But, if such a corpse were discovered, then the DETAILS of his rising from the dead would have to be re-explained.

No such details were given in the original postulation. Let's say, for example, that Jesus rose from the tomb and then his body was laid down in it again once he was done with it. That still violates a whole host of doctrinal statements about Jesus' resurrection such as he dies no more.

Christianity, and therefore "Mormonism" therefore, morph into something unrecognizable and reams of prophetic verse are rendered false.

Are you saying, for the record, that it is absolutely impossible, in LDS
doctrine, that the risen Christ could have left a corpse behind

I am going to say yes to that. Death being the separation of the spirit from the body.

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Romans 6:9

--- and
therefore, if such an event truly occurred, then the ABSOLUTE "All Truth"
WOULD NOT BE Mormonism?

Yes. I would say that too.

[_Gazelam]

This thread reminds me of when Tal Bachman asked me to explain my witness of the spirit if there was no such thing as the Holy Ghost.

I can't even imagine what that is like. My whole sense of self is ingrained with the knowledge that I am a child of God.