If the Book of Mormon were true, what then?

[_Buffalo]

If it were true I'd still have to conclude that the church was in apostasy, being totally bereft of revelation since the 19th century.

[_MCB]

Agreed. The CoJColDS is in total apostasy from the best of the Book of Mormon.

[_Aristotle Smith]

If it were true I'd still have to conclude that the church was in apostasy, being totally bereft of revelation since the 19th century.

I think this is spot on. I'm no longer a Mormon, but I'm a Christian. One of the things I had to do when making the transition was figure out what Mormon things I could or should keep. A lot had to go. But, the contents of the Book of Mormon was pretty much all in the I-can-keep-it category. Historically the book is out to lunch, but it's pretty much plain vanilla 19th century Protestantism. Once you ignore the controversies specific to the 19th century, like the infant baptism and name of the church debates, the rest of the book really doesn't say anything unique.

In fact when a Mormon asks me what I believe now I'm pretty likely to answer, "Well, pretty much what is in the Book of Mormon." It's easier than trying to explain theology and doctrine to them and it throws them for a loop because the next thing out of their mouth is usually something like, "What about all of the stuff that is unique to the LDS church?" or "But Christians believe in the Trinity and the Book of Mormon doesn't." To which I can easily answer, "There isn't anything unique in the Book of Mormon" and "The Book of Mormon is Trinitarian."

I'm pretty convinced at this point that Mormons don't actually read the Book of Mormon for information. They either read modern Mormonism into the Book or Mormon, or they get excited about the passages on generic good behavior in chapters like Mosiah 1-5 or Alma 5. When you have that mindset of course the Book of Mormon is proof for the truthfulness of the LDS church, you've manufactured the proof before you even go looking for it.

[Guest]

Ari; Perhaps that is how you exited with faith intact. I call it the back door.

NL [where is he?] is not the best example of this.

[_Corpsegrinder]

Agreed. The CoJColDS is in total apostasy from the best of the Book of Mormon.

Historically the book is out to lunch...

You guys might have a point, there.

I say MIGHT because your words would carry more weight if you weren't two of those interesting people who like to call BS on Mormonism, but who stomp off in a huff when your own belief system is subjected to critical examination. I think there's a word for this type of behavior.

[_MCB]

Just because we choose to not respond to your militant atheism does not mean that we have not subjected our beliefs to criticsm. We just don't choose to do it your way.

[_Darth J]

Let's ponder what some other people have said as to whether "the Book of Mormon is true" means "the Church is true."

If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon; if you believe that God spake to us three witnesses by his own voice, then I tell you that in June, 1838, God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens, and told me to "separate myself from among the Latter Day Saints, for as they sought to do unto me, should it be done unto them."

--David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ by a Witness to the Divine Authenticity of The Book of Mormon

As for our acquaintance with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we know, no man or set of men can be more thoroughly acquainted with its rise, its organization, and its history, than we have every reason to believe we are. We all verily believe, and many of us know of a surety, that the religion of the Latter Day Saints, as originally taught by Joseph Smith, which is contained in the Old and New Testaments, Book of Covenants, and Book of Mormon, is verily true; and that the pure principles set forth in those books, are the immutable and eternal principles of Heaven, and speaks a language which, when spoken in truth and virtue, sinks deep into the heart of every honest man.

--Preamble, The Nauvoo Expositor

[_RockSlider]

If the Book of Mormon were true, what then?

shades, scratch, kish and DarthJ head straight to hell.

do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars

[_Darth J]

Deseret News, August 3, 2011

FLDS leader Warren Jeffs gave a delayed opening statement about religious persecution Wednesday at his trial, where he is defending himself on charges of sexually abusing underage girls.
........
Jeffs introduced as evidence the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, attempting to link the offshoot FLDS religion to the early history of the LDS faith. Under questioning by Jeffs, Roundy read passages of scripture evidently to demonstrate that prophets are always persecuted in their own time.

[_Sophocles]

There are hundreds of sects that trace their origin to Joseph Smith and hold up the Book of Mormon s scripture. If the Book of Mormon were true, why is it any more proof of that the Monsonite church is true than the Community of Christ? Or the Hedrickites? Or the Strangites? Or maybe one of the Mormon sects was true at one time but has fallen into apostasy? Maybe none of the sects currently tracing back to Joseph Smith is true. Maybe the Book of Mormon is true but all the current Mormon churches are in apostasy. It seems to me that the Book of Mormon being true might be strong evidence of the existence of God, but I don't see how it proves the Monsonite branch is true.

I think the Monsonites realize that their own claim to be the original is pretty weak, especially when compared to a lot of the other sects that can claim the original name, or lands and properties that stayed with the Smith family.

What the Monsonites do have is money, power, and membership that dwarf that of any other Mormon sect, and all the perceived legitimacy that goes along with that. They're sort of like Renly Baratheon in all this. It's abundantly clear that his claim to the throne is illegitimate, but if he has the biggest army and the support of the most people, who cares? The Monsonites just pretend that they are the only Mormons and that the other sects either don't exist or aren't serious contenders to Smith's legacy, and it works pretty well for them.

If the Book of Mormon is true, it means LDS, Inc. is true, because they say it does, and they have a shopping mall and you don't. Plus, since it's all made up anyway, the perception of legitimacy is all that really matters.