I haven't followed up on that web-site's contents due to continuing heath problems, but Robert was one of my early well-wishers in that delayed effort.
This is Robert Smith. He wants to know why he can't be you:
"The Church is authoritarian, tribal, provincial, and founded on a loosely biblical racist frontier sex cult."--Juggler Vain "The LDS church is the Amway of religions. Even with all the soap they sell, they still manage to come away smelling dirty."--Some Schmo
Fence Sitter wrote:I am aware of the nhm claim but wouldn't "hard evidence" imply that there is a unique piece of physical evidence that ties that location directly to Lehi's party and only Lehi's party? Perhaps Smith is using the term "hard evidence" in a manner I do not understand. nhm, at best, is circumstantial evidence as far as I can see.
NHM and the alleged teeming amount of Semitic complexity in the Book of Mormon (to paraphrase Elder Holland) is the only evidence I've seen thus far from FARMS/MI. I'm not sure that I would call characterize it as "hard" evidence.
I believe that Smith was one of the founders and key financial backers of FARMS at its original founding, but I could be wrong.
Even this "Semitic evidence" as a lot of apologists call it could be much more easily explained by Joseph Smith copying the Bible when dictating the Book of Mormon from his hat than it could by the wonky angles/plates/white Indians explanation that the Book of Mormon would suggest if literally true.
I used to be much more impressed by this type of evidence until I realized just how many times phrases like "stoned with stones" (Lev 20:27) and other "Hebraisms" occur in the text of the KJV of the Bible. If you were an ignorant farm hand and part-time con artist who wanted to write something and shine it off as being from the ancient Jews, how hard would it be to copy phrases like these in your writing?
"Joseph Smith was called as a prophet, dumb-dumb-dumb-dumb-dumb" -South Park
Let's not forget the rock-hard evidence of Hebraisms, such as the "cognate accusative." You see, Father Lehi said, "I have dreamed a dream," which is something that nobody but ancient Hebrews would say.
You know, ancient Hebrews like Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, who wrote the lyrics for the ancient Hebrew hymn, "I Dreamed a Dream," from their epic Hebrew drama known as Les Miserables.
Sign me up. I love that song.
"The DNA of fictional populations appears to be the most susceptible to extinction." - Simon Southerton
Fence Sitter wrote:I do not follow closely the archeological evidence on the Book of Mormon. I noticed this comment over on MD&D by Robert F. Smith.
In fact, a wide array of hard as well as circumstantial evidence shows that the Book of Mormon is most likely a factual account of events from the 2nd millennium B.C. down to the 4th century A.D. Perhaps you are unaware of the long bibliography of FARMS and Maxwell Institute publications available online, and have not actually discussed this issue with knowledgeable persons.
Can anyone tell me what 'hard evidence' there is that the Book of Mormon is a factual account? Or at least what TBM's see as "hard evidence" for it?
Proof of the Book of Mormon through evidence is no stronger than the evidence they have to prove the Explanations of Facsimile No. 3 are Egyptologically correct. The Mormon church is a goddamn cancer in our society and their scriptures are nothing but lies.
I'm glad they killed that son of bitch at Carthage. That dirty liar, Joe Smith.
Joseph Smith could not keep from betraying his farm boy style when preaching up his best sermons. How come there is ZERO New York farm boy speak in the entire Book of Mormon? Can anyone fine just one?
If you want some hard evidence and will put your money where your want is fund me an expedition and I will go to Cajamarca, Peru and dig until I find something. Cajamarca, Peru IS Zarahemla. How come BYU is blind to it? Stupid waste of time coveting Mayan archeology.
Nightlion wrote:Joseph Smith could not keep from betraying his farm boy style when preaching up his best sermons. How come there is ZERO New York farm boy speak in the entire Book of Mormon? Can anyone fine just one?
If you want some hard evidence and will put your money where your want is fund me an expedition and I will go to Cajamarca, Peru and dig until I find something. Cajamarca, Peru IS Zarahemla. How come BYU is blind to it? Stupid waste of time coveting Mayan archeology.
If you had some "hard evidence" you could convince some foundation(s) to fund you so you can go get the physical evidence. Foundations are always looking for great stories.
Dr CamNC4Me
"Dr. Peterson and his Callithumpian cabal of BYU idiots have been marginalized by their own inevitable irrelevancy defending a fraud."
Nightlion wrote:Joseph Smith could not keep from betraying his farm boy style when preaching up his best sermons. How come there is ZERO New York farm boy speak in the entire Book of Mormon? Can anyone fine just one?
Nightlion, the original version of the Book of Mormon was full of "farm boy speak." Plenty of ain'ts, double negatives, etc.
Nightlion wrote:Joseph Smith could not keep from betraying his farm boy style when preaching up his best sermons. How come there is ZERO New York farm boy speak in the entire Book of Mormon? Can anyone fine just one?
Have you never read the original English text of the 1830 edition? It is riddled with New York farm boy speak, such as "they went a journeying" instead of "they journeyed."
"The Church is authoritarian, tribal, provincial, and founded on a loosely biblical racist frontier sex cult."--Juggler Vain "The LDS church is the Amway of religions. Even with all the soap they sell, they still manage to come away smelling dirty."--Some Schmo