Is the Book of Mormon Divinely Inspired?

[MG 2.0]

Gadianton, I have a working hypothesis that no matter the level of sincerity, MG 2.0 will not accept as legitimately equivalent any statement of belief from anyone, anywhere, ever, unless it’s a Mormon bearing the same set of beliefs that he chooses to believe.

I think he’s incapable of being even-handed when weighing up a persons beliefs. What counts as evidence for Mormonism, will not count as evidence for <something else>.

I think PG came as close to my own thoughts as I could hope anyone could. I’m not questioning the sincerity of anyone who believes what they believe.

Including you.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

…I am weak and continue using my brain when mentalgymnastics tell me to Just Let It Go....

What I did say was let bygones be bygones. That doesn’t take a whole lot of brainpower. Even a kid can do that. Not saying that kids don’t have a brain, but you know what I mean.

Or do you?

You seem to misinterpret and get twisted up with much of what I say. But I’m hoping you can do better.

Hope springs eternal…

Regards,
MG

[Marcus]

…I am weak and continue using my brain when mentalgymnastics tell me to Just Let It Go....

What I did say was let bygones be bygones. That doesn’t take a whole lot of brainpower. Even a kid can do that. Not saying that kids don’t have a brain, but you know what I mean.

Or do you?

You seem to misinterpret and get twisted up with much of what I say. But I’m hoping you can do better.

Hope springs eternal…

Regards,
MG

You do love to try to troll, don't you? You are on a roll this thread with your partial quoting inaccuracies and your deflections. I don't have to hope, I know you won't do better, so back to the thread...

In my quote that you took out of context, I was referring to your last link. Are you just trying to deflect from how bad that link was? Or do you have an actual response to what I posted?

Here is another paper that can be added to the other links I’ve posted in this thread. Only for the lurkers though.

https://rsc.BYU.edu/historicity-latter- ... ook-Mormon

Regards,
MG

Presented in the link above, as evidence in favor of the historicity of the Book of Mormon:

Evidence from Joseph Smith

Since Joseph Smith was the publisher of the Book of Mormon, we can rightly assign some measure of credit for its existence to him, assuming that he was not entirely subject to some force independent of his own agency. It will not be necessary to repeat the whole story of Moroni’s coming, the plates, and the Book of Mormon, but we will view some selections of Joseph Smith’s public and private statements about its origin and content. [16]

...Letter to a newspaper, January 1833

The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians, having been found through the ministration of an holy angel [and] translated into our own language by the gift and power of God after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years; containing the word of God which was delivered unto them. By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph that was sold into Egypt, and that the land of America is a promised land unto them. [18]

Some historical details: book written by ancestors of Indians, translated into English, duration of plates’ burial in ground, Israelite ancestry of Indians.

It's a known and universally accepted fact that the above statements about "our western tribes of Indians" are blatantly and completely untrue.

What a source.

Any response?

[huckelberry]

Not true. And I’m not minimizing Jehovah’s Witnesses witnessing. The point is that their witnessing, as others have said, is based upon study of the Bible and what they see as logic to prove that their beliefs are true. I do value that.

But it’s a different species of witnessing than LDS missionaries who make the claim of bearing testimony through the Spirit of God.

Can you see the difference?

Mg, all sorts of Christians value Bible study but they base their faith on the Holy Spirit. You are perhaps not hearing that portion.Perhaps the approach is a little different. I have not heard feel good tests advised much outside of Mormonism.

[I Have Questions]

I’m happy to listen to the sincere face to face testimony of a Jehovah’s Witness. But I haven’t heard one. I was recently running along the Ventura State Beach promenade/boardwalk along the beautiful coastline. There were a couple of Jehovahs’s Witness ladies with a display set up there. After I finished my run I came back and had a nice chat with them actually waiting for them to offer up their testimony.

Never happened. Maybe a ‘one off’.

Over the years, however, I’ve talked with a number of missionaries from their church. No testimonies.

Seems to be more common with missionaries from the LDS Church.

But that’s my limited experience.

Regards,
MG

Does a testimony have to be “face to face” for you to consider it?

How did they react to the sincere testimony that you bore to them?

Hi MG, I’m bumping these questions for a second time, as you seem to have missed them. Again. Please answer them.

[MG 2.0]

It's a known and universally accepted fact that the above statements about "our western tribes of Indians" are blatantly and completely untrue.

What a source.
Any response?

Oliver wrote this.

He had his opinions as did others, including Joseph.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

Not true. And I’m not minimizing Jehovah’s Witnesses witnessing. The point is that their witnessing, as others have said, is based upon study of the Bible and what they see as logic to prove that their beliefs are true. I do value that.

But it’s a different species of witnessing than LDS missionaries who make the claim of bearing testimony through the Spirit of God.

Can you see the difference?

Mg, all sorts of Christians value Bible study but they base their faith on the Holy Spirit. You are perhaps not hearing that portion.Perhaps the approach is a little different. I have not heard feel good tests advised much outside of Mormonism.

Yes, other faith traditions reference the Holy Spirit as they worship. I believe that those that are seeking and worshiping their ‘higher power’ are blessed to that degree that God grants. Including members of the LDS faith.

God loves ALL his children.

I think we also need to accept the fact that there are other influences that may be at play at times. I’m not one to make that determination unless I can see that harm is the result. Physical, sexual, or mental.

My experience in the LDS Church has been generally favorable as to the workings of the Holy Spirit. But again, there are times where other influences whether they be false spirits, physiological abnormalities (brain function resulting in hallucinations,etc.), environmental triggers, etc., may be at play.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

Does a testimony have to be “face to face” for you to consider it?

How did they react to the sincere testimony that you bore to them?

Hi MG, I’m bumping these questions for a second time, as you seem to have missed them. Again. Please answer them.

Sure.Although if you had read what I’ve already said, I’ve alluded to and/or given what I believe to be an adequate answer.

Be that as it may, no, a testimony does not need to be face to face in order to be a valid witness by the one sharing that witness. That testimony might come through various means.

In my conversation with the two ladies that were witnessing for their Jehovah’s Witness faith they didn’t share any scripture or really bring up much at all in regards to their faith. Basically we talked about the fact that the weather was beautiful along with the surf. I mentioned I was LDS visiting from Utah.

And that was about it.

Honestly, I was expecting they might share a scripture or two but they apparently didn’t feel it necessary, for whatever reason, to do so.

Regards,
MG

[huckelberry]

Mg, all sorts of Christians value Bible study but they base their faith on the Holy Spirit. You are perhaps not hearing that portion.Perhaps the approach is a little different. I have not heard feel good tests advised much outside of Mormonism.

Yes, other faith traditions reference the Holy Spirit as they worship. I believe that those that are seeking and worshiping their ‘higher power’ are blessed to that degree that God grants. Including members of the LDS faith.

....
MG

Higher power is pretty vague talk.With the Holy Spirit Christians are more likely to speak about being confronted with conviction of their need for grace from God and hope in the healing growing power of new life in Jesus.

[MG 2.0]

Yes, other faith traditions reference the Holy Spirit as they worship. I believe that those that are seeking and worshiping their ‘higher power’ are blessed to that degree that God grants. Including members of the LDS faith.

....
MG

Higher power is pretty vague talk.With the Holy Spirit Christians are more likely to speak about being confronted with conviction of their need for grace from God and hope in the healing growing power of new life in Jesus.

Some might (but it varies in Christianity). But then you have other faith traditions that are reaching for ‘God’ on a somewhat different path. I think God sees them and hears them too.

It’s not like He is going to completely ignore them…especially if they are all part of his creation.

Regards,
MG