Reasons people stopped attending church

[MG 2.0]

I’m struggling to understand how The Book of Mormon is peripheral to Preaching The Gospel (one of the missions of the proselytising Mormon Church), when that Gospel is supposedly only found complete within it. Why does the Church print so many for its active sales force to give away when it’s merely a peripheral item?

It's not.

Regards,
MG

[Everybody Wang Chung]

I’m struggling to understand how The Book of Mormon is peripheral to Preaching The Gospel (one of the missions of the proselytising Mormon Church), when that Gospel is supposedly only found complete within it. Why does the Church print so many for its active sales force to give away when it’s merely a peripheral item?

It's not.

Regards,
MG

It is.

MG, can you tell me one unique teaching found in the Book of Mormon?

[I Have Questions]

I’m struggling to understand how The Book of Mormon is peripheral to Preaching The Gospel (one of the missions of the proselytising Mormon Church), when that Gospel is supposedly only found complete within it. Why does the Church print so many for its active sales force to give away when it’s merely a peripheral item?

It's not.

Regards,
MG

Earlier, in discussion with Chap, you said the veracity of whether The Book of Mormon recounted actual history or not, was peripheral to Preaching the Gospel (mission of the Church). Now you are saying that whether the events are factual or fictional is not peripheral.

[Chap]

It's not a question of me 'offering' you anything. It is a question of what is the case.

But you don't know any better (what is the case). That being so, I'll leave you to your own devices.

Nothing to offer.

Regards,
MG

This exchange was about whether the death of a human being (i.e. the definitive end of their body as a functioning organism) is the end of their existence as a conscious entity, or whether that consciousness can persist in some way after its body with which is was associated ceases to function.

I think there is strong evidence that human consciousness as we experience it depends critically on the functionality of a human body, and most particularly of the brain. Destruction or damage to very specific regions of the brain can end the ability of a human person to do particular things, such as speaking, seeing or being able to recognise Chinese characters. Destroy the whole brain, and it is reasonable to expect that all consciousness ceases. My consciousness is suspended every 24 hours, while the brain does some cleaning up stuff. The same thing happens whenever I have a general anaesthetic. OK, so one day that cessation will take place, and I shan't recover consciousness. There will be no 'me' left to regret that event.

There is no reason whatsoever to think that consciousness can persist when there is no functioning body to support it. And that doesn't bother me at all - because I shall never experience death as an event in my life. Meanwhile, I feel every day as a challenge to enjoy the time left to me. and enjoy the immense pleasures of being kind and helpful to others, and joining in the collective effort of the human race to push back the frontiers of our rational understanding of the world around us.

What's not to like?

[MG 2.0]

It's not.

Regards,
MG

Earlier, in discussion with Chap, you said the veracity of whether The Book of Mormon recounted actual history or not, was peripheral to Preaching the Gospel (mission of the Church). Now you are saying that whether the events are factual or fictional is not peripheral.

The Book of Mormon itself as a witness of Christ is not peripheral. Historicty issues are.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

But you don't know any better (what is the case). That being so, I'll leave you to your own devices.

Nothing to offer.

Regards,
MG

This exchange was about whether the death of a human being (i.e. the definitive end of their body as a functioning organism) is the end of their existence as a conscious entity, or whether that consciousness can persist in some way after its body with which is was associated ceases to function.

I think there is strong evidence that human consciousness as we experience it depends critically on the functionality of a human body, and most particularly of the brain. Destruction or damage to very specific regions of the brain can end the ability of a human person to do particular things, such as speaking, seeing or being able to recognise Chinese characters. Destroy the whole brain, and it is reasonable to expect that all consciousness ceases. My consciousness is suspended every 24 hours, while the brain does some cleaning up stuff. The same thing happens whenever I have a general anaesthetic. OK, so one day that cessation will take place, and I shan't recover consciousness. There will be no 'me' left to regret that event.

There is no reason whatsoever to think that consciousness can persist when there is no functioning body to support it. And that doesn't bother me at all - because I shall never experience death as an event in my life. Meanwhile, I feel every day as a challenge to enjoy the time left to me. and enjoy the immense pleasures of being kind and helpful to others, and joining in the collective effort of the human race to push back the frontiers of our rational understanding of the world around us.

What's not to like?

There is reason/evidence among some researchers, that seems to indicate/demonstrate that this thing we call consciousness supercedes physicality. That is, consciousness comes first.

Add that in with purpose and meaning beyond randomness in the universe (fine tuning argument) and I think that there is reason to believe in something other than stand a lone physicality.

But that's me

Regards,
MG

[Moksha]

MG, can you tell me one unique teaching found in the Book of Mormon?

What about Jesus being born in Jerusalem, as well as the importance of the temple spire height?

[MG 2.0]

It's not.

Regards,
MG

It is.

MG, can you tell me one unique teaching found in the Book of Mormon?

That Jesus Christ visited the descendants of Lehi in the New World and called prophets and established a church which had His authority.

Where else do you find that?

And if that is indeed true, the ramifications are many. Flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon which then add distinctive 'flavor' to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Plan of Salvation and Premortal Existence

The Book of Mormon explicitly teaches that God had a plan for the salvation and exaltation of humanity prepared before the foundation of the world. This includes the doctrine of premortal foreordination, where individuals are called to priesthood roles according to God’s foreknowledge (Alma 13:3–10).

The phrase “plan of salvation” and similar terminology are found in the Book of Mormon but not in the Bible.

The Fall and Its Purpose

The Book of Mormon provides a distinctive interpretation of the Fall of Adam and Eve. It teaches that the Fall was a necessary part of God’s plan, enabling humanity to experience joy, have children, and progress. Lehi’s statement, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25), is unique in its positive framing of the Fall.

Agency and Opposition

The principle of agency—humans’ ability to choose between good and evil—is a central theme. The Book of Mormon teaches that “there is an opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11) and that individuals are “free to choose liberty and eternal life… or to choose captivity and death” (2 Nephi 2:27).

The Nature of God and the Godhead

The Book of Mormon affirms the unity of the Godhead while emphasizing that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are distinct beings, each bearing record of the others (see 3 Nephi 11:27).

It teaches that God is unchangeable, all-knowing, and perfectly loving (2 Nephi 9:20; Moroni 8:18; 1 Nephi 11:22).

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

The Book of Mormon provides detailed teachings about the Atonement, including the suffering of Christ in Gethsemane as a central part of the Atonement, not just His crucifixion.

It teaches that “no unclean thing can enter into [God’s] kingdom” and emphasizes the need for faith, repentance, baptism, and enduring to the end.

The Innocence of Children

The Book of Mormon teaches that children are innocent and not capable of sin, and therefore do not need baptism until they reach the age of accountability (see Moroni 8:10–12).

Revelation and Personal Guidance

The Book of Mormon demonstrates the importance of personal revelation and teaches that God continues to speak to individuals and guide them through the Holy Ghost.

Plain and Precious Truths

The Book of Mormon restores and clarifies many “plain and precious” truths that are considered lost or unclear in the Bible, such as the role of baptism before Christ, the necessity of enduring to the end, and the process of repentance.

Other Notable Teachings

The Book of Mormon addresses the reality and tactics of Satan, the necessity of prayer, the purpose of life as a probationary state, and the importance of gratitude, humility, and charity.

It teaches that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon itself is a sign of the gathering of Israel and the fulfillment of God’s covenants.
Perplexity A. I.

You have read the Book of Mormon and the Bible, right?

Regards,
Mg

[Marcus]

It's not.

Regards,
MG

It is.

MG, can you tell me one unique teaching found in the Book of Mormon?

That would be a "No".

[I Have Questions]

MG, can you tell me one unique teaching found in the Book of Mormon?

That would be a "No".

The notion that black skin is the sign a person has been cursed by God is fairly unique, to be fair. And that people of the Middle East sailed in ‘air tight’ sealed barges that could sail upside down, with livestock, bees etc., for a year and then populated the Americas, is also a fairly unique teaching.