For the critics... what do you say to missionaries?

[_just me]

After reading this thread and much on this site... I completely understand that it isn't just the Mormons who missed the mark.


Jacob 4:14

14 But behold, the Mormons were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

Perhaps this helps to see how wrong and insulting a "scripture" like this is. probably not, but maybe.

[Guest]

Thews, it's the history of the church. Read it sometime. It is Joseph Smith's own account of what happened.

BHR wrote it, based mostly from journals of others. Joseph Smith personally left little, from his own hand. And yes, I own the set and have read every volume, cover to cover.
Why do you suppose today's lay member has basically never heard of BHR, nor have/read a copy of HC?

Oh please don't be so blantantly false in your representations. B. H. Roberts edited the History of the Church and did not write the accounts. It is also a well-known fact that Joseph Smith used various scribes, clerks, and namely Willard Richards, appointed by Joseph Smith as his "private Sect. & Historian", so pointing that out is an obvious attempt to discredit the accounts.

[_RockSlider]

Tobin,

Do you have a set? have you read it?

[_Tobin]

Tobin,

Do you have a set? have you read it?

Yes, I do. It is green and hard bound in multiple volumes too.

[_Sandra]

After reading this thread and much on this site... I completely understand that it isn't just the Mormons who missed the mark.


Jacob 4:14

14 But behold, the Mormons were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

Perhaps this helps to see how wrong and insulting a "scripture" like this is. probably not, but maybe.

It isn't wrong, or insulting. You are just looking through your discriminatory, fault finding glasses.

[_Themis]

It isn't wrong, or insulting. You are just looking through your discriminatory, fault finding glasses.

The scripture is stereotyping in a negative way, just as it does with the lamanites in the Book of Mormon. It seen as raciest if it is generalizing in negative ways a whole group based on race of lineage.

[_Drifting]

Hi Sandra, please can you illuminate me on how the following isn't racist?

“Is there reason then why the type of birth we receive in this life is not a reflection of our WORTHINESS OR LACK OF IT in the pre-existent life?...can we account in any other of way for the birth of some of the children of God in darkest AFRICA, or in flood-ridden CHINA, or among the starving hordes of INDIA, while some of the rest of us are born here in the United States? We cannot escape the conclusion that because of performance in our pre-existence some of us are born as Chinese, some as Japanese, some as Indians, some as Negroes, some as Americans, some as Latter-day Saints. THESE ARE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS, fully in harmony with His established policy in dealing with SINNERS AND SAINTS, rewarding all according to their deeds....

“Let us consider the great mercy of God for a moment. A Chinese, born in China with A DARK SKIN, and with all the handicaps of that race seems to have little opportunity. But think of the mercy of God to Chinese people who are willing to accept the gospel. IN SPITE OF WHATEVER THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE IN THE PRE-EXISTENCE TO JUSTIFY BEING BORN OVER THERE AS CHINAMEN, if they now, in this life, accept the gospel and live it the rest of their lives they can have the Priesthood, go to the temple and receive endowments and sealings, and that means they can have exaltation. Isn't the mercy of God marvelous?

Or do you, like this Apostle, believe that people born in Africa, China and India must have displayed a lack of worthiness in the pre-existence that merited such a punishment as their race?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

I bumped into a couple of missionaries while I was up in DC for some business. They began with the usual Church spiel, and I interrupted them with, "Brother, I know the deal, I was a former Missionary myself, and it's cool... I know the deal... Where are you from, and what's your life like?"

We ended up having a very nice exchange, and I sent them on their way.

I hope they have a good life. :)

- VRDRC