Daviyd Ben Yitshaq wrote:
 >John Tvedtnes wrote:
 >
 >> Avi Dakatcher wrote:
 >> >James and Eric,
 >> >    I would like to request the following literature:
 >> >    a copy of the Semetic Origin of the New Testament my copy came apart
 >> >    a copy of the sample of Ephesians
 >> >    a copy of Semetic Light on Hebrews
 >> >    a copy of the second edition of James Trimm's translation of the
Jean Du
 >> >    Tillet Hebrew manuscript
 >> >    any samples of the Semetic New Testament Project that James Trimm has
 >> >    completed besides Ephesians
 >>
 >> Maybe when James gets around to issuing a second edition of some of these,
 >> he will spell SEMITIC correctly.  It's bad form to write about something
 >> and spell the main topic incorrectly.
 >>
 >> John A. Tvedtnes
 >> Brigham Young University
 >
 >It is also bad form to write a book, under false pretenses, and call it
the most
 >correct book on earth, that will get you closer to God...<quote JSmith> I
told
 >the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct OF ANY BOOK ON
EARTH,
 >and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get closer to God by
abiding by
 >its precepts, than by any other book <end quote>
 >
 >1) Just by claiming this, JSmith blasphemed the word of Yah. It was, and
probably
 >still is attempted by some, to claim that the Torah has been changed....This
 >feeble attempt at discrediting the Word of Yah, is shattered in light of
the DSS.
 >
 >2) J Smiths application of the Urrim and Thummim as a means of translating
is a
 >joke, considering the fact that Hebrew of 600 B.C.E. didnt need some mystical
 >device for translating. Strongs certainly didnt need a breastplate with
the Urim
 >and Thummim attached!
 >
 >The point of all of this? It is bad form to nitpick another pasture, while
yours
 >is being over taken by weeds...<g>

A few points:

1. It's one thing to proclaim one's religious beliefs, and quite another to
claim to be an expert on the Semitic languages and not know how to spell
the word.  Besides, you've misunderstood some things about the Book of
Mormon.  I'd be glad to clarify them for you, if you can just stop your
dogmatism long enough to read them.

2. James Scott Trimm himself claims to believe in the Book of Mormon (he
and I have discussed it by phone on several occasions and have
corresponded, long before this list existed).  Are you also being critical
of him?  Are you aware of the articles he posted in favor of the Book of
Mormon on the Rabbi Yosef web site, which was designed to give evidences
for the "Jewishness" of the Book of Mormon?  Are you aware that Trimm is
himself Rabbi Yosef, and that he told me about that web site before he
began it?  Are you aware that it was some time after starting the Nazarene
business that the Rabbi Yosef web site was removed?  (I was initially
surprised that James was touting himself as a believer in the Book of
Mormon on that web site while touting himself on this list as a Messianic
Jew.)  Are you aware that Trimm wrote an article favorable of the Book of
Mormon for Angela Crowell's Book of Mormon newsletter, but that she
rejected it?  Are you aware that he offered to do some things on the Book
of Mormon for the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies?  Are
you aware that he wanted us to send him copies of all the books and
journals we have published so he could use the material to establish
evidence for the Book of Mormon?  Are you going to condemn James as a
blasphemer because he has supported the Book of Mormon?

3. Now let me just drop this bombshell and then I'll request to be removed
from the list.  James Scott Trimm's doctorate comes from a diploma mill.
He gave me the address of the "college" in Albuquerque from which he
received the degree so I could check into it.  When I couldn't find it in
the phone directory, I called the Better Business Bureau there and they
told me that it was a mail drop.  When I challenged him on it, he said
that, yes, this was just a mail drop, but the college itself was really
located in the Phoenix area, and I could call the bishop who heads the
college.  But guess what?  The college isn't in that phone directory
either, and I'm sure as heck not going to waste my time calling
who-knows-who on the phone and get confirmation that Trimm took courses
from him.  It's a one-man college with no real course requirements, and
that makes it a diploma mill.  How many real Semiticists do you know who
get their degrees that way?

4. In fairness to James, let me say that he has learned a lot on his own,
so he's not a dummy just because he doesn't have a real degree.  And I
frankly wouldn't care if he had a degree to his name, if his work were
competent, which some of it is.  But it just seems wrong to have to invent
a degree to prove one's self.

Just a P.S. to James:  You can deny your Rabbi Yosef connection and your
support of the Book of Mormon all you want, but just remember that I still
have your letters to me.  So I suggest that you not say anything that might
embarrass you.  Just a word of advice from someone who, despite the
appearance of this message, still wishes you well.  I just think that
honesty is the best policy.  Besides, you seem to be selling more books as
a Nazarene than you did as Rabbi Yosef, and you're now doing lectures and
conferences, which you didn't have any success at before.  You have a very
loyal following from members of this list, and I don't begrudge you that.
I would not have blown the whistle had Ben Yitshaq not have put his foot in
your mouth, but he just went too far, and I think it's now time for the
truth to come out.  I have no doubt that some listmembers will be upset at
me more than you, but so be it.

John T.