IsraeLight forum, post 1279
This post has been deleted from James Trimm's forum.
From: James Trimm <jstrimm@h...>
Date: Sun Aug 13, 2000 9:52am
Subject: Concerning BoM Slander
Apart from the issue of DNS numbers (which I have already dealt with) and
in light of some recent slander I feel that it needs to be made clear that
I absolutely do NOT hold a belief that the Book of Mormon is true.
The BoM quotes and paraphrases many phrases, verses, concepts and even
whole chapters from the Bible. In fact as much as half or more of the
BoM
actually closlely parallels passages in the Bible.
As a result there is much Biblical truth in the BoM. These are Biblical
truths that first appeared in the Bible.
Now regardless of whether or not the BoM is true or not there is
none-the-less a great deal of truth in the BoM.
If one takes a Hebraic-Roots approach to these Biblical truths that appear
in the BoM one is able teach these truths to Mormons from a "Jewish
Perspective" and thus deal with what could be called "Jewishness" in/of the
BoM. This "Jewishness" is simply the result of aplying a Hebraic-Roots
approach and a Jewish perspective to Biblical truths that appear in the BoM.
These Biblical truths appear because the BoM quotes and paraphrases many
phrases, verses, concepts and even whole chapters from the Bible.
Now because of the fact that the BoM contains Biblical truth, it can be
very useful in reaching Mormons with these Biblical truths. And by
applying a Jewish/Hebraic-roots perspective on these Biblical truths one
can effectively reach Mormons with both Torah and Messiah.
Christian ministries have used this type of approach for years in
attempting to reach Mormons with Orthodox Christianity. One tract
published by Personal Freedom Outreach says:
Anyone visited by a Mormon Missionary has heard
the Elder's testimony concerning the Book of Mormon:
That he knows this book is the Word of God
and that the founder of the Mormon Church,
Joseph Smith, Jr., translated it by the gift and power of God.
Further, the prospect is encouraged sincerely
to study the Book of Mormon and "The divine truths
it contains."
The Book of Mormon indeed does contain a number of
"divine truths", first set forth in the Bible,...
[the author then lists six of these]
Much of the major theology set forth in the Book of Mormon
is indeed in harmony with orthodox Christianity.
However, many who are visited by the LDS Missionaries
are unaware that the present theology of the Mormon Church
is very different from their own Book of Mormon. ...
Mormon theology is not contained in,
but rather contradicted by the Book of Mormon....
The presence of "Divine Truths" within the Book of Mormon
is merely a result of Joseph Smith, Jr. incorporating
much of the Bible into his work. (see 'The use of the Bible
in the Book of Mormon by H. Michael Marquardt).
- DIVINE TRUTHS IN THE BOOK OF MORMON
<http://www.associate.com/ministry_files/The_Reading_Room/False_Teaching_n_Teac
hers_1/Divine_Truths_In_The_Book_Of_Mo>
There are a number of Christian tracts and ministries that have taken this
same approach
to disprove Mormon theology and teach Orthodox Christian theology to
Mormons using the divine truths in their Book of Mormon.
For example the tract THOSE PLAIN AND PRECIOUS THINGS from Saints Alive:
<http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/plainandprecious.htm>
and an article called: Joseph Smith vs. the Book of Mormon By Gary F. Zeolla
<http://www.dtl.org/cults/article/smith.htm>
There is another I have which is also called Joseph Smith vs. the Book
of
Mormon
but was authored by Bill McKeever and published by Mormonism Research Ministry;
Box 20705; El Cajon, CA 92021-0955 but I have not found it on the net.
So it occurred to me that I could adapt this same approach to
Messianic/Nazarene Judaism.
By taking a Hebraic-Roots Jewish approach to these "divine truths" in the
Book of Mormon
I could actually reach Mormons with real Torah based divine truth USING
THEIR OWN BOOK!
This approach becomes very important because Mormons put more stock in
the
Book of Mormon than in the Bible. As a Saints Alive tract correctly states:
"I (Joseph Smith) 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 nearer to God by abiding by its precepts,
than by any other book."
(History of the Church, Volume 4, Page 461)
It is the LDS concept that the Bible is the Word of God
as far as it is translated correctly, that is,
what is left of the Bible after many Plain and Precious
Things were removed by the great and abominable church.
The Mormon also "knows" that the Book of Mormon
is the Word of God. It did not have many
Plain and Precious Things removed. It did not
suffer at the hands of many translations.
(Those Plain and Precious Things tract- Saints Alive)
This tract goes on to show that the many unique Mormon doctrines do NOT
appear in the Book of Mormon which actually teaches against them. The
tract continues further down:
1 Nephi 13:26-36 says that the "great and abominable church"
(verse 26) took away from the gospel many parts and covenants
which were Plain and Precious, in order to pervert the ways of the
Lord
and blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the people.
The Bible was corrupted because of this (verse 28). What were
some of those Plain and Precious Things? Are these those that
separate Mormonism from the Christianity that grew out of the past?
Are these not the law of eternal progression, salvation,
baptism for the dead, the nature of God, temples, and polygamy?
The Lord God (Elohim) promised that a day would come
when these things will be restored (verse 32) after the Gentiles
stumble about because of this act of the "mother of harlots"
taking the most Plain and Precious Things of the Gospel
of the Lamb (verse 34). The Lamb of God (Jesus) says exactly
how this restoration of all the Plain and Precious Things
will come about. In verse 35 He says He will manifest Himself
to the Seed of Nephi and they shall write many things all
the precious things taken away by that church and even
after they (your seed) are all gone. These things shall be
hidden up to come forth unto the Gentiles. Verse 36 says,
"And in them shall be written my gospel., saith the Lamb,
and my rock (word "rock" refers to the gospel' see D&C 11:24)
and my salvation." Therefore, the Plain and Precious Things
taken away by the great and abominable church must be restored
in the Book of Mormon. This is verified by Latter-day
revelations also:
"For in them are all things written concerning
the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my rock." (D&C 18:4)
"And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet
thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing
of the Book of Mormon, which contains the truth and
the Word of God." (D&C 19:26) "And gave him power from on high,
by the means which were before prepared, to translate
the Book of Mormon; which contains a record of a fallen people,
and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles
and to the Jews also." (D&C 20:8&9) "And again, the elders,
priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles
of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon,
in the which is the fulness of the gospel." (D&C 42:12)
What are the things contained in the fulness of the gospel,
the Book of Mormon, which are lost, hidden and not contained
in the Bible? By the Word of God, they must be in the Book
of Mormon. Where are these teaching of Mormonism?
The critical doctrines that separate Mormonism from
the Christianity that was debased for the loss of "many
Plain and Precious Things" from its scriptures by the
"great and abominable church" are listed here:
[the author then lists several unique Mormon doctrines]
The Book of Mormon is the "Stick of Joseph."
Either these doctrines must be found in the Book of Mormon
or Mormonism is subject to the words of Jesus in
His judgement of 3 Nephi 27:11; Alma 13:20; 2 Nephi 28:15;
2 Nephi 28:16, 21-24, 25.
Not only can these things not be found in the Book of Mormon,
but the doctrine of the Book of Mormon is ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED
TO SOME OF THESE "LDS ONLY" DOCTRINES! ...
The Author goes on to list several examples. Note also that this Christian
author [Saints Alive founder Ed Decker?] takes a "for arguments sake" type
aproach. (In fact in this and many similar Christian writings the authors,
in taking this approach say many things that could be quoted out of context
so as to imply that they believe the BoM is true.)
Ok so suppose someone were to adapt this same method to teach the biblical
truths of Torah Observant Messianic/Nazarene Judaism to Mormons?
Suppose this person made himself a total expert on the Book of Mormon.
Suppose this person joined Mormon lists under pseudonymns and used this
method. Suppose this person used the BoM to teach "biblical truths" from
a
Jewish/Hebraic-Roots perspective to Mormons. Suppose this went on for
years. Suppose it was a very fruitful ministry. Not a money making
effort, for it could never generate money. A ministry conducted solely
for
the purpose of bringing Mormons to Torah and Messiah and not for any
financial gain.
Now suppose a vindictive person wanted to SLANDER this man. That person
could easily quote this man out of context. Since this man was
role-playing for years with Mormons using this method one could easily
quote whole e-mails that would wrongly imply that this man believed the BoM
is true.
Regarding the Book of Mormon, I do NOT hold a belief that the Book of
Mormon is true. As an accademic with an interest in comparitive theology
I
have had many objective and or interpretive discusions about the Quran and
the Book of Mormon on various Muslim and Mormon lists over the years.
This
often involved discussions about what the Quran or the Book of Mormon
teaches or what a certain passage means. I have also used the Quran
and
the Book of Mormon as tools to reach Muslims and Mormons and other Book of
Mormon believers with Torah and Messiah using a "for arguments sake" type
approach. I am pleased to say that through this approach I have helped
bring a number of Mormons and other Book of Mormon believers to Torah and
Messiah. I can however see how a person might wrongly understand some
of
that material as implying that I believe the Book of Mormon is true or that
I believe the Quran is true. Let me make this clear, while I CAN see how
someone might have misunderstood, I do NOT hold a belief that the Book
of
Mormon is true. And I do NOT hold a belief that the Quran is true.
I have stated repeatedly that I do not advocate the Book of Mormon.
I have serious problems with a number of things that are IN the Book of Mormon:
* Certain passages at least appear to be anti-nomian:
"...you must keep the performances
and ordinances of God until the law shall be fulfilled
which was given to Moses."
- 2Nephi 25:30 (supposedly between 559 & 545 BC)
(see also Alma 30:3)
"...but I say to you, that the time shall come
when it shall no more be expedient
to keep the law of Moses."
- Mosiah 13:27 (sopposedly in 148 BC)
"...the law in me is fulfilled,
for I have come to fulfil the law;
therefore it has an end."
- 3Nephi 15:5 (supposedly quoying "Jesus")
[right after the coming of "Christ"]
"And they did not walk anymore after the performances
and ordinances of the law of Moses..."
- 4Nephi 1:12
"...the law of circumcision is done away in me."
- Moroni 8:8 (supposedly quoting "Jesus")
* The book seems to depict traditional Christian practices
such as Communion [not Passover?] (3Nephi 20:1-9)
* The Book of Mormon calls the followers of the religion
it depicts "Christians" supposedly as early as 73 BC
(Alma 46:13-16).
* The BoM people supposedly came to the New World
and kept the law of Moses (2Ne. 25:24; Jarom 1:5; Mosiah 2:3;
Alma 30:3; 34:14) they supposedly built a Temple "after
the manner of Solomon" (2Ne. 5:16) and made offerings
(1Ne. 5:9; 7:22; Mosiah 2:3) Now how could a group of all
Josephites (1Ne. 15:12; 19:24; 2Ne. 3:2-5; Jacob 2:5 & Alma 26:36)
do that without any Levites? Maybe thay just did it theselves
(1Nephi 2:7) and appointed non-Levites as priests (2Ne. 5:26;
Jacob 1:18) but then who would say that a group of Josephites
who built their own Temple, performed their own offerrings
and appointed their own non-Levitical priests...
"...did observe to keep the judgements,
and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord
IN ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF MOSES"
(2Ne. 5:10)?
Even IF the Lord had told them to do such things would
it not be WAY beyond the realm of truth to say that
they were done "according to the law of Moses"?
* Also why would a group which kept the law of Moses
in all things build various Temples in various locations:
* "The Land of Nephi" (2Ne. 5:8, 16)
* "The Land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 1:18)
* "the Land Bountiful" (3Nephi 11:1)
And much of this time overlaps The Second Temple Era.
Compare Deut 12:21; 16:16 which teaches only one Temple
in one chosen place. How does that work?
* While the book is longer than the NT and is largely narative
it never mentions a Jewish/Biblical holiday by name. It also
never mentions a newmoon convocation, Nazarite vow etc.
This is suspicious.
* Although its people supposedly kept the Law of Moses until
the time of "Christ" the book places the death of "Christ"
on the "the first month, on the fourth day" (3Ne. 8:5)
though this day would have been Passover, the 14th day
of the month on the Biblical/Jewish calendar. In fact
Passover roughly coresponds with the full moon and would
be within a day of the 15th (on a newmoon based calendar)
or a day of the 1st (on any Fullmoon based calendar) So not only
is this supposed "BoM calendar" not the Biblical newmoon calendar
it could not even be a lunar calendar at all.
James Trimm
Study Torah with SANJ Mitvah Club
http://www.nazarene.net/MitzvahClub.htm
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