So I want to talk about the Mormons

[colton]

My limited understanding also includes that Joseph didn't 'create' (with all respect to followers of the Mormon faith) the works alone.

I disagree. I've read lots of theories but they don't hold water in my opinion. The reasons are too many for me to list right now. But my conclusion is that if it was a fraud, it was something Joseph Smith did all by himself.

 

[colton]

this is the reason i initially left the church, and surprisingly is also the reason that i subsequently returned.

That's a very interesting statement. Care to elaborate on how the Book of Abraham prompted you to return?

Edit: Ah, I see you replied to someone else's question about this already, above.

 

[colton]

Hasn't the BOM been edited like 2000 times or something?

No, not really. The people who claim there have been "thousands of changes" are referring to minor punctuation or spelling changes. And some only slightly less minor changes to fix errors that crept into the printer's manuscript and/or subsequent editions, to bring it back more in line with Joseph's scribe's handwritten copy. That type of thing.

I believe the number of substantive changes can be counted on one hand. There was a recent changing of the word "white" to the word "pure" in one spot, to avoid racial overtones. ("White" in Joseph Smith's day did have "pure" as a definition, if you check the old dictionaries.) And there was a "Benjamin" -> "Mosiah" word change somewhere along the line, which in my opinion was an error by Mormon himself. (Or maybe it was Mosiah -> Benjamin.) And maybe two or three other changes like that.

 

[colton]

Question about Utah Mormons: What is their typical ethnic heritage?

Aside from the recent Hispanic immigrants, most are northern European. I'm nearly 100% British Isles. My wife is British Isles and Scandinavian. I think we're fairly typical.

 

[colton]

How many of you guys are returned missionaries? How many are still actively involved & still believe?

I'd say roughly half of the posters here are active LDS. Most of them are probably returned missionaries.

 

[bigb]

How many of you guys are returned missionaries? How many are still actively involved & still believe?

Me, and yes.

 

[MVP]

So let me ask this. Why Mormons believe that Joseph Smith visions and Book of Mormon is any better ( or more believable ) then Bible, Quran, Torah, NWT and so on? Why would non religious person who is looking to chose one of the religions should believe Book of Mormon and not the Quran for example? Why Mormons claim that Muhhamad is not a prophet ( I agree with them here) of God but Joseph Smith is?

 

[bigb]

So let me ask this. Why Mormons believe that Joseph Smith visions and Book of Mormon is any better ( or more believable ) then Bible, Quran, Torah, NWT and so on? Why would non religious person who is looking to chose one of the religions should believe Book of Mormon and not the Quran for example? Why Mormons claim that Muhhamad is not a prophet ( I agree with them here) of God but Jason Smith is?

The only Jason Smith that I know is not a prophet.

 

[Julie Greengiant]

There are a million theories but this one makes no sense. Smith wasn't involved with the free mason well after the BOM was published and the church as already setup.

I know that his brother was already a Freemason and possibly his father? The theory I am familiar with posits that Hyrum provided Joseph with the writings.

 

[bigb]

So let me ask this. Why Mormons believe that Joseph Smith visions and Book of Mormon is any better ( or more believable ) then Bible, Quran, Torah, NWT and so on? Why would non religious person who is looking to chose one of the religions should believe Book of Mormon and not the Quran for example? Why Mormons claim that Muhhamad is not a prophet ( I agree with them here) of God but Jason Smith is?

I believe the Bible to be the word of God.
As for the others, I've never read or studied them to judge. That would be left to each person to decide. From what I hear, those other books you used as an example contain many good things in them that would help us be better people.

 

[Stoked]

I believe the Bible to be the word of God.
As for the others, I've never read or studied them to judge. That would be left to each person to decide. From what I hear, those other books you used as an example contain many good things in them that would help us be better people.

There is also the possibility that others were inspired by God but not called to be prophets. Maybe Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Mohammed...were inspired

 

[Archie Moses]

With my personal experience and study of both LDS teachings and things that are anti-LDS, I can not, and will not deny it. Joseph Smith was either an incredible savant like liar, or a man of god. I find him to be the later. With that said, I think religion looks weirder and weirder the more civilized society becomes.