Questions about the Book of Mormon

Hi everyone,

JIMINZ and I were chatting over on this thread (Why are Mormons hated by other Christians?), and started to get a little off topic, so came here to continue the conversation and not derail the other thread.

Her/his question were:

JIMINZ said:

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Here are three questions for you.
1) How did the Gold plates come into being?
2) Why did Jesus come to the US?
3) Why is the Book of Mormon another Testament of Jesus Christ?

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I'll address one common is conception first, and then hit each of these questions on the head--

Is the Book of Mormon the Mormon Bible?

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No, the Bible is the Mormon Bible (and the Baptist Bible and Methodist Bible, etc...). We use the 66 book Protestant Bible, the KJV in English. The Book of Mormon is not a replacement for this in any way, and for every 1 year of LDS Sunday School spent on the Book of Mormon, 2 years are spent on the Bible. All scripture are viewed as sisters, loved and believed together.

JIMINZ said:

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1) How did the Gold plates come into being?

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The Book of Mormon claims to be a record of Christ's dealing with people in the New World (the Americas). The story starts out in 600 BC with a Jewish prophet in Jerusalem, who is commanded to leave before the cities destruction. Following God's commands, he & his family leave, travel to the sea, and eventually build a boat to which is guided by God to the Americas.

For the next thousand years, God interacts with these people, as He does with all of His followers. There are of course plenty of people who fall away, contentions, preaching of Christ, etc. Eventually the people all choose love of wickedness over love of God. Instructed by God, the last righteous prophets abridge the record and stories of their people onto golden plates, before burying them.

Centuries later, new peoples and new nations have arrived on the Americas. It is believed that God choose a new prophet, and lead him to where the plates were. The leading was done via his messenger, the angel Moroni (remember, "angel" means "messenger"). The translation of the plates into English was then done through the power of God.

JIMINZ said:

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2) Why did Jesus come to the US?

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John 10:16 "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" - Christ

It is believed that His followers in the Americas were these other sheep, and Christ went to go visit them. He did so because He loves them too, and went to minister unto them too.

JIMINZ said:

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3) Why is the Book of Mormon another Testament of Jesus Christ?

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The Book of Mormon's purpose is to testify of Christ, hence it is another testimony/testament of Jesus Christ.

Some highlighted verses--

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.”
Moroni 10

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
2 Nephi 25

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty stormshall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Helaman 5

Rion said:

If you want to know the truth about Mormonism, I suggest starting here:

The Mormonism 101 Series Repost - Alpha and Omega Ministries

If you're more of a video type of person, I'd visit here: Mormonism - YouTube

The Sandra Tanner interviews are particularly useful, as she's an Ex-Mormon who converted to Christianity.

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Rion, your attempt to completely derail this thread is not appreciated. I will not be addressing your disrespectful comments here. If you wish to have them addressed, feel free to start your own thread on this sub-forum Debate Non-Christian Religions.

Tolworth John said:

Except
"The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, 4:461)." which means the book of mormon is more important than the bible.

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Not at all. God is a viewed as a better translator than man though.

Tolworth John said:

Except no archeologist has ever found any evidence to suport the book of mormon.
Which mean the claim that Jesus visited America is an unsupported claim.
Also if the book of mormon is merely backing up the claims of Jesus it would repeat thiose claims as would the prophets of the church of later day saints, unfortunetly they do not do this.
See:-
"One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation," (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206).
We accept Christ's atonement by repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obeying all of the commandments," (Gospel Principles, Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979, p. 68.).
As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements--'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,'" (Articles of Faith, p. 79)

None of these statements are Christian.

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None of these are related to the OP. If you want to address them, I will be happy to in another thread.

Rion said:

I wasn't derailing it, just offering sources which are well researched and would contradict your claims.

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Rion, when was the last time you actually touched a Book of Mormon or an LDS church?

Tolworth John said:

Sorry that makes no sence.

Are you sayting that God instructed some how to translate the book of mormon, if so who and where is this translation of the book of mormon.
or
Are you saying this about the bible, in which case the same questions need answering.

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It is believed that the Book of Mormon translation was done through the power of God. Man translated the Bible through his power (which is not to insult it, just stating facts).

Rion said:

Electronic versions are free.

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As are hard copies and attending LDS church. Have you ever visited or read the full Book of Mormon?

he-man said:

This other fold refers to Judah physically, the other tribes of Israel, and the Christian Gentiles. Matther 10:6; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Hebrews 8:8-10; Jeremiah 31;31-33; Jeremiah 50:4-5; Epphesians 2:11-22; Romans 2:11 Spiritually see www.catholic.com/answers

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That is your interpretation of John 10:16, thank you for sharing it. I am sharing the LDS interpretation.

Also, thank you for actually talking about the OP.

curiouskay said:

Passing by I noticed your post so I must ask, does the "book of Mormon" contain some version of the Ten Commandments-?

just asking

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Word-for-word verbatim: no. We LDS read/study the story of Moses, the Golden Calf, and the Ten Commandments when we read the OT.

The principles: yes. There are many passages speaking about being faithful to the Lord, not committing adultery, honoring your father & mother, etc.

curiouskay said:

Does it say anywhere in there:
"do not murder" or something similar?
Do not lie
do not steal

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If we LDS folks want something that pointedly says that, the default citation is just to quote the 10 commandments- it can't get any more direct then that.
I'm curious: why do you ask?

Phoebe Ann said:

Reading the Book of Mormon, doesn't tell a person enough about Mormonism to give a person the real picture. For instance, it doesn't mention all the requirements that are to be met in order to have eternal life.

Two non-biblical requirements are temple marriage and doing proxy work for one's ancestors. Those two requirements are in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Two glaring problems in the Book of Mormon are these:

1
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.

25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.

26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.

27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.

28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.

29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 13: 24-29

IOW, the Bible doesn't contain the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel of Jesus Christ was lost from the earth through the apostasy that took place following the earthly ministry of Christ’s Apostles.
Restoration of the Gospel

2
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
1 Nephi 13:26

9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.

10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil;
wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the harlot of all the earth.
1 Nephi 14

Doctrine and Covenants 1
30 And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually—
Doctrine and Covenants 1

What is the Gospel?
In its fulness, the gospel includes all the doctrines, principles, laws, ordinances, and covenants necessary for us to be exalted in the celestial kingdom. The Savior has promised that if we endure to the end, faithfully living the gospel, He will hold us guiltless before the Father at the Final Judgment (see 3 Nephi 27:16).
Gospel

One of the Mormon gods kept the gospel from the earth from the so-called apostasy until Joseph Smith supposedly restored it.

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Please be respectful to my thread and do not try to derail it. If you want to address any other topics, you are free to start a new thread. Please do not disrespect my thread answering @JIMINZ's specific questions.