NOM

Hagoth wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:53 am

I don't know about the rest of you, but it was when I actually READ the Book of Mormon that everything fell apart for me.

ditto, read the entire thing in less than a week, it came off as banal, repetitious blather full of anachronisms, impossible population numbers, 19th century language, nods to masonry, and plagiarism.

moksha wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:50 am

Would anyone prefer being assigned to read Tolkien's The Silmarillion instead?

Yes, that's a new theology I would enjoy arguing about.

I see you've used the "M" word. That is from Satan. 10 demerits. From now on it is important that this book be referred to as:

"The Book of he who shall not be named: another testament of JESUS H CHRIST!"

nibbler wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:12 am

This is like the third goal this year that I've heard to get people to read the BoM.

It's like that scene in Wedding Singer where George takes over singing duties while Robbie Hart takes a break. At the end of George's song he doesn't have any more material so he just starts singing the song over again from the beginning.

♫Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry?♫

Corsair wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 3:02 pm

moksha wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:50 am

Would anyone prefer being assigned to read Tolkien's The Silmarillion instead?

Yes, that's a new theology I would enjoy arguing about.

It may be that Nephi and Moroni are just as likely to be real as Numenor and Mordor.

Well it looks like someone is now behind on her reading. I happened to walk in and turn the TV on and within a few minutes the blue book got shut closed and the highlighter capped off.

This may not last as long as I think it will.

Of course there's always time to catch up.

I'm seriously going to have to up my distraction game.

lostinmiddlemormonism wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 3:08 pm

I see you've used the "M" word. That is from Satan. 10 demerits. From now on it is important that this book be referred to as:

"The Book of he who shall not be named: another testament of JESUS H CHRIST!"

1+++++

slavereeno wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:53 pm

Hagoth wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:53 am

I don't know about the rest of you, but it was when I actually READ the Book of Mormon that everything fell apart for me.

ditto, read the entire thing in less than a week, it came off as banal, repetitious blather full of anachronisms, impossible population numbers, 19th century language, nods to masonry, and plagiarism.

Exactly! Once the magic is gone for you it's easy to understand why the rest of the world is unimpressed.

President Hinckley did the same thing a few years back, and that became the great shibboleth that determined whether or not you were following the prophet. Part of it is an ego boost for them, “wow I can tell people to read the Book of Mormon and millions of them do it, I’m a pretty special guy”. Part of it is that they really believe it has magical powers - my Bishop recently asked if I was reading the Book of Mormon every day, as though that would somehow make me a believing member, and it took a tremendous amount of self-control to not tell him that doing so would only make all the more obvious that it is a 19th century production rather than a bona fide record of the inhabitants of the ancient Americas. The book just doesn’t hold up any kind of real scrutiny, and reading it again would only help me see more problems with it.

But hey, when the prophet says jump, we are all supposed to try and jump higher than the next guy.

Early in my FC years ago I did a 90 day challenge with my daughters for YW. Listened to much on my commute and so much of it came across as ridiculous. Lots of the voice was Bruce Lindsay who was the KSL news guy my whole youth so it sounded like a news guy reading BS stories to me. Almost like an Onion experience.

Haven't read it since.

I have debated buying a fresh quad and marking it all up with colors for anachronisms, non scientific, not historical, plagiarism, citing other sources (bible, late war, etc...), inspiring, far fetched, damaging, etc... and leaving it around for the kids to read.

I probably won't get around to it. There are a fee good sites with word prints and possible sources that could serve as a guide.

Not Buying It wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:23 am

President Hinckley did the same thing a few years back, and that became the great shibboleth that determined whether or not you were following the prophet. Part of it is an ego boost for them, “wow I can tell people to read the Book of Mormon and millions of them do it, I’m a pretty special guy”. Part of it is that they really believe it has magical powers - my Bishop recently asked if I was reading the Book of Mormon every day, as though that would somehow make me a believing member, and it took a tremendous amount of self-control to not tell him that doing so would only make all the more obvious that it is a 19th century production rather than a bona fide record of the inhabitants of the ancient Americas. The book just doesn’t hold up any kind of real scrutiny, and reading it again would only help me see more problems with it.

But hey, when the prophet says jump, we are all supposed to try and jump higher than the next guy.

That GBH challenge was the last time I read it. I thought I would see what it was like without the usual preconceptions. Seemed like every page was screaming NINETEENTH CENTURY FICTION.

Red Ryder wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:35 am

Anyone else suddenly find their spouse with their head buried inside a blue copy of the BoM and a yellow highlighter in hand last night before bed?

Nelson is turning up the heat!

Nobody in this household, thank Ipthar! But I noticed the gal who cuts my hair had a shinny new blue one out on the shelf.

I remember about a dozen years ago we got this challenge at a regional conference, to take a new BOM and read it with our calling in mind to highlight the scriptures that applied. I was an EQP at the time. How many times can they recycle this crap? It's like running on the treadmill that powers the rotating canvas of repeating propaganda; round and round they go.

Earlier this year our Stake President issued the 90 day challenge, which my wife dutifully obeyed. We were issued a challenge to read 3rd Nephi in 30 days to prepare for Stake Conference, which my wife again dutifully obeyed. She is now back to reading the BOM in response to this latest challenge. Does the Lord bless us for being redundant? For my wife’s sake, I hope so.

Here's an update.

Wife has kept up with her scheduled reading and has highlighted every verse about Jesus.

Her comments were:
I always knew Jesus was talked about in the BOM but didn't realize just how often. I love realizing this now.

I also didn't realize how crazy and schizophrenic God is! He's always threatening to destroy someone of they aren't obedient. It's really bugging me. Do you think the Lamanites were really that wicked that God would destroy them? Why does God have to be scary and feared? That doesn't fit with the picture I have of a loving Heavenly Father?

At this point I didn't make any comments. I just let her share her feelings and soak in the cog dis. Later she brought it up again and I suggested every good story has to have a protagonist and antagonist and that religion in general relies heavily on fear to keep people in line. I must have used a few words that leaned towards the BOM being a work of fiction because she started to bear testimony that she knew Joseph smith didn't write it. There are too many "voices" that indicate it was written by a lot of people. I suggested that Star Wars also had a lot of different voices and was written by Goerge Lucas. She stopped talking about the BOM and is still on track to keep reading.

I'm tempted to send her the BOM/Late War Quiz after she's done to see how well she does. Then hand her a copy of it to read!

Red Ryder wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:00 am

Here's an update.

Wife has kept up with her scheduled reading and has highlighted every verse about Jesus.

I'm pretty sure that my wife has kept up with the schedule, but she has not shared this with her unbelieving husband. Maybe we could have a NOM assignment to read "The Sillmarillion" and highlight every paragraph that includes the actions of Eru Ilúvatar. We'll see how one biblical fan fiction stacks up against another.

I'm not opposed to learning about Jesus. But let's be very precise and note that the Book of Mormon is really just Joseph Smith's view of Jesus.

Red Ryder wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:00 am

I suggested that Star Wars also had a lot of different voices and was written by Goerge Lucas. She stopped talking about the BOM and is still on track to keep reading.

Ha! LOVE the Star Wars analogy. Many voices, and literally the exact same mythological good vs. evil archetype as how many other stories (books)? Yeah, it's a never-ending list...

Red Ryder wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:00 am

I'm tempted to send her the BOM/Late War Quiz after she's done to see how well she does. Then hand her a copy of it to read!

Where is this quiz?