Purpose of the Book of Mormon

[Zeezrom]

Right there in the title page it says that the BOM is written TO THE LAMANITES. Near the end Mormon says in Mormon 7:2 —- (to the lamanites) “know ye that ye are of the HOUSE of ISRAEL” and in Moroni Chapter 10 the last chapter of the BOM is addressed to my brethren “the Lamanites”.

Therefore the apologists claims of a DNA bottleneck or the Q15 claiming the BOM is not meant to be a history book are INVALID!!!! If there is no Jewish DNA (or DNA linking back to what was known as the 12 tribes of Israel in King David and Solomon’s time) in the Indigenous people of the Americas then the stated purpose of the BOM is a complete failure. I can’t give the apologists an easy out on the DNA and the Book of Mormon issue because Joseph Smith Jr painted TSCC into a tight corner.

[Zeezrom]

The church has been moving the goalposts. It’s not enough to prove there could have been lamanites existing 2,000 years ago, they have to prove there were lamanites still around in 1830 and beyond

[Palerider]

Stop it.....

You're being WAY to logical here.

[jfro18]

You do realize that you're not allowed to the take the church (and it's prophets or scriptures) at their literal meaning, right?

[2bizE]

An argument can certainly be made that the purpose of the BoM was to make money. We know that JS sent John Taylor and someone else to Canada with the purpose of selling the BoM copyright.

[Hagoth]

Yes, written specifically for the Lamanites, but there is not a single person on earth that a church leader could identify as a Lamanite. The essay pretty much tells us to give up any hope of that.

Here's another thing. Nephi chopped off Laban's head to prevent his descendants from dwindling in unbelief. But that is exactly what they did eventually anyway. I guess Laban's head was just a good luck charm that Nephi could carry around in hopes that the dwindling wouldn't happen.

[moksha]

Sooner or later the apologists will adopt the suggestion that all the events and people existed on Earth 2. "It really is true", but it occurred in another part of reality and not our planet.

The Saints will not have to feel so preposterous when they describe their religion to their non-member friends.

[Ghost]

Here's another thing. Nephi chopped off Laban's head to prevent his descendants from dwindling in unbelief. But that is exactly what they did eventually anyway.

[Gatorbait]

Like many of you, I've read and studied the BOM for years and years, read it many times through.

The message I get from it is this- there is something about the book that compels me to believe in Christ, Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost. For that one thing, it is sacred to me, as believing in God is and always has been very difficult for me.

As for the historicity of the BOM. Sorry. Grain fields, herds, armor, swords sharp enough to whack off arms- our mental list of things like this is endless.

Used to bad-mouth the book, but not now. Not any more, just leave it alone and remember the good things about it, and there are many, at least to me. I'll say the same about the OT. So much is incomprehensible to me, starting with Adam and Eve, but there's some good stuff in there, for me.

Same with the NT. Same with the other LDS scriptures.

Haven't looked at NOM for months. Hope all are doing well.