Book of Mormon Tories

[BartBurk]

This is an interesting read I found regarding some parallels between the Book of Mormon and early accounts of the American Revolution:

postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/magazine/pmm_article_full_text/211

It is my opinion that some of these parallels could have come through Solomon Spalding’s early works. This is another article which is quite interesting regarding Spalding’s work and other early American writings:

mormonstudies.com/early1.htm

Those who think Joseph Smith lacked the education to write the Book of Mormon may be underestimating the materials available in his vicinity to assist him in composing it, especially with the help of men with more education like Oliver Cowdrey and Sidney Rigdon. The composition of the Book of Mormon is not really that astounding especially when it is obvious that many of its ideas were common themes in early America. The idea that Native Americans descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel is one such theme. The idea of a nation gaining its freedom from tyranny was another common theme.

 

[RebeccaJ]

This is an interesting read I found regarding some parallels between the Book of Mormon and early accounts of the American Revolution:

postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/magazine/pmm_article_full_text/211

It is my opinion that some of these parallels could have come through Solomon Spalding’s early works. This is another article which is quite interesting regarding Spalding’s work and other early American writings:

mormonstudies.com/early1.htm

Those who think Joseph Smith lacked the education to write the Book of Mormon may be underestimating the materials available in his vicinity to assist him in composing it, especially with the help of men with more education like Oliver Cowdrey and Sidney Rigdon. The composition of the Book of Mormon is not really that astounding especially when it is obvious that many of its ideas were common themes in early America. The idea that Native Americans descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel is one such theme. The idea of a nation gaining its freedom from tyranny was another common theme.

I have no doubts that Mormonism is uniquely American. Not pre-Columbian American, but 19th century United States of America, American. Smith was a product of this environment.

 

[BartBurk]

I have no doubts that Mormonism is uniquely American. Not pre-Columbian American, but 19th century United States of America, American. Smith was a product of this environment.

The Book of Mormon is obviously a nineteenth century creation in America. The parallels between it and battles and ideas of the Revolutionary War are extensive. I was watching a television show on George Washington which recounted the Battle of Trenton. In the Battle of Trenton 2400 American soldiers routed a Hessian regiment the day after Christmas. Not one American died during the battle. I immediately thought back to the Book of Mormon’s account of the Sons of Helaman in which 2000 stripling warriors all survived unharmed during a Nephite-Lamanite battle.

I especially am impressed with George Washington’s use of the phrase, “We have taken up Arms in defence of our Liberty, our Property; our Wives and our Children.” That is so obviously repeated in the Book of Mormon that it is hard not to conclude that Washington’s writings had some influence upon it. In Alma 48:10 we read that Moroni was attempting to protect, “…their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children…”

It is not hard to see how a New England minister in the early 19th century could have picked up these phrases and placed them in a book about the Lost Tribes in Ancient America. That his unpublished book could then be turned into the Book of Mormon by Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdrey and Joseph Smith is not too far to jump, especially when we know that Rigdon and the New England Minister, Solomon Spaulding, were both in Pittsburgh and both involved with the same printing office.

The Book of Mormon betrays itself as a nineteenth century product that reflects the ideas and understanding of nineteenth century creators. Mormon attempts to sell it as an ancient text are laughable at this point.