I’ve got a question for those of you who are former Mormons:
How do you think the Book of Mormon was compiled? What is your theory?
Well, historical antecdotes talk of Joseph Smith putting his head in a hat with his “seer stone” (later called the Urim and Thumin), and dicatating the book to his followers. The original Book of Mormon was written in long hand paragraphs and edited later to resemble the bible, with sentances broken down into verse and chapter. Many changes were made to the book after the original publication, which the LDS church freely admits. From small grammatical errors, to minor additions of words that completely changed the theology of the doctrine espoused. Some of the
many edits that have been made throughout the years to the text can see in the below examples:
Book of Mormon, 1830 edition:
"… These last records … shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior … " (Book of Mormon, 1830 edition, page 32)
In the 1964 edition it reads as follows:
“… These last records … shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is
the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior …” (Book of Mormon, 1964 edition, 1 Nephi 13:40)
This makes a HUGE difference in regards to trinitarian doctrine.
LDS.org even says, flat out, that “Joseph Smith added the phrase “the Son of” in this and other verses of the 1837 edition to clarify doctrine.” There were edits made by Joseph, by early editors in the Second Edition, and edits have even been made in my lifetime, changing the phrase “white and delightsome” to “
pure and delightsome.” Even headers for the Book of Mormon have been changed in recent history - one example is
Mormon, Chapter 5. The heading was changed from calling Lamanites “a dark, filthy, and loathsome people” to “because of their unbelief, the Lamanites will be scattered, and the Spirit will cease to strive with them.”
The relevance of all of this comes to light when viewed with comments made about the book from multiple leaders of the LDS church. Joseph Smith declared that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth”. (History of the Church, 4:461). And yet this is how they do the mental gymnastics to justify the many changes in the book (again, from
LDS.org, with no added emphasis):
The Concept of Correctness
Understanding the nature of the thousands of small changes in the Book of Mormon may be helpful and interesting. In reality, though, the kind of stylistic accuracy achieved by these changes has little to do with what Joseph meant when he called the Book of Mormon the “most correct of any book on earth.” (History of the Church, 4:461.) His concept of correctness had nothing to do with accepted standards of grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
Looking at one definition of the word *correct *as accepted during Joseph Smith’s day may be enlightening. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines correct as being, “literally, set right, or made straight. Hence, right: conformable to truth, rectitude or propriety, or conformable to a just standard. … Correct manners correspond with the rules of morality and received notions of decorum … correct principles coincide with the truth.”
According to this concept, the Book of Mormon certainly meets the test of correctness, for its principles coincide with truth. And, as Joseph Smith himself explained, the ultimate test of its correctness is in the lives of those who use its principles in their lives. Indeed, he promised that we can “get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (History of the Church, 4:461.)
So to answer your question, how do I think the Book of Mormon was compiled? I tend to agree with Mormon apologists who use the claim that because Joseph Smith was an unlearned man that he simply did not have the knowledge to compile a book such as this. I think they are absolutely right. There is no way that Joseph Smith had the forethought or education to write this book. I think he had a little supernatural help.
12 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, for
even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
