Have you read the Book of Mormon?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pieman333272
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Pieman333272

Guest
Last week, my family went to Hersey Park with my aunt. At the hotel room we were staying at, I found the Book of Mormon in a drawer and gave it a look that night. As to how it got there, I don’t know (I know about the Gideons but I don’t think they do Books of Mormon), but that is besides the point. I only read 1 Nephi and started on 2 before I went to sleep. So, out of curiosity, has anyone else read it? Just a book is enough to say you’ve read it (note:I’m not stereotyping the Book of Mormon. I’m just saying not everyone will be able to read it cover to cover).
 
Pieman333272 said:
Last week, my family went to Hersey Park with my aunt. At the hotel room we were staying at, I found the Book of Mormon in a drawer and gave it a look that night. As to how it got there, I don’t know (I know about the Gideons but I don’t think they do Books of Mormon), but that is besides the point. I only read 1 Nephi and started on 2 before I went to sleep. So, out of curiosity, has anyone else read it? Just a book is enough to say you’ve read it (note:I’m not stereotyping the Book of Mormon. I’m just saying not everyone will be able to read it cover to cover).
Click to expand...
you must have stayed at a Marriot. I am in a trial membership on the boards so I guess I can’t vote. I have read it many numerous times and I am LDS. If you have read 1st Nephi I recommend you skip to Helaman and read from there to the end, this is just me personal liking.
 
I chose the “not Mormon but have read it” option. I didn’t read the whole thing, though… just Nephi. I was overcome with a sense of evil and just could not continue.
 
I’ve read a few chapters here and there…including a “study” when I visited my friends LDS church.

Seems like the book tries to justify itself.
 
I read Orson Scott Card’s Homecoming series, which is his retelling of the bom in a science fiction setting. The series started out well, very interesting, and then just got weird. I found out it was a retelling of the bom after I finished the series and was disappointed.
 
I’ve read the Book of Mormon quite extensively, and have even studied it with some Mormon “elders.”

What I find puzzling is that the book was supposedly revealed to Joseph Smith, who “mystically” translated it in the 19th century - however, he appears to have translated it into almost perfect “King James” English!

I think this adds credence to my personal opinion that the Book of Mormon is a work of imagination from the mind of Joseph Smith. Its language is contrived to give it credence when read alongside the KJV. It displays a very naive understanding of the origin of scripture. It is as if Joseph Smith believed that the 17th century language itself was inspired - a view that was held by only the most uninformed Christians that surrounded Joseph Smith.

I have met many wonderful, sincere Mormons - who converted from being Evangelical to Mormon because they read the Book of Mormon, primed by their belief in “sola scripture,” it appeared to be inspired, and with no exposure to historical authority, it is easier to accept.

If Christians study the history of their faith - they would see that Mormonism is not “another testament of Jesus Christ,” but a fanciful and sometimes quite dangerous interpretation of the TRUE gospel.
 
Can’t vote, but don’t plan to read it. Have recently been exposed to parts of it, and as other posters have noted, its provenance is unsupportable and not credible, so deep familiarity with it contents would be purely for academic interest.
 
JHow said:
Can’t vote, but don’t plan to read it. Have recently been exposed to parts of it, and as other posters have noted, its provenance is unsupportable and not credible, so deep familiarity with it contents would be purely for academic interest.
Click to expand...
I read it for academic interest, but also to get a feel for other Christians’ views and doctrine.
 
JHow said:
Can’t vote, but don’t plan to read it. Have recently been exposed to parts of it, and as other posters have noted, its provenance is unsupportable and not credible, so deep familiarity with it contents would be purely for academic interest.
Click to expand...
Ya, Trial Membership sucks.

I only read it for entertainment… thought I could get a few laughs. Like I said before, though, it scared me 🤷

P.S.- JHow, your username just makes me think of Jersey Shore 😃
 
I have read it.Many years ago, I was told by a Mormon lady that if I read it, there was no way I could ever be the same, that it was going to persuade me that it was true…
Well. Might as well wave a red flag in a bull’s face.😉
I read it from cover to cover.
I am Methodist still…🤷
Then another Mormon told me, that I must have “rread it with the wrong spirit”. (I resisted the impulse to tell her what I was thinking at that comment). So I read it again.
:shrug:Not impressed.🤷
I have met any number of lovely LDS folks, both IRL and online. They were delightful, sincere, people.:yup:
But the Book of Mormon???:nope: I remain unimpressed.:twocents:
 
It is a very boring book. However, if you want to read it without going to sleep, I would suggest that you use this cassiusuniversity.wordpress.com/mcb/ as a guide. Those who have a superstitious fear of reading it will end up having their Catholic faith affirmed (I hope). It does make reading the BoM more enjoyable.
 
kamaan said:
P.S.- JHow, your username just makes me think of Jersey Shore 😃
Click to expand...
Not sure what you mean by this. Is that the TV show with “Snooki” the tanning-tax protestor?

My username is just the first initial of my first name and the first three letters of my last name. Very lame, I know.
 
I was raised LDS, read the BoM, and studied it in various Mormon classes. Sang songs about it. etc. etc. Prayed about it. It never struck me as inspiring.
 
I’ve read it…studied it…and once in a while…still read it from time to time. I have a nice leather edition an RLDS friend gave me for my bd years ago.

Some of it is tedious and “paper sleep aid”…all the “and it came to pass”…“beholds”…and repititious phrases and words can be tiresome…but there are some passages…in Alma and Moroni which I thouroughly enjoy.
 
I was actually rather surprised with the stories - I always (before reading it) thought it was supposed to take place in Joseph Smith’s time, but most are in BC times. But there is repetition, as you said, with its style. Especially compared to the NT.
 
I tired to read it but had two problems:

One, it literally made me feel sick inside. I had the distinct feeling that I was doing something wrong by reading it. It seemed very strange to me and the King James english in which it was written was just confusing to me at the time. I couldn’t figure out why it was being used when authored by an American in the 1800’s. It’s difficult to explain, but suffice it to say it troubled my spirit.

Secondly, I didn’t believe it for a moment and wondered why I should waste my time. I suppose for purely academic reasons I might read portions but I still can’t imagine just sittng down and reading it.
 
Publisher said:
I’ve read it…studied it…and once in a while…still read it from time to time. I have a nice leather edition an RLDS friend gave me for my bd years ago.

Some of it is tedious and “paper sleep aid”…all the “and it came to pass”…“beholds”…and repititious phrases and words can be tiresome…but there are some passages…in Alma and Moroni which I thouroughly enjoy.
Click to expand...
I’m amazed at your take on this. Do you believe it? If you don’t, how do you “thouroughly enjoy” it?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top