Resources for better understanding the book of mormon and. In the 50 years since then ive learned that discovering ones own racism, misogyny andor homophobia is a bit like peeling back an onion. Some people in the book of mormon are really important, and some people are sort of forgettable. Saved by grace after all we can do book of mormon 2 nephi 25. The copying of the printers manuscript, which was used by the typesetter, had been started in july 1829. And how can the book of mormon be true when it keeps changing its views. Book of mormontextual changeswhite changed to pure. Mormons altering indian prophecy the new york times. The theology of alexander campbell, rigdons mentor, is sprinkled throughout the book of mormon. Resources for better understanding the book of mormon and tools for dealing with common attacks on the lds faith suggestions from jeff lindsay, 2018 there are many interesting resources for coping with challenging or meaningful questions about the book of mormon and latterday saint religion. He put the words of christ together for us in the book of mormon. When the church of jesus christ of latterday saints issued a new edition of the book of mormon in 1981, a change was made to the text of 2 nephi 30. The book of mormon is extremely bawdy without being entirely tasteless.
Indeed, the life cartoon is but one example of a decadeslong mormon struggle to be accepted as white in the united states, one that stretched. The lamanites are one of the four ancient peoples described as having settled in the ancient. How the book of mormon gives us examples of good and bad. In this study we will show that there have been at least 3,9 changes made in the book of mormon from the time it was first published in 1830.
This was changed by joseph smith in 1840 to read that nephis descendants would become a pure and a delightsome people. And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For book of mormon people so far removed from jesus life on earth, many of these details would be only trivia. Royal skousen, changes in the book of mormon royal skousen, restoring the original text of the book of mormon. Truth about joseph smiths beliefs on geography of the book of mormon duration. The church embraced native hawaiians through both theological and cultural changes. A small but significant correction is that the change is not on the title page, which was written by the hand of mormon himself, but rather the change is to change wording in the introduction to the book of mormon. That same year, a verse that used white and delightsome to describe. Here are some suggested resources that may be of help. Book of mormon changes the fall of mormonism rich kelsey. Intolerance in the book of mormon the annotated bible. The 1830 edition of the book of mormon had nephi prophesy that his descendants would become a white and a delightsome people through the gospel of jesus christ. Racism in the book of mormondark skin because of sin. Nationally, trumps share of the mormon vote was 20 percent less than he got from white evangelical voters.
Here are some statements by the prophets about a book of mormon. Ive always had the hope that on the day i go to heaven, heavenly father will shake my hand and say. The original version of this blog was posted with five components, each on its own page. Some of my earliest encounters with the book of mormon include my dad reading me bedtime stories from emma marr petersens book of mormon stories for young latterday saints. New approaches to the book of mormon brent lee metcalfe, editor. In the spring of 1830, joseph smith published the book of mormon and. Today, there is a spectrum of belief in the church about the book of mormon. A blasphemer finds new admiration for mormons the atlantic. Referring to native americans the book of mormon says. Those who believe in christ will also believe in the book. At the home of john quincy adams, they found an 1841 copy of the book of mormon that originally belonged to someone very special in church history emma smith, wife of the prophet joseph smith.
People in the book of mormon, ranked by common consent. Welch, a byu professor of law, admits that the best early manuscripts lack tois archaiois in matthew 5. The founder of the black muslims was the honorable. He presented at the 2014 and 2016 book of mormon lands conferences, and is the corecipiant of the 20 john taylor defender of the faith. Until a few decades ago, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints taught that they shall be a white and a delightsome people, a phrase taken from the book of mormon.
Why is it that in the book of mormon, that every race is cursed besides that of white american. The book of mormon agrees with the textus receptus not the original text and includes the later phrase by them of old time. Commentaries and insights on the book of mormon, vol. Emma smiths copy of the book of mormon discovered lds daily. In a lot of ways, its hard to imagine a more implicitly white religious institution than the mormon church. In 1888, walter sidney rigdon sidney rigdons grandson said that his grandfathers role in fabrication of the book of mormon was a family secret. The book of mormon changes lives i witnessed a miracle this last march as i saw a boy whom we will call eric, age 15, change from a depressed, low selfesteemed, bitter teenager into a happy, confident, grateful, and testimonyfilled young man. I first came to the book of mormon with the uncritical eyes and mind of a child. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint.
Racism in the book of mormondark skin because of sin mormon quotes. God speaks same words to all people book of mormon 2 nephi 29. Changes to latterday scripture lds leaders have made. The ancient prophets are witnesses who testify of the savior, jesus christ, and teach the truths of his gospel.
If one thing is wrong, why shouldnt people believe that the whole book is wrong. Neal rappleye has been doing on going research on the book of mormon for several years. The 1830 and most earlier editions said that the descendants of lehi would become a white and delightsome people. In the book of mormons narrative, the lamanites began as wicked rivals to the more righteous nephites, but when. Tvedtnes has pointed out that in the neareastern context white doesnt necessarily mean. The printing and binding of the book of mormon were finished and the book was offered for sale to the public on march 26, 1830, just eleven days before the church was officially organized. Royal skousen, a professor of linguistics at byu and a recognized expert of the textual history of the book of mormon, has identified 5,280 variations in all editions of the book of mormon. Five vignettes an article by douglas campbell in dialogue about the history of the verse 2 nephi 30. My first direct personal encounter involved reading and putting into practice moronis promise, at the age of seven, while. The prophet joseph smith made an important textual emendation to this passage in the 1840 edition of the book of mormon, where the phrase a white and a delightsome people was changed to a pure and a delightsome people.
The history of racism and white supremacy in the mormon. Reasons for textual changes made to the book of mormon over the years after it was first published god changed to son of god in the book of mormon white and delightsome changed to pure and delightsome benjamin was changed to mosiah in later editions of the book of mormon. The jews will also be converted and become a delightsome people. He reiterated this when he was president of the quorum of the.
A white supremacist group called aryan nations was coming to utah. Church removes racial references in book of mormon headings. Whites should not seek belonging in orthodoxy rome is not the white mans home. Significant book of mormon introduction change mormons talk. Book of mormon condemns secret combinations book of mormon mormon 8. Since its first publication in 1830, the book of moron has undergone thousands of changes. The book of mormon contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of jesus christ to the gentiles and to the jews also as we navigate through this difficult time and seek to do gods prophets will, we can find a second witness to their words in the scriptures. The byu memes fb page reposted and then deleted this image after 150 comments with many claiming it. Yannylaurel and the book of mormon moronis america. A journal of mormon scripture, fairmormon, the book of mormon archaeological forum, and meridian magazine. The original reading of white and delightsome was retained in the lds textual tradition until the 1981 edition of the book of mormon, where it.
The book of mormon records that the nephites constructed houses of cement, 34 as well as temples, synagogues and sanctuaries 35 throughout their territories. It occurs in a list with food items, namely, corn, wheat, barley, neas another book of mormon hapax legomenon, and fruit seeds. The first critical text of the book of mormon was published by the foundation for ancient research and mormon studies, or farms, in 198486. The book of mormon you and me but mostly me lyrics. That first version, although preliminary helped to establish criteria for the current project, especially the need for direct access to the original and printers manuscripts as well as the clearest. Smith is full of bluff and bluster, and is a fraud. In a new edition of the book of mormon, a prophecy that had said indians would become white and delightsome has been altered to. Though it appears in a list of seeds and grains, the context in mosiah 9.
Sperry went on to argue that if the book or mormon should fail to make such corrections of the kjv bible and instead copy corruptions or errors which accumulated over the centuries, then it should be thrown. Original broadway production 2011 the book of mormon. Mormons like their jesus to be white and delightsome. The most significant type of grammatical change in the book of mormon has been to remove the early modern english that is characteristic of the king james bible. There was a change in the character of the top leadership of the church when book of mormon archaeology failed to pan out. In making this study we obtained photocopies of an original 1830 edition of. Why was the phrase white and delightsome changed to pure and delightsome in the 1840 edition of the book of mormon. Joseph smith translated the book of mormon into english through the gift and power of. Being a child of the fifties and growing up within the white and delightsome arms of utah mormonism i was 18 years old before ever even saw a black person other than on tv. As an apostle and church historian, joseph fielding smith said the twocumorah theory caused members to become confused and disturbed in their faith in the book of mormon.
Those who reject the book of mormon are of the devil. What does it mean to be a white and delightsome people. We can feel the spirit of christ when we learn from the truth on these pages. It is not part of the original book of mormon, but only later added as.
There is no place for the alt right in mormonism faith. I felt protective of the churchs reputation and defensive that a white supremacy group would consider utah a bastion of racism, a haven for what they considered likeminded people. Until recently, its hierarchy had spent decades and millions of dollars on advertisements and programs to promote large families, traditional western gender roles, heterosexual marriage, clean living. Yet, with all of the digs and research ferguson and his team undertook, they failed to find one artifact to prove that book of mormon nephite cities, villages, or territories ever existed. Before many generations pass, native americans will convert to mormonism, their skins will turn white, and they will become a delightsome people. Until the 1970s, the lds church also restricted black members participation in important rituals. Mormons are normally asked at church conferences to vote on changes in doctrines. With its convenient arrangement of information, easytounderstand writing style, and wealth of usable information, commentaries and insights on the book of mormon is an invaluable resource for personal study, family instruction, speaking assignments, lesson preparation, missionary work, and more. In 1981, the lds church decided to change what joseph smith called the most correct of any book on earth by reverting to the wording of the lone 1840 edition. White and delightsome changed to pure and delightsome jump to subtopic.
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