Reading Mormons

[TheShinyOne]

I haven't read any of that book but I DID live in SLC for two years, and fell in love with the Mormon people I met, and that includes the jack Mormons. ( those who drink coffee, etc. )

I like most Mormons I've met as well. Course I'm biased

I humbly invite you to read the Book of Mormon at your earliest convenience. One can be obtained free of charge here. I've found it to be an excellent guide in my path to the Lord.

The book found its way to me, moving things around house, and I had a stack of books there, mostly old Star Trek novels. But there was also the book of Mormon, which I never read before until now. It's very good.

There's some poetic justice in that serendipity because years ago, met a Mormon on the street, asked me about religion and my beliefs. Before I could answer, person I was with interjected, told them I was atheist. That was awkward, since I believe in God and all, and they knew it, but sabotaged the conversation anyways.

It's easy for me to appreciate Abinadi, that he was rather driven crazy and burned at the stake because of his beliefs. I wonder how many people can relate to that experience, more or less. Seems like a lot would these days.

 

[Avatar4321]

Abinadi is one of my favorite. Probably because it goes to show that one person can die without realizing how much he changed the world in his simple acts.

Not to mention he is an excellent type for Christ. Both were put to death. Both would have been saved by the King had the priests not been so insistent and appealed to the King/Rulers ego.

Not to mention he preaches one of my favorite sections of Isaiah.

 

[TheShinyOne]

But, there is mention of types and shadows, that is like to interpret things carefully. It's like with music, there's a song I like that is called Weight of the World by Saliva, and I could read into the lyrics just about anything I choose, seems mostly a prophetic warning to America in some ways, or it could be personal, emotional situations. So, I think there is wisdom in the book on how not to be deceived.

 

[TheShinyOne]

Some have faith in gravity, and some have gravity in faith, like depth. It would be too snarky of me to quote the whole chapter 27 of Mosiah. When the angel appears, and there is an earthquake, that has to be meaningful. Past, present, future... I think this is the right quote today: "And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth."

 

[TheShinyOne]

Do you foresee an eventual merging with "mainstream" Christianity?

The world is turning, night comes before day, just how things are.

 

[editec]

I started reading the book of Mormon just recently, and looking for a specific ideal form, not sure how to explain what that means to anyone but to say I'll know it if/when I see it whereas others maybe are oblivious. I'm not quite there yet, just finished the first book of Nephi this morning, only part way through the second book of Nephi at this point. But, what I did notice, what makes me go hmmmm, is at the beginning, chapter 1, verses 6-11. I'm about to convince myself that is a solar eclipse, and my brain is overloaded with curiosity, too many questions all at once. Foremost among them, what are the LDS teachings about the Pope? I mean, read that part the book of Nephi, then look at the Pope's coat of arms, then go back and look at the book, or am I reading too much into it?

You could reading something useful.

 

[TheShinyOne]

Get the down Satan, for what is useful? The business of angels and demons is upon us all, and He shall not be mocked.

 

[Avatar4321]

I started reading the book of Mormon just recently, and looking for a specific ideal form, not sure how to explain what that means to anyone but to say I'll know it if/when I see it whereas others maybe are oblivious. I'm not quite there yet, just finished the first book of Nephi this morning, only part way through the second book of Nephi at this point. But, what I did notice, what makes me go hmmmm, is at the beginning, chapter 1, verses 6-11. I'm about to convince myself that is a solar eclipse, and my brain is overloaded with curiosity, too many questions all at once. Foremost among them, what are the LDS teachings about the Pope? I mean, read that part the book of Nephi, then look at the Pope's coat of arms, then go back and look at the book, or am I reading too much into it?

You could reading something useful.

He is reading something useful. You could too. You can get one for free.

 

[TheShinyOne]

The novelty of this topic is useful, thoughtful insights about the book are helpful.

Mosiah liberates the people, appoints judges instead of a king, and recognizes the freedom of religion.

Awesome.

Just a question, how to prove the time. Because there are clocks, but where do they come from? And, somebody builds a temple, and they would have it set perfectly, absolute perfection, not so much as a semi-colon out of place or it's game over, and that goes for hundreds or thousands of years. Within reason, of course.

And they are interpreting things by way of some instrumentation, having stones and bows. The description is somewhat ambiguous, but they said it was of God, a spiritual gift.

It's impossible for me to draw conclusions, this kind of logic of the soul, that requires a whole different calculus. So, if it's strictly a matter of pass or fail, like am I reading and posting for a letter grad A or F, no. It's more like to ask, why does the ancient earthworks resemble a post-modern machine?

It's like, if everyone was standing there, would be very easy to show it, but to type out the description into a message board hoping that anyone would understand, not so easy.

Suppose it's like a tattoo, but instead of skin color, it's the landscape. And, there would just be a pile of dirt if it was so dum dum, but it is some kind of language. And, to the way I see it, reads like the book of Jonah, but not letter for letter and word for word, but the whole story all drawn together in a singular effigy.

And it came to pass...that I read other things as well. Such as the wikipedia article about Shinto.

 

[TheShinyOne]

At the beginning of Alma, chapter 1, there's a dispute about the church that turns violent and Gideon is slain. The dispute is about some priestcraft, whatever hoax or scam that is among the people at the time. But, this passage stands out some: "15. And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death."

Okay Jesus, what's up with Alma? Kinda racist? Chapter 3, verse 6, that ought to be controversial. Something to it, though. The civilization is divided up into Nephites vs. Lamanites. They're drawn like whites vs. blacks. But, then there's the Amlicites, and they're apparently marking themselves because of their beliefs. Through Alma's subjectivity, that bias or even bigotry depending one how it feels to read it, natural and artificial, or what is the difference between the Cowboys and Indians and the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians?

Just got to Alma 5, "50. Yea, thus saith the Spirit..." Spooky.

 

[TheShinyOne]

Zeezrom... Americans could learn a lot from Zeezrom. Three branches of government, checks and balances, and how the parties gerrymander their districts and everything. Set them up just to knock them down, or knock them down just to set them up, whichever way it goes liberal or conservative. Maybe it's wise for people to pray for the souls of their politicians.

Lamoni... So far, I like that king. He believed in God even before he knew of God, that being enough for Ammon to earn his trust, and teach him the full knowledge of the scriptures. Overwhelming to see how there are subtle patterns to everything.

 

[Avatar4321]

I always liked Zeezrom. A man who can recognize his mistake and change. I hope we all can learn it sometime.

 

[TheShinyOne]

About half way through the whole text of the Book of Mormon. This is a list of sayings, enumerated chapters.verses that stands out. Already this is way more than I expected there would be, that is, to judge by it's cover.


2 Nephi, 24.29
2 Nephi, 26.16
2 Nephi, 30.9-17
Omni, 20
Alma, 1.15
Alma, 2.15
Alma, 2.37-38
Alma, 4.5
Alma, 5.39
Alma, 5.50
Alma, 7.6-8
Alma, 7.20
Alma, 8.6-9
Alma, 8.19
Alma, 10.6
Alma, 10.17
Alma, 10.25
Alma, 12.6
Alma, 14.18
Alma, 14.29
Alma, 17.26
Alma, 26.6
Alma, 30.42-47
Alma, 33.3
Alma, 36.10-16
Alma, 37.12-15

There was an episode of the Ancient Aliens show, maybe worth noting.

 

[TheShinyOne]

Alma is counting year after year, and there are wars and contentions all the while, and then there's some point between Bountiful and Desolation where people are building ships and sailing away. Hagoth of curiosity. Since I have no reference map, I suppose it's imagination, so that chapter 63 has to do with the revelation of such a map, else the scripture is incomplete or to assume the continental realm of the western hemisphere.

Now there is a book of Helaman, and to consider before reading it: Joseph Smith is unclear, what are the plates and engravings, are they bad translations? For all I know, they could be time travelers, nothing really would be too much of a shock, just the way it reads, would Joseph Smith be throwing in his own bias much? Christianophobia?

 

[TheShinyOne]

Ah, the story of Kishkumen and Gadianton. Truth comes out eventually. Always does.

 

[TheShinyOne]

The whole 3rd book of Nephi is verily, verily mind-boggling. Jesus is such a rock star. Chapter 14, and the Lord is talking about discernment, how to understand judgement and hypocrisy, and this peculiar little verse is just blowing raspberries in my face, "10. Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" Like to be shouting Bingo! in a crowded theater, that one. Because that is exactly it. That's why it's the devil, or to say, that's how it's devilish. How wonderful is it that the most important piece of the puzzle comes from Jesus, too.

 

[Politico]

Do you foresee an eventual merging with "mainstream" Christianity?

Not unless someone finds that damn hat.

 

[Avatar4321]

The whole 3rd book of Nephi is verily, verily mind-boggling. Jesus is such a rock star. Chapter 14, and the Lord is talking about discernment, how to understand judgement and hypocrisy, and this peculiar little verse is just blowing raspberries in my face, "10. Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" Like to be shouting Bingo! in a crowded theater, that one. Because that is exactly it. That's why it's the devil, or to say, that's how it's devilish. How wonderful is it that the most important piece of the puzzle comes from Jesus, too.

Christ's appearance truly is awesome. I can imagine everyone seeing Him appear and touching the wounds He had and realizing they are in the presence of the Savior. It's got to be pretty intense.

 

[TheShinyOne]

And now I am finished reading Mormons... When I started reading it was A.D. 2013, and now it's A.D. 2014, so there is a before time and an after time, that is, about Christmas. How to explain... something like the Doppler effect... whoosh.

 

[Avatar4321]

And now I am finished reading Mormons... When I started reading it was A.D. 2013, and now it's A.D. 2014, so there is a before time and an after time, that is, about Christmas. How to explain... something like the Doppler effect... whoosh.

Now that you've finished, have you followed the instruction in Moroni 10 to find out whether it's true?