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Detailed response to CES Letter, Book of Mormon: Difference between revisions
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*{{antispeak|mutually exclusive}} In the previous section, the author suggests that Joseph came up with the name "Moroni" by looking at the name "Monroe" on a map of the region surrounding New York. Now he is suggesting that the name "Moroni" came from stories about Captain Kidd. | *{{antispeak|mutually exclusive}} In the previous section, the author suggests that Joseph came up with the name "Moroni" by looking at the name "Monroe" on a map of the region surrounding New York. Now he is suggesting that the name "Moroni" came from stories about Captain Kidd. | ||
*{{Unsupported Assertion}} The author states that ''Camora'' and ''Moroni'' were "common names in pirate and treasure hunting stories involving Captain William Kidd," but does not cite a single source that can be checked. | *{{Unsupported Assertion}} The author states that ''Camora'' and ''Moroni'' were "common names in pirate and treasure hunting stories involving Captain William Kidd," but does not cite a single source that can be checked. | ||
*{{Incorrect}} It is unlikely that ''any'' source would have contained the name of "Moroni." That settlement did not become the capital city until 1876 (32 years after Joseph's death and 47 years after the publication of the Book of Mormon), when Sultan Sa'id Ali settled there. At that time it was only a small settlement. Even a century later, in 1958, its population was only 6500. | *{{Incorrect}} It is unlikely that ''any'' source would have contained the name of "Moroni." That settlement did not become the capital city until 1876 (32 years after Joseph's death and 47 years after the publication of the Book of Mormon), when Sultan Sa'id Ali settled there. At that time it was only a small settlement. Even a century later, in 1958, its population was only 6500. | ||
Revision as of 22:27, 6 October 2013
Response to "Book of Mormon Concerns & Questions"
A FAIR Analysis of:
[[../|Letter to a CES Director]] |
[[../Book of Mormon Translation Concerns & Questions|Book of Mormon Translation Concerns & Questions]] |
The absence of evidence is not proof. Here’s one small example:
Matthew Roper in a FairMormon Blog on June 17, 2013, writes about a criticism repeated many times over the years about the mention of steel in the Book of Mormon. In 1884, one critic wrote, “Laban’s sword was steel, when it is a notorious fact that the Israelites knew nothing of steel for hundreds of years afterwards. Who but as ignorant a person as Rigdon would have perpetuated all these blunders.”8 More recently, Thomas O’Dea in 1957 stated, “Every commentator on the Book of Mormon has pointed out the many cultural and historical anachronisms, such as the steel sword of Laban in 600 B.C.” [9]
We had no answer to these critics at the time, but as often happens in these matters, new discoveries in later years shed new light. Roper reports, “It is increasingly apparent that the practice of hardening iron through deliberate carburization, quenching and tempering was well known to the ancient world from which Nephi came. ‘It seems evident,’ notes one recent authority, ‘that by the beginning of the tenth century B.C. blacksmiths were intentionally steeling iron.’” [10] In 1987, the Ensign reported that archeologists had unearthed a long steel sword near Jericho dating back to the late seventh century B.C., probably to the reign of King Josiah who died shortly before Lehi began to prophesy. [11] This sword is now on display at Jerusalem’s Israel Museum. The museum’s explanatory sign reads in part, “The sword is made of iron hardened into steel, attesting to substantial metallurgical know-how.” [12]
—Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Prophet Joseph Smith", Brigham Young University-Idaho Devotional, September 24, 2013.
- Response to section: "What are 1769 King James Version edition errors doing in the Book of Mormon?"
- Response to section: "What are these 17th century italicized words doing in the Book of Mormon?"
- Response to section: "The Book of Mormon includes mistranslated biblical passages that were later changed in Joseph Smith’s translation of the bible"
- Response to section: "DNA analysis has concluded that Native American Indians do not originate from the Middle East"
- Response to section: Anachronisms
- Response to section: Archaeology
- Response to section: Book of Mormon Geography
- Response to section: Hill Cumorah
- Response to section: "'View of the Hebrews' compared to the Book of Mormon"
- Response to section: "The Book of Mormon taught and still teaches a Trinitarian view of the Godhead"
Response Section
"What are 1769 King James Version edition errors doing in the Book of Mormon?"
"What are these 17th century italicized words doing in the Book of Mormon?"
"The Book of Mormon includes mistranslated biblical passages that were later changed in Joseph Smith’s translation of the bible."
"DNA analysis has concluded that Native American Indians do not originate from the Middle East"
Anachronisms
Archaeology
Book of Mormon Geography
Hill Cumorah
"'View of the Hebrews' compared to the Book of Mormon"
"The Book of Mormon taught and still teaches a Trinitarian view of the Godhead"
==Notes