If I could ask them one question . . . Come Follow Me, Lesson 46

[annotatedbom]

For Come Follow Me, Lesson 46, Nov 23-29, 2020, Ether 12-15

If I wanted to encourage thought and try to understand devout believers better, I might ask:
“What evidence would you expect from such large civilizations?”

See the Things to consider for this lesson.

And, here’s a list of some other observations about this lesson’s reading.

Enjoy!
A-Bom

[Hagoth]

Good stuff, ABoM! I like the Etruscan example and I added it to my BoM DNA annotated essay.

You touch on another point that I have mentioned before because it was one of my first indicators that Book of Mormon apologists are dishonest. Ether, as you pointed out, explicitly claims that the Jaredites mined iron ore, smelted it, and made steel swords. For years I took the FARMS apologists at their word that there was solid evidence of this mining and smelting activity at San Jose Mogote in Mexico. In fact, it was a major testimony point for me and something that I repeated often. I was very disillusioned to learn that the "iron" mined there in Olmec times was actually iron oxide that was never smelted, but was polished into mirrors and beads. A huge lightbulb went on in my head when I realized that the apologists knew this but were only telling the half of the story that made their claims sound legitimate. They were being intentionally deceptive. That was when I realized that apologetics is more like political grandstanding than science. Kaboom.

[moksha]

There has been some thought at Mormon Discussions of the BOM actually being set in Tuscany and that the people mentioned as the Etruscans were actually... wait, you are way ahead of me and have already guess what they suggested next. Well, just for that I will not even mention the story of the Nauvoo Legion and the Sabine women.

[Hagoth]

. Well, just for that I will not even mention the story of the Nauvoo Legion and the Sabine women.

Just following the examples from the BoM:

Moroni 9:9 And notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our (Nephite) people in Moriantum. For behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue—

10 And after they had done this thing, they did murder them in a most cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and after they have done this, they devour their flesh like unto wild beasts, because of the hardness of their hearts; and they do it for a token of bravery.

And there's the story of the (Nephite) priests of Noah abducting and raping the Lamanite girls. (Mosiah 20).

[deacon blues]

Good stuff, ABoM! I like the Etruscan example and I added it to my BoM DNA annotated essay.

You touch on another point that I have mentioned before because it was one of my first indicators that Book of Mormon apologists are dishonest. Ether, as you pointed out, explicitly claims that the Jaredites mined iron ore, smelted it, and made steel swords. For years I took the FARMS apologists at their word that there was solid evidence of this mining and smelting activity at San Jose Mogote in Mexico. In fact, it was a major testimony point for me and something that I repeated often. I was very disillusioned to learn that the "iron" mined there in Olmec times was actually iron oxide that was never smelted, but was polished into mirrors and beads. A huge lightbulb went on in my head when I realized that the apologists knew this but were only telling the half of the story that made their claims sound legitimate. They were being intentionally deceptive. That was when I realized that apologetics is more like political grandstanding than science. Kaboom.

Yeah, most of the faith promoting stories were exaggerated. When they found the little toy with wheels in Central America, I believe it was in the 1960's, that proved the ancient Americans had chariots.

[Hagoth]

Yeah, most of the faith promoting stories were exaggerated. When they found the little toy with wheels in Central America, I believe it was in the 1960's, that proved the ancient Americans had chariots.

By the same logic we must accept there were gigantic feathered serpents in Mesoamerica too.