NOM

https://news-middleeast.churchofjesusch ... man-jordan

Say What?! I'm so confused. This is totally different than what I have been taught and what the intro to the BOM states...

Consider his audience.

Middle East turmoil has been a common theme for the region for thousands of years. Bednar is playing into that narrative and suggesting the book be used as a crutch when working through tough times.

Look at the response he elicits. This dude literally regurgitated Bednar’s words and it reinforces his belief in the Book of Mormon. Instead of thinking about the actual words and how they make little sense in the context of the prior narrative (as your post suggests), it’s just another Mormon couplet design to placate thinking for yourself.

This emphasis resonated with Nash’at Haddad, the elders quorum president in the branch who said, “The main thing that touched my heart is the Book of Mormon is not a history book, it is a future book.” He continued, “It supports my belief in it. It’s important then when I look for answers to my questions, I can find it in the Book of Mormon.”

Bednar knows he can’t prove the book is real or written by actual people, so he hangs it up as a crutch for future problems.

I know for me personally, the next time I have to go back to the office to get documents and run into resistance, I’ll just bring my sword and cut off the security guy’s head, put on his uniform, and grab the documents I need so I can flee the country with my family and some neighbors and start a whole new civilization “amongst” other people.

My future is bright!

During the devotional, Elder Bednar encouraged attendees to study the Book of Mormon and learn how it applies to our lives today. “The Book of Mormon is not a book of history. The Book of Mormon is a book about the future.”

He continued, “It describes episodes in the lives of people thousands of years ago, but the writers of the record and especially the compilers of the record were inspired by the Lord to include the things that we would need for the world in which we live today.”

There's the classic teaching that I've heard many times in the past: The peoples in the BoM never had/used the book, so the book was written for our day. How the book says that Moroni and other BoM prophets claim to have seen our day and wrote the book with us in mind.

From that perspective, the BoM was written in the past to a future audience to address the future audience's needs.

Lots of people are seeing leaders trying to pivot to the BoM being pure inspiration (no basis in actual history) but I don't believe that's the case. I think that's what they should be doing, but I don't think that's what they're doing.

If I had to guess I'd say that they've been briefed on "history" being a large issue that is leading people away from the church. Rather than taking the time to understand how history is leading some people away from church, they have the more immediate reaction, "Why are people so wrapped up in history? It's not a history text book! It's meant to be our spiritual guide heading into the future. People that have historical issues are looking at the wrong thing. This is what they should be doing!"

It's another extension of the mindset that if people have a problem with something at church, there's something wrong with the people, not the church. I.e. if you have a problem with history you built your testimony on the wrong thing!!! And then everyone at church spends the next 12 hours talking about restoration narratives. Cake: restoration narratives. Eat it too: it's not about history!!!

It seems that the words "not history" and "not historical" have become a recurring theme just in the last couple of weeks when members of the Board of Directors of the COJCOL-dS™ Corporation speak of the Book of Mormon. Both Nelson and Bednar have supposedly said similar things now.

Is October the beginning of their "calendar year" when they discuss new OKR's, goals, and all that important Corporate type stuff?

When will they change the introduction of the BoM to align with these new perceived "not history" goals?

The Book of Mormon is fairly accurate at predicting future events right up until the time of Joseph Smith. After that........not so good.....

It's almost as if the person writing it was actually viewing history very accurately from Joseph Smith's time backwards but then couldn't see hardly anything but very vague generalities looking forward.

I mean look at it. The writer/prophet predicts the Catholic church right down to their clothing. He predicts Columbus discovering America. But he completely misses world wars l and II. Nothing about man going to the moon. (Although Joseph Fielding Smith predicted they wouldn't. ) Nothing about the atomic bomb. Nothing about 9/11.

No, the BofM prophet looking beyond Joseph Smith's time got really crappy at predicting ANYTHING SPECIFIC.

Poor Bednar.....he "traveled halfway around the world" to say pretty much....nothing. I'm impressed.

But I bet it was a fun trip. And I bet Bednar's importance in his own eyes was raised significantly.

“It describes episodes in the lives of people thousands of years ago, but the writers of the record and especially the compilers of the record were inspired by the Lord to include the things that we would need for the world in which we live today.”

And by "today," I guess he means specifically early 19th century New England. The BoM seems to answer all of the questions that were hot topics at that specific time and place.

nibbler wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:32 am If I had to guess I'd say that they've been briefed on "history" being a large issue that is leading people away from the church. Rather than taking the time to understand how history is leading some people away from church, they have the more immediate reaction, "Why are people so wrapped up in history? It's not a history text book! It's meant to be our spiritual guide heading into the future. People that have historical issues are looking at the wrong thing. This is what they should be doing!"

It's another extension of the mindset that if people have a problem with something at church, there's something wrong with the people, not the church. I.e. if you have a problem with history you built your testimony on the wrong thing!!! And then everyone at church spends the next 12 hours talking about restoration narratives. Cake: restoration narratives. Eat it too: it's not about history!!!

Brilliant observation here!

Do you believe everything they say is this calculated? Obviously not specifically for the Jordan audience or the world wide church but rather for the slice that’s falling off?

Will this new pronouncement from Russell Nelson allow FAIR to relax on the Book of Mormon historicity section of their apologetics? I imagine that Neal Rappleye and the further defenders of BoM historicity will simply use this idea as their ultimate "Get out of Logical Fallacy Jail Free" card.

Whether they do or not, Jeremy Runnels can Follow the Prophet and add this idea to the CES Letter.

One hundred years from now Elder Quentin Q. Holland will cite Bednar's talk and say, "See, even back then some believed it might not be historical.
Two hundred years from now Elder Dallin V. Eyring will say, "We never have taught the absolute historicity of the Book of Mormon."

Or it might take longer than that.

So, if historicity doesn't matter for the Book of Mormon, does it matter for Lord of the Rings? Can I accept that as true scripture if it speaks to my soul and if any part of it makes my bosom burn?

How about Where the Wild Things Are? That book, as a 2nd grader, made me feel 'the spirit' far more than the BoM ever did as an adult. Same for 2001: a Space Odyssey when I was a 7th grader. The BoM never came close to filling me with as much "spirit."

Or maybe those books are historical, but we just haven't found evidence to support them yet? I'm sure we could find some apologists who would make a good case for each. FAIRWildRumpus and FAIRMonolith.

Spreading the Gospel 4116 AD
Courtesy Encyclopedia Mormanica