There are really only two reactions to the Book of Mormon...
Written: Jul 25 '01 (Updated Dec 12 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: Don't let other people's negative (or positive) opinions make up your mind for you. Read it yourself (ALL of it) and then decide for yourself.
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| exmish's Full Review: The Book of Mormon Books |
The following is a joint commentary by Rob and Shannon Watson:
There are really only two reactions people have to the Book of Mormon. People either reject it outright or they accept it wholeheartedly.
For those who reject it outright, it is usually because they (A) didn't read it all the way through and sincerely apply Moroni's Promise (Moroni 10:3-5), (B) they have heard negative comments from others and decided not to bother, or (C) have allowed themselves to be offended by the imperfections all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints share with the rest of humanity. Nephi, the prophet whose words begin the Book of Mormon, prophesied that in the last days the devil would “rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.” 2 Nephi 28:20. It is clear that those who reject this great work have fallen into this trap.
For some who accept it, it takes them a long time to resolve doubts through sincere personal study and prayer to ultimately accept the Book. For others, their positive impressions of the Book are immediate, strong, and profound. I (Rob) fall into the former category. I'm a "typical" Utah Mormon in that my ancestry in the Church goes all the way back to its very beginnings. But I had to come to a full knowledge of the truth of the Book through sincere prayer, personal study (both secular and spiritual), and generally had to wait patiently for the Lord to reveal to my mind and heart that it is true. I had my doubts just like anyone else might--including people encountering the Book of Mormon for the first time.
That's the only way to read this Book. If you just pick it up and casually peruse its pages while watching TV, listening to the radio, or just before going to sleep at night, you won't get much from it. If you let the critics decide for you what your opinions of the Book should be beforehand, then you'll never know for yourself how much God has to offer in terms of the fullness of the Gospel and clarification of Bible mysteries previously thought unsolvable.
And in all of this, there is not one contradiction of Bible truth. On the contrary, the Book of Mormon supports and expands our understanding of the Bible in every whit, especially its most important theme...the Atonement of Christ.
For instance, many critics of the Book of Mormon state that the Book makes very little mention of Christ, let alone the atoning sacrifice He made. Leaving aside the fact that there are 3,925 direct and indirect references to Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon, we prefer to expose a more practical example.
In reference to the Atonement of Christ, the Book of Matthew contains sixty-two passages speaking specifically about the Atonement and the existence of intercession, justification, reconciliation, etc. But the Book of Mormon expands on these central doctrines by revealing exactly how and why Christ intercedes, justifies, reconciles, etc. Mosiah 15:9 in the Book of Mormon says "Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice."
There are many other examples, but we cannot list them all here. For more information on the above example, see the analysis from which we have summarized it at http://farms.byu.edu/publications/bookofmormon.php?selection=bom&cat=bom
For information on the myriad archaeological evidences supporting the Book of Mormon that have come to light in recent years, browse the "Free Services" sections of the FARMS Web site at http://farms.byu.edu. I (Rob) have also taken the liberty of compiling my own thoughts about and direct experiences with proposed Book of Mormon archaeology. See http://thewatsontribe.tripod.com/Rob/blogs/archive/2002_04_01_religions_faith.html
Shannon's experience, and Rob's as well, is that spiritual things have never been about physical "proof" and they never will be. Even if we were to look at things in a purely scientific light, "proof" is something that is continually evolving (pardon the pun). Hundreds of years ago, scientists "knew" that the world was flat and they pointed to the sun moving around the earth as direct and irrefutable evidence of this. We now know differently through further proof that is, admittedly, truly irrefutable given what we now know about the Earth. Spiritual things are meant to be understood first by the spirit, with the mind and the heart to follow. In studying the Book of Mormon by the Spirit, there were things that took me (Shannon) a while to bend my mind around for it to understand what my spirit already knew.
You just have to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover and pray about it, nothing doubting (see James 1:5-6) to know anything about it at all. It is not enough to give it a passing read or only study empirical evidence. The Lord has cautioned us against trusting in our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) and in the arm of the flesh (LDS Doctrine & Covenants 1:19). The ONLY way to truly know the Book of Mormon is true is to go to the source of ALL true knowledge...God Himself. Let no mortal human being keep you from speaking directly to and asking for spiritual wisdom from your Father in Heaven.
(Need a copy? Request a free copy here--you can either have it mailed to you, or you can have missionaries bring it to you: your choice. Just visit: http://www.lds.org/basicbeliefs/freebookofmormon/0,5854,,FF.html. Or, you can read (http://scriptures.lds.org/bm/contents) or listen http://www.lds.org/mp3/display/0,18692,5297-41,00.html) to it online at http://scriptures.lds.org/)
1- Read, study, visualize and ponder its teachings (just like in school, you're not likely to get an answer about a book that hasn't been studied)
2- Remove doubt from the equation (constantly ask yourself "What if it is true?")
3- Humble yourself before God (be willing to accept any answer He gives you, even if you think you might not like it)
4- Follow the admonition of James 1:5-6 and Moroni 10:3-5
We know it's true; first because we've applied the steps above, second because we've seen what it does to change our own lives and the lives of others, and third (and only third) because of the more secular evidence we have seen and studied with our own eyes.
Sincerely,
Rob and Shannon Watson
Recommended:
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exmish
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Member: Shannon Watson
Location: Chicagoland, USA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
LDS, stay-at-home mom, great husband...loving life!
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