What If...

[sonofpaul]

What if the Mormon doctrine was wrong?

What if Joseph Smith was telling a tall tale?

What if everything that you have been told from the Mormon Church is false?

What if the evangelical’s God exists?

What if you had to give an account before the evangelical’s God?

What if the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God?

What if God created the world as the book of Genesis states?

What would it mean to the Mormon faith, if some or all of these questions are true?

What would it mean to your understanding grace and salvation?

As an evangelical, I have full confidence in my beliefs. I believe in One True God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I believe in the God of the Bible. I believe that God began a good work in me and He is faithful to bring that good work through to completion. I believe that if I die tonight, that I will be with God forever.

Both History and Science bring validity to the Bible and my Beliefs. Daily the Bible comes under extreme scrutiny from history and science scholars, yet it remains strong.

Can the Mormon doctrine withstand the same scrutiny?

How would you respond to these questions?

Son of Paul

[BenRaines]

That would be the same as asking you what if all that you believe were not true.

I believe too in God, Our Heavenly Father. In his son Jesus Christ. I believe that God continues to communicate with his children whom he loves. He does that with living prophets today. He has not closed the heavens. He does not love us less than he loved those before and during Christ's time.

These things I know to be true because the Holy Ghost has confirmed it to me and I cannot deny it.

[sonofpaul]

Originally posted by BenRaines@Dec 5 2005, 02:28 AM

That would be the same as asking you what if all that you believe were not true.

I believe too in God, Our Heavenly Father.  In his son Jesus Christ.  I believe that God continues to communicate with his children whom he loves.  He does that with living prophets today. He has not closed the heavens.  He does not love us less than he loved those before and during Christ's time.

These things I know to be true because the Holy Ghost has confirmed it to me and I cannot deny it.

←

You are correct, as if you were to ask me if what I believe is not true. I have thought about it and like you the Holy Spirit confirms it in me as well.

But, I asked if Mormon doctrine could withstand the same scrutiny that the Bible has to withstand?

Does God speak to normal people like you and me or does he only speak through the prophets?

Son of Paul

[Lindy]

WHAT IF?

What if you live your life the way you think God wants you too?

What if you are judged for the way you chose to follow?

What if it didn't matter what religion you chose to practice?

What if ......

What if we both meet up in heaven side by side?

What if?

[Josie]

What if we did not come onto an lds site trying to tear down their church and beliefs?

What if we could express our opinion without tearing someone else's down?

What if we could treat one another like we would like to be treated?

What if we actually treated one another with dignity and respect?

For the general information of this forum:

The LDS church does accept the King James version of the Bible as scripture and that includes the Book of Genesis.

As far as the church standing up under scrutiny? Well, it has stood under mobs, murder, threatenings, fire, and much much more.

The Book of Mormon is being used to find ruins of cities in central and south America.

The LDS Church is one of the fastest growing churches in the World.

And yes, We believe in God, the Father, and his son, Jesus Christ.

[lisajo]

Originally posted by Josie@Dec 5 2005, 07:39 AM

What if we did not come onto an lds site trying to tear down their church and beliefs?

What if we could express our opinion without tearing someone else's down?

What if we could treat one another like we would like to be treated?

What if we actually treated one another with dignity and respect?

For the general information of this forum:

The LDS church does accept the King James version of the Bible as scripture and that includes the Book of Genesis.

As far as the church standing up under scrutiny?  Well, it has stood under mobs, murder, threatenings, fire, and much much more.

The Book of Mormon is being used to find ruins of cities in central and south America.

The LDS Church is one of the fastest growing churches in the World.

And yes, We believe in God, the Father, and his son, Jesus Christ.

←

\

Well said Josie,

[jiggypoo]

Well, you ask the traditional questions.

My answers:

What if the Mormon doctrine was wrong? Then I will have lead a good life, making positive contribution to my fellow brethren and bringing glory to God through my faithlfulness to what I percieved as truth.

What if Joseph Smith was telling a tall tale? Then he will have to account for that before God.

What if everything that you have been told from the Mormon Church is false? Then there will be a few disappointing moments, but since my allegence is to God and His son Jesus, I will humbly comply to His will

What if the evangelical’s God exists?Then He will be a bit different God, but His grace, mercy, and judgement will be true and faithful. I would conform to the truth.

What if you had to give an account before the evangelical’s God? This account would be no different than the account before my God. My actions, my inactions, and so forth will be accounted for. I'm comfortable with this. I know my God and His grat compassion and infinite Goodness. I know my sins are remitted through His Son. I do not fear the judgement bar of God. I know in whom I have trusted.

What if the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God? Who says it isn't? We Mormons believe it is divinely inspired, but portions have been removed or changed through the weakness and craftiness of men.

What if God created the world as the book of Genesis states? Great. Don't know how that impacts my salvation though.

What would it mean to the Mormon faith, if some or all of these questions are true?

It would mean it was just another faith that required reconsiliation to God.

What would it mean to your understanding grace and salvation? Nothing really since I am reconsiled continually through Christ.

[Josie]

Well said. People do not seem to understand that God and his son Jesus Christ are the cornerstone to our religion and when it comes down to it, everything we have is from them and of them and we owe everything we accomplish, do, or become that is in anyway good to them. So, they are what matters to us more than anything. If a person serves a good life to a mistaken idea of who or what god is, what matters is that they served a good life.

[Jason]

Son of Paul,

What if your god and their god are imaginary?

What if your beliefs don't mean squat?

What if Jesus is actually the Tooth Fairy?

What if none of it matters?

Originally posted by sonofpaul@Dec 5 2005, 01:22 AM

Both History and Science bring validity to the Bible and my Beliefs.  Daily the Bible comes under extreme scrutiny from history and science scholars, yet it remains strong. 

That's a bunch of BS. History and Science both clearly show that the Bible is half mythology and half barbaric history.

[Setheus]

What if there is no Hell, or they dont want us there? In all my 400 years I have yet to see anything that would save...or d a mn my soul. *runs fingers over a lighted candle* Ahhhhh, perhaps this is the only real evil left...

[sonofpaul]

Originally posted by Josie@Dec 5 2005, 10:39 AM

What if we did not come onto an lds site trying to tear down their church and beliefs?

What if we could express our opinion without tearing someone else's down?

What if we could treat one another like we would like to be treated?

What if we actually treated one another with dignity and respect?

For the general information of this forum:

The LDS church does accept the King James version of the Bible as scripture and that includes the Book of Genesis.

As far as the church standing up under scrutiny?  Well, it has stood under mobs, murder, threatenings, fire, and much much more.

The Book of Mormon is being used to find ruins of cities in central and south America.

The LDS Church is one of the fastest growing churches in the World.

And yes, We believe in God, the Father, and his son, Jesus Christ.

←

First off let me state this. The What If questions were used for dramatic effect, in order to get your attention to the center point that I was making.

Can Mormon Doctrine withstand the same scrutiny that the Bible has withstood?

Josie you can the closest to the main idea I had for this topic with your general information.

You mentioned scrutiny and gave examples of mobs and murders, etc. That is physical scrutiny, but I was talking about academic scrutiny.

For example:

The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith from metal tablets (Gold and/or Copper). Where are these tablets and has Joseph Smith’s translations been verified? This would require a copy of or the original tablets.

The Bible was originally written primarily in Hebrew and Greek. We have copies of the Hebrew Bible that are dated before 100 AD. The have copies of the Greek New Testament from the 11th Century.

You stated that the LDS accepts the KJV version of the Bible. Do you accept the Hebrew and Greek version that pre-date the KJV by at least 500 years?

How about the NASB, potentially the most literal translation of the Greek and Hebrew bible?

Son of Paul

[Ray]

Originally posted by sonofpaul@Dec 5 2005, 02:32 AM

Does God speak to normal people like you and me or does he only speak through the prophets?

Our Lord speaks to each individual regarding their own individual stewardships.

Our Lord speaks to each father regarding their own family stewardships.

Our Lord speaks to each bishop regarding the issues of their own wards.

Our Lord speaks to stake presidents regarding the issues of their own stake, and

Our Lord speaks to other priesthood leaders regarding the issues of their stewardship.

AND

Our Lord speaks to the President of the United States regarding the issues of America.

Our Lord speaks to the Pope regarding the issues of all people in that church.

Our Lord speaks to the President of Botswana regarding the issues of his country.

Our Lord speaks to EVERYBODY regarding their own individual issues.

Heh, but to ask if everybody pays attention to Him is a whole other matter.

[BenRaines]

Son of Paul,

I am curious which of the above mentioned texts best serves your purposes? We believe the Bible to be the word of God as long as it is translated correctly. In general publication the KJV is the most commonly used of the bible.

Just curious which one you use.

[Ray]

The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith from metal tablets (Gold and/or Copper). Where are these tablets?

The original tablets were given back to Moroni.

Have Joseph Smith’s translations been verified?

Yes, by a prophet of God.

This would require a copy of or the original tablets.

Not according to the words of God both personally and through all of His prophets.

Are you saying that the words of God and His prophets aren’t good enough for you?

The Bible was originally written primarily in Hebrew and Greek. We have copies of the Hebrew Bible that are dated before 100 AD. The have copies of the Greek New Testament from the 11th Century.

Ahh, so you don’t have the original writings of the Bible either, huh.

Do you know where those writings are?

You stated that the LDS accepts the KJV version of the Bible. Do you accept the Hebrew and Greek version that pre-date the KJV by at least 500 years?

As far as they have been translated correctly, yes.

How about the NASB, potentially the most literal translation of the Greek and Hebrew bible?

Yes, as far as it has been translated correctly.

[Jason]

Can Mormon Doctrine withstand the same scrutiny that the Bible has withstood?

Yes, and Im not even Mormon.

[Setheus]

My question is "Hasnt the BOM already proven that it can withstand these things?" I mean, look at the history man!

[Josie]

You mentioned scrutiny and gave examples of mobs and murders, etc. That is physical scrutiny, but I was talking about academic scrutiny. Considering they are using the Book of Mormon to locate ancient civilizations in Central and South America, I think that is pretty good academic scrutiny. Information in Book of Mormon is being proved by ancient records found in the old world everyday, from the names used and the periods that they should have been used, to places that the people of the Book of Mormon came from. Many have tried, but no one has academically proved the Book of Mormon wrong yet.

For example:

The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith from metal tablets (Gold and/or Copper). Where are these tablets and has Joseph Smith’s translations been verified? This would require a copy of or the original tablets. if you know anything about Joseph Smith and his translation of the Book of Mormon, you know that he gave the records back to the angel Moroni, when he had completed the unsealed portion. He was not permitted to translate the rest of the record at that time.

The Bible was originally written primarily in Hebrew and Greek. We have copies of the Hebrew Bible that are dated before 100 AD. The have copies of the Greek New Testament from the 11th Century.

You stated that the LDS accepts the KJV version of the Bible. Do you accept the Hebrew and Greek version that pre-date the KJV by at least 500 years? We only accept the kjv of the Bible as cannonized scripture.

To help you understand: I answered your questions. I have my own spiritual confirmation of my faith, Joseph Smith, The Bible, the Book of Mormon, God, and Jesus Christ. If I am wrong, I have lived a good life, and am not ashamed. If I am right, then I have lived up to my convictions. I don't need to prove what I have already received a spritual confirmation of from the Holy Ghost. My religion is my life and governs everything I do, think, say, hope for, or dream about. It is mine, and I am happy with it.

[Traveler]

While we are what ifing - What if G-d really does love? What if Jesus was right about children and that we need to become like them? What if all the children in all the world are loved and cared for by G-d and that they are saved through Christ even though the children lever learned to utter the name of Christ let alone believe in him?

What if G-d so loved the world that no one was condemned because no one told them of Christ before they died? What if everyone that was loving and kind went to heaven even if they were Baptist, Mormon Catholic, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu or no religion at all? What if G-d really did judge all according to their works? Can you just imagine all the religious fundamentalist making a fuss because they thought G-d only loved and saved them?

What if there is no loving G-d and the evangelicals are right? What if most of the human family is damned because they lived in places and time when no one could teach them of Christ. What if people that are so compassionate and kind that they would give their lives for other are excluded from heaven because they messed up on doctrine?

Well then I will die thinking and believing in the kind and compassionate and glad to be rid of a G-d that ignores the Good Samaritans that happen to belong to the wrong religion. I would rather be with those that cared more about G-dly works than doctrine.

The Traveler

[sonofpaul]

Originally posted by BenRaines@Dec 5 2005, 05:21 PM

Son of Paul,

I am curious which of the above mentioned texts best serves your purposes?  We believe the Bible to be the word of God as long as it is translated correctly.  In general publication the KJV is the most commonly used of the bible.

Just curious which one you use.

←

I use 4 different verisons. Two are concept by concept paraphrases for my devotional times. They are easier to read than direct translations, but keep the meaning of the Greek and Hebrew.

The Message

New International Verison

When I do exegetical Bible study, I use the NASB and KJV. The NASB is the best direct translation of the Greek and Hebrew texts. KJV is ok. When doing exegetical Bible study, I look at the Greek and Hebrew words, so that I can understand the meaning of the text.

Son of Paul

[sonofpaul]

Originally posted by Ray@Dec 5 2005, 05:35 PM

The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith from metal tablets (Gold and/or Copper). Where are these tablets?

The original tablets were given back to Moroni.

Have Joseph Smith’s translations been verified?

Yes, by a prophet of God.

This would require a copy of or the original tablets.

Not according to the words of God both personally and through all of His prophets.

Are you saying that the words of God and His prophets aren’t good enough for you?

The Bible was originally written primarily in Hebrew and Greek. We have copies of the Hebrew Bible that are dated before 100 AD. The have copies of the Greek New Testament from the 11th Century.

Ahh, so you don’t have the original writings of the Bible either, huh.

Do you know where those writings are?

You stated that the LDS accepts the KJV version of the Bible. Do you accept the Hebrew and Greek version that pre-date the KJV by at least 500 years?

As far as they have been translated correctly, yes.

How about the NASB, potentially the most literal translation of the Greek and Hebrew bible?

Yes, as far as it has been translated correctly.

←

Ray

Please explain what you mean by translated correctly?

Son of Paul

[sonofpaul]

The Bible was originally written primarily in Hebrew and Greek. We have copies of the Hebrew Bible that are dated before 100 AD. The have copies of the Greek New Testament from the 11th Century.

Ahh, so you don’t have the original writings of the Bible either, huh.

Do you know where those writings are?

Each book of the Bible was written at least 1,900 years ago, and we do not have the original manuscripts today. The texts that today's Bibles are based on are literally "copies of copies". When this fact is understood, it is an obvious and understandable question to ask, "Well, how do we know that the Bible is reliable? How do we know that what we read is an accurate representation of what was written all those millenia ago?"

First, there are a multiplicity of copies of the texts of the New Testament that date from within a couple of generations of their writing. Further to this, the copies come from different geographical locations and have been translated into other languages at a very early time. This helps us, as we can compare texts found in two different geographical locations and surmise that where they match up they're accurate to their original copy. So when we compare a number of manuscripts from a very early time period and different geographical locations, it is very easy to see what is accurate and what is not. We can also look at the translations into other languages and compare meanings as another source of independent information.

When compared to other ancient texts the New Testament is quite in a world of its own with regard to reliability. We have more than 5,000 Greek New Testament Manuscripts today, dating from c.100 AD to c.800 AD (that's only a generation or two between original authorship and earliest existing copy) whereas the next most reliable text that comes to us from a similar time-period is Homer's Iliad, composed in 800 BC, of which we have 650 Greek manuscripts dating from c.100-200 AD (that's about 900 years between original authorship and the earliest existing copy).

If you include translations of the New Testament, we have over 24,000 copies of the New Testament coming down to us from Antiquity, and that does not include quotes. The New Testament was widely quoted in the early centuries AD providing even more sources to compare (it is said that if we lost all Greek versions of the New Testament, we could still piece a complete copy together solely from quotations made from it by the early Church Fathers). That's a great deal of evidence to the authority of the New Testament, and makes it not only reliable, but by far the most reliable document to come down to us from Antiquity.

It is quite common to hear someone accuse the New Testament of containing 200,000 errors. In a way, that statement is quite true - although it is misleading (and it is more correct to say that there are approximately 200,000 variants).

The problem arises as copies were made of copies: obviously, when the scribes of ancient times labouriously copied from one faded text onto a clean sheet, mistakes were bound to occur. Some manuscripts have lines repeated as the scribes' mind wandered, others have the sequence of words incorrect at some point, others have words misspelled.

The figure of 200,000 comes from the addition of these errors in all the manuscripts. So if a scribe made three mistakes whilst making one copy of the New Testament, and then his copy was copied by 100 others, even assuming they did not make any further errors, that is now counted as three hundred variants when compared to other texts that do not carry the original mistake.

Then if each of those copies are themselves copied twenty times, again, without further mistake, that becomes 6,000 variants. Remembering that there are over 5,000 manuscripts, most of which are 'copies of copies', you realise that 200,000 variants is quite understandable - even, to be expected.

Further to that, the types of mistakes encountered from scribal error tend not to influence the message of a text, unless whole lines are skipped inadvertently. Whether words are misspelled, repeated or written out of sequence; generally speaking, they will still represent the original intended message and therefore are reliable.

http://www.1way2god.net/biblereliability.html

You stated that the LDS accepts the KJV version of the Bible. Do you accept the Hebrew and Greek version that pre-date the KJV by at least 500 years?

As far as they have been translated correctly, yes.

If you are reading the Greek and Hebrew texts directly, how can you mistranslate them?

Son of Paul

[Snow]

Originally posted by sonofpaul@Dec 5 2005, 09:50 PM

Each book of the Bible was written at least 1,900 years ago, and we do not have the original manuscripts today. The texts that today's Bibles are based on are literally "copies of copies".  When this fact is understood, it is an obvious and understandable question to ask, "Well, how do we know that the Bible is reliable? How do we know that what we read is an accurate representation of what was written all those millenia ago?"

First, there are a multiplicity of copies of the texts of the New Testament that date from within a couple of generations of their writing. Further to this, the copies come from different geographical locations and have been translated into other languages at a very early time. This helps us, as we can compare texts found in two different geographical locations and surmise that where they match up they're accurate to their original copy. So when we compare a number of manuscripts from a very early time period and different geographical locations, it is very easy to see what is accurate and what is not. We can also look at the translations into other languages and compare meanings as another source of independent information.

When compared to other ancient texts the New Testament is quite in a world of its own with regard to reliability. We have more than 5,000 Greek New Testament Manuscripts today, dating from c.100 AD to c.800 AD (that's only a generation or two between original authorship and earliest existing copy) whereas the next most reliable text that comes to us from a similar time-period is Homer's Iliad, composed in 800 BC, of which we have 650 Greek manuscripts dating from c.100-200 AD (that's about 900 years between original authorship and the earliest existing copy).

If you include translations of the New Testament, we have over 24,000 copies of the New Testament coming down to us from Antiquity, and that does not include quotes. The New Testament was widely quoted in the early centuries AD providing even more sources to compare (it is said that if we lost all Greek versions of the New Testament, we could still piece a complete copy together solely from quotations made from it by the early Church Fathers). That's a great deal of evidence to the authority of the New Testament, and makes it not only reliable, but by far the most reliable document to come down to us from Antiquity.

←

Hmmm,

Who wrote the books of Job and Genesis, when were they written and how long is it from the time written until the date of the oldest existing manuscripts?

[Jason]

Hmmm,

Who wrote the books of Job and Genesis, when were they written and how long is it from the time written until the date of the oldest existing manuscripts?

Snow, as I understand, Genesis was written around 700 BC. The book of Job is the oldest book of the OT, derived from non-Jewish (aka Pagan) sources.

Right?

[Traveler]

Originally posted by sonofpaul@Dec 5 2005, 10:50 PM

If you are reading the Greek and Hebrew texts directly, how can you mistranslate them?

Son of Paul

←

Are you kidding??? Can you say Pharisees and Scribes? Do you think for one minute that there are no modern Pharisees and Scribes?

The Traveler

[paul6150]

Originally posted by Jason@Dec 5 2005, 05:30 PM

Can Mormon Doctrine withstand the same scrutiny that the Bible has withstood?

Yes, and Im not even Mormon.

←

LET ME HELP THE “SON OF PAUL” IN THIS BATTLE ABOUT WHAT IF’S

These are some very good “what if questions” because all who are students of the truth must ask these types of questions everyday. We must base truth on sound evidence, solid teaching and tested documentation. We can’t test truth on: hearsay evidence without checking it out ourselves; personal feelings that are relied on can lead to accept an untruth based on how I felt at the moment; and so on.

We must first start by ask a much broader question first. How do we know that anything is true? How do we test any claims of truth? The answer to these two questions is: we test to see what is truth through observation, experimentation, examination, eyewitnesses and scientific evidence. For example, one must test historical claims measured by the common standards of historical research. Any claims, for truth, generally, will be verified by some other documentation or scientific evidence. These claims of truth must also be tested for rationality. Is it logically consistent and coherent? The Bible has, through thousands of years, been claimed as a standard of truth. One of the most astonishing things, of course, is that the Bible has literally thousands of testable historical prophecies, cases in which events were clearly foretold, and both the foretelling and the fulfillment is a matter of historical record.

We must also examine the Book of Mormon, by these same methods to see if it is a source of truth, as claimed by Smith and others. Conversely, if, like many other so called statements about the truth, of a particular belief system, it falls by the way side as false teaching and erroneous beliefs.

So let’s examine of the responses to the what if questions posed by SON OF PAUL

BEN RAINES SAID:

“I believe that God continues to communicate with his children whom he loves.” HEY, WE FOUND SOMETHING WE AGREE ON BUT THEN YOU NARROW DOWN YOUR STATEMENT TO ONLY “living prophets today”. I am assuming you are referring to the LDS seer, prophet, and revelator. I agree God hasn’t “closed the heavens” and speaks to every one of us today if we will listen!! But I think you are limiting your focus to only the “living prophets in the LDS church” which is where you are in error. Peter declared in Acts 2:17 that when the Holy Spirit falls on His people the “sons and daughters shall prophesy”. Acts 21:9 states Philip had 4 daughters that all prophesied. Paul states in Romans 12:4-6 that the believers shall prophesy according to the proportion of faith they have. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 14:1, 24, 39 that there would be many who prophesy as the Holy Spirit moves in them. Paul even goes so far as to say “covet to prophesy”. So my take on this is that God never intended prophecy to be only one individual as the LDS teach.

So SON OF PAUL is correct in asking the question “Does God speak to normal people like you and me” or does he only speak through only the (living) prophets? I believe that God speaks through many prophets today. However, in all cases, the prophecies must be compared to a standard of truth that will test to see if it is really God speaking as He spoke in the past. This is where it gets difficult for there are many false prophets out there. So since the Bible has been tested and verified as the Word of God then we should be checking any new prophecies against it to verify the veracity of the “so called prophecy”.

LINDY asked some more “what if” questions but I didn’t see anything there to further respond to except if she accepts the Lord Jesus as her personal Savior as I have posted elsewhere then we will meet in heaven.

JOSIE apparently got a little upset over the “what if questions”. SON OF PAUL was only asking the dramatic questions to make one think. Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves. Do you realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless of course you fail the test.” So we are to ask the what if questions.

JOSIE goes on to talk about the LDS church has withstood “mobs, murder, threatenings, fire, and much, much more.” I don’t disagree with that but SON OF PAUL’S question was about the BOM. The JOSIE states the “Book of Mormon is being used to find ruins of cities in central and south America.” Please provide some proof from known and respected archeologists as to the veracity of this claim. And to base your truth on the statement that the “LDS Church is one of the fastest growing churches in the World” does not prove anything. Communism was at one time the fastest growing form of government but it was based on a lie. So for the most part it has fell by the wayside.

JIGGYPOO says he will have lived a good life based on what he perceived as truth. That doesn’t answer the question asked. If it is not true then why do you live by a lie why not search out the truth. If JS told some “tall tales” which he was known to do then those who follow him blindly also will have to account for their belief before God.

JIGGYPOO then makes a great statement in “I know my God and His great compassion and infinite goodness. I know my sins are remitted through His Son. I do not fear the judgment bar of God. I know in whom I have trusted.” I hope and pray you are basing this statement on the acceptance of Jesus as your personal Savior.

JIGGYPOO says the “Mormons believe the Bible to be divinely inspired but that portions have been removed or changed”. The BOM states that the Bible has the “fullness of the everlasting gospel”… and that the BOM “contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel”. After this one statement in the Introduction of the LDS version of the BOM there a systematic tearing down of the statement that the Bible “contains the fullness of the everlasting Gospel”. For example read the 6th paragraph of the same Introduction which quotes Joseph Smith as saying “…Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book”. This statement leaves the impression that the BOM is superior to the Bible and should be trusted more. 2N 29:8, 10 also tear down the Bible by saying “plain and precious” things have been removed. If one studies out the dissemination process of the New Testament in the early church they would find it very hard to say there was a systematic removal of these things. JIGGYPOO you are basing your premise on what the BOM, JS and other Mormon teachers have told you to believe. Study out the NT dissemination process as I have said and verify it.

I will have to stop here because I have run out of time to respond at this time. I will work on the rest of the responses later.