The Book of Mormon Fiction?

[LDSmission]

is it a fictional book?

[Vegemighty]

And here I thought this was going to be a thread about fictional books concerning the events within the book of mormon.

[LDSmission]

well the View of the Hebrews is considered to be one that influenced the BOM

[volgadon]

Considered by some, like Fawn Brodie. That position has been refuted. Besides, Ethan Smith's book wasn't a work of fiction, merely poor scholarship.

[LDSmission]

says who it wasn't fiction? Ethan Smith wrote that and Joseph Smith was a student of his for many years. Doesn't that seem a little fishy?

[Backroads]

THere's really not enough comparison between View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon to be conclusive it was taken from it. Besides, Ethan Smith and Josepth Smith have referrenced each other too many times for any sneakiness to be very plausible. It's not really all that surprising Ethan Smith wrote the book... some of those ideas were being discussed at the time. But it's just not all that conclusive it was stolen for the Book of Mormon, from a scholarly point of view.

Do people still argue the "Manuscript Story" anymore?

[bytor2112]

says who it wasn't fiction? Ethan Smith wrote that and Joseph Smith was a student of his for many years. Doesn't that seem a little fishy?

A student of his? Really? Evidence? Source? Frankly, YOU seem a little fishy. Why the need to be on a mission to the LDS? You don't seem smart enough to be even a remotely convincing anti....so, just bored?

[Backroads]

says who it wasn't fiction? Ethan Smith wrote that and Joseph Smith was a student of his for many years. Doesn't that seem a little fishy?

Where did Ethan Smith write that? Do you have a link to a scan of the original letter?

[LDSmission]

how can it be stolen from the BOM? It was published beforehand. Do you really not think that it the BOM is merely a re-done version of the View of the hebrews mixed with some bible similarities and the mind of Joseph Smith.

There are a few similarities between the two books.

extensive quotation from the prophecies of Isaiah in the Old Testament

the Israelite origin of the American Indian

the future gathering of Israel and restoration of the Ten Lost Tribes

the peopling of the New World from the Old via a long journey northward which encountered "seas" of "many waters"

a religious motive for the migration

the division of the migrants into civilized and uncivilized groups with long wars between them and the eventual destruction of the civilized by the uncivilized

the assumption that all native peoples were descended from Israelites and their languages from Hebrew

the burial of a "lost book" with "yellow leaves"

the description of extensive military fortifications with military observatories or "watch towers" overlooking them

a change from monarchy to republican forms of government

the preaching of the gospel in ancient America.

[Backroads]

how can it be stolen from the BOM? It was published beforehand. Do you really not think that it the BOM is merely a re-done version of the View of the hebrews mixed with some bible similarities and the mind of Joseph Smith.

There are a few similarities between the two books.

extensive quotation from the prophecies of Isaiah in the Old Testament

the Israelite origin of the American Indian

the future gathering of Israel and restoration of the Ten Lost Tribes

the peopling of the New World from the Old via a long journey northward which encountered "seas" of "many waters"

a religious motive for the migration

the division of the migrants into civilized and uncivilized groups with long wars between them and the eventual destruction of the civilized by the uncivilized

the assumption that all native peoples were descended from Israelites and their languages from Hebrew

the burial of a "lost book" with "yellow leaves"

the description of extensive military fortifications with military observatories or "watch towers" overlooking them

a change from monarchy to republican forms of government

the preaching of the gospel in ancient America.

The thing was that a lot of people were coming up with these ideas at the time. It was all based around the Book of Isaiah, I think. Frankly, those are very general themes.

[LDSmission]

why attack so quickly? and why MUST my point always be the wrong one? thats the way it works huh. I actually just want to know the truth. So I ask it.

and must you be ignorant to attack my intelligence because I am going against what you THINK or consider is right. Thats the way it goes.

Ethan Smith was his teacher for 5 years or so. Ethan Smith did write that book. Never said Joseph Smith DID read it just said he could have and could have got ideas from it. Same with the bible.

[Backroads]

A student of his? Really? Evidence? Source? Frankly, YOU seem a little fishy. Why the need to be on a mission to the LDS? You don't seem smart enough to be even a remotely convincing anti....so, just bored?

Probably just a junior high kid who was fiddling with Google and wanted to make trouble.

[LDSmission]

The thing was that a lot of people were coming up with these ideas at the time. It was all based around the Book of Isaiah, I think. Frankly, those are very general themes.

general? we are talking about two books? one fictional and one the supposed TRUTH OF GOD. how can they be similar. Then if they are Ethan Smith must have been a prophet too.

[LDSmission]

Probably just a junior high kid who was fiddling with Google and wanted to make trouble.

No actually Im a college student who has been wondering about the religion and you are making a horrible case for it with your attitude.

[Backroads]

general? we are talking about two books? one fictional and one the supposed TRUTH OF GOD. how can they be similar. Then if they are Ethan Smith must have been a prophet too.

You do realize it was a scholary thesis, right?

And you still haven't provided documentation of Ethan Smith as the teacher. I studied history, I like to have backup to claims.

And no, we're not saying you're wrong. I'm just coming back at your points with my own understanding and knowledge. Did you expect people to just go "Ohmigosh! You're right!" without any historical back-up?

If you're a s smart as you claim, you will be able to provide original sources like any good historian.

[bytor2112]

why attack so quickly? and why MUST my point always be the wrong one? thats the way it works huh. I actually just want to know the truth. So I ask it.

and must you be ignorant to attack my intelligence because I am going against what you THINK or consider is right. Thats the way it goes.

Ethan Smith was his teacher for 5 years or so. Ethan Smith did write that book. Never said Joseph Smith DID read it just said he could have and could have got ideas from it. Same with the bible.

If you had taken the time to do anything other than regurgitate baloney you discovered on some anti site, maybe you would be taken seriously.

[TL10]

LDSmission, let me introduce to you to one of Jeffrey R. Holland's greatest talks of all time in my defense.

[LDSmission]

You do realize it was a scholary thesis, right?

And you still haven't provided documentation of Ethan Smith as the teacher. I studied history, I like to have backup to claims.

And no, we're not saying you're wrong. I'm just coming back at your points with my own understanding and knowledge. Did you expect people to just go "Ohmigosh! You're right!" without any historical back-up?

If you're a s smart as you claim, you will be able to provide original sources like any good historian.

well like a historian yourself. why don't most scholars in that area accept the Book of Mormon like they do the Bible. Most believe(non mormons) that is believe it is nothing more than a fictional book.

[LDSmission]

If you had taken the time to do anything other than regurgitate baloney you discovered on some anti site, maybe you would be taken seriously.

baloney? So you are saying Joseph Smith completely did not write the Book of Mormon?

[TL10]

well like a historian yourself. why don't most scholars in that area accept the Book of Mormon like they do the Bible. Most believe(non mormons) that is believe it is nothing more than a fictional book.

For the sake of the argument, I will repost this:

LDSmission, let me introduce to you to one of Jeffrey R. Holland's greatest talks of all time in my defense.

[bytor2112]

baloney? So you are saying Joseph Smith completely did not write the Book of Mormon?

I hope in your college studies that they teach you to communicate more effectively. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power Of God. Have you ever read the Book of Mormon?

[TL10]

baloney? So you are saying Joseph Smith completely did not write the Book of Mormon?

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Of course not. He translated it. The book of Mormon is a record of the Native Americans of pre-colonial America. There are several authors of the book of mormon, not one of them being Joesph Smith.

[Backroads]

Me thinketh our young college student needs to take a course in logic. So far he has resorted to phrases without a single piece of evidence to back it up. Most college students know about original source material and have it with them when they are ready for a debate.

Really, these replies are hilarious.

I'm done. I don't deal well lousy historians who can't back it up.

[bytor2112]

Besides everyone knows that it was the Spaulding Manuscript that inspired Joseph Smith....right?

[Backroads]

Besides everyone knows that it was the Spaulding Manuscript that inspired Joseph Smith....right?

*raises hand* That's what I always thought. Not the first one, of coure, because there's really nothing comparative there.

You know, the second one that MUST exist!