The Book of Mormon is not for kids


BrioCyrain
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I remember when I was a young kid growing up in the church, that me and my classmates never really "read" the book of mormon, and were taught simple lessons on how and why heavenly father and jesus christ loves us. It only took 'til recently for me to hink why the classes were set up that way.

The book of mormon is not for kids

And it's because simply the fact, the Book of Mormon is filled with violence and other themes that aren't really kid friendly IMO. Do we really want kids to read about people getting dismembered and how really evil some of people in the BoM are? That and IIRC one of the last books where someone was so "evil", that when his head was chopped clean off, the rest of his body was still swinging his sword? Graphic material like that would seem traumatic to a kid IMO.

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I'd have to disagree with the OP's opinion.

The Book of Mormon is very much for kids. But as with anything else you have to teach at a level that a specific age group is capable of understanding. Both emotionally and intellectually.

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By the time I was 8 the story of Ammon and King Lamoni's sheep was my favorite. (the illustrated version used to show the bloody stumps, but I guess they've cleaned that up). My freshman year of Seminary we made it into a play, completely with "severed arms" made from stuffed pantyhose.

Our world has violence. I don't think we do our children any good completely sheltering them from it. Read some of the original versions of the old fairy tails and see how violent some of them are. (The Little Mermaid was given a knife to kill the prince!) Children have been learning about and digesting stories of violence for ages. With adult guidance, they can handle it.

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I remember when I was a young kid growing up in the church, that me and my classmates never really "read" the book of mormon, and were taught simple lessons on how and why heavenly father and jesus christ loves us. It only took 'til recently for me to hink why the classes were set up that way.

The book of mormon is not for kids

And it's because simply the fact, the Book of Mormon is filled with violence and other themes that aren't really kid friendly IMO. Do we really want kids to read about people getting dismembered and how really evil some of people in the BoM are? That and IIRC one of the last books where someone was so "evil", that when his head was chopped clean off, the rest of his body was still swinging his sword? Graphic material like that would seem traumatic to a kid IMO.

All of my children learned to read before the age of five, and all of them learned by reading the Book of Mormon. So I would have to disagree with your assessment.

Now excuse me while I go try to raise bail for my kids.

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However, if The Book of Mormon was turned into a movie that truly represented all the stories, plots, conspiracies and wars... I think it would be an R-rated movie.

And doesn't our church say R-rated movies are against our standards? Seems interesting that we allow violence in the scriptures, but not in any other media or religious form that can be traumatic to our spiritual being?

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Allow violence in the scriptures? The Book of Mormon is a translation of the records and history of ancient people. Are you saying we should censor what Joseph Smith was commanded to translate?

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The Bible has as much violence, perhaps even more than the Book of Mormon.

I'm with Pam here, ALLOW it in the scriptures! Get real dude! The violence in the scriptures isn't even graphic like it is in movies, books, TV, etc.

I just checked out your profile - you are 22 years old and you play video games, BRAWL- and from the videos you have on your profile, they show violence- so who are you to talk censorship regarding the scriptures when you immerse yourself in video games that depict violence????

REPEAT: Get real Kid.

Edited by Iggy
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The Bible has as much violence, perhaps even more than the Book of Mormon.

I'm with Pam here, ALLOW it in the scriptures! Get real dude! The violence in the scriptures isn't even graphic like it is in movies, books, TV, etc.

I just checked out your profile - you are 22 years old and you play video games, BRAWL- and from the videos you have on your profile, they show violence- so who are you to talk censorship regarding the scriptures when you immerse yourself in video games that depict violence????

REPEAT: Get real Kid.

So people getting heads chopped off isn't violent as some movies? Last time I checked I didn't play any video games that were that violent, that and my Brawl game has Super Mario in it, Super Mario is as kid-friendly as you can really get in video games.

Also last time I checked I didn't say we needed to censor the scripters. I just don't think parts of it should be read by little kids.

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And last time I checked..I don't ever remember a Prophet or any other General Authority stating we should only read or have children above a certain age read the scriptures.

In fact it's been quite the opposite. We've been counseled to read to them from the scriptures starting at a very young age.

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And last time I checked..I don't ever remember a Prophet or any other General Authority stating we should only read or have children above a certain age read the scriptures.

In fact it's been quite the opposite. We've been counseled to read to them from the scriptures starting at a very young age.

Just because the scriptures are written by prophets, doesnt mean some of the parts aren't a bit gruesome. I mean some of the books in the bible were pretty gross.

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I never said that some weren't a bit graphic. But to use your logic, we wouldn't be teaching our children about Christs' crucifixion either.

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I never said that some weren't a bit graphic. But to use your logic, we wouldn't be teaching our children about Christs' crucifixion either.

Well, at least not in detail. I mean you can just go with "he died on the cross" without saying "and some roman guy stuck a spear through his body".

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I guess I understand the OP's point. As a personal example, we read the crucifixion to our children, and I have shown them a cartoon version, that made my then 8-year old cry. I still won't show the 10-year old the Passion of the Christ. Also, I'd probably hesitate sharing the story of the sister who was raped, followed by the brothers convincing the offending family (and tribe) to submit to circumcision, after which they proceeded to annihilate them. Maybe when they are about 12 on that one.

On the other hand, I must confess I thought the original point was to poke at the Church's cautions towards R-rated movies etc. Never imagined he really wanted to sanitize the Scriptures for the little ones. The reality is, we do tend to do so...not sure what the controversy really is here.

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Well, at least not in detail. I mean you can just go with "he died on the cross" without saying "and some roman guy stuck a spear through his body".

And that would kind of go with what I said in post #4 of this thread.

The Book of Mormon is very much for kids. But as with anything else you have to teach at a level that a specific age group is capable of understanding. Both emotionally and intellectually.

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I still won't show the 10-year old the Passion of the Christ.

To be honest PC, I couldn't make it through this movie myself. And I'm not 10 years old.

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Even the LDS Lamb of God movie is quite strong with its imagery and spirit about it. It wasn't fair to watch it for the first time during Easter week in early morning seminary.

Great message... but whoa! It was strong! Even on my mission, when I showed it, I cautioned parents that it can be quite strong for kids. Not "blood and gore", but still very strong.

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I grew up on BOM stories for children. There was a series of them. They weren't fiction but they were written in a way that was more understandable to children. I loved the stories. My mother gave me the books when I started having children and I read the stories to them. they were more age appropriate for under age 10.

The Spirit is very strong especially with children when reading scripture. It wasn't until I was an adult that I truly understood how violent some of the passages were.

My two youngest learned to read by reading the BoM for family night. I think its all perspective and of course parents need to explain anything children have questions about.

I believe we need to trust our Prophets and the Lord. We've been commanded to read the scriptures and to read them to our children. I for one will continue to trust and read the scriptures to my grandson.

To the OP: Yes the BoM is for children.

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So people getting heads chopped off isn't violent as some movies?

BrioCyrain's equation:

"Saying the words 'He chopped off the guy's head'" == "Watching a filmed rendition of him chopping off the guy's head"

I disagree.

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Violence is part of real life. By sheltering kids from it, we are distorting their view of how the world is. I absolutely agree that the level of graphic depictions needs to be considered greatly. At the same time, I was probably five when I can first recall learning that Nephi cut off a man's head. The weight of the actual act never really occured to me though. Why? Because Nephi was commanded of God to do so. Thus the focus was on the fact that there are very rare occasions where God will command someone to do something that would otherwise be very very wrong. But, when God commands and man obeys, that man is always right.

I would absolutely agree with the OP if the sole point of violence in the BoM was for the sake of violence alone. However, the violence is always used as an example of a far more important realization. The Bible does this as well, such as the example of Samuel, the prophet of God, who hewed King Agag in pieces before the Lord because King Saul failed to do so as commanded of God. Not only did a man cut off someone else's head, the prophet of God also cut up the rest of the man's body as well!! The lesson there? Thus sayeth Samuel "To obey is greater than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Also as in David and Goliath, Samson, and the Atonement of Christ.

Stated another way, if the Book of Mormon's inclusion of violence was akin to the inclusion of violence in, say, the Saw movies, then yes I would absolutely keep it from my kids. However neither the Book of Mormon nor the Bible are structured as a horror movie. Neither one uses violence to its own end. As such the education of children about the reality of violence, as well as the consequences connected to it serve to expand the understanding of children to a greater reality than what they would otherwise gain.

Edited by RipplecutBuddha
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And doesn't our church say R-rated movies are against our standards?

No, no it doesn't. It's a cultural myth, perpetuated by people who are stuck in tradition, or overly-willing to have other people do their thinking for them.

Our church says, among other things:

Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.

Please note, not only the absence of the term "R-Rated", but also the inclusion of the word "entertainment". You will never budge an inch away from your current take on this issue, until you grapple with the word "entertainment".
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I recall it being said somewhere recently (might have been a stake meeting though) that kids should read the book of mormon by the time they are 8 in preparation for baptism.

I teach the CTR 7 class - in my ward that is the 7-8 year olds, my ward primary president calls the 7-8 class the CTR7. I don't know if it's supposed to be CTR 7 or CTR 8. Anyway, in that class, we are to encourage the kids to read the Book of Mormon and to study the Book of Mormon. Then before they are baptized to pray and ask Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon is true.

Also, in my ward's primary, they encourage the kids from Sunbeams through Valiant 11 to bring the scriptures every Sunday. They college M&Ms in a small jar - just a bit bigger than a stage 3 baby food jar. Once this small jar is full of M&Ms, they make M&M cupcakes for the kids.

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