Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 Do Mormons consider the Bible to be perverted?
MaidservantX Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 What an adjective, 'perverted', lol. No. The Bible is sacred. However it has been translated (and mis translated) by many men down through the ages who were under varying degrees of inspiration, some none at all, some perhaps even deliberately changing it. We simply recognize this fact and take it into account at times. We study the Bible, we read the Bible, we love the Bible, we adhere to the principles in the Bible -- the Bible tells us of the life of our Savior. Etcetera etcetera. Happy learning! Welcome to the site!
BenRaines Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 Do Baptists consider Mormons of the Devil? Ben Raines
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 Can you be more specific about these deliberate changes? Mr. Raines, One of my best friends in a Mormon. I do not consider him to be of the devil. I am trying to learn more about his religion.
BenRaines Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints consider the Bible to be the word of God. We also consider the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine & Covenants to be the word of God. We believe that God continues to reveal his word and his desires for his children through a living prophet similar to Moses, Abraham and other ancient prophets. Ben Raines
Dr T Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 Hello Truth in Love, I'm curious if you have asked your best friend this question too.
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 I have not asked him that exact question. I have talked to him in the past but I have not had very good results. I want to learn more about Mormonism before I talk to him again.
MaidservantX Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 No, I cannot be specific about those changes, because I mainly learn principles from the Bible, not its history. However, I can tell you that Joseph Smith did a translation of the Bible, and if you can get ahold of an LDS edition of the King James Version of the Holy Bible, there is an appendix with significant changes Joseph Smith would have made (through God's power and inspiration we would say); also there are smaller changes he made in the footnotes of the LDS editions. However, when we are just reading the Bible in Sunday School, or whatever, we usually just read and learn about it the way it is. For myself, I do love reading the Joseph Smith changes and often consult them if I am doing my studying in the Bible. Keep in mind, when I say 'changes' I would mean that in my belief Joseph Smith would have restored the original meaning. As well, we do read the Bible with a mind to the many principles that have been revealed and restored in the latter days through living prophets and sometimes these revealed principles shed a new light and context on what is read in the Bible so that a more original (as we would believe) meaning or interpretation is now understood.
BenRaines Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 A great place to get good correct information is www.mormons.com or www.lds.orgMuch better than asking people with all kinds of opinions.Ben RainesHere is what it says at Mormons.org about the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible The Holy Bible testifies of Jesus Christ and has influenced and sustained millions of His followers. It is a collection of sacred writings containing God’s revelations and accounts of His dealings with His children in the Holy Land. The historical accounts in the Bible cover many centuries, from the time of Adam through the death of the Apostles. Likewise, the books of the Bible were written by and about prophets who lived at various times in the history of the world. As you probably know, the Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains sacred texts written prior to the birth of Christ. Many prophets in the Old Testament foretell the coming of a Savior and Redeemer. The New Testament tells of the life of that Savior and Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ. It also tells of the establishment of His original Church.
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 Is this Bible by Joseph Smith the official Bible of the Mormon Church?
MaidservantX Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 I would also add, lol, that there is a little verse in the New Testament, James 1:5 that got this whole Restoration started. You can find out that story by reading Joseph Smith's own account of his experiences. I believe you would be able to find that on www.mormon.org. Keep in mind that "lds talk" is not a site sponsored by the church; every one here just shares their own thoughts and experiences; we are friends here and keep lds standards; but it is not official doctrine here, if that's what you are looking for. For the official information go to www.lds.org or www.mormon.org. God bless!
BenRaines Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 No Bible by Joseph Smith. We use the King James version of the Holy Bible. Contains both Old and New Testament. That is the Bible we use. Ben Raines
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 I did not mean to imply that he wrote it. Just that he translated it.
BenRaines Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 The Holy Bible was not translated by Joseph Smith. That was done hundreds of years before Joseph Smith ever lived. I believe Tinsdale was was one of the main translators of the Bible and he was killed by the church in England for his heresy. Ben Raines
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 What about the earlier post that said Joseph Smith did a translation of the Bible?
BenRaines Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 There are parts where Joseph Smith, by the power of God, translated differently than they are found in a standard Bible parts of the Bible. You can find what is called the Joseph Smith Translation at the end of the Pearl of Great Price which is online at lds.org under scriptures. Mostly the book of Matthew. All it does is clarify points. Example: Do you believe God is evil? Do you believe that God, being perfect, can repent? These are things that are said in the Bible that we believe are incorrect. Ben Raines
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 Did he translate only a portion of Bible?
MaidservantX Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 I know where you are talking about Ben, where there is published with, or in, the Pearl of Great Price, what has been titled something along the lines of "Joseph Smith -- Matthew". BUT, there is also an appendix with several extended passages of a variety of places in the Bible. For example, some amazing additions to the story of Noah are made; I think those are my favorite. Do you know what I'm referring to? The footnotes show some minor Joseph Smith changes or, refer to the appendix for the extended passages. But all of it is not much compared to the length of the entire Bible, of course. I don't know exactly what happened when, as, or how much Joseph Smith received a translation of all or some of the Bible. But I don't need to. There are those for whom this type of history trivia is of great interest, but most of us just read it (the King James Version, not a Joseph Smith version). Just like other individuals in other churches who read it without knowing who tyndale is (I learned something from Ben today, lol). Most of the time it doesn't matter. It's just a miracle that we have this record (the Old and New Testament) from anciently that testifies of Jesus Christ.
MaidservantX Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 Ha ha, which I love the Song of Solomon, so. I've never heard that he left it out, but I admit I am not an expert on the particulars. The Song of Solomon has several levels, some of which are metaphors and do apply very well to the church's relationship to Christ.
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 It would seem that all of you are in agreement, that the Bible should be accepted as scripture. That being the case, how do you as Mormons deal with the verse in Galatians where Paul says that anyone who preaches a new gospel even an angel, should be condemned?
MaidservantX Posted March 14, 2007 Report Posted March 14, 2007 How do others deal with it? How did they decide to overemphasize it and take it out of context? First of all, that verse does NOT apply to preaching a 'new' gospel, it more aptly applies to holding on to a 'old' one. When I studied those entire chapters surrounding that verse (and that is the only way it should be understood, not picked out without reference), I got the picture that Paul (the writer) was ticked off at and disappointed in Peter -- who was, by the way, Paul's leader! Peter was still holding on to some Jewish eating customs and had made some new members of the growing church feel bad because Peter wasn't sure he should eat with them (or something like that, it has been a long time, by all means refresh my memory), because the new members were, or had been, gentiles. Paul's 'ticked off ness' reached a peak in that verse, lol! He was condemning Peter. And yet, is Peter condemned? I'm sure God wasn't exactly pleased with Peter's attitude either, but I think the word 'condemned' does not mean some judgment or hellfire -- just that Paul was trying to tell his audience that the gospel is perfect -- but sometimes people aren't and not to lose their faith over it. What do you think? Do you think Paul and Peter made up later? lol. They didn't stop following Peter's guidance over this situation. By the way, we don't have a 'new' gospel. We have the old one -- we have the gospel Jesus Christ organized on the earth when he lived here. I think the Nicene Creed and subsequent movements are much newer than that, eh?
Truth in Love Posted March 14, 2007 Author Report Posted March 14, 2007 I think that Paul is addressing the subject of false teaching. The Galatians had started in simple faith, but now they were mixing in a different gospel. If you read Paul's writings, you will find he is very direct about how a person is saved. The Galatians were beginning to stray from the simplicity that is in Christ. Paul warns them of this. I believe that warning should still be headed today. There is only one gospel. The one that is taught very clearly in the New Testament.
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