Blainer) This is all very interesting, I had heard bits and pieces from your sources, especially View of the Hebrews, although I never read any of them. However, I see a clear choice as to the direction of thinking such would indicate. Either JS and Oliver got their start from such sources, as you have indicated the possibility, and went from there with their own imaginative interpretation of what these sources were suggesting, or they simply confirmed, through the inspired writings they produced, that such speculation was true after all. The "Doubting Thomas" approach to this dilemma would definitely favor your direction of thought. (:>) I choose to follow the possibility that the BoM was inspired, that it is exactly as it is said to be--a book translated from ancient records by inspired means. I have prayed more than once, as is indicated we may do in Moroni 10:4:
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that you would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true. And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, WITH REAL INTENT, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost." I have received an answer of peace that it is all true. I was imbued with a fiery testimony it was true, and immediately wanted to go out and share that testimony. I felt as if I had a fire in my bones, and could not restrain myself from telling those whom the Holy Ghost indicated what I knew to be true. These were the words I recently spoke to a friend while under this influence: "I am sure the Book of Mormon was written for our day, and that it is from God, who in his mercy saw fit to give it to us." I assure you it is everythig it says it is. On Wed, 25 Sep 2002 21:17:54 -0400 "David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Blainer wrote: > > Is it not a fact that legends are usually based upon real > > happenings? > > Yes, many legends do have a basis in fact. For example, Santa Claus > is > based upon St. Nicholas who lived in the 4th century, but St. Nick > didn't > live at the North Pole, neither did he have reindeers that flew his > sled all > over the world in a single night. Also, he never went down chimneys > to gain > entrance into all the homes of the world. It is important to > separate fact > from fiction when considering legends and myths. > > Blainer wrote: > > Especially when the legend is found among many peoples, > > such as the legend of the Flood. This legend is found among > > almost all peoples of the world, regardless of whether they > > have ever even heard of the Bible. I think this is strong > > supporting evidence that the FLOOD story in the Bible is true. > > Yes, I agree, these observations do seem congruent with the idea > that all > people descended from an ancestor who had experienced the flood. > > Blainer wrote: > > Likewise, legends found among many that there was > > a white God who visited the Americas and the Polynesian > > Islands are strong supporting evidence that the BoM story > > of Christ visiting the American Indians is true. > > I'm looking into this, but you shouldn't be so hasty to conclude > this. > There are many other considerations. For example, it is possible > that these > myths arose from people who had heard the true gospel in Asia and > then told > the stories to their children. It is conceivable that they changed > the > location to be their location instead of some far away and unknown > land. If > the Santa Claus myth could be changed so drastically in such a short > period > of time, clearly these American legends are fair game as well. > > I haven't checked the original sources yet, but some authors suggest > that > Joseph Smith actually got his idea for the book of Mormon from the > publication of legends such as these that you mention. Have you > ever heard > that? Do you think it is a possibility? > > Some books published prior to Joseph Smith's book, which suggest a > Hebrew > heritage for the American Indians are: John Adair, 1775, "The > History of > the American Indians"; Elias Boudinot, 1816, "A Star in the West"; > and Ethan > Smith, 1823, "View of the Hebrews; or the Tribes of Israel in > America." > This last man, Ethan Smith, was a pastor in the same small Vermont > town > where Oliver Cowdery lived. He published his first edition in 1823, > and it > summarized other books available at the time which also considered > the > American Indians to be from the lost tribes of Israel. Oliver > Cowdery, who > helped Joseph Smith write the Book of Mormon, lived in this town > until 1825, > when the second edition was printed. He surely would have had > knowledge of > Ethan Smith's book. Ethan Smith says the following in his book > (remember > that this was published before Joe Smith wrote his book): > > "It seems the Spanish missionaries found such traces of resemblance > between > some of the rites of the religion of the natives of Mexico, and the > religion > which they wished to introduce, that our author says, "they > persuaded them > that the gospel had in very remote times, been already preached in > America...." It is a noted fact that there is a far greater analogy > between > much of the religion of the Indians, and Christianity, than between > that of > any other heathen nation on earth and Christianity." [View of the > Hebrews, > p. 187] > > So it is possible that knowledge of these legends actually inspired > Joseph > Smith to write the Book of Mormon rather than thinking that the > legends are > evidence that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the "which came > first, the > chicken or the egg" dilemma. Do you think it is possible, or do you > refuse > to consider the idea? > > Peace be with you. > David Miller. > > ---------- > "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you > may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) > http://www.InnGlory.org > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you > have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. > ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
