Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I like the how the American Indians look at things. Many things they say, that I have read, resonate with me. The raiding neighborhood villages and taking the people as slaves could be doe without. But hey, whos perfect in that regard.
I am very thankful that the early Euros had the better weapons tho. The Indians were hard fighters and amazing warriors.
Does anyone here think that the story of Joseph Smith claiming to have had possession of golden plates written by the Nephites, and to have been visited by Moroni, a resurrected Nephite to be true?
Does anyone here think that the story of Joseph Smith claiming to have had possession of golden plates written by the Nephites, and to have been visited by Moroni, a resurrected Nephite to be true?
I don't, BUT I find it just as logical as much of what is found in the OT.
BTW, Hill Cumorah, where the Golden Plate story occurred, was just up the road from my childhood home, and the Hill has a statue of Moroni at its crest. I have to admit -- even as a non-Mormon -- to hear that they are discontinuing the famous Mormon Pageant at Hill Cumorah next year (this year was supposed to be the last year, but due to covid they are going to have its last year next year instead). It became a tradition beginning in 1937.
Does anyone here think that the story of Joseph Smith claiming to have had possession of golden plates written by the Nephites, and to have been visited by Moroni, a resurrected Nephite to be true?
There might be a few, but no. I don't think many REALLY believe it. There simply is no archaelogical evidence whatsoever to validate it. Nevermind things like horses and elephants mentioned in the BoM that weren't in this country at the time.
Does anyone here think that the story of Joseph Smith claiming to have had possession of golden plates written by the Nephites, and to have been visited by Moroni, a resurrected Nephite to be true?
Quite a few do, apparently.
From Wiki: The membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as of December 31, 2019, was 16,565,036.
There might be a few, but no. I don't think many REALLY believe it. There simply is no archaelogical evidence whatsoever to validate it. Nevermind things like horses and elephants mentioned in the BoM that weren't in this country at the time.
Or shekel-eating fish...talking donkeys...a dude living in a fish for 3 days...a woman constructed from a rib...etc.
Does anyone here think that the story of Joseph Smith claiming to have had possession of golden plates written by the Nephites, and to have been visited by Moroni, a resurrected Nephite to be true?
Well, yeah; I do. I guess that's why I'm a Mormon.
Or shekel-eating fish...talking donkeys...a dude living in a fish for 3 days...a woman constructed from a rib...etc.
As you and phetaori have both pointed out, the claims of the Book of Mormon are no more outlandish than those of traditional Christianity, or any other revealed religion for that matter. Those who point to a lack of archeological evidence for the Book of Mormon need to consider the fact that there is no archeological evidence for the Exodus spoken of in the Bible, either. That doesn't necessarily mean that it didn't happen. The fact of the matter is that most people don't rely on archeological evidence for the validity of their religious beliefs. My beliefs are founded on the doctrines my church teaches, doctrines on the nature of God, on man's relationship to God, on our beginnings, the purpose of life, what God expects of us, the fate of those who didn't hear the Christian gospel during their lives, and what awaits us in heaven. Miraculous events recorded in a book or claimed to have taken place by any human being are of much less importance to me than the things I just mentioned.
At any rate, the article wasn't really trying to "sell" Mormonism, nor was it trying to really argue a point at all. I just found it interesting how it explained the fine line Mormons (myself included) find our selves walking in an effort to both be accepted and to retain our unique identity. I've often wondered if I'm the only Mormon who sees this as a never-ending balancing act, and I was pleased to see that I'm not.
I also agree with the posters that the title was actually kind of misleading. People should realize, though, that in most cases, the journalists who write magazine articles do not get to write the titles. Most of the time, the editors do. If people read the article looking for information on why Mormonism is the most American religion, they'll probably be disappointed. That's not really what the article was about, and I don't know why that was chosen as the title.
I just read an absolutely fantastic article online. It will appear in the January/February 2021 print edition of "The Atlantic" under the headline “The Most American Religion.”
It's not a short article, but it's well-written and very readable. One thing I personally liked about it was that, although it was written by an active Latter-day Saint like me, it clearly did not in any way come across as proselytizing. I found it to be an extremely well-balanced article, entirely accurate as far as I could see, and a comprehensive look at Mormon history, doctrine and culture. Nothing in it is whitewashed. It talks about polygamy, the Church's former priesthood ban against people of color, and its current views on same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ issues. I'm posting it here because I figured a handful of posters might find it worth reading. If anybody has any comments about anything it says, you know where to find me.
More evidence of your gutsiness, Katz! This thread is just asking for the usual bashing that tends to happen without provocation. Mormonism is replete with implausible beliefs as are most human religions. Painting a big red target on your back should make some work for the moderators.
Interesting that it's titled "The Most American Religion" instead of denomination.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
