Radio Free Mormon is joined by Bill Reel for this in-depth discussion of Elder Tad Callister’s recent video, “A Case for the Book of Mormon.”
Join us for this 20,000 foot view of Mormon apologetics.
Radio Free Mormon style!
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Just want to let you know the link might be broken. Episode 82 won’t play or download.
Sorry about that, Jaime.
There is a glitch in the system, but I notified Bill about it yesterday morning and he took care of it.
Have I mentioned how smart Bill is . . . ?
The biggest case for the Book of Mormon is the fact that the corporation does everything it says to NOT do.
An excellent point!
The BOM is “kinda” history in that the characters are based on real characters, such as Alma and Alma the Younger (based upon Alexander Mack and Alexander Mack the Younger). King Benjamin. King Noah. Lehi. Nephi. Jesus. Jonas.
The TRUTH About Adam and Eve: http://churchofzion.webs.com/0TANNER5.htm
Elder Callister uses divine revelation as the way by which doubting Mormons can strengthen their faltering testimonies.
But how can Mormons know that the revelation they feel in their hearts is indeed true?
In his conference talk “Wrong Roads”, Elder Holland taught that his God can reveal false knowledge (RFM ep.011). In other words, even if one asks him for truth, his God will not hesitate to deceive for reasons known only to him.
So if a Mormon feels in his heart that the BoM is “true”, how does he know it is not just a feel-good falsehood revealed by his God?
There has to be a foolproof way to know when the Mormon God is just telling lies. Elder Callister has to explain this first. Otherwise, the poor Mormon is screwed. Like Elder Holland being led to the wrong road.
As Joseph Smith himself said, “Some revelations are from the devil…”
Joseph Smith’s letter to Emma from New York City is apparently one of the only few in his own hand. That proves beyond a doubt the guy could write very coherently.
There is no case for the BOM!! I must admit that I have only read the BOM cover-to-cover once. It is not that well written and was not inspiring to me. Does the BOM teach any new moral concept or anything of value that was not already known? Does it contain any wisdom not already stated in the Bible, Koran or Aesop’s Fables?
The BOM’s only unique value was if it was historically accurate. Multiple lines of evidence now indicate that the BOM has no historicity. Thus, it has no unique value. It is nothing more than another poorly written religious fiction.
I have often wondered if the BOM and Mormonism would have had any success in the 19th century if they did not validated the widely accepted, but totally incorrect, belief that Native Americans were the lost Jewish tribes. How can the BOM be inspired by God if its basic premise is wrong?