How Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1186&context=jbms

 There are many other translations that do the Greek justice more than the KJV does, in spite of how much I love the KJV.

ϨΝ ΤЄϨΟΥЄΙΤЄ ΝЄϤϢΟΟΠ ΝϬΙ ΠϢΑϪЄ ΑΥШ ΠϢΑϪЄ ΝЄϤϢΟΟΠ ΝΝΑϨΡΜ ΠΝΟΥΤЄ ΑΥШ ΝЄΥΝΟΥΤΕ ΠЄ ΠϢΑϪЄ John 1:1 (Sahidic Coptic text)

Transliteration: Hn te.houeite ne.f.shoop ngi p.shaje Auw p.shaje ne.f.shoop n.nahrm p.noute Auw ne.u.noute pe p.shaje

Literal English translation: In the beginning existed the word. And the word existed in the presence of God. And a god was the word.

1808: "and the Word was a god" – Thomas Belsham The New Testament, in an Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Archbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text, London.

1822: "and the Word was a god" – The New Testament in Greek and English (A. Kneeland, 1822.)

1863: "and the Word was a god" – A Literal Translation of the New Testament (Herman Heinfetter [Pseudonym of Frederick Parker], 1863)

1864: "and a god was the Word" – The Emphatic Diaglott by Benjamin Wilson, New York and London (left hand column interlinear reading)

1885: "and the Word was a god" – Concise Commentary on The Holy Bible (R. Young, 1885)

1935: "and the Word was divine" – The Bible: An American Translation, by John M. P. Smith and Edgar J. Goodspeed, Chicago.

1955: "so the Word was divine" – The Authentic New Testament, by Hugh J. Schonfield, Aberdeen.

These square well with the meaning of the JST of John 1:1.

 

Marriage laws taught in the scriptures which Joseph Smith transgressed:

1. No concubines: Jacob 2:27

Smith had “concubines?” That’s news to me.

Smith practiced polygamy.

Jacob 2:27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

 

2. No marrying sisters: Leviticus 18:18

Leviticus does not apply to Christians:

Romans 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the law.” Colossians 2:13-14 says that God "forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

3. No polyandry: Romans 7:3

From Mormonr

Did Joseph have sex with his plural wives who had legal husbands?

Possibly, though it seems unlikely that sexual polyandry would have gone undetected or uncontested by the legal husband, especially ones who were disaffected, excommunicated, or never Latter-day Saints.[179] There is some historical evidence that may support this arrangement for two of Joseph's polyandrous marriages;[180] however, historians disagree on this subject.[181][182]

              https://mormonr.org/qnas/VvSJBb/joseph_smith_and_polygamy

 

4. No marrying mother/daughter: Leviticus 20:14

 

Leviticus does not apply to Christians:

Romans 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the law.” Colossians 2:13-14 says that God "forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

 

5. No marrying virgins without your wife’s consent: D&Cov 132:61

Smith does not violate D+C 132:63

Or Doctrine and Covenants 132:39

David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife;

6. No cross dressing sex/marriage: Deut. 22:5

Did Smith Cross dress?

Deuteronomy does not apply to Christians:

Romans 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the law.” Colossians 2:13-14 says that God "forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

 

7. No adultery, Lev 20:10

Leviticus does not apply to Christians:

 

Romans 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the law.” Colossians 2:13-14 says that God "forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

 

8. No trying to divorce your wife, Matthew 19:9,

LDS polygamy allowed rules for divorce. Unlike Biblical polygamy that did not allow for divorce.

It allowed for consent to marry to the women and allowed for divorce for the women.

9. No commiting adultery (while husband traveling), Proverbs 7:18-19,

From Mormonr

 

Did Joseph have sex with his plural wives who had legal husbands?

 

Possibly, though it seems unlikely that sexual polyandry would have gone undetected or uncontested by the legal husband, especially ones who were disaffected, excommunicated, or never Latter-day Saints.[179] There is some historical evidence that may support this arrangement for two of Joseph's polyandrous marriages;[180] however, historians disagree on this subject.[181][182]

https://mormonr.org/qnas/VvSJBb/joseph_smith_and_polygamy

 

10. No forgiveness for second strike adultery, D&Cov 42:26

D+C 42:25-26

25 But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive;

26 But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.

Smith practiced polygamy.

 

11. No fornication with the maid, 1 Corinthians 7:2,

Smith practiced polygamy.

12. No acquiring many wives after becoming king, Deut 17:15-17

This advice would have been handy for Biblical leaders.

Deuteronomy does not apply to Christians:

Romans 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the law.” Colossians 2:13-14 says that God "forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

 Scriptural Mormonism: Search results for sandra tanner

https://scripturalmormonism.blogspot.com/search?q=sandra+tanner

 

 Occam was a friar who believed that "Only faith gives us access to theological truths. The ways of God are not open to reason, for God has freely chosen to create a world and establish a way of salvation within it apart from any necessary laws that human logic or rationality can uncover." He didn't believe Occam's razor could be applied to faith.

Another interesting quote:

"Ockham’s razor is perhaps the most widely accepted example of an extraevidential consideration. Many scientists accept and apply the principle in their work, even though it is an entirely metaphysical assumption. There is scant empirical evidence that the world is actually simple or that simple accounts are more likely than complex ones to be true. Our commitment to simplicity is largely an inheritance of 17th-century theology."

Applying Occam's Razor--which explanation for the origin of the Book of Mormon is the simplest? : r/mormon

 They used professional credentialed historians to write them. Patrick Mason was familiar with the process and explained it.

They used professional credentialed historians from -outside- the Church history department historians.

They wrote long academic essays with sources like a peer-reviewed article would be with the same standards as a peer-reviewed article.

Then they realized that if it took 30 pages to answer a question, it might make looking for an answer worse.

I wish they attached the longer academic essays with the shorter brief answer.

But as it were they worried about peoples attention spans and if someone was trying to quickly answer a critic.

You think the answers are not enough? I went on my Mission in the early-mid 1990s. Want to know what I had to answer critical questions? Old Ensigns from closets of Missionary Departments, Members who were willing to answer questions, and that is about it. There was a "Missionary Pal" little book that had brief answer to "Evangelical Christian" type scriptural criticisms, but that was about it.

Why did Missionaries give poor, "Mountain Meadows was due to the victims poisoning wells and starting the fight" type answers... They did not have good resources.

The answers are not enough? They are much better than what we had on our Missions.

I am not saying this applies to you. But I worry sometimes that people want no controversy and easy answers.

Critic: "Smith practiced polygamy, and he likely engaged in Biblical relations with many of the women! The restoration cannot possibly be true!"

Essay: "Smith practiced polygamy, and he likely engaged in Biblical relations with many of the women! And the restoration is still true!"

I worry sometimes people want to find, "Smith never practiced polygamy, and the critics are lying liars." I have found critics lying. Or engaging in half-truths or hyperbole. It happens.

But people in faith crisis or facing serious questions who read or hear about a difficult to swallow historical fact then it is largely confirmed on the Essays... That is a tough situation.

I think the Essays are wonderful. I went on my Mission without the Essays or anything like it from the Church and it was hard to answer critics with truth. So I like them for providing answers. And i like them that they inoculate members from hard questions. The kids coming up now won't be phased by the kinds of questions people my age didn't know the answer to.

I was blessed because my Mom was super into Church history and wasn't scared of the hard questions. But even still I didn't know all of the answers to hard questions when I went on my Mission.

I recommend, "Planted" by Patrick Mason, PhD.

Fair is an excellent online resource with faithful answers.

Mormonr.

Evidence Central.

The Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Experience – Jeff Lindsay's Site and the Shake Well Blog

Saints Unscripted

Our Channels | More Good Foundation

Good luck. There are difficult to accept aspects of Church history. The Essays are a wonderful source for quick answers. One day the Church may publish the full essays, which will be cool. But there are some wonderful sources to answering difficult questions from Church history.

Podcasts I like:

Saints Unscripted Audio

Maxwell Institute

Church History Matters

Standard of Truth

Gospel Tangents Podcast

Faith Matters

Y Religion

Latter-Day Perspectives. It hasn't had an episode since Sis Hales passed. But it covered a lo-ot of Church history topics.

Good luck.

Surviving a faith crisis (and how Church members can help)

Surviving a faith crisis (and how Church members can help) - LDS Living