{"id":37,"date":"2004-09-14T05:56:00","date_gmt":"2004-09-14T11:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/?p=37"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-30T07:00:00","slug":"book-of-mormon-not-the-word-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2004\/09\/14\/book-of-mormon-not-the-word-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Book of Mormon Not the Word of God"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

So many people think the Bible is the word of God. For that matter, many people consider the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price to be the word of God. Are they really?<\/p>\n

First, we need to ask what the phrase ?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8?\u00ecword of God?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u00ac\u00f9 means. Does it mean that the book was written by God? Does it mean the things within are spoken by God? Does it mean the things within are statements by prophets saying what God would say if He were there? Is ?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8?\u00ecword?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u00ac\u00f9 more figurative, referring?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u201a\u00c4\u00f9as John did in the first chapter of his gospel?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u201a\u00c4\u00f9to Jesus?<\/p>\n

Second, if we are to assume that ?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8?\u00ecword of God?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u00ac\u00f9 refers to the words in the scriptures to be words spoken of God or His prophets, then I think a semantics problem arises.<\/p>\n

Take for example, Nephi?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u201a\u00d1\u00a2s words in 1 Ne 2:15.<\/p>\n

And my father dwelt in a tent.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If we were to take the common claim that ?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8?\u00ecthe Book of Mormon is the word of God?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u00ac\u00f9 to be true, then how do we classify such a statement? Was it God saying Nephi?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u201a\u00d1\u00a2s father dwelt in a tent? Is it a prophetic statement spoken by Nephi?<\/p>\n

Frankly, the Book of Mormon and other scriptures are filled with language that does nothing more than provide historical or situational information. Various passages contain no literal doctrinal exposition. Granted many passages taken as a whole?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u201a\u00c4\u00f9like the last dozen chapters in Alma for example?\u00a2\u201a\u00c7\u00a8\u201a\u00c4\u00f9could be representative of spiritual advice. The point is though, that to say the Book of Mormon or any other scripture is the word of God is a literary fallacy.<\/p>\n

Certainly, the Book of Mormon and other scriptures contain the word of God. I do not argue that point at all.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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