Mormonin kirjan muutoksia — siitä ei löydy pappeutta

Mormonin kirjan tärkeys ja luotettavuus

The Book of Mormon is one of the four canonized Scriptures of the Mormon Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). On November 28, 1841, following a meeting with the Twelve Apostles, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote in his journal:

I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than any other book. (History of the Church, 4:461) [Within quotes bold type and words in brackets are by John Farkas.]

In the Ensign, published monthly by the Mormon Church, then apostle, later President and Prophet Ezra T. Benson, quotes Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie as follows:

Men can get nearer to the Lord, can have more of the spirit of conversion and conformity in their hearts...can gain a better understanding of the doctrines of salvation through the Book of Mormon than they can through the Bible...there will be more people saved in the kingdom of God - ten thousand times over - because of the Book of Mormon than there will be because of the Bible. (The Ensign, November 1984, p. 7)

Let us examine what an early LDS apostle said:

It is to be expected that when the angel restores the gospel it will be restored in fullness and in the most perfect simplicity and plainness so that every point of the doctrine of Christ shall be clearly revealed and expressed in such language that no two persons could understand it differently...nothing else can be an infallible standard of the Christian religion; nothing else can reclaim them from divisions and strifes; nothing else will give certainty and stability so necessary to the happiness and salvation of man; and nothing else could be expected in the revelation of the gospel by an angel. Such a revelation is the Book of Mormon; the most infallible certainty characterizes every ordinance and every doctrinal point revealed in that book. In it there is no ambiguity­­no room for controversy­­no doctrine so imperfectly expressed that two persons would draw two different conclusions therefrom... (Orson Pratt's Works, Vol 2, "Important Works in Mormon History", Grandin Book Co, 1990, p. 83; This can also be found in Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Apostle Orson Pratt, 1851, No. 6, page 83)

More recent Mormon leaders said:

Practically all of the religious truths taught and practiced in any Gospel dispensation are given in a clear and forceful way in the Book of Mormon. In fact, many of the principles are presented more clearly in that record than in any of the other ancient scriptures. (Gospel Through The Ages, Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy, 1945, p. 86).

...the Book of Mormon...The evidence for its truth and validity lies within the covers of the book itself. The test of truth lies in reading it. (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Second counselor in the First Presidency, General Conference, Ensign, November, 1984, page 52)

...we make no reservation respecting the Book of Mormon on the ground of incorrect translation. To do so would be to ignore attested facts as to the bringing forth of that book. Joseph Smith the prophet, seer, and revelator, through whom the ancient record has been translated into our modern tongue, expressly avers that the translation was effected through the gift and power of God... (The Vitality of Mormonism, Apostle James E. Talmage, c1919, p. 127)

The Mormon Church's newspaper, Church News, in the heading of an article on the Book of Mormon said:

The Book of Mormon
Christ's teachings explained clearly
Book is unsurpassed in doctrinal content

Church News, January 6, 1996, p. 4

Most Mormon missionaries, early in their lessons to prospective converts, will ask them to pray about the truth of the Book of Mormon. It should be obvious that Mormon leaders think very highly of the Book of Mormon. It is the most correct of any book on earth, there will be more people saved in the kingdom of God because of it, the translation was effected through the gift and power of God, unsurpassed in doctrinal content and it is a prime missionary tool. But is this book worthy of such confidence?

Before placing such confidence in the Book of Mormon, or similar books, ALL should investigate, study and raise questions about it until the truth of it is fully clear in his mind and heart. Yes, such a study must include prayer, but, it must also include much more. It should include an examination of the doctrines taught and a comparison of those doctrines to what is now taught by the Mormon Church and what has always been taught by the Bible; the historical and archaeological verification of the events, places, people and items mentioned; a study of how the Book of Mormon was translated; and a comparison of its first edition (1830) to the present edition. Your eternal future may depend on how you handle what follows.

Muutoksia Mormonin kirjassa

A comparison of the first edition (1830) of the Book of Mormon with a current edition will show many changes. Many of the changes may indeed appear relatively minor, but some are not. A detailed analysis will show that almost 4,000 changes have been made and a number of them are significant. The original thought was changed and the changes are not in full harmony with the original text. A full analysis has already been completed in the book 3913 Changes in the Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. They photocopied every page in the first edition of the Book of Mormon and clearly marked the differences between it and the 1964 edition. Some of the changes are illustrated below. The Tanner's book, on page 17 of their text and page 26 of the photocopy of the first edition of the Book of Mormon, discusses the change made to what is now 1 Nephi 11:32 (Chapter 3, page 26 of the original Book of Mormon). Using a photocopy of one page of the original handwritten manuscript, they clearly demonstrate that the original manuscript and the first edition agreed for that portion agree. The words "the Son of" were added at a later date. The printer of the first edition did not introduce the changes that needed correction. It was the changes introduced later by the LDS Church that were significantly different from the handwritten manuscript.

Many of the changes made to the original edition of the Book of Mormon were corrections in spelling, grammar and arranging the book into chapter and verse. None of these types of changes will be included in the examples given below. But if several of the early witnesses to the events leading to the publishing of the Book of Mormon are correct, then one has to wonder why even these changes were needed.

Kuinka Mormonin kirja käännettiin?

David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses whose statement is found in the Introduction of the Book of Mormon had this to say about how the Book of Mormon was translated from the gold plates:

I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man. (An Address To All Believers In Christ, David Whitmer, Richmond, Missouri, 1887, page 12)

This same quote is used and accepted by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in his article, "A Treasured Testament", in the July 1993 Ensign, page 62. There is also no reason to question the honesty of David Whitmer, as his word was accepted as one of the witnesses of the gold plates. Emma Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith, had a similar observation to share with her son Joseph Smith III when she said:

In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it,... (as quoted in The Word of God, chapter 8 "The Translation of the Book of Mormon", James E. Lancaster, Signature Books, 1990, pp. 98-99; This book uses as their references: Saints' Herald, 1 Oct. 1879, pages 289-290; also in History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Independence, MO, Herald House, 1952, page 356)

Muutokset

The major changes are:

• Benjamin changed to Mosiah. - Mosiah 21:28 and Ether 4:1
• Directors changed to interpreters - Alma 37:21, 24
• White changed to pure (pertains to change in skin color) - 2 Nephi 30:6
• Mother of God changed to Mother of the Son of God. - 1 Nephi 11:18
• The Eternal Father changed to Son of the Eternal Father - 1 Nephite 11:21, 32, 13:40
• The everlasting God changed to Son of the everlasting God - 1 Nephi 11:32
• Preparator (in 1830 edition) changed to foundation (at least in the 1908, 1920, 1948, 1961 editions, probably others) and then back to Preparator (1981 edition). - 1 Nephi 15:35

These changes are significant and cannot be ignored in light of the claims made for the Book of Mormon (see page one of this paper). In addition Alma 41:8 claims "Now, the decrees of God are unalterable..." and Mormon 9:9 says "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing..." In the light of these how could any change be justified? The translation was allegedly done by the power of God as described by David Whitmer, Emma Smith and Apostle Talmage as shown above.

Mormonin kirja ja mormonien pappeus

Now keeping in mind the claims about the importance and reliability of the Book of Mormon let us test this book, and other sources, by seeing if we can find the Mormon priesthood in them. An examination and study of the table will show that only a small fraction can be found.