Mormonin kirjan muutoksia — siitä ei löydy pappeuttaJohn Farkas |
Mormonin kirjan tärkeys ja luotettavuusThe 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:
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:
Let us examine what an early LDS apostle said:
More recent Mormon leaders said:
The Mormon Church's newspaper, Church News, in the heading of an article on the Book of Mormon said:
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 kirjassaA 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<2004-08-27question 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) The major changes are:
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 pappeusNow 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.
|