Top Scholar Explains How the Book of Mormon Was Created - The Mosiah Priority w/ Brent Metcalfe

[@danielmitchell3848]

I grew up in an LDS family in southeastern Idaho, but throughout my childhood, I resisted what I saw as its inherent absurdities. Despite my doubts, I chose to serve a mission in South Korea in the early 1980s, largely to avoid completely disappointing my parents. However, the daily scrutiny of LDS doctrine during that time marked the beginning of my departure from the faith. By the time I returned home, I had made the decision to leave Mormonism behind entirely. This choice cost me my family, but I accepted their rejection as a fair price for a life devoted to the sincere pursuit of truth. Now, as I sit on my farm in northeastern Thailand, reflecting on this fascinating conversation, Mormonism feels like a distant memory-yet it remains a pivotal chapter in my life’s journey. What a strange life this has been!

[@Bigbluedome]

Damn I just lost my entire family yesterday because of the church just as you describe. I won’t sacrifice my character for truth, no matter how hard my family wanted me to. Thanks for your comment.

[@Zeett09]

Inherent absurdities. Yep. That about sums it up.

[@horstbendzulla6425]

For heaven sake, what is wrong with family members getting rejected believing, by their own acceptance of what they think is factual and truth. This is a bad religious attitude to have. Shame on you whoever you are.

[@carinacoetsee2334]

​@@horstbendzulla6425yes, it's sad that ones family shuns you, but that is how Mormons are and Jehovahs.

[@suthatheplee2777]

Dan, we need to meet. I live in Bangkok. How can I contact you?

[@No_Mormon_No_Cry]

Thanks! Great 3+ hours of the history of the Book of Mormon. What a powerhouse crew. Brent thank you for all your sacrifices. I pray more people watch this episode

[@darlenelane9010]

Excellant podcast.....also was blessed to find and purchase Brent's book,' New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology'.

[@slcoareschannel1943]

What a great episode! I wish I had come across Brent Metcalfe years ago!! One thing that I think should be added to Brent's publication of his incredible compilation is my brother's work on how the historical text itself contained in the BoM was not possible, given the time frame the BoM is purported to have been written in. Dr. John Lundwall has been in numerous podcasts & videos explaining why the BoM's text itself disproves the BoM. At an extremely high level, never mind the content, the historicity method of the writings contained in the BoM was not how cultures would even use 600BCE, let alone that there has NEVER been ANY text found on plates of ANY TYPE (gold, copper, silver, bronze, etc) would EVER contain historical accounts of ANYTHING. The writings ALWAYS contained rituals, prayers (and the like). The BoM is a PERFECT example of Abraham Lincoln holding an iPhone in a picture of the same. The beauty of deconstructing how the BoM came into being is that it doesn't matter where you look (the exhaustive work from Brent , etc.), the BoM is easily deconstructed. Using Joseph's own life experiences, the 19th century look and feel of the BoM, word analysis, and two dozen more methods of pulling the BoM apart by its seams, all point to the fact that the BoM was NOT a product of a translation of golden plates. I personally am playing "catch-up" as I just recently left the church, and am soaking up every podcast that I have time to look/listen to. I have however been listening to my brother's work in pre-text peoples (oral thinking and oral-centric methods of communications) for years and I hope it too becomes a source of the BoM deconstruction. Thank you to the Mormon Stories Podcast group for having Brent on!! John Dehlin, Bill Reel, RFM... what a rock of understanding you all give me!! I love your episodes! PS> I didn't give the church the satisfaction of excommunicating me 🙂. I left the church on my own accord and terms.

[@seasonedwithsalt5129]

Of course the bom is all a con artist made fraud. No one who has any Biblical literacy is deceived by this Godless, fake, abomination.

[@CountrySheeper]

I have such a problem with baptisms for the dead, and I've always deeply resented the fact that it'll happen to me against my wishes. Brent's gentleness has made me really reconsider and make more peace with it. Thank you, Brent. ❤

[@MomtoAutism]

This was so amazing, concepts I never considered and the revisiting of some previously covered. Thank you John.

[@7BigJoe7]

An absolutely amazing discussion

[@safari79]

What a great episode!! It was John’s giggling for me 🤭🤭🤭

[@julieprince5538]

Thank you All! Fascinating podcast. ☮️

[@mormonstories]

Our pleasure!

[@kelly.mondragon]

John, you really should have Jacob Hansen on. See his latest video about you. I dont think you can leave this unaswered. Have him and Brent on together in a healthy debate.

[@caralinde]

I wasn’t expecting this episode to get a little spicy.

[@BritteBjerga]

There’s no part of me that can desire a portion of the church’s truth claims without them acknowledging the beauty of a truly thoughtful mormon faith. From the ground up. They owe their truth tellers THE TRUTH. Thank you all for this truthful intellect shared. And thank you for providing elements of truth. It’s a healing balm for intellectuals I’m sure.

[@lotion_laura]

Great episode! Very interesting.

[@nicholasburnett3776]

Not sure if ita been covered or not, but, a 'salamander' is a fire spirit or elemental in folk magic...in this context. Not a slimy dark dwelling reptile.....

[@michaelvaughan5423]

Important clarification

[@ngatihine6072]

I like Brents taonga

[@bugsea54]

God is the people❤

[@kylesdanthebig]

Could it be possible that Emma was recalling what she was a scribe for in the lost 116 pages? Trying to be fair, if that's a possibility?

[@sk7ecd]

i'm glad we're able to stretch the definitions of terms such as "scholar" and "historian" to include Metcalfe! it's a shame he's neither by any academic standards! those pesky Mormon historians and their masters degrees and phds are too much for us!

[@bodytrainer1crane730]

I recently read "New Approaches" and I was so impressed. I would have never heard of it if I hadn't listened to Mormon Stories. I especially loved the essay about population science. It was so observant and clever. It was impossible for the "Book of Mormon peoples" to have grown in population as fast as suggested and to have had as many wars as were mentioned without those peoples having special (magical) biological characteristics. The more I consider my Mormon upbringing the more I realize I was living in a synthesized fairy tale!

[@skyler9903]

What do you think of Lars Nielson’s book How the Book of Mormon Came to Pass?

[@freelightexpress]

Whatever book is given priority, still alot of problems with the lost 116 pages, the WAY joseph smith claimed to 'translate' via his 'seer stone' or 'urim & thummim', in a HAT, and the problem of whether the 'gold plates' were present or not during this 'processs' related to also how long it took to write/compose the whole BOM, with its various participants. Seems like a hot mess, no matter how scholarly its assessed.

[@benjaminsmith6031]

Psalms 2:1, 4 & 9

[@knan75]

Jesus is His name; Christ is a title.

[@danblackwelder5261]

My view is that Jesus is a construct from the Greek Orthodox/ Roman Catholic. He was neither Greek, Roman, nor English. His true name is Yeshua and translated correctly into English would be Joshua. Most everyone is talking about a fictional person.

[@darlenelane9010]

Nope.....His true name is Yeshua.

[@daus6338]

I would pay to have one of those Beavis and Butthead volumes. How can you take something serious that uses such a petty tactic?

[@mxcalibur018]

Joseph Smit isn't the transistor neither the autor of the Book of Mormon. He is the interpreter by heavenly means.❤

[@YallAintRight]

I hear you. Have you ever read the gospel topics essays at the LDD church website?

[@Jayjays964]

RFM I love you but please show some respect to your superiors. When you put John Dehlin down and act like he’s a nobody it puts him in an awkward place. And while he takes it graciously it reflects poorly on you.

[@RerePK78]

I think maybe you should simply do what’s best for you .

[@chubbuck35]

What RFM was doing was clearly joking and actually is a fun way of showing respect. It’s like saying to Michael Jordan “hey I heard you might know a thing or two about basketball”. Everyone knows MJ is the GOAT already so it’s a fun way of showing him respect.

[@stephenjohansen8778]

4 grizzled atheists. Fascinating.

[@ginismoja2459]

Okay?

[@UNKALgqUS1]

You latter day scribes make me laugh lol "But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them" Psalms 2:4

[@standardworks]

Reject the church fine. There is no way to discount the book of mormon. It is a true record

[@Mariebar-p4z]

lol 😂🤣

[@RobertMaxwell-tu5xy]

​He's right. You can twist it and argue it until your blew in the face. The book itself is inspired no matter how you slice it. JS did not and could not have written it. It is a masterwork. No man could have written that book unless my divine provocation.​@@Mariebar-p4z

[@freelightexpress]

what criteria do you hold to prove your statement? :) - no archeological evidence, neither any gold plates existing....so there is no way it can proven that way, or any other really, beyond a subjective interpretation of the STORY and its contents, which vary on many levels. Try again? :)

[@standardworks]

Use Google ai and ask for evidence whether it be literary or archeological...get back to me

[@weirdlanguageguy]

@standardworks AI is not reliable; you expose your own ignorance when you appeal to it

[@Emma2010929]

When does he reveal who wrote the Book of Mormon in 70 days? lol

[@ryanwilson8293]

It wasn't completed in 70 days. Joseph had years and years to create it. His own mother said that he would tell stories for hours of lamanites and nephites.... way before anything in the book of mormon was officially written down. The 70 days or 90 days apologetic argument is just silly.

[@JDPrimeFit]

Joseph Smith is proven less than reliable about his activity. Include how much time he actually spent working on and creating the book of Mormon before mentioning the story he told the public.

[@JDPrimeFit]

Any man that would lie to his wife, repeatedly about his multiple extra marital affairs with young girls, and married women amongst others would certainly stoop to lie about the creation of the book he relied upon to give himself credibility

[@dysena11]

Haha, did you listen to the podcast?!?

[@seasonedwithsalt5129]

@@ryanwilson8293 ,...The truth is, EVERYTHING about the bom is not only silly, but flat out ignorant, and 100% antigod, antibible, and antichrist. It is a book that is only believed by the worlds most ignorant people.

[@serupepelivukivuki]

Say whatever you want to say. Use all the so called wisdom inspired by the devil who is the father of lies and the chief of the anti christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is and will ever be and forever will be the only true and living Church upon the earth. It is the Kingdom of God on the earth as interpreted by Daniel of the dream of Nedbuchadnezzar.

[@caralinde]

I wasn’t expecting this episode to get a little spicy.