Book of Mormon vs Bible (Jesus Christ, testimony, Earth, gospel)

[Abram]

I gotta tell you I've been though many religions on this site but I keep coming back to the LDS area. I grew up with them as friends, visited them at college (Ricks, BYU). Even been in there temple in Oregon when it first opened. (Wow I might add)

But my only hang up is the Book of Mormon. I love the Bible and everything it's done for me. I know in my heart there is a God and he wants us to know him.
I'm sure everyone says the "what about at the end of Revelation." I found enough evidence already here at RF to get past that. But I want more.

1.What does the BoM teach that the Bible has not covered?

2.Do they conterdict one another?

3.How can I get one for free? So I can make my own decision on it.

Pretend your at my house and I'm attentively listening. Cause I am... Sell me on this Book!!!!

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Abram

I gotta tell you I've been though many religions on this site but I keep coming back to the LDS area. I grew up with them as friends, visited them at college (Ricks, BYU). Even been in there temple in Oregon when it first opened. (Wow I might add)

Hi, Abram.

Well, quite frankly, I'm surprised to hear you say that. But surprised in a very nice way.

But my only hang up is the Book of Mormon. I love the Bible and everything it's done for me. I know in my heart there is a God and he wants us to know him.
I'm sure everyone says the "what about at the end of Revelation." I found enough evidence already here at RF to get past that. But I want more.

Okay, first off, the title of your thread implies an either/or relationship between the two books. That's the first obstacle I would challenge you to overcome. The subtitle of The Book of Mormon is "Another Testament of Jesus Christ." It's purpose, as stated on the cover page is "...to show unto the remant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever -- And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself until all nations..."

We believe that Jesus is the Christ. We believe that He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world and the only means by which man might be reconciled to the Father of us all. The Bible testifies of these facts. So does The Book of Mormon. It's purpose is to stand as an additional witness to what the Bible tells us about God the Father and His beloved Son. The Book of Mormon never contradicts the Bible. They are both the word of God.

God loves all of His children equally, and as The Book of Mormon states, "Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever."

In John 10:16, Jesus told his followers in the Holy Land, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." He had previously told His Apostles that His own personal mission was solely to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Obviously, then, the sheep which He spoke of in this verse were of the House of Israel. They had been separated from their brothers in the Holy Land. He said they would hear His voice -- not merely His words. And so they did. He appeared to them after His resurrection. They had been living on the American content for some 600 years by then, but they knew He had been born to become their Savior because their prophets had taught of Him for all these many years.

As far back as Old Testament times, God commanded His people to keep a record of His words to them. In Ezekiel 37:15-17, He spoke of two separate records. Here's what those verses say, "The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand." The Bible is a history of the descendents of Judah; it is the stick of Judah. The Book of Mormon is a history of the descendents of Joseph; it is the stick of Joseph. They are one in the hand of those whose minds and hearts are open to that realization.

I realize that I have left most of your questions unanswered. I have to leave now for a Christmas Eve dinner. I will try to respond to the rest of your post as soon as I can, provided another Latter-day Saint doesn't get to it first.

Meanwhile, I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and find peace and love in remembering the life of our Savior.

Kathryn

[jonny]

Hi Abram,

There are a couple of ways you can get a free Book of Mormon.

You can order a Book of Mormon for free here:
http://www.mormon.org/freeoffers/1,1...00.html?src=tv

You can also stop by any LDS church on Sunday and ask for one. They will have some that they can give out.

The third option would be to send me a PM and I will get one to you. I'm in Vancouver until the middle of next week. I could either mail one to you or drop it off somewhere. Let me know.

[jonny]

As for whether or not the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible, members of the LDS church would of course say no (some Christians would say that the very existence of the book contradicts the Bible, since they believe that all of God's word has already been collected into the Bible). I have no problem believing that both are the word of God.

I remember one member of Religious Forums commenting that he found the Book of Mormon to be very consistent internally. The Book of Mormon contains the gospel of Jesus Christ - it is the same gospel that is taught in the New Testament. What the Book of Mormon does that the Bible doesn't do is get into specific details on topics such as the fall, the resurrection, etc. I have found that the Book of Mormon testifies of the truthfulness of the Bible as another witness of Jesus Christ.

[DeepShadow]

As Jonny says, we (LDS) are bound to say there are no contradictions, but there are plenty who disagree. Just look around the forums and I'm sure you'll find some thread discussing "Mormon Christ vs. Biblical Christ."

The answers of the others seem pretty complete, but I though I'd give some special emphasis to answering your first question: what does the Book of Mormon say that the Bible doesn't?

The short answer: nothing. I can't find any doctrinal element in the Book of Mormon that doesn't exist in the Bible. The real value of the book is, as Katzpur says, to be a witness. It's supposed to stand next to the Bible, continuing the foundation laid by that cornerstone text.

There is additional value, of course, in hearing the same things in different ways. The lessons and allegories sometimes appear in either text in a more complete or clear form. I much prefer Paul's sermon on charity to Mormon's, but OTOH I drastically prefer the Jacob allegory of the olive tree to Paul's (drastically abridged) version. Just like I didn't get calculus until I got the right teacher, sometimes we learn things better if we hear them from different points of view.

[benjosh]

Reply to Abram.
I am not a Mormon but a person believing the Book of Mormon is true.
I don't see the Bible and Book of Mormon as an either/or situation.
To understand the Bible and Book of Mormon there are some big cultural problems most people have to work through. Or maybe I should say sub-cultures.

Strip back all the religious hype and cultural bias and here is what you come up with.

The Book of Mormon has an account of Jesus visiting the Indians after his resurrection. Now, because the Bible doesn't say it happened does that mean it didn't happen?

Did the Jesus of the Book of Mormon act like the same Jesus in the Bible?
Let's see, healing the sick, blessing children, teaching them many of the same things he taught at Jerusalem.

Critics have said the things he taught in the Book of Mormon were plagarized from the Bible. (I guess Jesus should have changed the truth to keep the critics happy)

So, imagine what happens when a farm boy digs up the record and translates it as the Book of Mormon. Andrew Jackson has just been elected president, his supporters trash the white house on inaugaration day in tribute to the man elected primarily because he's just so good at killing them savage Indians. He begins the removal of almost all the Indians to the west of Missouri.

Well here comes a scripture book saying Jesus loves Jews, Gentiles, and Indians. Boy what heresy.

The Christians are divided because quite a few of them already believe the Indians are a lost tribe of Isreal. Some are deep into the Old Testament prophets as well as the New Testament. They are expecting the gathering of the lost tribes before Jesus returns.
And, these Christians aren't fringe nut-cases.
They've been prepped by people like Elias Boudinout, the founder of the American Bible Society, director of the US Mint under George Washington, and President of the Continental Congress (a US prez before George) writes a book with evidences the Indians are a tribe of Israel.

So, the Christians who think the Indians are a tribe of Israel and also their brothers in Christ don't just blow the B o M off according to what the dominant culture tells them.

Within a couple of years time the Christians who believe the book is true join the Church of Christ which the Christians mockingly call Mormons.

When the new church with Indian Bible moves to Missouri and purchases large tracts of land and propsers, the people mob them and burn out their homes because they've had enough of these crazy people who preach to Indians and Blacks. If the Mormons stay they're really going to be bad for the whiskey business and put silly notions in the slaves' heads. And, who knows what they'll get the Indians to do? Besides that these crazy Mormons speak in tongues and believe that God actually heals people.
Man what was wrong with these people? They actually believed God could still speak to prophets and each one of them individually. Didn't they know those things stopped with the New Testament church and the sealing of the words of God into the Bible? What in the world were these crazy Mormons thinking?
Did they think that God could add more scripture like he did when he brought forth the New Testament?
Hey that's enough for now. . . . . . . to be continued

[jonny]

This is an exciting day! An RLDS forum member. I don't think I've seen one here yet. I hope you stick around!

[Katzpur]

Hey, benjosh!

Good to see you here. You are sure to be able to add an interesting perspective to the forum with your RLDS background. But, I'm curious... I thought the term RLDS was no longer used. Aren't you the Community of Christ now? At any rate, I echo jonny's statement: Stick around and contribute often!

Kathryn

[benjosh]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Hey, benjosh!

Good to see you here. You are sure to be able to add an interesting perspective to the forum with your RLDS background. But, I'm curious... I thought the term RLDS was no longer used. Aren't you the Community of Christ now? At any rate, I echo jonny's statement: Stick around and contribute often!

Kathryn

Well, it is now Community of Christ, and I am actually from a derivative group of the RLDS. I said RLDS because there are so many CHristians on t