Please Explain how Joseph Smith could have possibly authored the Book of Mormon.

[Starfish]

Originally Posted by Mestemia

Any spirit that wants to cause problems.

Think about it...
How many people on this forum alone have accused the Mormons of worshiping a different Jesus than the "Biblical" Jesus?

Does that really make sense to you? The good done by the Mormon Church far out-weighs the ruffled feathers of the non-LDS.

So your best answer is "The Devil made him do it"? What did Joseph gain from all this?
Money? He never had any? Power? He was hunted, mocked, persecuted, and tortured. He lost children to death due to the persecution. He gave his life. Fame? He would have prefered to live quietly with his family.

[Runt]

Originally Posted by Mestemia

Not to mention the assumption that the scribes did not 'up' the language.

I haven't read the Koran in its original language, and so I can't really speak to the degree of sophistication of its use of language. The Book of Mormon appears to be generally well-written, however.

[Starfish]

Originally Posted by *Paul*

It works both ways too, that's why I can't accept this kind of evidence, there are channelers too who have written works well beyond their intellectual scope or time period even.

Name a book that has changed the life of millions. A book that is the basis of one of the fastest growing religions and has stood through generations of scrutiny and study.
Whose "author" gave his life for it.

[misanthropic_clown]

I admire what you are trying to do, Starfish, but an attempt to prove that the only way Joseph Smith could have produced the Book of Mormon is through divine revelation is never going to succeed.

Firstly, it depends on you being able to prove that the writing of the book is extraordinary. To do this, you have to discredit his education [even though he had a lack of formal education, he seemed to be pretty familiar with the Bible], demonstrate it was not plagiarised from other works at the time or the Bible [still a heated debate, and bits are credited as being taken from Isaiah], demonstrate he did the work solo [difficult] among other things.

Then, even if you were able to demonstrate it is an extraordinary feat (which in my opinion, it is) there is no way of determining the source of the extraordinariness. It's not altogether objectively possible to determine whether it is divine, evil or just blind luck. It's all down to personal opinion.

That said I do believe it to be a divinely inspired work, but to try and prove that objectively is, I fear, doomed to fail.

[Starfish]

Originally Posted by Scott1

These all sound like things a person could say about the Koran.... not sure what "evidence" you hope to reveal by this thread.....

Any evidence please. Anything. This is why we keep asking--because our critics keep claiming it, without giving evidence. The facts are ignored. It was impossible for Joseph to have come up with it out of his head.

I don't know anything about the Koran--so I don't express an opinion on it, or their religion.

[Mestemia]

Originally Posted by Starfish

Does that really make sense to you? The good done by the Mormon Church far out-weighs the ruffled feathers of the non-LDS.

Yes it makes sense to me.
Seems you have had a rather shelter life when it comes to the religious beliefs of others.

Originally Posted by Starfish

So your best answer is "The Devil made him do it"?

When did I say that?
You asked a question, I answered said question.
You really shouldn't jump to so many conclusions based upon your assumptions.

Originally Posted by Starfish

What did Joseph gain from all this?

Well, if we are going to go down the "what if" path...
What if he was not actually the stupid retard your OP makes him out to be?

Originally Posted by Starfish

Money? He never had any? Power? He was hunted, mocked, persecuted, and tortured. He lost children to death due to the persecution. He gave his life. Fame? He would have preferred to live quietly with his family.

What if the evil spirit tricked him into thinking it was from god?
You have this nasty habit of jumping all around in the same post without any indication that you are swapping subjects.

MY post was about the intentions of the spirit(s), yet you have turned it into being about the intentions of your prophet.

[Mestemia]

Originally Posted by Starfish

Name a book that has changed the life of millions. A book that is the basis of one of the fastest growing religions and has stood through generations of scrutiny and study.
Whose "author" gave his life for it.

L. Ron Hubbard.

Next question please.

[Starfish]

Originally Posted by misanthropic_clown

I admire what you are trying to do, Starfish, but an attempt to prove that the only way Joseph Smith could have produced the Book of Mormon is through divine revelation is never going to succeed.

Firstly, it depends on you being able to prove that the writing of the book is extraordinary. To do this, you have to discredit his education [even though he had a lack of formal education, he seemed to be pretty familiar with the Bible], demonstrate it was not plagiarised from other works at the time or the Bible [still a heated debate, and bits are credited as being taken from Isaiah], demonstrate he did the work solo [difficult] among other things.

Then, even if you were able to demonstrate it is an extraordinary feat (which in my opinion, it is) there is no way of determining the source of the extraordinariness. It's not altogether objectively possible to determine whether it is divine, evil or just blind luck. It's all down to personal opinion.

That said I do believe it to be a divinely inspired work, but to try and prove that objectively is, I fear, doomed to fail.

And why is it doomed? Too much at stake.
He did quote long sections from Isaiah; no one denies that. There are also parts from the Sermon on the Mount. Again, no denial. Anyone could say those parts were copied, and that's reasonable.
But what about the rest? No one has been able to duplicate it such a feat.