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My Column in "Mormon Times"


Daniel Peterson

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Posted

Nah. My real point is just to smear people. According to my Malevolent Stalker and his groupies, that's about all I do, and I've been at it for thirty years.

Mwahahahahahahahaha!

Posted

That's kind of his point. To a committed non-believer, the Book of Mormon is apparently impossible to explain.

Yes, I know that was his point. :) I don't, personally, believe it is that easy to explain, outside of some kind of inspiration/revelation context. But, maybe, because I have a "sort of" testimony (personal experience) of the Book of Mormon.

However, I don't think your really committed non-believer would agree that it's difficult to explain. They just assume that Joseph or somebody made it up, or it was plagiarized...or there was some unknown author...or some unknown explanation yet to be discovered.

Posted
some unknown explanation yet to be discovered
How can something unknown be assumed to be simple? If it is unknown, no judgments can be accurately made about it, can they?
Posted

How can something unknown be assumed to be simple? If it is unknown, no judgments can be accurately made about it, can they?

Not accurately, no. But, since when has that stopped "some" critics? :)

I said all of the above with a bit of tongue in cheek.

I don't, honestly, know if the Book of Mormon is true history, but I do believe, at least some it, was inspired (no matter who wrote it or how it came about)..

Posted

:)

A really "committed" NON-believer will find reasons to NOT believe, no matter what.

Posted

:)

A really "committed" NON-believer will find reasons to NOT believe, no matter what.

To them, the sole response can only be this:

1 And now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ.

2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God?

3 Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws?

4 Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.

5 For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.

6 O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day.

Posted

Yeah, I read that earlier today and really liked it a lot. Very poignant.

Posted

Yeah, I read that earlier today and really liked it a lot. Very poignant.

Agreed. My mom was good friends with Eva Brewster, who survived Auschwitz and wrote Vanished in Darkness about her experiences. I was fortunate to interview her for a seventh grade writing assignment.

Posted

Wow, what a wonderful opportunity, at such a young age.

Posted

Very nice article for Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Peterson. I remember my Bishop telling us, the first time I went to do proxy baptisms, that some of the people we were baptizing, had not had their name spoken, on this earth, for decades or even centuries, in some cases. That just really impressed me, for some reason. It made, just speaking their names, a great occasion, and a way to honor them.

(I have noticed that, for me anyway, Deseret News site is messed up. The titles are all just bullet points. It appears they have updated their site, but I don't think my browser is reading it properly)

Posted

Sure! :)

Posted

Very nice!

I loved the Mormon Iconoclast article! Especially this part:

Check this out: 2 Nephi 29: 10-11 "Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

For I command men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the words which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written."

What does this mean? It means Mohammed really was a prophet. Buddha, Confucius, Lao Tzu. It means God has spoken to every culture, in their language. And it means salvation, eternal salvation, is as much about what we do as what we believe. It means Jesus wasn't kidding about the Sermon on the Mount. Belief isn't enough; isn't even, probably, all that important. We're supposed to love and serve our brothers and sisters.

That is so true. Some people (especially ex-Mormons like myself) think I am nuts when I tell them that I believe, at least, parts of the Book of Mormon are inspired, but I really do.

I know Mormonism is not, technically, a universalist religion, because they do believe that salvation is through Jesus Christ, alone, but the religion does have a "universalist" feel to it, because of beliefs like those expressed above. I appreciate that part of Mormonism and embrace it. I don't believe in a God who would give opportunity to only a few select peoples.

Posted

I see Eric Samuelson's testimony is up on "Mormon Scholar's Testify". I really like this guy! I loved his article on proxy baptism and I really liked/enjoyed his testimony....I guess, because I could relate to a lot of it. Very interesting man.

Posted

DP, you did catch that the title is wrong. I'm sure you meant in a Mormon meetinghouse.

Posted

In a ranting article brimming to overflow with unprecedented verbal violence, Peterson vents his rage at a lifetime of humiliations, inadequacies, and pathetic defeats, spewing hatred in all directions:

http://www.deseretne...-we-decide.html

I find your false advertising annoying. Every week I am excited to read a smear piece or some kind of vicious attack on some group and am always disappointed.

Would not recommend to my friends who hate everyone and everything. ;)

Posted
It was Joseph Smith's birthday? Who knew?

It certainly was on 23 December, when that column was published.

I find your false advertising annoying. Every week I am excited to read a smear piece or some kind of vicious attack on some group and am always disappointed.

Would not recommend to my friends who hate everyone and everything. ;)

It's not false advertising at all. You just need to read what I write through the eyes of my Malevolent Stalker, Xander/Kevin, and Kishkumen. As they see it, just about everything I produce, whether as author or editor, is a "hit piece." They're really quite ingenious about demonstrating this to be true -- particularly the Stalker and, to a lesser degree, Xander/Kevin -- and very determined, and they may be able to convince you.

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