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How Do We Get People To Read The Bom?


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Posted (edited)

It seems like all I get is excuses. Real dumb ones.

and this is just getting people to read it. Not convincing them to believe it.

Edited by Avatar4321
Posted

It seems like all I get is excuses. Real dumb ones.

and this is just getting people to read it. Not convincing them to believe it.

 

Well, maybe if Mark Twain hadn't called it chloroform in print... :diablo:

Posted

And sorry about the horrible spelling in the title. I wrote the title after a 11 hr shift and didn't bother proofreading cause how can you misspell something so short to write?

the Book of Mormon has been on my mind a lot lately. And I keep thinking of that verse that we are under condemnation for neglecting it

Posted

It seems like all I get is excuses. Real dumb ones.

and this is just getting people to read it. Not convincing them to believe it.

Just getting people to read anything is difficult enough, and this applies to Shakespeare as well as to Mark Twain.  I had to be forced to read those classics in school, and am now grateful that I was.  A social media generation doesn't have time to read the Bible or Book of Mormon.

Posted (edited)

So how do we overcome that?

Cajole, spoon-feed, and take it slowly.  Find something else interesting first, like genealogy, Scouting, great recipes, anything.  They'll eventually come around.

 

Maybe cite some great quotes.  What are your favorites from the BofM?

Edited by Robert F. Smith
Posted

We change the format of our missionary edition, similar to Grant Hardy's The Book Of Mormon: A Readers Edition. It helps me quite a bit.

Posted (edited)

How about releasing an official version in modern English to make it more accessible to people of today, while preserving whatever doctrinal purity the church might be concerned about...?

I would think God would speak to people in languages they are comfortable with, rather than expect individuals to be forever bound and crippled by the limitations of an outdated literary style.

Shakespeare hasn't fallen out of favor because his ingenius works aren't literary masterpieces, but because the public no longer speaks the vernacular of his age.

Edited by Daniel2
Posted

Offer them an audio version to listen to for starters. Or suggest signing up for a few verses a day emails maybe.

Posted

the Book of Mormon has been on my mind a lot lately. And I keep thinking of that verse that we are under condemnation for neglecting it

 

Hello Avatar...

I don't know the answer... but I do know that I have come to appreciate the language, which also strengthens my testimony of the BoM... given by a really strong witness of the Spirit...

 

Last night as librarian I had to go to the Church library as on Wed nights we make up the program, and are available for copying etc.  (It's a good thing BYU-TV repeated the BYU/Utes game at 9:00 PM.. Ha!)  Anyway, in a lull I always pick up the scriptures... this time it was the BoM and I let the pages fall open to wherever and began to read... It was Alma 12... and as I read I thought to myself... there is no way Joseph Smith could have written these words, particularly verses 12 - 18.   When I reactivated after many years and was in my repentence process, I remember reading Alma 12:14-15 and it described just how I felt (I wanted to hide from God's presence)... but the chapter goes on to promise that those who will not harden their hearts against the Lord but follow his commandments and repent... they will enter into the rest of God, which has been prepared from the foundation of the world. 

What beautiful language and concepts... and what a message of hope and love...

 

GG

Posted

Ind this is just getting people to read it. Not convincing them to believe it.

 

Lucky for us, that part is not our job  :)

Posted

An epic movie like LOTR - 3 to 4 major 3 hour productions done in high quality. That might get the attention of the entertainment minded generation and pique their interest to investigate the book. Or the rise of another Nephi calling for a famine in the land to get everyones attention and priorities in order. Or one starfish at a time - I suspect that larger numbers in poorer countries might be a better focus group. Ephraim is too proud to recieve much at present and have forgotten from whence their blessings have come. Until some mighty humbling takes place in our land the prospects of great numbers responding to the work appears bleek. But I don't know if great numbers will ever respond in a day of great wickedness.

Mike

Posted

Cajole, spoon-feed, and take it slowly.  Find something else interesting first, like genealogy, Scouting, great recipes, anything.  They'll eventually come around.

 

Maybe cited some great quotes.  What are your favorites from the BofM?

 

They'll come around, or they will not. Your recommended technique, however, is not only sound ... it is the ONLY.

Posted

Just tell them they should read it and that God expects them to not only read it but accept what it says.

No need to stress out about it. Just leave it at that.

Posted

Get Riddley Scott or Peter Jackson to make a big blockbuster movie of the BOM.

Any particular reason why the masters of science fiction and fantasy, respectively, would excel at depicting the rich history of the Book of Mormon?  They might want to consult with Mel Gibson - he may have some ideas about depicting Mesoamerican life.

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