How do Mormons account for the word “church” in the Book of Mormon, about 600 B.C., which was centuries before the beginning of the Church on the day of Pentecost? (I Nephi 4:26)
2007-06-15 17:37:21 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
mmmmmm.... interesting.....
2007-06-15 17:40:53 · answer #1 · answered by lady 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One answer may be, these groups are organizations of people come together to worship God. During the translation of the Book of Mormon since such a group would be defined as a church then this was the translation used.
2007-06-17 22:24:33 · answer #2 · answered by Guv_Garfunkel 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As some have stated, and as anyone who has done much translating work would now, you often must use the word that best reflects what the interpretation is or meant to convey. I have done tons of tranlsating work and some words just don't translate into English, or vice versa. And you wonder why there are so many interpretations of the Bible. I'm not defending any religion here, just being logical.
2007-06-19 18:35:49 · answer #3 · answered by straightup 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The word Synagogue also appears in the BoM, several decades after it's use began in the jewish babylonian captivity, after Lehi left the country.
And horses, oxen, cattle, swine, elephants, culoms and cureloms appear in text, but absent from reality.
Supposedly Joe buried his head in his hat, and saw the 'reformed egyptian character', then it's english equivalent. This is not really translating, just reading. The scribe would read back the word or words, and if it was 'correct, the next character would "appear".
Or, Joe prayed about it and if he got the warm fuzzies, it was 'translated correctly', if not, stupidness overcame him.
In any case, the book is pure fantasy, Smiths history is less than stellar, and the concepts 'revealed' in the BoM are nothing more than folklore, 18th & 19th century theories, and a touch of religious BS Smith was exceedingly full of.
2007-06-16 11:37:27 · answer #4 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Have you ever make translation of one language to the other?
You know that if you translate word for word, it would be meaningless, for example in Chinese, "Mr Wong" would be "Lee Mister".
When Joseph Smith do the translation, it is not just read and translate, it involved inspiration of the spirit and a lot of pondering work. This is understood through the experience of Oliver Cowdery ( The scribe for Joseph Smith ) when he want to translate, but was unable to, and this is what the Lord's answer to him.
7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 9:7 - 9)
By this we know translation is best when you understood the meanings of the original script , and then write it out to a language that you understood. So its not suprising to see Joseph Smith used the word "Church" or "Christians" to indicate a group of people who follow Christ.
Further more, LDS always believe that the gospel that restore by Joseph Smith, as taught in the Book of Mormon is the same gospel that taught in the days of Adam, even to the times of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. So it is really not so surprising that they use a similar word to represent similar things.
what I mean by "Gospel" is, the witnessing and testifying of Jesus Christ, his atonment, his birth , his resurrection and his second coming.
2007-06-16 02:23:43 · answer #5 · answered by Wahnote 5 · 6⤊ 1⤋
The plates were not writen in English. IMHO, when Joseph Smith couldn't figure out the literal translation o a word, God would give him the word that people were most familiar with.
2007-06-18 21:53:49 · answer #6 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The book is BS it was written by a Gin Head and some of his buddy's in upstate NY in the early to mid 1800's. Been around it my whole life. The cleanest living people you'd ever want to meet. At least something good came of it.
2007-06-16 00:45:41 · answer #7 · answered by Miho Milosavich 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
there is no need for "another gospel" (Mormon's blue book) it is contradictory to the Holy Scriptures, God's Word;
Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)
Paul the apostle wrote "if I or an angel should preach any other gospel, let him be anathema (Galations 1:7-10)
the Bible also states that an elder should have one wife
I trust this will be an eye opener for those who have an open mind
2007-06-16 01:11:33 · answer #8 · answered by sego lily 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It was nothing like that.
He read it himself and translated it in his head through the power of god.
There was no head in the hat or any non sense...
He simply translated it.
What is so hard to understand...
BTW: God knows everything, what you are going to do, and what is going to happen in the future.
Including words....
2007-06-17 18:29:43 · answer #9 · answered by socal duck 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Clearly this indicates that churches didn't start when you thought they did. This is an example of the new information that the Book of Mormon provides us with.
2007-06-16 16:06:41 · answer #10 · answered by je_apostrophe 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Joseph Smith did not do much homework on Christianity.
2007-06-17 13:20:04 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋