Mormons: If God was inspiring the translation process of the Book of Mormon...?

Question

why were 4,000 changes necessary?

Answer 1

Excellent Question. And why does it carry the name of a man if it was inspired by God.

Answer 2

I recently read your answer to a question in which you said you were just looking for answers and weren't trying to bash our religion. In that spirit, I will do my best to answer your question.

I've never studied previous editions of the BoM. I've only been a member for 15 years, so the edition that was around when I was baptized is the earliest edition I've ever seen. However, it is my understanding that when translated, the various scribes used no punctuation. When they gave it to the person who became the editor so he could prepare it for printing, I don't think he was a member of the church, but was a school teacher (I don't know his name). Anyway, he inserted punctuation as he saw fit, sometimes erroneously. Over the years, many of the revisions have included updating and correcting the punctuation. In some cases that may have included putting a period where one didn't exist before, thus changing the way the sentence or passage read. At some point original manuscripts were consulted, and those in authority within the church were given the task to make sure that the next edition matched up with the original manuscript. In some cases this ment reworking whole chapters, because the errors of men had been introduced. It is my understanding that the current edition, only came about due to some of these errors that were not caught when the last major revision was done.

At least that's how I understand it.


EDIT: Mel: The reason it is called the Book of Mormon is because it was a man named Mormon who took all the records of his people who had been handed down from generation to generation and compiled them into what we now know as the Book of Mormon. Mormon did this at the end of the existance of his people. Toward the very end, his son Moroni also helped, but to their knowledge they were the last two Nephites on the face of the earth, all of this happened about 400 AD. Since Nephi (hence the term Nephites) and his family came over around 600 BC, you can imagine that if every father passed the records on to his son, after adding to them as commanded, there would be a LOT of records, thus they would need compiling, which is what Mormon (mainly) did.

Answer 3

that is an easy answer.
most of the changes were gramatical and punctuation. there is an lds book 2 and half inches thick that goes into detail on every subject.
also remember that Joseph Smith gave an additional translation of the old and new testament. and most of the greater "corrections" of the bible were altered by man and it became known that the worst "traitors" of the bible were the translators.
it becomes very clear that man has ability to change and alter scipture, even the books of the book of mormon. that are given by the power of God.

but power and faith can be a two way street. Evil influences and deceives christians and christians and the natural man can be misinformed

Remember also, how evil, it was to steal the first Large Plates of Brass, ? and how Joseph Smith was reprooved and there was a plan to entrap the testimony of Gods power? but instead of re-translating the large plates, he was commanded to translate the small plates instead.
Men make mistakes and it does not matter which church they go to. Other men serve satan, in secret rebellion against God and the children of God too. What matters is a persons testimony.
for it is written in the book of revelation, the Saints of God, "will overcome the beast by the blood of the lamb and by their testimony".

Answer 4

I have seen a book detailing the "changes" in the Book of Mormon and all or most of them are nothing more than spelling or punctuation changes. For those you must take into account that in Joseph Smith's day spelling was not standardized like it is today. You could have numerous ways of spelling the same word. And then when the work of translating was done and the Book of Mormon taken to the printer there was no punctuation the printer added in all of the punctuation. And lastly the process of printing a book was not as sophisticated as it is today when the Book of Mormon was first printed. The type was set by hand and by humans are not perfect and God does not control us like puppets and so we are allowed to make mistakes so that we, and in many cases others, can learn from our mistakes.
For those who say Joseph Smith made up the Book of Mormon listen to the file "A Scholar Looks at Evidences for the Book of Mormon" found here http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/multimedia/index.php?cat=BOM
and then come back and tell me Joseph Smith made it up.

Answer 5

Despite what is claimed in Yahoo by certain people, the "agreed upon" method of translation did not involve looking into a hat and reading the English translation. Such stories have been promoted by those who wish to discredit the truth about the translation of the Book of Mormon.

Joseph Smith dictated the translation, and a scribe wrote it down. These words were then copied over and given to a printer, who added errors of his own in preparing the typecast. The changes made have been made to correct these minor errors.

Answer 6

Well, first, let me say that those changes were either to rectify grammar or spelling. Here's a website that explains these changes and why they were needed.

Also, if the Bible can be translated differently, then why can't the Book of Mormon? If you are using that argument against the Book of Mormon, the same can be said about the Bible. Can you tell me how many times, in the history of the WHOLE bible, that it has been changed, or added to, or translated differently? I'll bet you can't.

Answer 7

According to the 'agreed upon" method of translation, David Whitmer wrote: “Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it *was correct,* then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of *God,* and not by any power of man.”

It becomes interesting to think that god may be a 19th century grammatically challenged farm boy after all.

So, don't be "agoing to sin aginst god no more..."

Answer 8

I am not a Mormon, so the concept of God being involved in the translation is a foreign one to me. The changes come to "correct" what was written when it clearly contradicts certain other things or is politically incorrect/ racist etc.

Answer 9

Some of those changes were strictly grammatical. Remember, a man who only had the education of about a 7th grader was dictating it. Have you heard a kid in middle school talk recently? Their grammar is atrocious! I'm sure Joseph Smith's wasn't much better. Also, there were errors made by the people doing the transcription that were later corrected. See the following link (on the official LDS web page) for more info in this part of the corrections that were made:

Answer 10

Simple spelling and grammatical errors are made and needed in all books. These are not considered changes. How many times has God spoken to you but, you didn't hear him correctly and you made a mistake?

Detroit, where do you get your information that goats and cows were only brought over on the Mayflower? You only read and understand what you want to. Read a little history sometime.

Answer 11

Fact most of the 4000 changes you are talking about are the additions of Verse numbers -- chapters and chapter headings that God inspired later on.

God teaches line upon line and precept upon precept.