A question for Christians who think that Mormons do not know anything about the Bible...?

Question

I have heard lots of people saying that Mormons do not know anything about the bible, and I was directed to an article that was posed on the Washington Post web site:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030102073.html
that details a book that talks about how little American Christians actually know about the bible, and I started wondering how many of you Christians that criticize members of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their supposed lack of understanding of the Bible actually read it on a regular basis? I am not talking about just on Sundays or when you go to go to some Bible study class but actually take time out of your daily schedule and read the bible on your own time. How often have you actually read out of the Bible what you are condemning us for? How Many of you have actually read the whole bible even once through?

This is not an attempt to criticize you in any way, but only an attempt to better understand you.

Actually, Apologist, from my experience the number of members actively study their scriptures (referring to the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price) nearly mirrors that of the activity rate in the church. When members stop reading their scriptures, praying, and other things like that, soon after they commonly stop attending church. So the number of Latter-day Saints who regularly read their scriptures is somewhere around 50%.

The one problem I have with trying to apply the passage you refer to in Galatians, Suzanne is that there are no contradictions between the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Through all of my studies I have found the more I study both of them the more I realize they are sharing the same message, and thanks to that fact, I do not get as confused as I have seen many people become when they hear various interpretations of the Bible. Another thing that the Book of Mormon does is to make it very hard to misinterpret the scriptures, when you are studying both the Book of Mormon and Bible together.
For those who would want to bring up something about some of the other scripture we have it goes the same way for them as it does for the Book of Mormon.

So Suzanne if the Book of Mormon as I have come to know, does not contradict the Bible it is not preaching a different gospel and so Paul's statement would not apply.

For clarification, I am not just asking if you actively read the Bible or even if you have read the Book of Mormon, I am wanting to know the relationship between those who claim Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) do not understand the bible and how much that group of people actually read the Bible.

I would like to thank those who have attempted to answer so far and I would like to add that I have enjoyed several of the comments so far but I still have not been able to find out what I am looking for.

Answer 1

The main first paragraphs emphasize that most of Americans are Bible illiterate, it does not specify American Christians. Later the article talks about some of the religious movements in America but I don't see a specific mention that American Christian are or are not Biblically illiterate. Americans comprise of belivers in various world religions and sects including Mormons so it follows that Mormons also contributed to the writer's belief in Biblical illiterancy. The writer is being sly and writing in such a way to make some people appear to fall for what you have- the wrong conclusion about American Christians. Notice that the author at the bottom of the article is credited with writing "Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism" which shows she is biased against religious views. The inference is that people of faith cannot think freely (unless you are brainwashed that is not true).

Now if you took a survey of Evagelical Christians I am certain that the so called Biblical illiteracy would be a lot lower because they tend to be more familiar with the Bible. I am a former Catholic and hardly any Catholics I knew read the Bible yet they would be included in the Christian group most likely.

As an evangelical I do not really hear from other Christians that Mormons do not read the Bible but rather that Mormons do not really believe the Bible because they are known to say that the Bible is outdated compared to their new books of revelation. Personally I have read the Bible front to back 12 times and have read various books of it more times than that. I read it almost every day without fail- since 1980. It is true that as a nation America is not as Christian as it was say 50 years back but there is evidence that in some ways that is changing for the better. The evangelicals who have no real central leader were the main voters who effected the last two presidential elections for example.

By the way Galatians chapter 1 says that preaching "ANY OTHER" Gospel would be a basis for being accursed. That would include the legalistic Jews mentioned in Galatians and any other person who preaches any other means to be saved from their sins other then what the Bible teaches.

Answer 2

>>I do not believe Mormons FOLLOW the Bible, particularly Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.<<

Susanne, it's not that we don't follow the Bible, we probably just don't follow your interpretation of the Bible.

However, if you have read the Bible half as much as you say you do, then you must not have paid much attention to the entire book of Galatians. Where Paul goes into some detail about what the "other gospel" he was talking about (note: read the second chapter of Galatians, and compare it to the 15th chapter of Acts).

As for the part about an angel, well, this was not Paul saying not to listen to angels, but the importance of not listening to ANYONE who preaches the gospel of "circumcision" or the Law of Moses. Because, he said in verse 8, tho WE, which means the other apostles, or EVEN an angel from heaven. There were Chistian apostles who were insising that the Gentile converts first become Jews thru circumcision, and then follow the Law of Moses. Then, there were those like Paul, who said Poppycock! So, you see, if you KNOW the Bible, you see that Galatians 1:8 has absolutely nothing to do with Moroni and Joseph SMith and the Book of Mormon, which DOES teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, same as the Bible.

>>The Angel Marconi giving Joseph Smith the ability to understand what the scrolls meant sounds exactly like what Paul cautioned the Galatians against.<<

The "angel" MORONI did not give Joseph Smih the ABILITY to read the PLATES, he merely showed him where the PLATES were. GOD gave Joseph Smith the "ability" to interpret the plates.

I already told you about Paul and the Galatians.

so, perhaps you should do a little more in-depth STUDY of the Bible, rather than just read it.

Answer 3

I read the Bible each and every day, 365 days a year. Usually, I read it more than once per day. I've read the entire Bible many times.

I don't accuse Mormons of not knowing anything about the Bible. However, I do not believe Mormons FOLLOW the Bible, particularly Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

The Angel Marconi giving Joseph Smith the ability to understand what the scrolls meant sounds exactly like what Paul cautioned the Galatians against.

Answer 4

How about three times thru that is the KJV and now I am reading the NIV version for the 4th time.
Edit, I have read your Book of mormon three times thru, so there,hahahaha!
I have read some of the wiccan bible. And the atheist bible evolution...bio142.
Taken Religion 101 classes.
I try to have quite time with God were I listen for him to speak to me. Thsi takes a long period of time, in my devotional time.

Answer 5

I am a Christian but I have to say... there are many out there who have not. They just go by what they have been taught over the years.There is a great danger in that. Pastors are great and all but they are human and can be wrong. It is our jobs to search things out ourselves by using the bible. I do try to stay in the word daily but there are days I get side tracked and forget.

Answer 6

Thanks for not bashing, and that was a great question to pose to Christians, because there is alot of Christians that dont read their Bibles, I read everyday, and I have done my homework on alot of religions and belief system, i.e. urs is one of them, so I would say that probably only 10-15% would say that they study.....

Answer 7

I study and read my Bible every night....... I KNOW that *faith* is a continual growing process........ we grow in the flesh from child to adult, and we grow in the spirit from child to adult, and getting from child to adult takes a life time in both realms......... go in peace.......... God bless