LDS Members: How do you feel about the changes to the "Book" announced this week?

Question

There was no scriptural changes. The only change was in the Introduction to the Book of Mormon that was included in the book authored by Bruce R. McConkie in 1981. It was not even the Title page as one respondent suggests.

I did not think I needed to spell it out here in forum but quickly learned that many living outside Utah were surprised by my question. The question is aimed at members of the church. The anti's have made their position known for years.

The intro was changed from something like...the native peoples of the America's are the descendants of the Lamanites to...the native peoples of the America's are AMONG the descendants of the Lamanites implying that their ancestry may indeed extend beyond traditionally held belief.

PS. My apologies to those of you who misunderstood the meaning of my question. Looking back I can see I left it way too vague.

Answer 1

i dont think that small of a change matters at all its not like they totally changed the meaning of the whole book or changed the scriptures!

Answer 2

I think its an apropriate change. If you read the Book of Mormon you learn that even in the records contained their in there were multiple groups living together. Some were not able to intermarry but others did. To assume that other groups did not come here during the time following the death of Mormon and the time the first european discoverers landed among the natives is nieve. I have never assumed so even as a member. In fact I wrote a report on the subject for Native American History.

It was very good.

Answer 3

To me, it makes good sense and actually coincides with what the prophet Mormon even says in the Book of Mormon. Mormon said (without looking up chapter and verse) in speaking about the peoples that make up the book or Mormon as "my people" which to me infers that there were "many" other people living on the American continent. Even other people besides the Nephites and Lamanites. In other words, there were many possibilities that the American Indian could have descended from, not just the Lamanites or Nephites. Hence, the changes made to the non-scriptural introduction actually better fits what Mormon was writing about.
I like the changes.

Answer 4

The Book of Mormon wasn't changed at all. The cover page was. I see it as a way to take a view that has caused some controversy out of the spotlight and allow members and investigators to focus on the message of the restoration and the atonement of Christ. The change does not contradict any teaching may, it is just worded less boldly and is open to more interpretation. I hope it is a good thing and allows people to open their hearts to the truth, but at the same time I can see Satan trying to twist it around so somehow it looks like the Book of Mormon was changed and is therefore false. This would be totally wrong.

Answer 5

It makes sense that they would change it to say that. It's not like it contradicts anything, and it also shows that not all native americans are lamanites.

There was one guy in The Book of Mormon that always bothered me. I believe his name was hagar or something like that. But anyways, he built a boat and, with a whole bunch of people, sailed north. It never talks about him again. I wonder what happened to him.... He was a nephite, so maybe there is other nephite existence. They probably went on a different name, so that could be an explanation of why they weren't killed off with the rest of the nephites....

I don't know, just thinking aloud. :D

Answer 6

Adding the word "among" seems totally appropriate. I've never thought that the natives of the American Continents were all mentioned in the Book of Mormon; it really only talks about 3 groups of people and there were so many more tribes and groups of natives out there.

Answer 7

Bruce R. McConkie wrote many books, but chief among them were "Mormon Doctrine."

I found nothing about your stated introduction in McConkie's, "Mormon Doctrine" relating to the Lamanites other than they were among the ancient inhabitants of the American continents from about 2247 B.C. to 421 A.D.

The introduction in the Book of Mormon, does, in fact, mention, ". . . all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians."

That statement does not mean all American Indians are descendants of the Lamanites.

You'll have to elaborate on what "Book" to which you're referring.

Answer 8

I had not heard about that.

Do you have a link to the Church's website to show where they announced that change?

Edit**

Thank you to Norris (or whatever he calls himself these days) who provided the link to me. (I only skimmed the article though- have not had time to read it- I will read the whole thing later). Living outside of Utah, we don't always get this news.

I think that the decision was made to clarify this point. I am not too concerned nothing is really affected by it though.

I will go home and compare the new version to my older ones.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

The Change makes the statement more accurate.

D