Belief in the Historicity of the Book of Mormon, and Some of the Fruit that Such Belief Yields

I was really pleased to see this:

“Gospel Literacy Program Launched in Sierra Leone to Strengthen Families: Sister Bingham says ‘learners become leaders’”

Feel free, if you’re so inclined, to add it to your Christopher Hitchens Memorial “Religion Poisons Everything” File, which, by the point, should long since have been bursting at the seams.

If you’re interested in learning more about the many crimes and offenses committed specifically by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this might be a good place to begin your reading (in either English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Arabic):

“2018 LDS CHARITIES ANNUAL REPORT”

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There is, alas, reason for some concern on other fronts:

“The New Hauglid and Jensen Podcast from the Maxwell Institute: A Window into the Personal Views of the Editors of the JSP Volume on the Book of Abraham”

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A mainstay of arguments for the “Heartland model” of the geography of the Book of Mormon comes under criticism:

“Letter VII has nothing to do with Oliver Cowdery being ‘truthful'”

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I wonder whether this is actually so.  Perhaps:

“How This Patriotic Norman Rockwell Painting Was Inspired by Joseph Smith”

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Here’s an article from a past issue of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship that you may possibly have missed:

“Et Incarnatus Est: The Imperative for Book of Mormon Historicity”

Abstract: Some have come to insist that the Book of Mormon should be read as inspired fiction, which is to say that readers, including Latter-day Saints, should abandon any belief in the Book of Mormon as an authentic ancient text and instead should see it as an inspired frontier novel written by Joseph Smith that may act as scripture for those who follow his teachings. This paper provides reasoning to reject this proposition as not only logically incoherent but also theologically impotent. It raises the objection that this position fundamentally undercuts the credibility of Joseph Smith. The Prophet’s direct claims concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon as well as how the Book of Mormon presents itself to the world do not easily permit any leeway for a “middle ground” on this matter.

The Book of Mormon must be read as an ancient, not as a modern book. Its mission, as described by the book itself, depends in great measure for its efficacy on its genuine antiquity.  (Hugh Nibley)