{"id":78177,"date":"2019-09-15T21:35:55","date_gmt":"2019-09-16T03:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=78177"},"modified":"2019-09-15T22:11:27","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T04:11:27","slug":"only-in-his-imagination-only-with-spiritual-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2019\/09\/only-in-his-imagination-only-with-spiritual-eyes.html","title":{"rendered":"Only in his imagination? Only with “spiritual eyes”?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Jordan,<\/a>
The core of our \u201cWitnesses\u201d film crew (from left to right: cinematographer and co-writer James Jordan, director and co-writer Mark Goodman, and producer Russell Richins). Mitch Davis was the author of the original script, which has since been modified by Brothers Jordan and Goodman. Who took this photo? I have no idea. Diane Richins, perhaps.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our Witnesses<\/em> film crew are now in Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts. \u00a0The project<\/a> continues. \u00a0And, by all accounts, it appears to be going well.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cChurch Thanks Mali Government for Formal Recognition:\u00a0Elder Marcus B. Nash represents Church at ceremony in Bamako\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I personally heard him [David Whitmer] state in Jan. 1876 in his own house\u2026in most positive language, that he did\u00a0truly see\u00a0in\u00a0broad day light, a bright, and most beautiful being, an \u2018Angel from Heaven,\u201d who did hold in his hands the golden plates, which he turned over leaf by leaf, explaining the contents, here and there. He also described the size and general appearance of the plates.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

David Whitmer, reported by Thomas Wood Smith to the Editor,\u00a0Fall River<\/i>\u00a0(MA)\u00a0Herald<\/i>, 28 March 1879; reprinted in the\u00a0Saints\u2019 Herald<\/i>\u00a026 (15 April 1879): 128; cited in Dan Vogel (editor),\u00a0Early Mormon Documents<\/i>\u00a0(Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996\u20132003), 5 vols, 5:26.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I saw the angel\u00a0as plainly as I see you; he was surrounded by the glory of God, which overshadowed us, and we heard his voice, and we saw the records of the Book of Mormon\u2026My testimony is the same as at the beginning, as is true.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

David Whitmer, interview with J. Frank McDowell on 8 May 1884,\u00a0Saints\u2019 Herald<\/i>\u00a031 (9 August 1884): 508; cited in Dan Vogel (editor),\u00a0Early Mormon Documents<\/i>\u00a0(Salt Lake City, Signature Books, 1996\u20132003), 5 vols, 5:223.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How well and distinctly I remember the manner in which Elder Whitmer arose and drew himself up to his full height\u2013a little over six feet\u2013and said, in solemn and impressive tones: \u201cNo sir! I was\u00a0not under any hallucination, nor was I deceived! I\u00a0saw with these eyes, and I\u00a0heard with these ears! I know whereof I speak!\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Joseph Smith III, et al., Interview, July 1884, Richmond Missouri, in Lyndon W. Cook,\u00a0David Whitmer Interviews<\/i>, 134-35.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sigh. \u00a0Mr. Jonathan Neville, a vocal advocate of the so-called \u201cHeartland model\u201d of Book of Mormon geography, appears to be under the control of an irresistible compulsion to attack those who fail to share his opinions. \u00a0So I call your attention, yet again, to the invaluable work of the Neville-Neville Land<\/em> blog<\/a>, and particularly to its three latest entries:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJonathan Neville is terrified of the forthcoming ScripturePlus App\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJonathan Neville is a critic of the Church\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThose who live in glass houses, pt. 3\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Our Witnesses film crew are now in Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts. \u00a0The project continues. \u00a0And, by all accounts, it appears to be going well. \u00a0 *** \u00a0 \u201cChurch Thanks Mali Government for Formal Recognition:\u00a0Elder Marcus B. Nash represents Church at ceremony in Bamako\u201d \u00a0 *** \u00a0 I personally heard him [David Whitmer] state […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[259,918,5520,921],"class_list":["post-78177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-book-of-mormon-witnesses","tag-david-whitmer","tag-spiritual-eyes","tag-witnesses"],"yoast_head":"\nOnly in his imagination? 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