As for the Fair page, I haven’t got through all of it yet, but I’m sure it’s more of the same…how come Mormons cannot come up with a simple, precise, explanation of the Book of Abraham’s origins, translation, etc? There always has to be pages and pages and videos upon videos of fluff and conjecture? Where are the facts?

The OTHER side, in contrast, had Egyptologists look at the writings and say the translation was false. And not just one Egyptologist, many! And they said JS’s renderings were BOGUS. Now that is refreshing, clear answers. Are there many Egyptologists who have said JS’s translation was correct and if so where are they? It shouldn’t be that difficult and require hours and hours of study to answer the question “was JS’s translation right or wrong?’ If you have the evidence and the scholars to prove it, where are they? Was the translation right or wrong, yes or no? If all you have are LDS opinions, views, and perspectives…well then the Book of Abraham has to go into the realm of fiction along with the BOM.

Throw out the NT if you want, but don’t ignore the Tanakh. Apparently, Nephi and Joseph Smith did.

If the character of Nephi was a really good Jew then you got a problem. Where is the existence of any Jewish Scripture in North or South America prior to European settlement? Apparently Nephi left the Old World and Came to the New World around 590 B.C.

Nephi, if he existed and was a good Jew, would have had copies of Genesis, Job, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Chronicles, Psalms, Kings, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, and Zephaniah.

He may have had copies of Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Obadiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel; he might have had some of those, but not all since they were written from 605 to 540 B.C. Remember, Nephi left in 590 B.C.

Nephi definitely would not have Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, Esther, Nehemiah, Malachi, and anything from the New Testament.

Therefore, the BoM could not possibly compliment the Holy Scriptures because it is missing many plain and precious things. On a stand alone basis the BoM would fall. If the BoM would have been truly from God and Nephi existed mortally then he would have included earlier parts of Scriptures.

So the ball is in your court. Produce early manuscripts of the BoM and it would be more believable. Produce the brass plates, since we can agree the gold plates don’t exist. The Jews and Christians have early manuscripts of their Scriptures that anybody can go see. Their Scriptures have been translated to prove what they have today is the same as they had thousands of years ago.

If you cannot produce any early writing other that what JS wrote in the 1800′s then the book is still classified in the realm of fiction.

That example was PERFECT. Christ was PERFECT. His life, deeds, words, actions, thoughts, desires, results, etc etc etc was PERFECTION.

When Christ was baptised, what was the purpose? To cleanse ourselves of sin(s). When he commnaded us to repent, he was telling us to work on our perfection.

Over and over and over and over again and again and again He was directing, counseling, encouraging us to reach perfefction…….not that we could here.

I know of now Mormon church member or leader who has ever said anything close to “I want to become a God.” I know my own mind and life and I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THAT, This “I wanna be a God” crap is the usual assumption from those who seek to tear down the LDS faith.

And on your final dig at Joseph Smith, I will state this. I don’t have complete faith in everything he said or wrote. I do know that some of what what said and written by “primitive LDS Church leaders” was not inspired. That does not shake my faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ per LAtter-Day Saint prophets…….since the “fruits of the LDS church” lead me to a belief that it is the most advanced form of Christianity available.

Since ONLY the Mormons have a plan for anyone who was born and died before the ministry of Christ, it sets them apart from all the rest.

Also, the obvious, eternal principal of eternal progression is another logical, unique tenent of the Church…….Why else would Christ have spent so much time trying to shape our lives and actions than to improve them to a point approximating his? If it simply was a case of we have sinned, we need redemption and that was it, then a few miracles and the Getheseme/Calvary actions would be enough.

As you say, it’s all about having the right context. Unfortunately, if all you have is the Bible you have limited context. We Mormons have additional scripture God has given us, as well as ongoing revelation through living prophets, so we see these scriptures in a different context than you do. I understand your perspective, it’s just a different one than we have because we are basing each of our perspectives on different information.

“In genesis it is pointed out we were meant to be a happy ignorant people, content with our meager lives until we tasted of the forbidden fruit.”

We Mormons would disagree with this. We believe we were intended to live the lives we are living now one way or another.

“In the story of babel people are trying to build a tower to the heavens, and god realizes that with everyone speaking the same language, anything they desire will be attainable. To prevent mankind from having more than they’re meant and lusting for more, he confuses them with language, and they leave the tower un-built and scatter across the earth.”

We would also disagree with you on this lesson from the Tower of Babel. The people were scattered because they were wicked. The language issue was a means to an end, the end being to scatter everyone. This is God’s pattern throughout history; the wicked are scattered, the righteous are gathered. But it had nothing to do with them trying to attain more than God wanted them to, except in the sense that they were trying to attain happiness by being wicked.

“This specifically shows that we are meant to be mortal and be simply content with our lives and live loving peaceful consistences, striving to become a god would fall under lust, or a craving for power.”

Despite disagreeing with your premises, I actually agree with your conclusion, at least somewhat. I agree that if someone is lusting after power and striving to become a god for the sake of power then they’re way out of line. I also agree that we shouldn’t be seeking rewards for being good, or at least that this is not the best reason for doing good, although I won’t way it’s a bad reason. The best reason for being good and striving to be perfect is because that’s simply who we want to be.

As for the papyri, you’ve got some studyin’ to do:

http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_Abraham.shtml
http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Abraham

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighborh and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemiesi and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It does NOT say anything about becoming god like or even trying to attain gods statues. In genesis it is pointed out we were meant to be a happy ignorant people, content with our meager lives until we tasted of the forbidden fruit. In the story of babel people are trying to build a tower to the heavens, and god realizes that with everyone speaking the same language, anything they desire will be attainable. To prevent mankind from having more than they’re meant and lusting for more, he confuses them with language, and they leave the tower un-built and scatter across the earth.

This specifically shows that we are meant to be mortal and be simply content with our lives and live loving peaceful consistences, striving to become a god would fall under lust, or a craving for power. Even Christians who are Christians because the bible tells them to be and because they want to enter into the gates of heavens fall into this category. People should want to be christians because it leads onto a path of better life. A life full of love and peace of body/mind/ and heart, regardless of whether there are rewards or not.

As for Joseph Smith, if he wasn’t a fraud why did he fake the papyri which has now been translated properly by actually egyptologist. Their findings showed the papyri to be funeral notes, not the book of Abraham.

http://carm.org/book-abraham-papyri-and-joseph-smith

Mormon’s do not worship many gods like the Greeks, Romans or Egyptians.

I guess the easiest way to explain/express is that we believe in a Paternal/Familial “Godhead.”

When Jesus prayed to “The Father,” I take Him at His word……..Why would Jesus call Him anything else if IT WERE NOT TRUE?

When Jesus COMMANDED us to “Be ye therefore PERFECT, like your Father in heaven is perfect” I assume Jesus….. 1) Is not leading us down a false path…. 2) Meant what He was saying…..to be “perfect” ….3) Again was referring to His Father and our Father in heaven…..4) Wouldn’t tell us to do something we were not capable of (lie to us).

Get a dictionary, if you believe that there are many gods and YOU might become one, you ARE a polytheist. Also believing that God the Father is a god and Jesus is also a god and you worship both, than you do worship more than one god.

You can’t be monotheistic, worship 2 gods, and believe there are thousands of gods. Doesn’t fit the definition, sorry!

Since this is a website for people who have questions about Mormonism, I’d like to know how you as a Mormon reconcile your polytheism to all the teachings in the Bible about not believing in many gods as the pagans do? Polytheism is condemned throughout the Bible and punished as sin, so tell me why are you a polytheist?