Do you believe there was really a Nephi?

[SeattleUte]

Confidential poll.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Confidential poll.

The 1838 Manuscript History of the Church says Nephi appeared to Joseph Smith just before Joseph first saw the Plates. What more proof do you need?

[Indy Coug]

What I really want to know is what percentage of people that believe that Moroni was a real person and either don't think Nephi existed or are unsure?

The mental gymnastics required for that one would get you on the Beijing 2008 team.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

What I really want to know is what percentage of people that believe that Moroni was a real person and either don't think Nephi existed or are unsure?

The mental gymnastics required for that one would get you on the Beijing 2008 team.

Well, you can count me out of that group.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Well, you can count me out of that group.

Of course, your disbelief is universal.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Of course, your disbelief is universal.

I'm always a little taken aback when I see intelligent people talk about Nephi as if he were a real guy. I can't help it, but it's just kind of a little ping. Maybe I'm narrow minded.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I'm always a little taken aback when I see intelligent people talk about Nephi as if he were a real guy. I can't help it, but it's just kind of a little ping. Maybe I'm narrow minded.

In other words you are saying intelligent people shouldn't accept mormonism?

You probably think liberalism is also the only philosophy an intelligent person can accept.

I actually have a pretty high IQ, but I would never want to be described as an intelligent person. It locks you in to a narrow thinking process.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Maybe I'm narrow minded.

You think?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

I'm always a little taken aback when I see intelligent people talk about Nephi as if he were a real guy. I can't help it, but it's just kind of a little ping. Maybe I'm narrow minded.

Are you taken back when people think Moses was a real guy, or Abraham or Methusaleh?

What about Gilgamesh or Buddha?

How far does your astonishment extend or does it only extend to Mormon beliefs and nonMormon beliefs don't astound you because they're not as unwise?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Are you taken back when people think Moses was a real guy, or Abraham or Methusaleh?

What about Gilgamesh or Buddha?

How far does your astonishment extend or does it only extend to Mormon beliefs and nonMormon beliefs don't astound you because they're not as unwise?

I'm always a little surprised when I hear intelligent people talk about Bible stories as if they were historical events. I don't doubt there was such a thing as ancient Hebrews/Jews, and that they had patriarchs and leaders. The preponderence of the evidence suggests they fought wars against "Canaanites" and conquered a homeland in today's Israel, that a branch of them were enslaved by Egyptians, and perhaps that a great leader had a hand in liberating them. Some first hand accounts of Jews' ancient doings (not any part of the Bible) have survived, and Jews exist as a distinct community today.

But yes, I'm a little surprised whenever people talk like there was a Moses or an Abraham who did this and that, paraphrasing bible stories, like it's history. There is a lot of patent nonsense in the Bible like the Creation story and its corrolaries, such as all Arabs are descendants of Ishmael. I think the epic of Gilgamesh is an accurate analog to the Old Testament.

I think, though, you still have to distinguish between the foregoing and Nephi because there's no evidence there was even such a thing as "Nephites", etc., and unlike the epic of Gilgamesh, the Bible, or the Iliad, there is no paper record or other corroborating evidence that the Book of Mormon itself is an ancient artifact. (Cue Chino with his Harold Bloom "enigmatic splendors" blurb for Givens' dust jacket.) There's a lot of evidence that there was no such thing as Hebrews in the Americas before they emigrated from Europe after Columbus, actually. There is also a lot of evidence the Book of Mormon was a Nineteenth Cenruty artifact, such as extensive adaptions and quotations from the KJV.

I'm no Buddha expert. Aren't there extant eyewitness accounts of Buddha? As I understand, unlike, say, Jesus, there is evidence Buddha actually set out to found some form of the spiritual or religious movements that are his legacy, to reduce his sayings to writing.

Now you've made me say a lot more than I intended on this subject.