![FairMormon Logo](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021_fair_logo_primary.png)
FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
(header) |
m (→top: Bot replace {{FairMormon}} with {{Main Page}} and remove extra lines around {{Header}}) |
||
(4 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
− | {{ | + | {{Main Page}} |
__NOTOC__ | __NOTOC__ | ||
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader | {{FAIRAnalysisHeader | ||
Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=15&num=2&id=505 "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,"] ''FARMS Review'' 15/2 (2003): 91-128 | **Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=15&num=2&id=505 "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,"] ''FARMS Review'' 15/2 (2003): 91-128 | ||
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 477-480 | **Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 477-480 | ||
− | *'''The Seven Lineages/Tribes''': Jacob 1:13 lists seven different tribal designations for the Lehites. This arrangement was still intact, in some sense, in Mormon's day (Mormon 1:8). This structure may have been arranged by Lehi himself, and | + | *'''The Seven Lineages/Tribes''': Jacob 1:13 lists seven different tribal designations for the Lehites. This arrangement was still intact, in some sense, in Mormon's day (Mormon 1:8). This structure may have been arranged by Lehi himself, and may be (in some sense) analogous to the twelve tribes of Israel. There may also be some connection to Mesoamerican traditions which trace their origins back to seven lineages or tribes. |
**John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, John W. Weclch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=790 "Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi's Legacy,"] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'' | **John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, John W. Weclch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=790 "Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi's Legacy,"] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'' | ||
**Allen J. Christenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=7&id=145 "The Popol Vuh and Mormon Studies,"] ''Insights'' 20/7 (2000) | **Allen J. Christenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=7&id=145 "The Popol Vuh and Mormon Studies,"] ''Insights'' 20/7 (2000) | ||
Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
*'''The Temple setting''': The temple setting of Jacob's sermon suggests several things about the nature of the event. Besides the obvious implications of religious context, and spiritual/moral condemnation (rather than legal), it also suggests that it was a scheduled event, probably the day of a religious festival. | *'''The Temple setting''': The temple setting of Jacob's sermon suggests several things about the nature of the event. Besides the obvious implications of religious context, and spiritual/moral condemnation (rather than legal), it also suggests that it was a scheduled event, probably the day of a religious festival. | ||
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 485-486. | **Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 485-486. | ||
− | *'''Pending Destruction''': Jacob says that if the wicked do not repent then the righteous will be lead away, and the remaining wicked will be destroyed and see the Lamanites take possession of their lands (see Jacob 3:3-4). While modern readers might tend to see the final destruction as the fulfillment of these, this probably has reference the flight of Mosiah (the first) and his group from Nephi to the land of Zarahemla. | + | *'''Pending Destruction''': Jacob says that if the wicked do not repent then the righteous will be lead away, and the remaining wicked will be destroyed and see the Lamanites take possession of their lands (see Jacob 3:3-4). While modern readers might tend to see the final destruction as the fulfillment of these, this probably has reference to the flight of Mosiah (the first) and his group from Nephi to the land of Zarahemla. |
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 502 | **Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 502 | ||
+ | |||
==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''=== | ==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''=== | ||
*'''Racism in the Book of Mormon''': Jacob 3:5-9 employs the rhetorical use of "skins" and being "dark skinned" and having ones skin made "whiter." This once again may elicit questions or charges of racism. As such, we provide resources on this topic yet again to assist instructors in their preparation. | *'''Racism in the Book of Mormon''': Jacob 3:5-9 employs the rhetorical use of "skins" and being "dark skinned" and having ones skin made "whiter." This once again may elicit questions or charges of racism. As such, we provide resources on this topic yet again to assist instructors in their preparation. |
Lesson Eleven | A FAIR Analysis of:
Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual |
Lesson Thirteen |
Lesson #12- Sunday School Manual: “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”
“Looking Beyond the Mark”: Jacob 4:14 accuses the unbelieving Jews of “looking beyond the mark”. In 19th century English, the English that Joseph Smith knew and into which the Book of Mormon was translated, the word “mark” meant something equivalent to today’s word “target”. Thus, the Jews were looking beyond the “target”. Some ancient Jewish and Christian religious documents use this same phrase (“beyond the mark”) in describing their religious rivals who they believe have gone astray, thus providing a parallel for Jacob’s use of this phrase in ancient times.
Jacob as a Pre-Reform Prophet: Some scholars believe that Jacob’s sermon in Jacob 4 reveals that Jacob was sympathetic to some pre-Deuteronomic Reform Israelite beliefs. When Jacob speaks of “Jews” in Jerusalem, he likely has in mind a certain group of Deuteronomic Jewish reformers, not all Jews. Some of the themes that Jacob discusses in his sermon, but which were despised by these Jewish reformers in Jerusalem, include God’s association with “wisdom”, the vision of God, the relationship of Yahweh to El as a son/father relationship, and of prophetic knowledge of past and future things. Jacob was not raised in Jerusalem, but he likely learned some of these themes and of the controversies in Jerusalem from Lehi and Nephi.
FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We are a volunteer organization. We invite you to give back.
Donate Now