Notes on Book of Mormon Names

In this new series, I discuss some of the names in the Book of Mormon and show how these authentic Hebrew, Egyptian and Greek names in the Book of Mormon are evidence for its ancient authenticity and Near Eastern background.

Enjoy!!

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The Real Story of Christmas

Ever since I found out (late) that Glenn Beck converted to the LDS faith, I've become more and more of a fan of his each year.

For those not familiar with his story of conversion, it is indeed fascinating. By his own admission, he is the last person he ever would have expected to be part of any kind of organized religion, let alone the LDS Church. Of all the religions he could have chosen, ours was the last one on his mind.

He went from a bitter, drug-addicted, bellicose radio host to becoming one of the most outspoken, and popular, apologists for Christianity in the Western Hemisphere.

This Christmas season, in his ongoing effort to replace political correctness with bold truth, he has put together a soothing, yet eye-opening narrative of "The Real Story of Christmas". In other words, it's not watered down with secularist nonsense and conjecture about whether Mary really was a virgin or whether any of Christ's first visitors really considered him to be their Messiah. Unlike with Dateline and Discovery Channel, Beck literally shouts it out loud and clear for the whole world to hear that he is not ashamed of Christ, the Redeemer of Israel, the Son of God.

How I pray that we will be so bold. We have less to lose than Brother Beck. He has a syndicated TV and radio show with millions of fans. Most of us have but a few neighbors who even realize we're Christians. Pass this along for all to hear.

Glenn won't mind. :)

Losing the Battle and not Knowing It: LDS Scholarship and Anti-Mormon Myopia

Here is a new video series I have made on LDS scholarship in which I respond to some of the inaccurate stereotypes and caricatures of LDS scholarship and scholars promoted by anti-Mormons.

Enjoy!

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Brant Gardner on the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerica

One of my favorite Book of Mormon scholars Brant Gardner has recently delivered this lecture on the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerica. Because it was a fireside inside of a chapel, it could not be recorded. However, my friend Tyler Livingston of FAIR was able to audio record the lecture and post it on FAIR's youtube channel. 

Enjoy!!!

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Daniel C. Peterson on DNA and the Book of Mormon

On December 4, 2008, Daniel C. Peterson, professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Brigham Young University, presented a lecture at Olivewood Bookstore on the subject of DNA studies and the Book of Mormon. He responded to some of the recent criticism directed against the Book of Mormon based on DNA evidence and spoke about a book that was recently released by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Research entitled The Book of Mormon and DNA Research. I was there and managed to film the presentation. 

Enjoy!!

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New Book - Evidence for Joseph Smith

Mike Ash, a phenomenal Book of Mormon apologist who has offered many insights into the Gospel and the scriptures with his papers and recent book, has released a new book on evidences for the Prophet Joseph Smith entitled Of Faith and Reason: 80 Evidences Supporting the Prophet Joseph Smith. Over the coming weeks, as I get time to read the book, I will hopefully post some of my thoughts on Mike Ash's treatment of the Book of Mormon in this new book of his. In the mean time, I would simply like to announce this new volume for those who may be interested. Although I have not read it, if it is anything like Ash's excellent book Shaken Faith Syndrome then it is going to be wonderful!

The book can be purchased here.

A website for the book can be found here.

Elder Wirthlin Passes Away at 91

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, an Apostle of the Lord and a special witness to the name of Jesus Christ, passed away yesterday at the age of 91. He lived a long, full life and his testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ will always stand as a witness to the truthfulness of the Gospel of Christ and the Restoration of all things by the hand of the Prophet Joseph Smith. 

He will be missed by his friends, family and fellow Latter-day Saints, but we should remember that death is not the end. It is only a transition into the eternal worlds that are to come. Brother Wirthlin's earthly mission may be over, but his eternal mission has just begun.

Below is a video that details Elder Wirthlin's final testimony. 

Joseph Smith's Original Journals a Boon to Scholarship

Joseph Smith's original journals are now available at Deseret Book!

They survived amid mobbings, beatings, burnings, a horse-drawn wagon journey across the Great Plains and even the ravages of mice roaming inside their wooden crate.

Now the contents of journals kept by LDS Church founder Joseph Smith have been made available to the public for the first time, word for word, as he wrote and dictated them to various clerks and scribes.

The inaugural volume of the long-anticipated Joseph Smith Papers series is now in LDS bookstores, offering scholars and ordinary Latter-day Saints alike a look at the "unvarnished words" of a man who said he was called of God to restore Christ's original church to the earth.

Volume 1 is available now.

Is the Book of Mormon Racist?

Book of Mormon scholar John A. Tvedtnes has written a fascinating article on the subject of the charge of "racism" in the Book of Mormon. The paper is based off of an earlier talk given at the 2003 FAIR Conference. The videos and article are listed below. In them Tvedtnes offers a very interesting treatment on this subject, which should be read by all of those who would charge the Book of Mormon as being racist.

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The Charge of Racism in the Book of Mormon by John A. Tvedtnes, published in the FARMS Review. Also see this page from FAIR for another transcript of the presentation. 

A Timely Reminder from King Benjamin

The righteous King Benjamin, towards the end of his reign, taught a group of Nephites gathered at the Temple important principles relating to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Topics of his discussion included repentance, faith in Jesus Christ and baptism by both water and the Holy Spirit (i.e. being born again). 

As Thanksgiving comes again, let us all, as children of God, remember well this timely reminder by the King found in Mosiah 2:19-25: 

[19]And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!

[20] I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another --

[21] I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another -- I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

[22] And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

[23] And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

[24] And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

[25] And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.

Let us all remember that which the Lord has given us this Thanksgiving. Let us all remember how blessed we, as children of God, are to have a loving Heavenly Father who not only gives us life but sent his Son to pay our debt so that we may have eternal life. 

Let us be thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the eternal Plan of Salvation.