Reluctant Watchman wrote: ↑October 29th, 2022, 6:36 am
This question about asking whether the "BoM" is true comes up in discussions with friends once in a while. It is due to this very story of Corianton and his father, that I don't ask whether a volume of scripture is true. Could I say, "I know the Book of Mormon is a true book"? Yes, it is what it purports to be. It is another witness of Jesus Christ. It stands as a witness, just like the Bible. Would I say the same for the Bible? Yes, but with the same caveat Joseph included, "as far as it is translated correctly." I would use that same disclaimer with the BoM. And rightly so.
Think of it this way, Mormon is reading through hundreds and hundreds of records that span a thousand years of history. He gets to the writings of Alma and simply includes what he reads. Maybe he condenses down the writings a bit due to the space on the gold plates. To him, he's never privy to the rumor mill that spread lies about Corianton. All of the doctrines about sexual purity were exactly correct, but the censure of a father to his son was misplaced. This never made it into the record.
Samuel, in his writings, doesn't state for a sure knowledge of what happened, but the impression that he received was that Alma wandered into the wilderness to make peace with God for incorrectly judging his son. He essentially died of a broken heart. When Corianton fled into the land of Desolation with Isabel, that was a death sentence. Alma felt he had killed his son. All of the people just assumed that Alma may have been translated because they never heard from him again.
So, if you were to ask me today "Is the BoM 'true'?" I would say, "Yes, as far as it is translated correctly." Doctrinally it is very sound. So much so that it condemns many false beliefs and traditions in the LDS church today.
As far as it's translated correctly?
Dude, be straight up
If you think Alma didn't have peace with God, then you think this part of the record is false, not because of translation errors......BUT BECAUSE ITS NOT TRUE.
Died of a broken heart? Lol such BS. False teaching.
"But behold, I have somewhat to aprophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.
10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in afour hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in bunbelief.
11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become aextinct—
12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and alasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the bfourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come.
13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall ano more be numbered among the people of Nephi.
14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be anumbered among the bLamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites pursue even cuntil they shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.
15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he ablessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the brighteous’ sake.
16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—aCursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do bwickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the cblessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the dleast degree of allowance.
17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the achurch, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth.
18 And when Alma had done this he adeparted out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of bMelek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of.
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the aSpirit, or bburied by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial.