Unholy Moly

Salt Lake Tribune – Single word change in Book of Mormon speaks volumes

The church owned TV station had a big story on the evening news about this change. This single word is a big one in terms of differentiating dogma. My entire life in the church I had been taught that the people of the Book of Mormon were the ancestors of native Americans. This single word change mixes that notion up substantially.

Apologists, start your spinning in 3… 2…

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  • http://www.patatomic.com patatomic

    No spinning. No apologies…just a big fat (yawn) whatever.

    You exMo’s are a funny bunch with all your hobbies and stuff. Too bad you can’t spend that energy doing something charitable or edifying.

  • http://blurbomat.com blurb

    Sweet with the passive agressive, @patatomic. :-)

    Just reporting an interesting story that was in the news today. One that is very interesting. I can add defensive to the adjectives in the post if it will make you feel better…

  • http://www.patatomic.com patatomic

    @ blurb:

    Judging by the misspelling of my name and the repetitive second sentence on your last comment I’m assuming that you are:

    a) watching Grey’s Anatomy (and don’t blame the wife…I know how much you love that show)

    b) blogging while buzzed or possibly intoxicated

    c) discovering yet another exMo blog

    c) all of the above, my multi-tasking guru

  • PTC

    Most of the serious apologists have been clamoring for this change for years.

  • http://ransom-note-typography.com/ jon deal

    @patatomic

    Come on, Pat, you know it’s not Grey’s Anatomy he’s into. He’s working through the entire series of Melrose Place, which is causing his attention to wander. :-]

  • Jay

    Wait?

    You mean a group of people for which there is no anthropological or archaeological evidence for might not actually be the PRINCIPAL ancestors of the Native Americans?

    My mind, it has been blown.

    I shall now go hang myself with my temple garments.

  • http://www.patatomic.com patatomic

    [deleted]

  • http://blurbomat.com blurb

    Sweet. Ad hominem. No one is touchy about this at all, apparently.

    I’m twitching to bust out some Hitchens.

  • http://www.canyonjam.net/eblog erat

    [deleted]

  • http://www.velvetverbosity2.blogspot.com Velvet Verbosity

    Wow blurb. Stirring up the ole controversy. :)

  • http://ellenmcdermott.blogspot.com Ellen

    I think LDS should be changed to LSD.

  • http://www.deliberateindustries.blogspot.com Anton

    Just crazy what they’re doing with DNA these days…

  • Sarah

    the first thing I read when I clicked that link was lSd Church .. boy I need sleep…

    just order Chuckles.. very very excited.

  • Jen

    Exactly why I don’t delve too deeply into religion….Someone is always rewriting or rewording
    history to favor their needs.

  • http://seeemilyknit.blogspot.com Emily

    I completely understand your interest in this. I’ve never been Mormon and I don’t know very many Mormon’s either, but I find this extremely interesting. I was raised in the ELCA and while I’m quite removed from that now, I still follow news items about it, especially those that deal with the issue of gay clergy. Changes to official church texts are always interesting because most religious scholars look at texts first and foremost as a statement on humanity at the time they were written.

  • http://meaningless-blather.blogspot.com/ That One Guy

    I think the church should advocate for 3.2% tithing and 10% Utah beer. Sorry – old one.

    Pretty big change though. I assume PAT’s busy today ramming hundreds of other blogs as well. Well, maybe 10.

  • southerngirl

    All organized religion drives me crazy. They are all so “we are the TRUTH– those others guys are WRONG.” When in fact, not one of them is right. All churches try to do is scare the bejesus out of us to keep us in line and take all of our money so they can live grandly as hypocrites.

    I say bah humbug to them all.

  • OMG

    OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!

  • OMG

    I use to be a monk, that’s until an asshole said that we’re no longer allowed to go Ah-oohm since it’s not mentioned in scripture… What’s a monastery without that echoing through it’s halls? Huh!

  • http://www.thetrailerpark.org Slack

    Clearly I live a sheltered life…Every time I hear something new about LDS I go “what?…Sorry, could you repeat that?”

    As one who is an atheist in this world, delving into LDS dogma is like listening to a four year old telling you the story of how his pocket got ripped. It is such a jumble of free form riffs, trying to follow it makes your brain hurt.

  • Lorraine

    From another ex-Mormon…wow! This floors me. Love the controversy it’s already started. Makes me smile.

  • http://blurbomat.com blurb

    I fail to see how linking to a story that a church generates is somehow either anti, defamatory or belittling.

    A very rigid church changes it’s stance on a long-held belief. That is fascinating to me on so many levels; what it says about culture, prophecy, revelation and science, particularly in this age of outspoken Christianity and rampant fundamentalist thought. Certainly a healthy discussion can be had along those lines.

    Why take it to a level that isn’t even involved? Why attack me for calling attention to the story? If you are Mormon, why are you playing the victim? I didn’t change the word or belittle you. Merely linked to some news hoping for some interesting comments from those within as well as those without.

    If my linking to news like this bothers you, then tell me why it bothers you rather than attacking me.

    A reminder: off-topic comments will be deleted.

  • PTC

    As a practicing Mormon, I find the announcement encouraging and faith-promoting. It’s a dynamic, albeit sometimes dynamically slow, not static, church.

    This along with the announcement earlier in the year about what is and what isn’t doctrine have helped answer questions I’ve had about the church for years.

  • erat

    Okay, I’ll contribute.

    The statement “Apologists, start your spinning in 3… 2…” doesn’t make you look objective, regardless of the intent behind the statement. You’re bringing up an issue that you know will be sensitive to lots of Utahns but you’re opening the discussion in a relatively insensitive manner.

    Think of how much more objective it would have sounded to replace the “Apoligists…” line with something simple, like this:

    “Discuss.”

    Just a thought.

  • http://blurbomat.com blurb

    @erat, point taken. To clarify, FAIR, which is a noted LDS Church apologist group quoted in the linked story was the target of that remark. Also, it wasn’t meant as you read it; not a dig, but a kind of acknowledgement that any time a religion alters a doctrine or viewpoint, the apologist community is going to have a field day.

    Also, you come across super condescending. Which is totally awesome.

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