[TruthTalk] Geography of Never Never land

[jandgtaylor1]

From: "Blaine Borrowman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Kevin writes: Why are Greek names such as Lachoneus, Timothy, Jonas, and Alpha & Omega in a book that should have absolutely no Greek influence?   Blaine:  The answer should be obvious, Kevn--the Book of Mormon was translated into English, which has a lot of Greek and even Latin in it.    Why haven't any of the Book of Mormon proper names such as Nephi, Laman, Zarahemla, etc. been found in all of the many writings that have been found in Mesoamerica? Blaine:  Again the answer should be obvious if you have read the Book of Mormon as you claim to have done--The entire Nephite civilization was destroyed  by the Lamanites about 375 AD.   The record says, in fact, that the Lamanites hunted down straggling Nephites, and if they would not deny the Christ, they were killed.  Moroni was one of the last to be caught and killed, but not before he buried the sacred records in the earth to hide them from the Lamanites.  Otherwise, even the gold plates might have been destroyed.    The BoM does mention cultural traits of the Lamanites which were still evident when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived.  One such evidence was the Lamanites were still sacrificing their enemy captives to their gods--huge piles of skulls of captive victims were found  near the sacrificial alters by the Spanish.     Judy: Are these the Aztecs you are referring to, like Montezuma? They did have human sacrifice going on and they were pagans... but I've never heard of Nephites and Lamanites.   Blaine: The Book of Mormon gives a similar account as the Lamanites closed in on the Nephites during their final days: Mormon 4: 14  "And they  (Lamanites ). did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods." Mormon 4: 15  "And it came to pass, in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being very angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and children, . . . they did go forth against the Lamanites with exceeding great anger, insomuch they did beat again the Lamanites and drive them out of their lands." Mormon 5:21--"And when they (Lamanites) came the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered  with an exceeding great slaughter; their women and children were again sacrificed unto idols.")    Judy: Oh!  So the story is that the unrighteous completely wiped out the supposedly righteous?  Where was their god?   Kevin: 3 Nephi uses Words from the KJV, such as "mammon", "synagogues", and Aramaic word "raca"  Matthew. These words would have had no meaning to the Nephites! Blaine:  Why not?  The language of the golden plates was Reformed Egyptian, but the Book Mormon makes it clear that the Hebrew language was also spoken.  Aramaic is a close cousin to Hebrew and was spoken by many Jews.    Kevin: "Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction -- faith in fiction is a damnable false hope." Thomas Edison   Blaine:  Good thought.  Maybe you really  should get your facts staright before jumping to any more  rash conclusions.   (:>) (snip> "One of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism is to recieve truth. Let it come from where it may." An American Prophets Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith, p. 395 ...Galatians 4:6 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?   Judy: The perfect question right here would be Pilate's statement "What is Truth?" and this is the question each of us should ask ourselves. The way I see it, I can believe the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of scripture or I can believe Joseph Smith who authoried the BofM.  They cannot both be Truth because they are contradictory... and Galatians 4:6 definitely does not apply here.  Paul was speaking truth - not one of his teachings conflict with the rest of scripture.  Joseph Smith's teachings do fit with much of anything that I can see so far.   Judy