Yes, Curt, we are aware. At least I am aware and I know many people who
have
been around a while are aware. Anyone who has read as much "Anit-Mormon"
or
"Mormon-Critic" stuff as I have is certainly aware of this. I was not
aware
that there was any credible evidence that B.H. Roberts spoke from both
sides
of his mouth, testifying to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and of
Joseph Smith as a Prophet and at the same time privately not defending
that
position. And a diary of a "friend" is not primary evidence.
Curt, The Book of Mormon is a book that was revealed by the gift and power
of God or it is nothing. The same is true in large part of the Bible, of
course. It is a record preserved by the Will of God and containing
information that God wants us as His people to have, or it is also
nothing.
Neither is really subject to the methods of empirical science to prove or
disprove.
I seem to remember having read "View of the Hebrews" several years ago,
but
my memory of it is incomplete at best.So I really have nothing of
substance
to say about the impressions I may have had. Have you read it and compared
it yourself with the Book of Mormon? If indeed Ethan Smith merely said
that
the Amerian Indians were descendants the Lost Ten Tribes, then Joseph
Smith
refined that considerabley. The Jaredites would have arrived beforre the
time the Ten Tribes were lost and indeed would not even have been
Israelites
I believe and Lehi's group who later split into the Lamanites and the
Nephites were predominately, at least, of the tribe or descendants of
Joseph. So Joseph made no attempt to account for all the "Lost Ten
Tribes".
I am not sure what chapters of Isaiah Ethan Smith may have included in his
book. Were they the same ones and was he use of them for a similar purpose
to that in the Book of Mormon?
I would want to read View of the Hebrews (again) and see what I think of
it,
as comparing to the Book of Mormon, but I would start with looking at such
things as I have mentioned here.
"Curt" <curt.cardwell@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:13s46ekbh7ku6b9@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> List members may or may not be aware that Mormon scholar and defender
> BH Roberts, a one-time general authority who died in 1933, wrote a
> study of the Book of Mormon that brought into question 1) whether
> Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews published in 1823 and 1825 could
> have supplied back ground information that Joseph Smith could have
> used to "create" the Book of Mormon and 2) whether Joseph Smith was
> sufficiently intelligent and charismatic enough to pull off the task
> of writing the Book of Mormon, i.e., it is not what it pur****ts to be
> but is a creation of the early 19th century.
Snip
> What I am wonder is whether anyone has taken up the challenge Roberts
> posed?
Snip
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