Semitic Language Attributes

According to Mormon 9:32-34 The Book of Mormon was originally written in a language called Reformed Egyptian, which was adapted from Egyptian.  Egyptian is now a dead language, meaning nobody speaks it as their primary language.  The written language of Egyptian was primarily used as a scribal or shorthand language, meaning one could convey more or less the same amount of information in much fewer characters.  This, Mormon indicates, was the reason they chose the language, because they were writing upon plates of gold, meaning space on these plates would be very precious.  Not only was the ore hard to come by at times (Mormon 8:5) but writing the history in their native language of Hebrew would have greatly expanded the size of the plates and thereby reduced their practicality.
Mormon also said that nobody but they used Reformed Egyptian, which was why the Lord provided a means of translation (the Urim and Thumim).  But, since we know it was based on Egyptian and Hebrew, we also know that it was a Semitic language, which is one of the major families of languages in the world, of which Hebrew and Arabic are the only ones still spoken today.  Now, the first language that the Book of Mormon was translated into in our day was English.  However, it is often evident when a text is translated from one language to another, especially when great care is taken to preserve the exact meaning of the original.  So if the Book of Mormon was really translated from Reformed Egyptian, we should see some evidence of this.

The Question:
What evidence is there that the Book of Mormon was originally written in a Semitic language?

Witnesses of the Book of Mormon

In matters legal, historical, scientific, and religious, we recognize the significance and the importance of first-hand accounts, also known as testimonies or witnesses.  The scriptures frequently tell us that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (see 2 Corinthians 13:1 for example), and the Lord's Church and His Gospel are full of instances in which this pattern is followed.  Among these are the testimonies of the witnesses of the truthfulness and divine origin of the Book of Mormon.

The Question:
Were there witnesses who saw the Gold Plates that the Book of Mormon was translated from, and are their testimonies dependable?

The other sin of Sodom

When it comes to homosexuality, the Church has been accused of having a double standard.  The Church very clearly denounces homosexual behavior and defines marriage to be "between a man and a woman" (The Family).  And yet the Church has also reached out to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) individuals, especially recently with the website mormonsandgays.org.  It saddens me when I hear about members of the Church who have come out as LGBT and were immediately shunned or ridiculed by members of their own ward; people who should have been their friends.  It saddens me because I know that's not how the Savior would treat that person, and it's not how the General Authorities of the Church have taught that they should be treated.

The Question:
How does the Church teach that LGBT individuals should be treated?

Where is the "Choice"?

For decades now, the right of a woman to have an abortion has been a hotly contested issue, and more and more lately politicians have been using it to garner votes.  The liberal media has been resorting to shameful slander in an attempt to vilify those who oppose abortion, claiming that they want to keep abortion illegal in order to keep women in subjugation.  I do not claim to know all that motivates both sides of this issue, but we are capable of observing the effects that it has on individuals and on society.  The issue of abortion raises troubling questions about how we view and value human life.  As a member of the Church, and also as a human being, I am diametrically opposed to the doctrine that a life can be ended as soon as it becomes inconvenient.  And nowhere is this doctrine more prominent than in the issue of abortion.

The Question:
"What do Mormons believe about abortion?  Is it ever justified?"

Nature: Divine or Fallen?

We as humans seem to be of varied opinions of ourselves.  To some, human beings are viewed as God's greatest creation.  To others, humans are despicable, sinful creatures.  And still others say humans are just another species of animal that through evolution and dumb luck became the dominant creature.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints teaches that we are literally children of God, and yet even within the Church there seems to be differing ideas about humans and human nature.  On the one hand, we are God's children and as such have within us the potential to become like him.  In other words, we are said to have "divine nature."  On the other hand, we are subject to sin and imperfection, or subject to our "fallen nature."  So which is it?  Are we inherently good or bad?  And how do our instincts, evolution, and our environment play into what we are?

The Question:
"What do Mormons believe about human nature?  Are we inherently good, or evil?"

LGBT: Fostering Understanding

As a child, I hardly ever heard anyone talk about homosexuality.  Now hardly a day goes by when I don't hear about it.  So many issues are now constantly front and center that many of us rarely had to think about years ago.  But we can't ignore them.  Individuals at opposite ends of gay rights issues cannot afford to go on not understanding--let alone hating--each other.

I've been meaning to talk about my own feelings about homosexuality and LGBT individuals, but haven't been sure where to start.  This is by far the hardest topic I've ever tried to write about because of its sensitive nature.  I finally decided that there's no way I'll get all my thoughts into one post.  There are so many things to talk about.  But as usual, the best place to start is on common ground.  I will not be delving too deeply into the issue in this post, but wanted to start by setting the tone.  Please note that while I've had gay and lesbian friends, I'm not gay myself, so what I say here is according to my best understanding.  If I say something that is not right, I hope that you will kindly correct me.

Faith and/or Works?

Fewer topics have sparked more religious debate among Christians than the age-old "Faith verses Works" question.  As I understand it, one side believes that faith in Jesus Christ and accepting Him as our Savior is the only thing that is required for Salvation, while the other side believes that certain works, rights, or ordinances must be followed in order to be saved.  This seemingly simple question can get very involved, and there have been many wonderful discussions and talks given on the subject.  Instead of answering the question, "Are we saved by our works, or by faith alone?" I will focus specifically on what members of the Church believe.

The question:
"Do Mormons believe we are saved by works or by faith alone?"

In or At Jerusalem?

This is one of those little details that many anti-Mormons still cling to, despite it having been explained many times:  the Bible clearly states that Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2, for example).  But in the Book of Mormon, Alma prophesies that "he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers" (Alma 7:10).  Is this a contradiction?  Many claim that it is, but it is not.

The question:
Does the Book of Mormon contradict the Bible concerning the birthplace of Jesus?

Are Mormons Christian?

I've been surprised by the ferocity with which others have attempted to define what I believe in.  It just doesn't make sense to me that someone not even acquainted with me would try to tell me what I do or don't believe in.  This is how I feel when non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claim that we are not Christian.  I think the reason many say this is to attempt to vilify the Church.  After all, many Christian denominations believe that it doesn't matter what Church you belong to as long as you believe in Jesus and accept Him as your Savior; so if they can convince themselves and others that Mormons do not, then in their minds they are free to denounce the Church as false.

Often people confuse the question of "Do you consider yourself a Christian?" with "Do you satisfy my definition of what a Christian is?"  Isn't a person's Christianity a question of his or her own personal convictions and beliefs?  And if that's the case, who really has the right to define those beliefs besides that person and God?

The question:
Are Mormons Christian?