Serious enquiry for maklelan.

[_maklelan]

Do you think the possible influences of chiasmus came from some of the material that the Johnson brothers found contained chiasmus and was part of the books published around Smith's time such as The Great War.?

No, not really. I think it was just a part of Smith's prose when he was trying to produce King James-sounding English.

[_maklelan]

Maklelan, your answers to aussieguy55 give me the impression that you may actually be open to the possibility that the Book of Mormon may indeed be mainly or entirely a 19th century work of fiction (possibly divinely influenced to some extent). Is there any accuracy to that impression?

I think there's certainly lots of evidence in support of that.

[_Gunnar]

Maklelan, your answers to aussieguy55 give me the impression that you may actually be open to the possibility that the Book of Mormon may indeed be mainly or entirely a 19th century work of fiction (possibly divinely influenced to some extent). Is there any accuracy to that impression?

I think there's certainly lots of evidence in support of that.

Thanks again for your honesty!

[Guest]

So, mak, if you think the Book of Mormon is a 19th century creation, why do you stay within the Mormon cult? Isn't that absolute hypocrisy?

[_maklelan]

So, mak, if you think the Book of Mormon is a 19th century creation, why do you stay within the Mormon cult?

Remove the ignorant bigotry from that question and I'll answer it.

[_Servant]

So, mak, if you think the Book of Mormon is a 19th century creation, why do you stay within the Mormon cult?

Remove the ignorant bigotry from that question and I'll answer it.

Why do you remain a Mormon if you believe that the Book of Mormon is a 19th century creation? Do your Mormon priesthood leaders know about this?

[_maklelan]

Why do you remain a Mormon if you believe that the Book of Mormon is a 19th century creation?

Because that doesn't preclude it being the Word of God.

Do your Mormon priesthood leaders know about this?

Why do you so frequently ask if my employers and my ecclesiastical leaders know about me? Are you planning on getting in touch with them because you think it will get me in some kind of trouble?

[_Servant]

Why do you remain a Mormon if you believe that the Book of Mormon is a 19th century creation?

Because that doesn't preclude it being the Word of God.

Do your Mormon priesthood leaders know about this?

Why do you so frequently ask if my employers and my ecclesiastical leaders know about me? Are you planning on getting in touch with them because you think it will get me in some kind of trouble?

Well, using that rationalization you might as well be a Hindu following the Bhagavadgita and dancing around statues of Krishna! Anything can be God's Word, even if its content contains is totally mythological? I ask about your ecclesiastical superiors because I think that that's an important thing? If I denied Christ's deity, for instance, my bishop would silence me. He'd exclude me from Communion. Aren't there any constraints in your cult? Or is that only for women who want to be Mormon priests?

[_maklelan]

Well, using that rationalization you might as well be a Hindu following the Bhagavadgita and dancing around statues of Krishna!

Have you ever read the Bhagavad Gita? You really should.

Anything can be God's Word, even if its content contains is totally mythological?

Are the parables of the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son God's Word? What about the Song of Solomon?

I ask about your ecclesiastical superiors because I think that that's an important thing?

It's also kinda creepy.

If I denied Christ's deity, for instance, my bishop would silence me.

Would that be my job to point out, though? No, it wouldn't be.

He'd exclude me from Communion. Aren't there any constraints in your cult? Or is that only for women who want to be Mormon priests?

Of course there are, Catherine. You keep telling me you know all about Mormonism, but then you ask these silly and naïve questions. Which is it?

[Guest]

Well, using that rationalization you might as well be a Hindu following the Bhagavadgita and dancing around statues of Krishna!

Have you ever read the Bhagavad Gita? You really should.

Anything can be God's Word, even if its content contains is totally mythological?

Are the parables of the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son God's Word? What about the Song of Solomon?

I ask about your ecclesiastical superiors because I think that that's an important thing?

It's also kinda creepy.

If I denied Christ's deity, for instance, my bishop would silence me.

Would that be my job to point out, though? No, it wouldn't be.

He'd exclude me from Communion. Aren't there any constraints in your cult? Or is that only for women who want to be Mormon priests?

Of course there are, Catherine. You keep telling me you know all about Mormonism, but then you ask these silly and naïve questions. Which is it?

Parables are understood to be parabolic by those who actually think, and by the way, are identified as such. The song of Solomon deals with Israel. However, if you are going to present yourself as a Mormon scholar (and you are always doing so), I find it "kind of creepy" that your posts are more in line with the higher critics of ultra-liberal Christianity than Mormonism.

What about hypocrisy? Proclaiming oneself to be on thing, but actually believing something else?