Is the Book of Mormon Divinely Inspired?

[I Have Questions]

1. ‘Witness testimony’ is notoriously unreliable.
2. The strongest evidence for the Book of Mormon is ‘witness testimony’
Ergo…
3. The strongest evidence for the Book of Mormon is unreliable.

But you knew that.

What I do know is that witness testimony is often reliable. I think that each person looking at Book of Mormon evidence needs to investigate witness testimony on their own and then decide whether or not they think it has merit.

Again, here are a couple of places to start:

https://witnessesofthebookofmormon.org/

https://rsc.BYU.edu/coming-forth-book-m ... -witnesses

I would guess you’ve spent a lot of time looking at witness testimony to conclude that they were either all in on it or had all been duped (from your perspective). It’s interesting how people can come to such different conclusions.

Regards,
MG

You're repeating yourself. And those are hardly independent sources on the reliability of witness testimony. Here’s some research information from an independent source.

Eyewitnesses statements often play a vital role in securing criminal convictions – police surveys show that eyewitness testimony is the main form of evidence in more than 20% of cases. But that doesn’t mean the evidence is always reliable.

In fact research shows that 75% of false convictions are caused by a inaccurate eyewitness statement. This means up to 100 innocent people could be wrongfully convicted each year of a violent or sexual crime in the UK because of these false eyewitnesses.

Today, the phenomenon of eyewitness misidentification is more familiar to the public because of the Netflix documentary series “Making a Murderer”. Steven Avery, the subject of the documentary, was falsely convicted of rape and spent 18 years behind bars before being exonerated. And eyewitness suggestibility – where witnesses are willing to accept and act on the suggestions of others if false but plausible information is given – was at the heart of the case.

https://theconversation.com/new-researc ... sses-67663

Eye witnesses are notoriously unreliable.
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eye witnesses.
Ergo
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is unreliable.

[MG 2.0]

What I do know is that witness testimony is often reliable. I think that each person looking at Book of Mormon evidence needs to investigate witness testimony on their own and then decide whether or not they think it has merit.

Again, here are a couple of places to start:

https://witnessesofthebookofmormon.org/

https://rsc.BYU.edu/coming-forth-book-m ... -witnesses

I would guess you’ve spent a lot of time looking at witness testimony to conclude that they were either all in on it or had all been duped (from your perspective). It’s interesting how people can come to such different conclusions.

Regards,
MG

You're repeating yourself. And those are hardly independent sources on the reliability of witness testimony. Here’s some research information from an independent source.

Eyewitnesses statements often play a vital role in securing criminal convictions – police surveys show that eyewitness testimony is the main form of evidence in more than 20% of cases. But that doesn’t mean the evidence is always reliable.

In fact research shows that 75% of false convictions are caused by a inaccurate eyewitness statement. This means up to 100 innocent people could be wrongfully convicted each year of a violent or sexual crime in the UK because of these false eyewitnesses.

Today, the phenomenon of eyewitness misidentification is more familiar to the public because of the Netflix documentary series “Making a Murderer”. Steven Avery, the subject of the documentary, was falsely convicted of rape and spent 18 years behind bars before being exonerated. And eyewitness suggestibility – where witnesses are willing to accept and act on the suggestions of others if false but plausible information is given – was at the heart of the case.

https://theconversation.com/new-researc ... sses-67663

Eye witnesses are notoriously unreliable.
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eye witnesses.
Ergo
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is unreliable.

I realize that you have rejected the testimony of the Book of Mormon Witnesses. I'm not here to try and get you to investigate and rethink your conclusions. You have settled on your own path. I am interested in, as I have been throughout this thread, in providing information and links for others to investigate and determine for themselves whether or not the Book of Mormon Witnesses are reliable or not.

It's wonderful that we have a board where various viewpoints, opinions, and informational sources can be given.

Here is another source:

https://bookofmormoncentral.org/

Search: Book of Mormon Witnesses

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

I realize that you have rejected the testimony of the Book of Mormon Witnesses. I'm not here to try and get you to investigate and rethink your conclusions. You have settled on your own path. I am interested in, as I have been throughout this thread, in providing information and links for others to investigate and determine for themselves whether or not the Book of Mormon Witnesses are reliable or not.

It's wonderful that we have a board where various viewpoints, opinions, and informational sources can be given.

Here is another source:

https://bookofmormoncentral.org/

Search: Book of Mormon Witnesses

Regards,
MG

I note that your additional sources are also not independent. I haven’t rejected the Witnesses testimonies. I view them as notoriously unreliable. Because they are. When the best evidence for something, is the least reliable form of evidence, then perhaps it’s worth treating that thing as not worthy of your time or money unless or until more reliable corroboration comes forward.

Let’s look at this way.
The best evidence for Bernie Madoff’s investment scheme was witness testimony. And there were more than 11 positive witnesses. What you are doing is the equivalent of telling people not to listen to Bernie’s detractors who say his witnesses aren’t reliable. Instead you’re encouraging them to invest in it simply on the basis of what those witnesses say. I’m guessing you’re not daft enough to invest in Bernie Madoff’s scheme on the basis of multiple positive witnesses testimonies. But maybe I’m wrong.

The reason Utah is the affinity fraud capital of the world is because Mormons have been conditioned to trust implicitly the most unreliable of evidence - what people they have been told to trust, say. And here you are promoting that same behaviour that has cost people their life’s savings.

Eye witnesses are notoriously unreliable (see Ponzi)
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eye witnesses.
Ergo
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is unreliable.

[Marcus]

I realize that you have rejected the testimony of the Book of Mormon Witnesses. I'm not here to try and get you to investigate and rethink your conclusions. You have settled on your own path. I am interested in, as I have been throughout this thread, in providing information and links for others to investigate and determine for themselves whether or not the Book of Mormon Witnesses are reliable or not.

It's wonderful that we have a board where various viewpoints, opinions, and informational sources can be given.

Here is another source:

https://bookofmormoncentral.org/

Search: Book of Mormon Witnesses

Regards,
MG

I note that your additional sources are also not independent...

Nor are they factually based, scientifically accurate, or realistic. That site promotes drivel. But, having mg send lurkers there will certainly have an effect. Not the one he is hoping for, however.

[MG 2.0]

I realize that you have rejected the testimony of the Book of Mormon Witnesses. I'm not here to try and get you to investigate and rethink your conclusions. You have settled on your own path. I am interested in, as I have been throughout this thread, in providing information and links for others to investigate and determine for themselves whether or not the Book of Mormon Witnesses are reliable or not.

It's wonderful that we have a board where various viewpoints, opinions, and informational sources can be given.

Here is another source:

https://bookofmormoncentral.org/

Search: Book of Mormon Witnesses

Regards,
MG

Let’s look at this way.

Did your way lead you towards faith or away from faith?

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

Let’s look at this way.

Did your way lead you towards faith or away from faith?

Regards,
MG

Why have you snipped my comments? You’ve been told to stop doing that, multiple times. Stop doing it.

[MG 2.0]

Did your way lead you towards faith or away from faith?

Regards,
MG

Why have you snipped my comments? You’ve been told to stop doing that, multiple times. Stop doing it.

No.

You snip and cut. You use ellipses.

Pot calling kettle?

It's obvious that your way took you away from faith. I made a conscious decision years ago that this is not where I wanted to go.

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

Why have you snipped my comments? You’ve been told to stop doing that, multiple times. Stop doing it.

No.

You snip and cut. You use ellipses.

Pot calling kettle?

It's obvious that your way took you away from faith. I made a conscious decision years ago that this is not where I wanted to go.

Regards,
MG

Here’s what you snipped:

Let’s look at this way.
The best evidence for Bernie Madoff’s investment scheme was witness testimony. And there were more than 11 positive witnesses. What you are doing is the equivalent of telling people not to listen to Bernie’s detractors who say his witnesses aren’t reliable. Instead you’re encouraging them to invest in it simply on the basis of what those witnesses say. I’m guessing you’re not daft enough to invest in Bernie Madoff’s scheme on the basis of multiple positive witnesses testimonies. But maybe I’m wrong.

The reason Utah is the affinity fraud capital of the world is because Mormons have been conditioned to trust implicitly the most unreliable of evidence - what people they have been told to trust, say. And here you are promoting that same behaviour that has cost people their life’s savings.

Eye witnesses are notoriously unreliable (see Ponzi)
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eye witnesses.
Ergo
The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is unreliable.

Quote me properly in future.

[MG 2.0]

Quote me properly in future.

If I see everyone else is doing so I may consider it.

Same rules ought to apply to everyone.

Is it even a rule?

You said and posted what you wanted to. So did I.

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

I note that your additional sources are also not independent...

Nor are they factually based, scientifically accurate, or realistic. That site promotes drivel. But, having mg send lurkers there will certainly have an effect. Not the one he is hoping for, however.

That’s true