09-30-2007, 06:42 AM | #21 |
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The Book of Mormon's literary qualities are a worthy subject that's hardly been addressed.
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09-30-2007, 01:19 PM | #22 | |
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I look at the the BoM, and of course this story, as a parable. I couldn't care less about the literalness of it. It's a great and deep story. Laban is Nephi. The part of Nephi that is preventing Nephi from obtaining The Word (Christ). Laban is the natural man. You can't reason with your natural man (first attempt), or buy-off your natural man (be *really* obedient, etc), you have to do the most frightening thing possible, kill it, remove it's head. And he removed it with the cross (sword), the only way. Then Laban/Nephi (Nephi was both Laban and Nephi -he wore his clothes, spoke in his voice, but without only the menacing part of Laban), is easily able to just walk in and obtain the word (the Christ).
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09-30-2007, 03:01 PM | #23 | |
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Come on, even Mormons don't really think of the Book of Mormon as great literature.
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09-30-2007, 03:09 PM | #24 |
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In literary terms, it's average, but in terms of moral stories and parables, it's wonderful.
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09-30-2007, 07:03 PM | #25 | |
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I'm not sold on the idea that it's not a literal event, but still... interesting. |
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09-30-2007, 09:51 PM | #26 |
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I don't think you have to believe that it was not a literal event to appreciate the symbolism.
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09-30-2007, 09:55 PM | #27 |
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09-30-2007, 10:51 PM | #28 | |
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I was overcome with emotion as strongly reading scripture when I read le mis. I had just become a father when I read it, and it made a huge impact on how I approached my responsibility. And that was a totally made up story. Reading is much more fun it doesn't have to be literal.
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09-30-2007, 11:06 PM | #29 | |
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Les Miserable is truly a marvelous work on Redemption, a finer work may not exist.
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09-30-2007, 11:36 PM | #30 |
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The part we're missing here is the benefit to Nephi. Could God have gotten the plates to Lehi some other way? Of course. But the story is about Nephi's willingness to obey, not just the obtaining of the plates. God didn't have to tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac either.
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