Elder Ballard responds to Qs about scientific proof of the BoM, etc.

[ute4ever]

This was forwarded to me, apparently he held a press interview this morning....

Is there scientific proof authenticating the Book of Mormon?

I don’t believe that’s how people will ever come to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I remember an experience that I had as mission president some years ago when I presided over the affairs of the Church in Eastern Canada. I met with about 30 different ministers of different religions and then I let them ask me questions and the very first question I was asked was by a fine minister who said, “Mr. Ballard, if you just give us the gold plates and let us see that they exist, then we would know that the Book of Mormon is true.” And I looked at him and I said, “Father, you know better than that. You’re a man of the cloth. You know that God has never revealed religious truth to the heart and soul of a man or a woman except by the power of the spirit. Now you could have those plates, you could turn the pages, you could look at it, you could hold it, and you wouldn’t know any more after that experience whether or not the book is true than you would have before. My question to you; have you ever read the Book of Mormon?” And he said, “No, I haven’t.” That’s how people will come to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is true. You will not get to know it by trying to prove it archeologically or by DNA or by anything else in my judgment. Just pick it up and read it and pray about it and you will come to know religious truth is always confirmed by what you feel and that’s the way Heavenly Father answers prayers.

More Q&A:

http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/ind...004e94610aRCRD

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

This was forwarded to me, apparently he held a press interview this morning....

Is there scientific proof authenticating the Book of Mormon?

I don’t believe that’s how people will ever come to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I remember an experience that I had as mission president some years ago when I presided over the affairs of the Church in Eastern Canada. I met with about 30 different ministers of different religions and then I let them ask me questions and the very first question I was asked was by a fine minister who said, “Mr. Ballard, if you just give us the gold plates and let us see that they exist, then we would know that the Book of Mormon is true.” And I looked at him and I said, “Father, you know better than that. You’re a man of the cloth. You know that God has never revealed religious truth to the heart and soul of a man or a woman except by the power of the spirit. Now you could have those plates, you could turn the pages, you could look at it, you could hold it, and you wouldn’t know any more after that experience whether or not the book is true than you would have before. My question to you; have you ever read the Book of Mormon?” And he said, “No, I haven’t.” That’s how people will come to know whether or not the Book of Mormon is true. You will not get to know it by trying to prove it archeologically or by DNA or by anything else in my judgment. Just pick it up and read it and pray about it and you will come to know religious truth is always confirmed by what you feel and that’s the way Heavenly Father answers prayers.

More Q&A:

http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/ind...004e94610aRCRD

I like these kind of interviews.

How do your beliefs differ from other Christians?
Three things that would separate us is that we believe in a restoration, that the fullness of the gospel, including the priesthood or the authority to act in the name of God on the earth, that that’s been restored. We believe there is additional scripture that has been given to answer more clearly life’s great questions. We would also have a, we have a belief of understanding that we’re the spirit sons and daughters of God, that we lived with him before we came here. That is very precious to us and our Father in Heaven is very real to us as literally our father, the father of our spirit and we seek to find our way back into His presence.

I would call these first two more administrative differences than doctrinal differences. The last one I would call a doctrinal difference, though if you asked 100 Christians about this doctrine, most would probably say they believe it.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by jay santos

I would call these first two more administrative differences than doctrinal differences. The last one I would call a doctrinal difference, though if you asked 100 Christians about this doctrine, most would probably say they believe it.

The first isn't administrative, it's authoritative.

How does an additional book of scripture equate to an administrative difference?

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

The first isn't administrative, it's authoritative.

How does an additional book of scripture equate to an administrative difference?

Speaking at a very 50,000 foot level, here. It's how God administers.

Living prophet, continuing revelation, and additional scriptures are not necessarily a doctrinal issue to me. It's a pragmatic issue on how God relates to us, not what he relates to us.