This paper investigates the relation between the attitudes of mormons toward modern 1ews and the belie in the unique mormon doctrine of. Kramer explores how the signature book of latterday saint scripture confronts historic christian antisemitism. You cant be openly racist, sexist, or anti semitic in america. Kramer shows how the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament by approaching this most christian of books on its own turf and on its own terms. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. Very soon after fleeing jerusalem, lehi is described as dwelling in a tent 1 ne. Kramer shows how the book of mormon counters anti semitism in the new testament by approaching this. For example, critics of mormonism have shown convincing proof that the book of mormon is a synthesis of earlier works written by other men, of the vivid imaginings of joseph smith, and of plagiarisms from the king james bible. Roberts, a president of the seventy and one of the foremost mormon scholars of the early twentieth century, elaborated. With antisemitism on the rise again, there are steps. Mormon anti semitism which makes one wonder why rep.
Sami hanna on semitic uniqueness and the book of mormon. Was anyone else bothered by the book of mormon anti semitism. Theres a lot more to say on this subject, but my examples should suffice to reassure new readers of the book of mormon that there is no antisemitic theme in the book. Oct 18, 2011 you cant be openly racist, sexist, or antisemitic in america. There is an old east semitic terminative adverbial ending, um, which acts like the prepositions at, in, and indicates location. According to kramer, the book of mormon counters antisemitic elements in the new testament not by avoiding, altering, reimagining, or rejecting its most problematic passages but by joining with the new testament and by adding to an expanded canon a multitude of projewish elements. How the book of mormon counters antisemitism, with bradley j. Book of mormon poetry, on the other hand, is cumulative. Has the book of mormon been of great worth to the jews and.
Does the name alma challenge the historicity of the book of. So a more complete answer would be that pre1950s the church was very anti semetic. The facsimiles and semitic adaptation of existing sources. The mormon church and its members generally feel the same way with the added doctrine that mormons are adopted into the house of israel the 12 tribes, not the country. Against this background, its remarkable, even startling, that the book of mormon, published in 1830, expressly condemns antisemitism so far as im aware, the only scriptural text, from any tradition, that does so. Was anyone else bothered by the book of mormon antisemitism.
Thus adopting the name anti nephilehi was a way of symbolizing their own rebellion against traditional lamanite ways, or becoming anti lamanite. Kramer shows how the book of mormon counters anti semitism in the new testament by approaching this most christian of books on its own turf and on its own terms. Historian dan vogel notes that in the book of mormon, the land of lehinephi was a region where limhis people had been kept captive before rebelling and escaping. Book of mormon archives latterday saint perspectives. Far from being anti semitic, the book of mormon is actually philo semitic, projewish. Mormon antisemitism just scripture or reality as well. This is a timely book and an excellent companion to one of my other favorite books, beholding the tree of life also written by this author, bradley j. Latterday saint descriptions of the historical background to the joseph smith papyri sometimes set the stage with an account of napoleons invasion of egypt in 1798. When i am at home, i will only enter a synagogue for the bar or bat mitzvah of a friends child, or in order to have a debate with the faithful. One of the favorite arguments deployed against the claims of the restoration involves the book of mormon proper name alma, which belongs to two of the book s most significant characters.
While our eye may move from the foundation level to the spires of the temple, we also see it as a whole. Book of mormon expressly condemns antisemitism deseret news. In the late 1960s, a young latterday saint discovered that an ancient form of middle eastern poetry was found throughout the book of mormon, suggestive of its ancient semitic origins. Mormons still baptizing dead jews despite agreements to. Willes center for book of mormon studies book of mormon onomasticon. Joseph smith preaches book of mormon to cousin lemuel some further discussion in the following overview, i will go through the book of mormon, and present some theories which link the history provided there, to what i perceive to have been a viking invasion c. The mormon study used a questionnaire and a theo retical model. It is a sad reality that anti semitism, or hostility, prejudice, suspicion, and violence towards jews, still rears its ugly head in modern society.
In the fourth issue of marvels relaunched amazing spider man comic, artist ryan ottley included a reference to an antimormon book. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church. Layton, archaic features of canaanite personal names in the hebrew bible, harvard semitic monographs 47 atlanta, ga. Ever since the romans sacked jerusalem in 70 ad, jews have been a hiss and a byword of the nations. January 8, 2020dan peterson patheosexplore the worlds faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality. As such, mormons regard jews as a covenant people of god and hold them in high esteem. With anti semitism on the rise again, there are steps everyone can take to counter it october 25, 2019 8. A memoir of an american faith free press, joanna brooks recalls. Its not and i would discourage anyone from thinking that it is. Since the holocaust, a growing consensus of biblical scholars have come to recognize the unfair and misleading anti semitic rhetoric in the new testamentlanguage that has arguably contributed to centuries of violence and persecution against the jewish people. Anyway long story short, i suspect that becks mormonism has more than a little to do with his anti semitism, especially illustrated in his idolatrous worship of fellow mormon and pronazi anti semite w. According to kramer, the book of mormon counters anti semitic elements in the new testament not by avoiding, altering, reimagining, or rejecting its most problematic passages but by joining with the new testament and by adding to an expanded canon a multitude of projewish elements.
Oct 21, 2015 the book of mormon contains an account of this visit, including the very words spoken by jesus. How the book of mormon counters anti semitism in the new testament. The bible, says the lord to nephi, shall proceed forth from the jews, mine ancient covenant people. Book of mormonlanguagereformed egyptian fairmormon. The author does not consider the new testament to be uninspired nor anything less than essential to those who adhere to. Part 2how the book of mormon counters antisemitism with bradley j. So, in numerous public presentations and perhaps elsewhere, i countered with evidence that alma is, in fact, a demonstrably ancient semitic masculine personal name.
Since the holocaust, a growing consensus of biblical scholars have come to recognize the unfair and misleading antisemitic rhetoric in the new testamentlanguage that has arguably contributed to centuries of violence and persecution against the. Quinn demonstrates different links between smiths prophecies and the book, traditions of the jews, written by the antisemite johann andreas eisenmenger that was translated from german into english in the 18 th century. Why is the book of mormon the most criticized book in. However, it contains a specific condemnation of antisemitism. A new approach to studying the book of mormon with bradley j.
By the 19th century, hope of a return to palestine was fading among many jews. The theme is described in the title, gathered in one how the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament. Maybe a white house run by mitt romney or jon huntsman will shine enough light on. I am one of the very few jews who has even read the book of mormon at least part of it, its not very engaging as a text. Simply by adding these portrayals to the christian canon and by placing them in larger contexts, the book of mormon effectively affirms the overall goodness of jews, and confirms their ongoing place in gods covenant pp.
Utahs politicians are wildly philo semitic and proisrael. The book of mormon shall stand as a testimony against the world, ether 5. One big thing that broke my shelf was seeing how anti semitic the book of mormon was when i actually studied it on my mission. Kramer, gathered in one how the book of mormon counters. Oct 18, 2019 a continual stream of similar elements in the book of mormon unite to sweep away antisemitic sentiments. When he was told that the book of mormon was translated from the ancient egyptian or modified hebrew type of hieroglyphic into the english language by the prophet joseph smith, he became even more engrossed, for this was his native language and he knows much about the other semitic languages as well as the modern languages. Ricks, jewish and other semitic texts written in egyptian characters, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. It might be the funniest thing in the world to me when someone tells me with absolute certainty that the book of mormon isnt true after having admitted never actually reading the book themselves. How the book of mormon counters antisemitism, and etc. Nelson general sunday school presidency 1976 disclaimer elder nelson has mentioned sami hanna in several talks. Semitic texts written in egyptian characters we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed egyptian. Despite its paternalistic expressions of concern for the welfare of the jewish people, and despite its obvious borrowings from biblical judaism, mormonism is basically an antisemitic religion. A note on the name judah and antisemitism bowen, matthew l what thank they the jews.
And mormon support for the jews is further demonstrated in a famous episode from early latterday saint history. Therefore, book of mormon scholars look for evidence of the book of mormon s ancient hebrew origins by identifying phrases or expressions which are not typical for an english speaker of joseph smiths day which may reflect a direct translation of the underlying semitic style language of the book of mormon. This paper investigates the relation between the attitudes of mormons toward modern jews and the belief in the unique mormon doctrine of semitic identification, which holds that mormons and jews literally have the same ethnic origin. Marvel has removed the reference from the digital edition of.
Semitic texts written in egyptian characters book of mormon. The mormons liken the jews pilgrimage through the desert to their own trek to reach salt lake city, and peterson said anti semitism is specifically warned against in the book of mormon. Mckay found it uproariously funny and patently ridiculous that two supposedly ancient and more or less semitic men bore what everybody knew to be a womans name with a latin. Oct 23, 2017 utahs politicians are wildly philosemitic and proisrael. I believe in jesus christ as my savior and redeemer. Maybe a white house run by mitt romney or jon huntsman will shine enough light on actual mormons to. Does the name alma challenge the historicity of the book. How the book of mormon counters anti semitism in the new testament by bradley j.
The book of mormon, part of the scripture of latterday saints, on its title page states that its purpose is the convincing of the jew and the gentile that jesus is the christ. Sep 01, 2011 against this background, its remarkable, even startling, that the book of mormon, published in 1830, expressly condemns antisemitism so far as im aware, the only scriptural text, from any tradition, that does so. I know everyone talks about the racism towards native americans, but was anyone else bothered by the anti semitic things in the book of mormon. Marvel is removing a reference to an antimormon book from. So a more complete answer would be that pre1950s the church was very antisemetic. Hebraisms that could have been known to joseph smith may still be authentic, and may still enhance our appreciation of the text, but they are.
Hanna learned during his translation of the book of mormon into arabic is accurate and verifiable. Mauss utah state university this paper investigates the relation between the attitudes of mormons toward modern jews and the belief in the unique mormon doctrine of semitic identification, which holds that mormons and jews literally have the same ethnic origin. Kramer shows how the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament by approaching this most christian of books. The book of mormon does indeed have authentic semitic constructions in it, but lds need to tread cautiously in establishing them. All the information mentioned in this talk regarding what mr. Book argues that book of mormon a response to anti. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, the largest church in mormonism, is philo semitic in. These new insights into the book of mormon celebrate the appreciation of religious diversity and counters the new testaments anti semitic tones without undermining its authority. How the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament contemporary studies in scripture kramer, bradley j. Jan 08, 2020 the book of mormon consequently demands a comprehensive, indepth literary approach. As with other forms of racial, religious, and class prejudice, antisemitism needs to be confronted and combated by members of the church of. Cleon skousen and his blueprint for christian theocracy, the five thousand year leap. Kramer, who has degrees from both the university of north carolina at chapel hill and brigham young university, provides a provocative argument in a new book published by greg kofford books, salt lake city.
Gathered in one how the bookof mormon counters anti semitism in the new testament, by bradley j. With the temple destroyed and jews scattered throughout the empire, there was not much hope for them to recover. Its unjust to say lds church is antisemitic deseret news. How kabbala shaped mormon faith haaretz israel news.
Kramerhorrified by the holocaust and fearful that the new testament, as it has been traditionally understood, may have contributed to this tragedy, christian scholars and ministers of all stripes have, in recent decades, proposed several, extratextual latterday saint blogs is a portal for mainstream. Top ten books the lds mormon church doesnt want you to. Civilizations of their magnitude and duration would be expected to leave extensive archaeological records. The name of the city may derive from the gold antion, the most valuable unit of nephite money. How the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament is sure to be a challenging read for some members of the church, but still provides a model for how to faithfully engage critical, controversial. In an entertaining new autobiography, the book of mormon girl. Gathered in one how the book of mormon counters anti semitism in the new testament greg kofford books, 2019.
Glock and rodney stark in their recent book, christian beliefs and antisemitism. It appears that this book taught smith that the hebrew word for god elohim is actually written in plural form, an. The criticisms of the book of mormon fall into several categories some of which are legitimate and some of which are not. How the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament by bradley j. The only bible that joseph smith relied on was the king james version. The largest and least legitimate of these concerns are theolo. These new insights into the book of mormon celebrate the appreciation of religious diversity and counters the new testaments antisemitic tones without undermining its authority. Since the holocaust, a growing consensus of biblical scholars have come to recognize the unfair and misleading antisemitic rhetoric in the new testamentlanguage that has arguably contributed to centuries of violence and persecution against the jewish people. I read it because i was curious and elder bob and elder jerry who came to my door both guys were about 20 years o. John gee, two notes on egyptian script, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. In 2009, the new york times reported that the states senior senator, orrin hatch, wears a mezuza around his neck and keeps a torah.
Jan 08, 2020 according to kramer, the book of mormon counters anti semitic elements in the new testament not by avoiding, altering, reimagining, or rejecting its most problematic passages but by joining with the new testament and by adding to an expanded canon a multitude of projewish elements. Mormonism, or the latter day saint movement, teaches that its adherents are either direct descendants of the house of israel or adopted into it. But the utah evangel wasnt the only antimormon publication to make polemical use of joseph smiths absurd mistake of naming two men alma. In this way, the book of mormon effectively detoxifies the new testament of its antisemitic poison without weakening its status as scripture and goes far in encouraging christians to relate to jews respectfully, not as enemies or opponents, but as allies, people of equal worth, importance, and value before god. The book of mormon contains an account of this visit, including the very words spoken by jesus.
New book explores how the book of mormon counters antisemitism. Kramer shows how the book of mormon counters antisemitism in the new testament by approaching this. A contemporary mormon view is that these civilizations rose and fell in mesoamerica. The general answer is that the jews were the last surviving known tribe the tribe of judah of the 12 tribes who were also known as the children of israel.