Aritcles of Faith number 8 part 2

I would like to focus on what the second half of the Articles of faith number 8 says.

Number 8 says:
" We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."

In part one, we covered the first half. Today, we will cover the second half. In all honesty, the second half should say, "We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly."

There was a time in the Mormon church that they denied there were problems with the BoM. But now, we know there are around 4,000 changes to the BoM. LDS members will try and say, "This is no big deal, they are minor changes." There are doctrinal changes which are not minor. But even the minor changes are still changes. So because there are changes that have been made, this means it also was not translated correctly.

Here are a few examples of major doctrinal change.

Here we read in the original 1830 edition:
1st Nephi 11:21 "And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Eternal Father."

Now look at the 1920 Edition:
1st Nephi 11:21 "And the angel said unto me: behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!"

The words "Son of the" were added. this really changes the meaning. We go from reading the trinity to three separate Gods here.


Read 1 Nephi 11:32 in the 1830 edition:
"And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the everlasting God, was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record."


1Nephi 11:32 in the 1920 edition:
"And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record."

Notice again, the words "the son of the" were added. Again we go from Jesus Son of God being the eternal God, the trinity, versus many gods.

Here is another very serious change.

1st Nephi 13:40 in the 1830 edition:
"And shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Saviour of the world; and that all men must come unto Him, or they cannot be saved."

1st Nephi 13:40 in the 1920 edition:
"And shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved."

Again, the words "is the Son of" are added.
We read in the book, History of the Church Vol 4 pg 461, Joseph Smith said, "I told the Brethren That the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on the earth." So much for the most correct book of any, if there are 4,000 changes to it.

We read in Doctrine and Covenants 17:6 "And he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true."

God told Joseph Smith to translate the BoM, so if it was done by the Lord's power, why was there even one single change? Another reason why even one single change made in the BoM means major problems is this:

We read From David Whitmer's An Address to All Believers in Christ:

QUOTE
"I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man."

If, for example, Joseph Smith said to Oliver, "Letter B," and Oliver wrote down the letter D instead of the letter B as Joseph said, then the letter B would remain; only after Oliver wrote it down correctly would the letter disappear. So there could not have been one single change in the BoM.

I do not think the BoM was translated correctly, therefore, the Articles of Faith should be correctly worded, "In so far as the Book Of Mormon is translated correctly."