I'm reading National Geographic's October article of an excavation of a sacred pyramid in Mexico, and I don't find a single indication or clue that these people had any knowledge or history of what happened in the Book of Mormon. Nothing. I'm trying to read with an open mind--with real intent, but absolutely nothing pops out as having anything to do with "the old world"--not in their artifacts, not in the writings that were stored there, not in the history of their leaders.

I think it was learning about the DNA testing, and reading Larsen's "By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus" that really released me from the chains that bound me to the Mormon church.

Polygamy, Blacks and the Priesthood, Woman denied leadership, Gay hate---for all of these troublesome doctrines, I was able to chalk it up to "the times" Even though they bothered me (greatly), I could think that the church just hadn't caught up to modern thinking.

For a long time I could stick with the church, even though these things were becoming more repulsive to me by the day. But, how can you argue about DNA, and the church which itself admits that the Book of Abraham was made up--or "inspired by being close to the funeral scrolls."

This is the news that needs to get out. I wish I'd had courage enough to send a copy of Larsen's book to every one of my relatives for Christmas. Maybe it would get them thinking.

Here are some links to learn more. The Aztec happened after the Book of Mormon stories came to an end.

http://www.famsi.org/research/pohl/index.html

http://www.famsi.org/cgi-bin/print_friendly_all.pl?path=famsi.org/research/pohl/&file=pohl_aztec1.html&file=pohl_aztec2.html&file=pohl_aztec3.html&file=pohl_aztec4.html&file=pohl_aztec5.html&file=pohl_aztec6.html

The bottom link's info was fascinating to read. Thank you!

No! Never! Not ever! And neither were any other Native American people prior to Joseph Smith inventing Mormonism in 1830. Neither Mormonism nor anything resembling Mormonism existed anywhere prior to Joseph Smith. Mormonism is a modern invention and bears little similarity to any religion other than Protestantism from which it evolved.

Actually, Mormonism has some striking similarities with the more radical forms of Islam. But that of course both religions were started by con men who always received convenient revelations that always seemed to help them personally at the expense of everyone else.

Aztecs cut out your physical heart; mormons cut out your spiritual heart.

At least the Aztecs were probably quick about it, and they probably didn't guilt you about not paying a full tithe. Nor were their church meetings probably ever boring.

Not a bad couplet, but I think a closer analogy for Mormonism is that it parasitizes your heart, wraps around it like a vine, supported, nourished, by it. Ripping the vine away, strand by strand takes time and leaves marks, indentations, evidence of shrinkage, stuntedness, lack of growth. In time, with the vine gone, cut away, and with exercise and a good diet--a good soil, a good environment, good friends, love, laughter, catharses, new "spiritual," emotional, enlightening experiences away from the dead hand of Mormonism--your heart heals and is strong again, fully you and fully alive.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2011 10:17AM by derrida.

Every single one.