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As Mormons of the late 20th and early 21st century we live in an age surrounded by technology borne of scientific inquiry. Many Mormons go on to study in a variety of scientific disciplines (at least enough to staff a few universities) though depending on an individual’s particular upbringing some feel that science is a scary place that will rob you of your faith. In this series we talk with Mormon scientists about their study of the natural world and how that study has affected their belief in God. Dr. J Ward Moody, who is a professor of Astronomy at BYU, is the first of this series to talk with the Rational Faiths Podcast. In our discussion he tells us how he came to be fascinated by the stars and teaches us the Big Bang Theory (of which he has no doubts about it’s validity in describing the origin’s of our universe).
For a discussion on the age of the earth click here
Did he actually say that some General Authority said the Book of Mormon “was never meant to be historical”??
The point of the quote as I remember it was not that the Book of Mormon is not History. This was not being challenged in the talk. He was arguing that Nephi’s writings were not meant to be a historical report, but instead a spiritual one. Let me find the link for you. I could be remembering it wrong.
Brian is right in interpreting what I said. Chapter 6 of 1 Nephi could also give you that impression. I quickly looked for the talk, but it was probably from 5 or more years ago, and I am not in the mood to look through all of that. However I don’t think it is controversial to share the idea that the value of the BOM is not necessarily its historical value (which most will take as a given), but it is instead the spiritual impact that it can have on one’s life. I hope I did not make it sound like the GA was promoting a model that stated the BOM was not history, but instead that he did not see history as being the point of the book.
I found it!!!
“How often we read the record primarily as a history of a fallen people, failing to remember that it was compiled by inspired prophets for the purpose of helping us come unto Christ. The major writers of the Book of Mormon did not intend it to be a history book at all. In fact, Jacob said that his brother Nephi commanded him that he “should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people”
L. Tom Perry – (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/10/blessings-resulting-from-reading-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng)
…and wow, that was from about 10 years ago…
I’m guessing the message was that the BOM is not meant to be a history book/lesson or a science book, which depending on how you read chapter 9 of 1st Nephi could be the case.