Christmas Book Citations Ezra Taft Benson

View point is teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints viewpoint when Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism in the 1968 presidential election.

Who did Gov. George Wallace asked to be his vice president.

Welcome to this additional viewpoint on Mormonism on your host, Bill McKeever, founder director Mormonism research ministry and with me today is Eric Johnson.

My colleague at our M Gov. George Wallace asked Ezra Taft Benson to be his vice president in the 1968 election. He did not accept that nomination and George Wallace ended up not winning that election either.

He ran as an American American Independent party candidate. But today were going to talk about Ezra Taft Benson's book, sermons and writings of Ezra Taft Benson now we don't know who compiled this book, there is no credit given. But it was given as a Christmas gift in 2003 by the first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Today were going to be looking at some of the things that Ezra Taft Benson had to say in this book and I guess you would probably agree Eric that one of the topics that Ezra Taft Benson seem to address the most outside of political topics because he was the secretary of agriculture under Eisenhower in both terms I might add, but the topic that he loved to talk about seem to be the book of Mormon so were going to look at some of the things that he had to say about the book of Mormon that are found in sermons and writings of Ezra Taft Benson on page 53. He said the most singular evidence in support of Joseph Smith's claim to being a spokesman for Almighty God, was the publication of a scriptural record.

The book of Mormon is a little slow circular to you. I mean, I've often brought this up to Latter Day Saints that many times they will embrace Joseph Smith as a prophet of God and one of the reasons they will do.

That is, they say it's because he brought forth the book of Mormon. Well why would you embrace the book of Mormon. Well, it was brought forth by a prophet of God's very circular but Benson doesn't stop with a quote like this. He goes on to say something else that sounds very circular on page 100 he said. Excluding the witnesses to the book of Mormon, the doctrine and covenants is by far the greatest external witness and evidence which we have from the Lord at the book of Mormon is true at least 13 sections in the doctrine and covenants give us confirming knowledge and divine witness that the book of Mormon is the word of God and then he lists the 13 different references so we know the book of Mormon is the word of God. Why because the doctrine and covenants says it is, folks, that's not very good evidence, especially if you find that the doctrine and covenants is not a trustworthy source of information, which, of course, we wouldn't think it would be since it contains many of the revelations allegedly given to Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon movement. Of course you have to again embrace Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, to give the doctrine and covenants any value whatsoever, but I can understand why this may be important to a Latter Day Saints who tends to already embrace the package. Joseph Smith is a prophet. The book of Mormon as being a word of God and also the doctrine and covenants is being revelations from God. When would you say that a person who says that they prayed about the book of Mormon. They've had a testimony that it is true. Therefore, the book of Mormon is true, isn't that sort of a circular reasoning argument as well. If nothing else, it's certainly very subjective and I would say that that kind of reasoning is very suspect.

We don't normally place a lot of emphasis on subjective feelings and that is exactly what Mormons are doing in that particular case there taking of course Moron I Tim. Four out of the book of Mormon, accepting what Moron I Tim. Four has to say is being true because it's found in the book of Mormon and again you can see another case of circular reasoning. We have to embrace Moron I Tim four is being a truth claim because it's found in the book of Mormon which they claim to be an ancient Scripture.

But what if the Latter Day Saints complains that you don't have enough faith. Don't you believe in prayer to be able to understand that God wants you to believe in this book, and that the more message is true, what would be something that you would say you need in order to believe in the book of Mormon, rather than just praying this prayer and getting a good feeling about it all.

I think one of the things that we talked about several times in the show as if the book of Mormon is really talking about real people, real places and real events. Don't you think there would be some evidence to support that claim.

Given the fact that the book of Mormon itself talks about not just a very small group of people, but a huge civilization of people in huge cities. It gives us all these details but yet we don't find any evidence in any archaeological finds, except maybe the surmise scenes of some Mormons who think that perhaps down in Central America.

The buildings that we know are attributed to the Mayans or the Aztecs. Mormons of course will say will those are ancient book of Mormon people's will. Again, there's no evidence to really support that they have to assume that to be true. We know enough about the people groups in Central America to know that they did not seem to believe or practice like the book of Mormon people believed and practiced so there's a lot of assumptions that an individual has to make in order to draw the conclusion that the book of Mormon is somehow really talking about real people, real places in real events.

If in fact it is, why is it that the museum across from Temple Square contains no artifacts from these places that would verify the book of Mormon narrative. I think the answer that a lot of Latter Day Saints are going to respond with when you asked them what evidence you have that the book of Mormon is true is they don't really have anything specific and I don't think Ezra Taft Benson had anything specific to be able to give because, listen to this citation that he gives on page 101 the following page from the quote we just read. He said we are not required to prove that the book of Mormon is true or is an authentic record through external evidences.

Though there are many, it never has been the case, or is it so now that the studies of the learned will prove the book of Mormon.

True or false the origin, preparations translation and verification of the truth of the book of Mormon have all been retained in the hands of the Lord and the Lord makes no mistakes.

You can be assured of that again.

Sound like another case of circular reasoning-is tends to show me that. But here's here's the problem that I have when he says we are not required to prove that the book of Mormon is true or is an authentic record through external evidences. Though there are many what are the many. I think it would help if is her Taft Benson could give us a list of all these many external evidences. No, it's not that there aren't Latter Day Saints scholars who try to defend the authenticity of the book of Mormon by saying that there are external evidences. Even though Benson is say we don't need to do that.

Why don't you have to do that will according to Ezra Taft Benson. The reason why external evidence is not necessary is because we have internal evidence we have that subjective feeling as an answer to our prayer when we pray, whether or not this message is true. The Lord himself is going to confirm it to us will what you do with so many other religious people throughout the world who have a similar kind of confirmation to the religious books that they hold to if I was to go into a Latter Day Saints ins merely say to them, will I know the Bible is true basically because I prayed about it and therefore whatever you believe, that contradicts the Bible must not be true don't normally jump in line with that kind of reasoning don't want us to prove it to them. Okay, I'm willing to do that if you're going to say that your faith really has its genesis from the Bible with St. James 15 if any of you lack wisdom, and that's the Bible verse that Joseph Smith claimed that he went to in order to pray as to which church is true according to the 1838 account of the first vision. If in fact that verse is believable, then why wouldn't other verses in the Bible be believable as well. If Joseph Smith went to James 15 and felt that that verse was true, whatever test he used to determine the truth of that verse. Shouldn't that same kind of test be applicable to all the other verses as well so I think that we can go beyond merely saying we know the Bible is true because we believe it with what I would call a reasonable faith, not a blind faith as I feel many Latter Day Saints have when it comes to the authenticity of the book of Mormon. I think he lists the reasons why he believes the book of Mormon is true in the middle of that quote. He says the origin preparations. Translation and verification of the truth of the book of Mormon have all been retained in the hands of the Lord. But when you look at those four aspects of the book of Mormon. For instance, bill the origin of the book of Mormon. Here's a book that supposedly was compiled by Moron I and I written down on gold plates buried in New York and then Joseph Smith is able to get these plates supposedly in 1827 and then he has the ability as it says here to translate those plates. We see a lot of problems in the origin, the preparations, the translation using a seer stone and a hat to be able to understand what those words meant not even having to have the plates and the verification of the truth of the book of Mormon is left up to the individual Moron. I 10 for as you mentioned earlier you're supposed to pray about it and you're supposed to get this overwhelming feeling that it is true that this doesn't seem to coincide with history or reality that this is a real historical book rather than just a fictional book you mentioned Moron I 10 for it also doesn't seem to explain why so many thousands. We assume have prayed regarding the truthfulness of the book of Mormon.

According Moron I 10 for because that's how they're guided by the missionaries. Nowadays, why is that many who have done that and not felt that the book of Mormon was the word of God. Why are those feelings just summarily rejected. Close because it doesn't fit into the story. That's why that doesn't push the narrative. So obviously, those feelings are not to be taken seriously were only going to take seriously the ones who get the answer that they want you to have a book that he really enjoys is the miracle of forgiveness. He cites it more than any other book in this compilation. I like the miracle of forgiveness because I think that Spencer W. Kimball was very brutally honest, using his own unique LDS scripture to support the idea of what a person has to do to get forgiveness. And that's being obedient to the commandments of the church listen to what Benson says about this book on page 250. He says in clearing our channels and keeping them clear, we would admonish all of you to read and reread Pres. Spencer W. Kimball's book the miracle of forgiveness. The sooner you can read it.

The greater blessing it will be for you. Other could have been some camaraderie there because Ezra Taft Benson and Spencer W.

Kimball became apostles the same day they were both given that position out the reason that Spencer Kimball was mentioned before Ezra Taft Benson, his wife Spencer Kimball was the 12th president of the church and Benson became the 13th president of the church after Spencer Kimball died. That's just how it works in Mormonism doesn't work that way in the Bible so that's really not a restoration as to how they choose these people, but that's the way it happened. At least with Benson and Kimball. But you're right. He does have a lot of very glowing things to say about the miracle of forgiveness and I think in much of his writings. He was very consistent with many of the teachings that Kimball brought forth in that book. So if you're Latter Day Saints, and you don't like the miracle of forgiveness and we've had Mormons tell us they don't like the miracle of forgiveness. You might ask yourself, do you know more than the 13th president of your church because he seemed to be quite enamored with what Spencer Kimball had to say in that book. Thank you for listening you would like more information regarding his research ministry. We encourage you to visit our website www.mrm.org you can request a free newsletter Mormonism research. We hope you will join us again as we look at another viewpoint is