How many of you, I just watched and were moved by the film “The Blind Side.” This is the real story is about a rich family who becomes the guardian would seem to slow the African-American homeless boy named Michael. This is a beautiful story of dedication, love and support from family, and how those who love and believe in you can change the course of his life. Contrary to all expectations, this boy becomes successful in many ways – as a professional player in football. It was a feel good movie that teaches so many lessons. Perhaps the most significant return for me is when the character of Sandra Bullock’s – Michael’s new guardian, Lee Ann – her friends say, “You really changed my life,” and she answers without hesitation: “No, it changed mine. At this point my mind was flooded with memories. I thought of all those who were, who “changed” my family lives’: ethyl, Joan, Anna, Karen, Tami, Vicky, Robert, Sonya, Mark, Robin, Kenny, Virginia, and sister missionary. They were foster children, they were just people who needed a hand for any reason. One was an orphan, who my parents knew, would benefit by having a place to work, maintain employment, to feel needed and be loved. Another was a teenager, giving her parents a hard time, they went to my parents for advice. My parents are invited into his house for a few weeks, they treated him like the rest of us, a lot of work, play and love. It seems that this is the perfect remedy. Others lost their family, joining the church, my parents gave him a home until he was ready to move on. Some of them were members or friends who need homes, while their parents work abroad. One of them struggling on her mission to the Mormons, the mission president did not want to send her home, and therefore asked the parents in her house temporarily. My parents were concerned about the mission rules, with television, etc. mission president said that the least of his worries, he just wanted her to feel good about himself, and hoped it would do its job. She completed her mission with honor. In many of these cases could tell my parents: “Do you really changed his life.” As a daughter, watching my parents care and reach so many people, I say: “They changed mine.” I’ll tell you why. Again and again, my parents taught me by word and by action that we are here on earth to help as many people as we can – while welcoming the other in our house was only one way they showed me. They made it quite clear that we are working hard to earn money … help others. It was so easy. All that we have is a gift from God, for the benefit of others. These exercises gave me a lens that I now look at the world, my job, my association and my life. It was one of my all time favorite gifts from my parents. In the film, we see the happiness and success that came to the young man, because he loved. It was powerful, and I’ll comment on that next week. However, I was particularly moved by watching the family is enriched and connected to each other, reaching beyond itself. I knew firsthand experience and the lessons taught to these children – a gift that would change the course of his life. They too will have a new set of lenses through which they will look at the world. They are aware of the importance and joy of helping others in a very demanding, but life changing way. Recently I met a woman who had three brothers and sisters from the Ukraine, to add to her three children. To say that it is a problem is an understatement. They are still in early stages, and I am sure that most of what they heard, as they change the lives of these three children, because they saved them from a shelter. Down the road, when the sun shines brighter, and their burden easier, I think that this family will say: “They betrayed us.” I think her children are taught that life is not just about them and their needs and desires, but to appeal to others. They are bound together as a family to make this situation work. Of course, there are a lot of road bumps along the way, and even self-sacrifice has its price. However, to give their children a new lens is a great gift. For those who have accepted, encouraged, or simply held out his hand to other by engaging in their homes, you not only the blessing of their lives, but also give their children an eternal perspective. We can not be in a situation where we can bring another in our house. This lens can be given to children in other ways. I am sure that there are families this Christmas, who asked their children to sacrifice their Christmas gifts to give to those in greater need. Many parents take their children to provide a center for the homeless, while others take them to South America to build homes for those less fortunate. Working on local farms welfare, volunteering at a canning factory, cleaning the church buildings, to help neighbors who are elderly or in need – just a few of the ways that parents teach their children to see the world and their role in it differently. In the season of gifts, I can not imagine a greater gift that parents can give their children than the new lens, new prospects, new ways to experience such joy that lasts a lifetime. Just remember as you begin to give life, including the coverage that you are not only changing them, they change you.

Actually, the text of the book of Mormon does not mention the coin. Alma Chapter 11 mentions measuring system Nephites, with units of gold and silver related to varying amounts of grain, but the system seems to one of the standardized weights, rather than the coinage system. Recently added chapter heading to Alma-11 – are not part of the text and are not affiliated with the translation of Joseph Smith – says “Nephite coinage set forth.” This makes it unnecessary and possibly incorrect assumption about the meaning of the text.

If Joseph Smith had written the Book of Mormon, discussing the coins would be easy to make a mistake. Worse yet, he could have referred to paper money. But the system is described in which the units of precious metals associated with measures of grain, and the relationship between metal units can easily be understood as based on the weight, without a hint of minting coins.

Let it be known to all nations, tribes, languages, and the people to whom this work shall come: that we, by the grace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, saw plates, which contain this record, which record the people of Nephi and the Lamanites, their brothers, and the people of Jared, who came from the tower, which has said. And we also know that they were transferred to the gift and power of God, for his voice announced, he told us, what we do not know for certain that the work is true. And we testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates, and they showed us the power of God, not man. And we declare with words of soberness that an angel of God came down from heaven and he brought and laid before our eyes, what we saw and saw the plates and engravings on the subject, and we know that by the grace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we have seen and testify that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us, that we should have a record of it, therefore, obey the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments blood of all men, and find the perfect before the judgment-seat of Christ, and will live with him forever in heaven. And the honor of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, who is one God. Amen.

Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris

In addition to the three witnesses, nine people have either participated as the scribes and observed the process of translation, including Emma Smith, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer Cowdery, William Smith, Lucy Mack Smith, Michael Morse, Sarah Hellor Conrad, Isaac Hale, Reuben Hale, and Joseph Knight Senior (see Neal A. Maxwell, “the gift and power of God,” Ensign, Jan 1997, pp. 36-41). However, it is possible that some of them may have seen the plates directly.

Other people from nature were also shown the plates by Joseph Smith. Here is the testimony of the Group of 8 witnesses, testimony that has never been retracted:

This is not true that all witnesses to the Book of Mormon plates broke away from the Church. Some did – but even those who never denied his testimony in the Book of Mormon. As a member of the early days of the Church was very difficult and fraught with pain, sacrifice, and heartache, not all of which came from external persecution. People often have personal problems with strong leaders like Joseph Smith, and those with natural human pride can be easily offended. The same thing happened to Christ, as you remember: he said that many of them would be offended (Matthew 26:31), and John 6:61-66 says many of his disciples rejected it, apparently offended some of his teaching. Now, if the offended person continues to hold a story that adds credibility to someone he rejected, is not very impressive? This applies to Joseph Smith and the witnesses to the Book of Mormon.

Background:
After Joseph completed translation of gold plates, the angel Moroni showed the plate with three other men, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris. They are solemn testimony of what they experienced – testimony which was never retracted, and often confirmed, even after the pain of persecution and despite the subsequent personal apostasy from the Church:

One of the most profound features of the Book of Mormon is its clear and powerful discourse on the atonement of Christ clearly taught its necessity and its eternal, infinite nature as part of a divine plan of God, the principle of mercy, to spare the sinners of the demands of justice, the other divine. The tension between these opposing principles of divine solved the victim of sin, eternal life, which took me all over and the punishment of mankind, making intercession for us all to free us from our sins if we accept the covenant he suggests. In recent years, some authors claim that the Book of Mormon discussion mercy and justice derives from the modern theological developments for many centuries after biblical times. The balance between justice and mercy, so beautifully described in the Book of Mormon, as argued by some to have first been discussed by Saint Anselm in the eleventh century AD, who reportedly introduced specific concepts that have been plagiarized in the book of Mormon. I am sure that the critics do not believe that Joseph Smith was a student of Anselm, but I think that the impact of the works of Anselm entered in the Book of Mormon through sermons and books are available for the Joseph of people such as Jonathan Edwards, Sr., prominent minister in the eighteenth century. With compassion, justice, and atonement were the subject of discussion in the modern era, the book of Mormon, some critics believe that these issues were introduced by Joseph Smith in “The Book of Mormon, the debate on the decision of its time. Some critics point to the short phrases like” justice of God ” are used as in the Book of Mormon, and some modern sermons, and conclude that plagiarism has not happened. There are many problems with these arguments. First, the critics do not recognize that the theological themes discussed in the modern era, were often the subject of investigation in the previous century, as well. North American and European scholars were not the first wonder and write about the “justice of God, or divine plan of God who offers mercy instead of justice, or huge, eternal nature of the Atonement. If you only read contemporary writings, it is easy to see many parallels between the Book of Mormon and modern texts, while there is not even very strong parallels with the ancient texts – including the Bible itself. (But below, we must also examine the writings of early Christians and the Dead Sea Scrolls, as further evidence that the ideas attributed to modern writers were really part of the ancient world.) Secondly, critics suggest that the existence of parallels equates to a conclusion or plagiarism with a view of how often involve discussions can address similar themes and use similar language. Homeless, as two parallel texts and the writing of “justice of God” means nothing – in other words, what would one use to refer to its validity? Numerous short Parallels can happen by accident. In fact, I have shown more convincing parallels – the chance of parallels – between the two texts is obviously not related, 1830 Book of Mormon and the 1855 Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass than any critic claimed to find between the Book of Mormon or any other contemporary sources, Joseph Smith allegedly plagiarized (Ethan Smith, James Adair, Shakespeare, George Washington, Jonathan Edwards, etc., etc.). My arguments are presented as tongue-in-cheek anti-Mormon work on my page, “was the book of Mormon Plagiarized from Walt Whitman leaves of grass?” If someone can provide a strong parallels and more critical mass than what had been an accident between the two texts are not related, how can we take seriously the claims of plagiarism? I can understand why some suggest that the discussion of mercy in the Book of Mormon must be obtained from contemporary sources. Many people today assume that the main elements of the gospel of Christ, such as forgiveness, mercy, redemption, baptism, resurrection from the dead, and the gifts of the Spirit were unknown on Earth until the coming of Christ. Thus, when they read passages from the Book of Mormon, that talk about such concepts before the Christian era Christ, they find implausible. Most modern Christians were taught that the gospel was not on earth until Christ has brought. But this assumption is incorrect. In Galatians 3:8, Paul wrote that Abraham had the gospel: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preaching the gospel to Abraham: In thee all nations be blessed. Moreover, in Epistle to the Hebrews 4:2, Paul indicates that he preached in the ancient house of Israel, but without success: For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as to them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in the hearers. The diversity of early church fathers wrote about the fact that the Gospels were ancient long before the coming of Christ. Ignatius, in his “Letter to the Magnesians (Apostolic Fathers, 2 nd ed., Translated by JB Lightfoot and JR Harmer, ed. And Rev. In MW Holmes, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989, p. 94) , wrote about the “pious prophets” who “live according to Jesus Christ … Inspired by his grace to those who can be naughty convinced that there is one God who has revealed himself through Jesus Christ, His Son, who is his word that came out of silence, which in all respects a pleasant one who sent him “(8:2, Ibid., p. 95). In the next paragraph, he states that “even the prophets who were his disciples in the Spirit, expected [Jesus Christ] as their teacher” (9:2, Ibid., P. 95). Interestingly, Ignatius argues that these prophets were resurrected Christ: “Because of this he, whom they rightly waited lifted them from the dead, when he came” (ibid.). Prophets of knowing about Christ and “be inspired by his grace” is inherent in the Book of Mormon, and in accordance with the agreement of Ignatius, but certainly not compatible with many critics of Book of Mormon – that will certainly be rejected as non-Christian cultist Ignatius for his very LDS-like and not Trinitarian beliefs about the nature of God and Christ. Eusebius also spoke of Christianity as the “first and most ancient of all religions, and he found these divine favored men between the ages of Abraham” (Ecclesiastical History of 1:4:10 in NPNF Series 2, 1:87-88, as indicated in Barry R. Bickmore, reconstruction of the Early Church (Ben Lomand, CA: Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, 1999), p. 188), is now available online at FAIRLDS.org. If modern Christians better understand such statements, they might be less shocked when the Dead Sea Scrolls have emerged, showing that many Christian concepts were among the ancient Jews. Baptism for the remission of sins, mercy, forgiveness, and many other concepts and practices of thought among the Jewish community of Qumran. Documents describing these practices have shaken many of the old ideas about Christianity, but not surprising for those who know the Book of Mormon. “Echoes of New Testament thought and phraseology is clear in the scrolls, especially those apocalyptic associations,” says Non-LDS scholar Bleddyn J. Roberts in the early evaluation of their content ( “Jerusalem Scrolls,” Zeitschrift für alttestamentliche Die Wissenschaft 62 (1950): 241 as indicated, Hugh Nibley, prophetic book of Mormon: New Approaches to the Book of Mormon studies, p. 76), an assessment, which has only been strengthened further decade of research. The presence of the new order Testament texts of the Christian era was one of the “mistakes” Joseph Smith, which has been most loudly ridiculed the critics, but now we know that these topics are older than previously thought. Later in this paper, we consider some additional contributions to the Dead Sea Scrolls, offers to our understanding of mercy and forgiveness of the Christian era. But first let’s examine the claim that Anselm and Edwards were influenced in the Book of Mormon.

Many people, including some ministers, have written eloquent articles encouraging toleration of homosexuality, often arguing that the Bible is relatively silent on the issue. In my community, for example, a well known minister has publicly stated that the Bible mentions only a few sexual sins and leaves plenty of room for embracing homosexuality. He and others have solidly condemned opponents of homosexuality as bigoted or even hateful.

While many specific sexual sins are mentioned only a few times if at all, a perceived silence on specifics cannot hush the clear voice of God on sexual morality. Christ and many of the prophets and apostles taught that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and that sex outside the bonds of marriage is wrong. In teaching sexual morality, Christ even went beyond the principles of the Mosaic Law, adding that even to lust after a woman (or, obviously, a man) is a sin.

The Biblical principles of sexual morality and the sanctity of the traditional family leave no room to condone homosexual activity. Furthermore, the Bible has specific condemnations of homosexual activity in the books of Genesis (the story of Sodom and Gomorra in chapters 18 and 19, for example), Leviticus (see Lev. 18:22; 20:13), Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Kings (”sodomites”), Romans (esp. chapter 1), 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 6:9-11), 1 Timothy, and Jude. Negative references to Sodom were also made by many other writers and by Christ. I believe that the Bible clearly shows that homosexual activity was understood to be a serious sin by its inspired authors. It is still a sin today.

Here is a particularly clear example from the Bible, taken from Romans 1:24-32:

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

It is often assumed that anyone opposed to homosexual behavior is hateful. Those who teach hate are far from God – but hate is rarely the message when Christian ministers speak out against sin. For example, many ministers, including myself, strongly oppose alcoholism, yet we feel no hate for alcoholics and value them as brothers and sisters struggling with a heavy burden. Indeed, for a minister to condone alcohol abuse as just another lifestyle would be a grave disservice to his flock and to alcoholics in particular. Compassion is needed, for many alcoholics suffer greatly and feel that they have little choice in the matter. Ultimately, though, all of us can gain self-control over our bodies with the help of God. But the alcoholic must know that his or her behavior is wrong, regardless of mitigating factors. Fortunately, Christ does more than simply define what is right and wrong. Christ offers the power to change. His love leads to newness of life as we follow Him, empowered by His grace.

Some ministers feel they stand on higher moral ground by accepting the gay/lesbian lifestyle. However, they must understand that condoning sin does not liberate souls nor bring them to Christ. We love sinners most fully when we teach them the hope that Christ offers to overcome sin, including destructive sexual sins. As sons and daughters of God, we are happiest and most free when we follow Him, even when great personal sacrifices are required along that truly straight and narrow path.

For more information, see my new page “Homosexuality: Seeing Past the Propaganda.” This page exposes the myth that 10% of the population is homosexual (actually closer to 1% to 3%), refutes other myths of the politically correct crowd, and deals with logical reasons why homosexuality should not be condoned.