In Joseph Smith's version of the Book of Mormon that I use, it says this:
. . . if the time should come that the voice of this people should cause iniquity . . . they would be ripe for destruction . . . .
In the present Latter-day Saint (Mormon) version of the Book of Mormon, the same verse says this:
. . . if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity . . . they would be ripe for destruction . . . .
It seems to me there is an important difference between causing iniquity and choosing it.
Choosing it, to me, implies that a choice is laid before you. Do you want this or this? Whereas causing implies, to me, creating it. "Hey, I've got this great idea! Let's punish the homeless and forbid begging." or "We really should enact more laws to take away people's choices. They're too stupid to know how to make their own decisions." or something else that the "voice of the people" came up with.
Update 12/2/2018 after 1:30 p.m.
The comments spurred me to do research when I had time to get on my computer, however, the two scriptures posted above (and linked) do say what I said they said (can be verified by clicking on the links). I double checked when I wrote the post, then checked again when comments said all of the editions of the Book of Mormon said "choose".
I searched an online 1830 Book of Mormon and discovered that it did, indeed, say "choose". This is the link to the book. You'll have to do your own search in it because it's a pdf, not a web page. Also, here is a link to a pdf of textual changes made to the Book of Mormon and the change I noticed is not in there. And here is a link to an 1840 copy of the Book of Mormon (left page, upper third of the page). It, also, says "choose". Now, I am thinking that the change was one of the few changes Denver Snuffer made (with permission or at the direction of the Lord, as I understand that the changes he did make were not his own desires). If the change was made by Denver at the Lord's direction, I still hold that the change is from God, and it definitely gives a clearer view of what the scriptures were trying to convey.
Useful links:
Scriptures Project - errors
Scriptures Project - Tracking Changes
(Posted March 2018) Scriptures Completed
Several years ago an emeritus Seventy emphatically stated in our priesthood quorum meeting, "You can't ask for volunteers, you have to make assignments. You know you can only go so far with free agency!" Pretty much explains everything to me.
ReplyDeleteWow! Sounds like an organization to run from.
ReplyDeleteChoose is used in the first and latest edition of the BOM. What are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteI'm talking about the latest edition made when Joseph was still alive. Each quote I wrote has a link embedded in the words above it. If you click on those they will take you to the scriptures quoted.
ReplyDeleteA group of people combed through manuscripts, as well as things that Joseph Smith said about the scriptures, and came up with the most accurate Old Testament and New Testament and modern scriptures that it's possible to have. The quote is from there.
However, if you can direct me to links to the editions of the Book of Mormon made when Joseph was alive that do not say cause, I will gladly look at them.
Update in a nutshell: True that the word is not in the other editions of the book. It appears that it was one of the few inspired changes DS made, and it clarifies the meaning.
ReplyDeleteI think causes actually works better in the sentence than chooses. Because causing is worse. It is like a group of bullies. One is usually instigating all the others. That one is causing greater harm because they are inciting others that may not have acted such on their own.
ReplyDeleteEither way it seems to me that cause and choose are both bad, though I would have to say that causing iniquity would be worse than choosing iniquity but not by much.
I agree with you. Both are bad, but causing it is worse.
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