This is what makes the BoM unique, special, and profound. This isn’t just a few musings of random people’s in ancient times. It is a record made for the very purpose to convince both Jew and Gentile alike that Christ lives. This is more profound than General Conference, more profound than the D&C, more profound than the Ensign, even more profound than all of our latter day church history. This is the record built by Holy men in very special circumstances for the very purpose of causing all of ancient prophecies to be fulfilled regarding God’s kingdom in our day to prepare the earth before Christ returns. It is thus not to be taken lightly, or out of its proper context. This thus places Nephi himself in a very special position because the entire record and prophecies to be fulfilled rest upon his diligence. Think about it- Nephis very actions would be the cause of bringing hundreds of millions, perhaps more, to the light of the gospel. Nephi is special, strong, loving, careful, and above all he is extremely smart and wise, fearless and humble all at the same time. Nephi was raised in heaven for this great task to set in motion the very cause to thwart Satan in our day. That is especially important.

If this is beginning to sound like I am making Nephi into a larger than life superhero then believe me when I say that Nephi was no ordinary man nor was he an ordinary prophet. My entire testimony of Christ is built upon the words of Nephi and his record he himself was commanded to write. There is nothing for me to trivialize or make light of. Nephi is special.

A quick comment on being able to see leaders as fallible. How to handle people still living is debatable, and is an entirely different issue I won’t bring up here. I don’t want my post deleted for hijacking the thread. :P

When it comes to ancient prophets, though, The Book of Mormon itself contains advice. First, we are encouraged not to condemn them for their shortcomings. I think that is good advice: we should not judge others generally, I feel. I also feel we should judge ideas and teachings based on their own merits, not on those of the person presenting them. I feel a lot of very flawed people have taught essential truths: that is the entirety of the scriptures. I also feel some very good people have taught things that are false.

Then, though, the book goes further. “[G]ive thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.” (Mormon 9:31) We are actively encouraged to recognize the imperfections of the writers, and are told that approach, too, can be a method for us to learn from them.

Incidentally, Paul said something similar, if you want a second witness from a second book of scripture, something I personally value, since I feel it is easy for me, and all of us, to misunderstand what the scriptures are saying. In 1 Corinthians 10, the readers are told about how Israel entered God’s covenant during the Exodus. Paul then mentions how they afterward came up short, and says we should benefit from their story: “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (verses 6 and 11).

Sometimes God’s covenant people, including his prophets, make mistakes. We, as their successors, should use those examples to learn to live better than they did. At least, that’s how I read these two passages.

If we’re appealing to the text I think we have to ask what the evidence is. Assuming a de facto infallibility to ancient prophets we don’t see in our contemporary prophets seems a dubious assumption. It’s just that with figures like Joseph Smith or Brigham Young we have a lot more information about so it’s easier to see their mistakes, biases and the like. Yet almost certainly the Book of Mormon prophets are not so different from those prophets. (And I’d say Joseph Smith is among the greatest of the prophets in history – so I suspect most others are “less special” to use your terminology)

Rob (#9): That’s a good point. Neither, however, do I like it when we reduce greatness because the character/action/figure in question doesn’t fit into our preconceived molds or restrictions on what greatness is. That said, I hope you don’t feel dog-piled here. It’s a forum where everything any of us say is up for challenge. But I hope you don’t feel personally attacked. Clear cases of such attacks are one of those things that I was trying to say in my comment comment that I’ll not allow!

It’s also not “imbecility” or “idiocy” when you can only see to the horizon and don’t know that earth is a massive globe; it’s just humanity and the limits of ancient knowledge. I haven’t seen anyone arguing for a limited flood who uses those kinds of derogatory terms, it’s a straw man on your part. Limited flood is not my position, but what you’re arguing borders heavily on imputing infallibility and omniscience to prophets while simultaneously removing their humanity.

Prophethood does not negate humanity.

I know President Monson. The President Monson I know is a good human being. He has never been never preachy or condescending to people who disagreed with him. I’ve loved and looked up to the man since I was a child. He has done much good for the Church and a great many people. Does he possess human flaws and biases? Yes, of course. I do not believe that Latter-day Saints are so weak-minded that they can’t perceive the greatness of spirit and the human element at the same time in the same person. In fact, can we truly recognize the greatness of any human being without also recognizing the human element? The struggle against weaknesses? The lapses in judgment? The various types of cultural training and biases we all possess? I don’t think so.

Nephi was human, but then so too is Thomas S. Monson. I just don’t like when we try to reduce greatness because we think everyone is only as good as ourselves.

So with that said, the concern you use as justification for your intended censorship seems a non-issue.

Just my two cents.

I think that some try to fictionalize Nephi and the BoM because they imagine too much or insert dialogue and opinion in where none should exist. How did Nephi see his brethren? Was Nephi biased or narrowsighted in his record of the Lamanites? Honestly, I believe Nephi nailed it exactly on the center on what the Lamanites had become and why they were that way. I tend to believe Nephi was inspired with his wording to convey the exact disposition of his brothers and family and civilization. Was Nephi that good? You bet!

Anon: sounds like a great conversation. One of the great things about scripture is the way that in reading it, our own sense of things doesn’t magically melt away (at least not if we’re being serious). And yet part of having scripture is treating it as scripture; which means the prophets speak back — they don’t role over and accept our reading. Consequently they serve as a check on our beliefs/reasons/prejudices/assumptions/worldviews/etc.