Book of Mormon

"23 And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations."

Rejecting the notion that it's purely metaphorical or idiomatic, I believe it's intended to be taken literally, adding to its problematic nature. The verse perpetuates damaging stereotypes and reflects a worldview consistent with 19th-century biases.

"15 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.

16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine."

In these verses, it is stated that certain resources, once abundant, are now not in great abundance. This reversal of abundance is puzzling and lead to confusion upon initial reading. The apparent contradiction within the text raises questions about its consistency and coherence. If we consider the possibility that the Book of Mormon was dictated from Joseph Smith's mind rather than translated from extant metal plates, the wandering and unfocused nature of this train of thought becomes more understandable, aligning with the complexities inherent in human expression and thought processes.

"21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities.

23 And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done.

24 And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.

25 And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall scourge them even unto destruction."

See 1 Nephi 12:23;  Verse 21-> The alteration from "white and delightsome" to "pure and delightsome" in 2 Nephi 5:21 (change from the 1981 edition of the Book of Mormon onward) raises intriguing questions about the nature of changes within "the most correct book," as Joseph Smith described the Book of Mormon. If the original wording was considered the result of divine translation, the modification prompts scrutiny. Additionally, if the verse was meant to convey an idiom rather than a literal description, the rationale for the change becomes even more puzzling. It beckons a deeper exploration into the motivations behind revisions in sacred texts and invites contemplation on the impact such modifications might have on interpretation and understanding of the scripture's intended meaning.

"19 For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God."

"25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice."

These two verses exhibit a significant temporal inconsistency regarding the prophecy of the Messiah's coming. In the first verse, a specific timeline of six hundred years is mentioned, while the second verse expresses an eager but imprecise anticipation. Given the centrality of the Messiah's coming in the Book of Mormon, the discrepancy raises questions about how a prophet could lose track of such a pivotal event. Was it not recorded accurately, forgotten, or a result of a dictated narrative from someone who lost coherence in the storytelling? This inconsistency prompts a critical examination of the reliability of the prophetic narrative and the potential challenges in preserving a cohesive storyline.

"3 And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the aharlot Isabel.

4 Yea, she did asteal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.

5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?

6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness."

Alma 39:3-6 prompts reflection on the hierarchy of sins it proposes, asserting that sexual transgressions are among the gravest, surpassed only by murder and the vague concept of denying the Holy Ghost. Leaving aside the ambiguity surrounding the latter, this classification implies that sexual sins are considered worse than numerous egregious offenses such as slavery/human trafficking, child abuse, spousal abuse, salting of your enemies' fields, theft from the poor, environmental exploitation and destruction, torture, systemic oppression and discrimination, exploitation of vulnerable populations, corruption at the highest levels of government, and widespread fraud and financial exploitation. 

"6 And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even until fifty and nine years had passed away."

Considering the simplicity of conveying time passage, it may seem more reasonable to question whether this text reflects the spontaneous composition of an author rather than a carefully preserved historical account.