File: Persuade.txt Dates: 16-17 Apr, 1-7 May 2009 To view this file, right click -> View source, then use Notepad to Format -> Word Wrap Persuasive Speech. My son needed to give a persuasive speech for a class. I suggested that he select a topic of the Bessler principle, as I thought that there was an abundance of information in favor of it. He didn't want to use that as a topic, as I think he didn't want such a technical subject and more importantly he needed to have something that was openly controversial (not just very much ignored). I called him back and suggested that he use as a topic the authenticity of "The Book of Mormon [Another Testament of Jesus Christ]" (meaning it is what it claims to be). He could use, as a model of the argument in its favor, the book "Trial of the Stick of Joseph" by Jack West. My son thought that was a great idea. His topic was a controversial subject, as thousands of books had been written against "The Book of Mormon". AEP - 16-17 Apr 2009 Trial of the Stick of Joseph. In the mock "Trial of the Stick of Joseph", a lone law student, Jack West, stood against the combined efforts of all the rest of the class, of budding law students, which meant that the prosecution had far superior numerical advantage. Nonetheless, each time the prosecution came up with an argument against "The Book of Mormon" being authentic the argument would be defeated, usually coming back around like a boomerang and making them wish that they had never brought up the argument (as it then provided more evidence for the defense). The professor (teaching the class) initially (upon learning of the topic) didn't think that Jack had any chance of succeeding. The professor (who had previously been a judge) was surprised at what happened. Normally the mock trials were over fairly quickly. The trial of the stick of Joseph continued on for about two and a half weeks with the professor ruling in favor of the defense as the prosecution couldn't even come up with so much as a toe hold of evidence against it (and there was an abundance of evidence in its favor). The professor invited Jack into his office afterwards and asked where he came up with such a topic. The professor had never seen anything like it before. Jack knew that the evidence had come with help from God. The book was and is a marvelous work and a wonder. AEP - 16-17 Apr 2009 Speech Sub-divisions. My son could divide up his persuasive speech in favor of the "The Book of Mormon" into three parts like in Jack West's book (which book grew out of Jack's lecture notes): (1) personal witnesses, (2) internal evidences, and (3) external evidences. My son's instructor wanted to see strong arguments presented on both sides (not just weak strawman arguments from the opposition). One of the problems was that (in the final analysis) the arguments against "The Book of Mormon" are all weak so my son had to settle for the strongest arguments he could find. One of the stronger arguments against it was that it was supposedly taken from the Spaulding manuscript but then he found an anti-Mormon source that admitted that the Book of Mormon coming from the Spaulding manuscript was not a valid theory. My son found much of the Spaulding manuscript out on the Internet. It would seem that many anti-Mormons don't like to see it out there as it makes more detailed comparisons possible (not in the spirit of their very restrictive context suppressed comparisons). When "The Book of Mormon" came out in the 1800's there was much laughter about things like ancient cities, cement, steel, horses, writing on plates, etc. Only later did evidence of these things become obvious so that new anti-Mormon critics had to change their tactics. They now seem to have changed their tactics more away from logic to quibbling over fine details and mixing with other subtleties and things taken out of context or lies in various shades of gray. If one of their items is disproven, they (without much thought on the subject) just quickly shift emphasis to another item possibly even more obscure and likely to waste the time of person defending "The Book of Mormon". AEP - 16-17 Apr 2009 Book of Mormon Geographic Locations. One of the many current arguments used against "The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ" is that supposedly no cities have been found that match "The Book of Mormon". I suggest that someone with such an opinion consider the book "In Search of Cumorah" by David Palmer. There are many geographic, cultural, and archeological tests that were applied to his specifically proposed geography. David Palmer's basic proposed geography makes much sense to me. He identifies the city of Lehi-Nephi (Mosiah 9:8) meaning the city of Nephi (Mosiah 9:15) as being quite near present day Guatamala City, the land of Zarahemla being the central Chiapan depression (with the city of Zarahemla now being covered by water due to a modern-day dam being built), the river Sidon being the Grijalva, the Jaradites being identified as the archeological Olmecs, and the hill Cumorah being Cerro Vigia. David Palmer pointed out (in his circa 1983 book) that the Church has not taken a geographic position of the hill Cumorah spoken of in "The Book of Mormon" being the hill so named in New York and so removes itself completely from any such controversy. See Palmer's book for many more details. AEP - 17 Apr 2009 Suggested Modification to Proposed Geography. This is one modification of Palmer's proposed geography that one might want to consider. Alma 50:11 reads, "And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their pleasure." I suspect that the cities of Aaron, Nephihah, and Moroni (Alma 50:13-14) were strategically placed (at or near control point valleys) (generally north of an east-west line of mountains) to cut the Lamanites off from the east wilderness, which I think was the Yucatan Peninsula. The city of Moroni would now be under water though (3 Nephi 8:9). Yucatan being the east wilderness could further explain how and why Amalickiah was able to take possession of so many cities, which were on the east borders by the seashore (Alma 51:26) without the Nephites being even more greatly alarmed by the situation (despite their immediate problem of internal rebellion). The large distances (and resistance by the defending cities) bought them some time. Yucatan being the east wilderness could also explain the presence of early cities around the edges of the Yucatan. It would also (I think) better explain the line of fortification between the Nephites and the Lamanites (see Alma 50:11 above) and because Yucatan is so huge it would better explain the words "... seek to cut off the strength and power of the Lamanites from off the lands of their possessions, that they should have no power upon the lands of their possession." (Alma 50:12). I think it would help explain Alma 22:32 "... nearly surrounded by water, ..." and Hel 3:8 "... began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east." I doubt that my son would have time to say much about the Book of Mormon geography in his eight minute speech but I sent him my copy of Palmer's book anyway so that he could briefly address it. AEP - 17 Apr 2009, 1-3 May 2009 Cities on Eastern Fortified Line. I suspect that the city Moroni (prior to being submerged) was south of the river Sarstun (which river now forms the boundary between Belize and Guatemala where the river meets the Gulf of Honduras). Maybe the city Aaron was a city near the Usumacinta/Chixoy river (in the valley that goes through the mountains) to the west of Coban to help protect the people of Ammon (in the land of Jershon) from the Lamanites invading through the mountains by the Usumacinta/Chixoy route. Maybe Nephihah was somewhere in the vicinity of Chahal which would roughly be halfway in between Aaron and Moroni and could also provide a means of protection from invasion of Lamanites from the south through some lesser valley in the mountains. It would be lesser, as it would not provide as big or an easy an invasion route as would the Usumacinta/Chixoy through the mountains. AEP - 17 Apr 2009 - 3 May 2009 Onidahs. As Alma went to Antionum to preach to the Zoramites, Alma 32:4 reads, "Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon the hill Onidah ... ". Later Alma 47:5 reads, "... the place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites fled ... to Onidah, to the place of arms." I think that these Onidahs could be the same, if we assume that Yucatan is the east wilderness, with Onidah being in those mountains which formed part of the east-west line of defense that was used to keep the Lamanites away from the Nephite north lands. Onidah may have been somewhere near Coban with the hill being cool and accessible from both sides of the mountains. Some of the Zoramites, prior to many Zoramites joining the Lamanites, might have wanted to go upon the hill Onidah and hear someone teach and speak just to cool off. Later, Onidah may have been an alternate invasion route through the mountains, if say the city Aaron blocked the nearest main invasion route. Keeping some weapons on the south side of the mountains might have made sense to the Lamanites, as they wouldn't need to carry them as far when invading the north. AEP - 1 - 3 May 2009 Jershon and Antionum. I suspect that the land Jershon was mainly the river Usumacinta/Chixoy, north of the mountains. On the north, the Usumacinta and Grijalva (Sidon) somewhat joined in the wet lands prior to going out to sea. I suspect that Antionum was bordered on its west by the southern portion of the river Usumacinta/Salanis/Chixoy and bordered on its south by the mountains. Both by people centers and land centers, Jershon could be north of Antionum which would be one way to resolve the seeming contradiction that both border on the wilderness south (with the border being roughly east to west) while Antionum was south of the land of Jershon. Antionum may have been closer to the mountains to the south. AEP - 17 Apr 2009, 1-3 May 2009 Some East Wilderness, Jershon, and Antionum Related Scriptures. One might want to study maps of Guatemala and southern Mexico as one considers these extra scriptures. Alma 27:22 reads, "... land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful ... ". Alma 27:23 reads, "And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon ... ". Alma 27:26 reads, "... And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after." Note that since Alma 27:26 used the word "down", I suppose that the people of Ammon more easily followed the Usumacinta/Chixoy route only down to the land of Jershon rather than first down the Sidon (Grijalva), then at least one more up and down into the land of Jershon. Because they went that route just down (and south of the mountains), it would have also made it easier for the Lamanites to track or follow which way they went (not having had to follow them through Nephite lands). Alma 28:1 reads, "And now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon were established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established in the land of Jershon, and the armies of the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla; behold the armies of the Lamanites had followed their brethren into the wilderness." Alma 31:3 reads, "... Antionum, which was east of the land of Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites." Alma 35:9 reads, "... And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants." It might have been possible for the poor Zoramite refugees to have used rafts to go downstream on the Usumacinta/Chixoy to get help from the people of Ammon. Alma 43:4 reads, "For behold, it came to pass that the Zoramites became Lamanites; therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year the people of the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming upon them; therefore they made preparations for war; yea, they gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon." Alma 43:5 reads, "And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader." Alma 43:15 reads, "And it came to pass as the armies of the Lamanites had gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, the armies of the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon." AEP - 3 May 2009 More Aaron Ideas. I suspect that the tremendous battle (see Alma 28:2) may have been in the valley where the city of Aaron was later located. I suspect that Aaron (the son of Mosiah) lead the way, as the people of Ammon went down into the land Jershon. I also suspect Ammon brought up the rear so he could use his sword in protection of his people if necessary, if angry Lamanites came upon them from behind. So I suspect that the city of Aaron originally got its name from the son of Mosiah of the same name. After the tremendous battle and the Lamanites were driven and scattered "... the people of Nephi returned again to their own land." See Alma 28:3. AEP - 7 May 2009 Personal Witnesses to Book of Mormon. Many of the 12=1+3+8 personal witnesses of "The Book of Mormon" later left the Church (being embittered against it) and so if the book had somehow been a fraud, then they would have been in a perfect position to have gone against their testimonies but none ever did to the end of their days. There are many more than the 12 prominent personal witnesses of "The Book of Mormon". If people take Moroni's promise seriously, they can come to know for themselves from God whether or not the book is true. There are large numbers of people who are joining the Church and the numbers just keep increasing as people hearken onto evidences from God and the revealed answers from God to their prayers. One approach to keep people away from the truth that I heard of is "Don't pray about the Book of Mormon. That's how they get you." Still, at judgement day, wouldn't it be better for one to have given greater heed to God than to man? AEP - 16-17 Apr 2009 Son's Speech. I heard that my son gave his persuasive speech today (7 May 2009). Because of the eight minute time limit and the constraints that he was asked to follow, he wasn't able to use the book, "Trial of the Stick of Joseph". He did cover the 12 personal witnesses (referred to in the testimonies of The Book of Mormon) and he gave his own personal witness according to the promise from God regarding the book. He showed how one of the anti-Mormon sources admitted that the Spaulding manuscript theory didn't hold water. That is in reference to a theory about the origin of "The Book of Mormon". In reference to the claim that there is no valid Book of Mormon geography, he showed the map from "In Search of Cumorah" that has passed a large number of tests. I don't think that my son said anything about my ideas about the east wilderness being Yucatan. He just didn't have time to present the large number of internal and external evidences in favor of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. During my family scripture reading or study on 4 May 2009, I noticed a 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 level chiasm in Alma 27:12 that I had not seen before. I don't recall anything in the "Trial of the Stick of Joseph" about poetic structures (such as the chiasmus) as evidence for the authenticity of "The Book of Mormon". I don't think that my son said anything about poetic structures in his speech. I was surprised when I discovered the huge level chiastic structure in the Book of Ether. AEP - 7 - 8 May 2009 Truth Endures. Just because the whole world is seemingly against something that is true, it doesn't make the true thing any less true. Such seems to often currently be the case with "The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ". So too seems to currently be the case with the Bessler principle. In both cases, there is an abundance of evidences in their favor but one must look at the evidences and consider them. It would appear that in both cases, the devil would just like people to ignore the evidences or to put off looking at the evidences until later. If the devil can just keep people away from the more proper path for just a little bit longer, then maybe he figures that he has won. AEP - 17 Apr 2009 ---------- Use Back on browser to return to Main or go to http://www1.iwvisp.com/LA4Park/ or http://mysite.verizon.net/aldlin/ (all after exiting, if in "View source" mode).