Quote:
Originally Posted by Chapel-Hill-Coug
Okay, I see what you're saying, but the problem is the small plates were not an abridgment. The material was written by Nephi himself, unabridged, and then included later. The Isaiah material, according to Nephi, came straight off the brass plates. There was Isaiah material on those brass plates that had not been written yet. Hence the problem.
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You speak very definatively about the subject, almost in absolutes. However it doesn't change the fact the overall work that is the Book of Mormon is an abridgment by a prophet hundreds of years removed from Nephi.
In what order and over what time frame did Nephi restate in his own writing what he had read and seen in visions, that was in turn abridged? How many small plates involving dealings with God and the Nephite nation verses larger 'a peoples history' plates did Mormon have to study and draw from for his abridgment?
Furthermore the more and more I read this section it is not always clear to me at what point Nephi is no longer speaking and in fact Jacob is speaking, in addition to the author of the abridgment? Perhaps it's due mostly to my poor reading comprehension?
I am not stretching, or looking for a silver bullet explaination. The Book of Mormon is a whole work of abridgment, note merely a complilation. I feel there is a very clear distinction to be made.