OK Val... I'm still having trouble squaring how somebody can accept JS and/or BY as 'true prophets' when by any account of what that would be, they both fall short? I know I'm being persistent on this subject, but I feel like the issue is just being swept under the rug. I want to say that I am in no way trying to invalidate your own personal faith as a Christian, Val, but I'm confused as to how you have issue resolved in your own mind?

Another point that I think deserves dicussion, 8d8, is your assertion that there were no prophesies of JS and the BoM.

The existence of Joseph Smith or the purpose of his writings was in no way similar. The life he lived was in no way similar. There were no prophecies fulfilled,( for there were none of him or the BoM to fulfill.)

This I think is an extremely important point.  I will try and address it here as best I can.

The question is were there any prophecies of Joseph Smith and or the Book of Mormon?  That is difficult to answer only because in the Bible, during the process of it being translated, retranslated and handed down for many years, very important pieces of doctrine were lost and corrupted.  It would be stupid for me to simply say "Yes, but they were lost from the Bible".  However, in essence, that is what the Mormons believe.

We have in the Mormon church groups of scripture that are referred to as Joseph Smith translation.  I don't necessarily expect people here to believe in it, nevertheless, the Mormons do.  Joseph Smith in pondering many scriptures in the Bible would often go to the Lord in prayer and ask him what the scriptures meant from that comes the Joseph Smith Translation or JST.

Genesis chapter 50 was one such section that needed clarification.  Exekiel 37:19 briefly refers to this as well.  Here is part of the Joseph Smith translation of Genesis chapter 50:

30.  And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth of my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days;

31.  Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to a knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

32.  And out of weakness shall he be made strong, in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them, who are of the house of Israel, in the last days.

33.  And that seer will I bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise I give unto you; for I will remember you from generation to generation; and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand shall bring my people unto salvation.

Now, I know what you all are going to say "How convenient for Joseph Smith to adjust the Bible to fortell the coming of himself".  Yeah, well there it is.  I never said there wasn't any faith involved here.  If you are a person that believes in Joseph Smith being a prophet then you have to believe that the Joseph Smith translation is indeed correct.  I refer you to a very good article on this topic, others say it so much better than me, George A. Horton Jr.,

It was officially and thus legally organized on April 6, 1830 (D&C 20:1, that would read doctorine and covenants, section 20, verse on).

Valerie.  Thanks for answering my question.  Here is my follow up question.

Is there the claim, within Mormonism, that JS directly translated Isaiahs original words?  And that would include the section concerning "Lucifer"?

Cont. from prev. post...
Now that I think harder, Geegee you might be referring to the sections in the BoM, 2 Nephi 24:12 in particular.  In that section Nephi quotes from Isaiah, quite literally word for word, for 12 chapters.

Now that I think harder, Geegee you might be referring to the sections in the BoM, 2 Nephi 24:12 in particular. In that section Nephi quotes from Isaiah, quite literally word for word, for 12 chapters.

Yes, yes, Valerie, that is what I was getting at.  Thanks for thinking "harder" about it.  So, then you would agree that the section concerning "Lucifer" in Isaiah, both in the KJV and the Nephi writings, are "word for word"?  Would I be right in saying that since they are "word for word" that they compliment and find strength in each other?  Would this then give the "Lucifer" passage more strength concerning area of truth?

One question to see where you stand with the writings of "Nephi".  Does Nephi have error?  Would you call it inspired like christians call the bible inspired?

"Where did you get your information, that the character Nephi, was male?"

Respectfully,
Wholly Polterguiste

"Also, some of the jail birds told me, that the book was originally set out to be a romance novel. What do you think about that?"

Moste Happily,
Wholly Polterguiste

Ok geegee...this one is for you!

Isaiah 14:12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

2 Nephi 24:12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

D&C 76:
25 And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
 
26 And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him