Book of Mormon

I was down in Miami last week for a conference. At the hotel, the bedside table contained both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I have never looked at the book of Mormon so I opened it up and read some of it out of curiosity. There were some verses which were familiar and borrowed heavily from Bible passages (chalk up plagiarism as another problem with Mormonism).

However, I also experience a deep sense of confusion and frustration. True, I did open and read at the middle rather than starting at the beginning. But even if I did the same to a John Grisham book or a college textbook, I bet I would still have a sense of the general tone, direction and content of the book. But with the book of Mormon, I was generally perplexed.

I thought that is how many, many people must feel who pick up the Bible and attempt to read it. I am so steeped in Christianity and church life that I forget how others who are outside the faith and only peering in must feel.

It is a great reminder that we have to build relationships with people outside our faith. We need to be giving them contacts to help explain the Scripture. Like the Ethiopian official in the Book of Acts who needed the apostle Philip to guide him, people need help understanding the Scriptures. Otherwise, they may do to the Bible what I did with the book of Mormon; try it for about 5 minutes and then toss it aside and order Chinese food.