Without Disclosing My True Identity
needed for a biblically oriented people. The text would culminate in the only thing that
was and is of any real importance in the entire book: The fullness of the everlasting
Gospel as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.^39 The text would set up
this event and establish it as the most important part of the record. The reader would
be led through various parables, stories, accounts, and yes, advanced embellishments,
that were meant for “the people of the house of Israel”—the Jews, the Christians, and
the Muslims.
Because it was meant for these people, the book would utilize their customs,
traditions, cultural expectations, and beliefs (true or not) to present the context of the text.
The real truth would be hidden within the text, covered by English names, English
interpretations, and English presentations. (For example, there was no such name as
“Mormon” in the ancient American culture, any more than there was the name “Jesus”^40 in
the ancient Jewish culture.)
WHY
The book “translated” from the gold plates would test the faith of the people to see if
they would abide by the “fullness of the everlasting Gospel as delivered by the Savior.”
The book (including the sealed portion of the plates) would ultimately prove for the last
time, that when left to themselves, the people would allow “the devil” to rule over them, no
matter how plain and convincing the “word of God” might be.
Joseph was instructed to help the Christians see that they were no better or worse
than the Jews, who “were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness,
and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand.” Therefore,
“because of [the Christians’] blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the
[fullness of the everlasting Gospel as delivered by the Savior], they must needs fall; for
God [commanded Joseph to take] away his plainness from them, and deliver unto them
many things which they [could not] understand, because they desired it. And because they
desired it God [did] it, that they may stumble.”^41
The most revered claims of Christians are that they would never have acted like
the Jews did and betrayed their Messiah, rejected his teachings, and crucified him. They
did not believe that they would hate and kill the prophets of God. They thought they
were better than the Jews. What Joseph did, however, gave substantive proof that the
Christians (especially the Christ-believing Mormons) were and are EXACTLY like the
Jews—in every way!
The most important reason why the Book of Mormon was prepared was its implicit
teachings that all humans—regardless of race, gender, religion, or culture—are equally
treated and respected by “God.” It gave readers the chance to realize this on their own,
within the parameters of religious belief.
WHERE
It has already been explained in this biography why the United States of America
was chosen as the place where this important latter-day work would commence. Suffice
it to say, the freedoms offered to mortals in America provided the perfect proving
ground for their humanity.