Can scripture be allegory and still be true?? 

My opinion: much of the canon is written by Near Eastern peoples, who tend to write about actual events in figurative ways. Was it a snake that talked to Eve? No, but the snake symbolizes something. The benefit of teaching in symbols is that there can be one or more symbols that are direct lessons necessary in the story but also allows the listener to embrace revelation to apply the stories in other manners in their lives.

It is very Western to describe the contents of scripture as a binary, as if they could only be 100% factual history or 100% metaphor and symbolism. That isn't really how ancient Eastern literature worked. All stories are symbolic, even when the details are accurate. And often even with factual history, symbolic details are added to make the intended moral more obvious. Hebrew culture uses numbers far more symbolically than modern audiences expect. Even with the Book of Mormon, many names and numbers have obvious symbolic meanings. The symbolism does not mean they are non-historical, but neither does it require absolute factual usage. For instance, the word in Hebrew for "million" can also mean an uncountable amount. It is literal rendered "a thousand thousands" with the word for "thousand" also meaning "many". Modern readers just expect things to be far more binary than seems probable. For instance the presenters seem to think that Genesis describes a global flood. Whether or not there was a global flood, the Bible never claims that it is. That is a fairly modern interpretation. Genesis only claims "all the land" was flooded. If a New Orleans newspaper says how during hurricane Katrina all the land was flooded, that does not mean San Deigo was also flooded. Talking about a flood in Louisiana cannot logically be extended to mean anything about California.

The book of Mormon is always true ... Amén

I’ve come to the point of my spiritual journey where I can’t accept scriptural literalism anymore. That goes for both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to throw them out like that. I still believe they are important ones personal development to become Christlike. I still believe the Gospel as it’s presented can still be applied, even if someone is secular in thinking. The faith part is probably the biggest struggle but if you come up with your own way of having faith despite the skepticism, it can help feel authentic than just faking it. Others have it figured out, I’m still trying to figure it out, but that’s my personal understanding.

"I really hesitate to form a solid opinion because I feel like it can be the most problematic.... I'm just going to hold one in one hand and one in the other and maybe eventually I'll find a way to match them up" That's literally the definition of cognitive dissonance and doublethink

Real or allegory. That question isn’t really specific. Some parts of the scriptures are clearly allegorical. Did. Nephi really exist I think is the question. To which I would reply of course.

Great topic, but it’s painful to watch you guys clumsily pontificate when excellent content on the nature of scripture from LDS scholars already exists, including ON YOUR OWN CHANNEL!!! Please watch the Ben Spackman SU videos before marching this topic out like you’re breaking trail across terra incognita.

I'm willing to take some books or tales in the Bible as allegory, others as poetic prophecy, and others more as history - or at least as recordkeeping by kings and scribes of varying reliability. (The guy who wrote about Samson was a fanboy who needed some perspective.) The Book of Mormon is different. The entire book (excluding the small plates chapters) was written by Mormon and his son Moroni; the latter spent a significant amount of time with Joseph Smith, teaching him and occasionally reading him the riot act until the translation was complete, and later he showed the plates and vouched for the correctness of the translation to three witnesses (and to others, like Mary Whitmer). A half dozen people or more claim to have met Moroni; to believe he existed as an ancient prophet and more modern messenger / mentor is a foundational testimony of the Restoration. In my many times through the Book of Mormon, I've only grown more convinced that this is a record of multiple, real people - a people far too relatable at times, one reason why the book was written and preserved for our day. The most important thing about the book is as a tool to draw you towards Christ. But much as I like "inspired fiction" (say, the Chosen - great viewing but takes pains to note it's no substitute for scripture), the Book of Mormon claims to be "another testament" to the reality of the Holy One of Israel, from the remnant of Joseph in the Americas, to bolster the claims of the record of the Jews. Fiction can inspire, but it can't testify to anything. If you're not there yet, keep at it. It's worth the journey, and the destination.

Always wanted tot see this type of conversation here.

With the Old Testament , historically speaking it’s very rough to know fact for fact what actually happened and what is allegorical or metaphorical.., what I like to think, and I agree with lauren on this, maybe they thought this is what happened but it didn’t actually happen like that everywhere in the world…

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Great conversation! Thanks to each of you for your ability to logically and intelligently address concerns that people have about the validity of the Book of Mormon.

If you believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, how can a person then even entertain the idea that God would be okay with Joseph lying about finding them, or translating all of it!?

I mean, as a theological history student myself (for one semester) I’ve seen New Testament sources proving to us that these events occurred. However, what remains to be discussed is how is the narrative portrayed in the Bible true to the actual historical event. Same goes with the BofM or the D&C, events are recalled but we don’t know if the text we have today is accurate to what actually happened. However for me, this does not influence my belief, as I know it to be true from a spiritual standpoint as its teachings influence my life today, for my own good

You can prove the Book of Mormon is real. I saw one just the other day. Blue cover and all.

A really great author to investigate on this topic is John Walton. He goes through how the Biblical creation stories are not the same kind of stories that modern science tells about the formation of the earth. The Bible is all about why not how.

1:48 Jesus believed Jonah was a true story (Matthew 12:40)

05:27 D&C 77:6 This earth will have in total a temporal existance of 7000 years.

If the Book of Mormon didn’t actually happen (but is still true), then who the heck was Moroni, or the other Nephite prophets who visited Joseph Smith?

I wish we could know for certain, but I'm comfortable with trusting God. ❤