Customer Reviews

The Pearl of Great Price: A selection from the revelations, translations, and narrations of Joseph Smith, first prophet, seer and revelator to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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In addition to "The Book of Mormon" and "The Doctrine and Covenants," "The Pearl of Great Price" caps Joseph Smith's work of restoration. The PGP contains matrial from his inspired translation and revision of the Bible--the Book of Moses; and the translation of the Book of Abraham from the Egyptian papyri; and a selection from his translation of Matthew 24; a breff narration of Joseph Smith's First Vision and history; and ends with the Thirteen Articles of Faith. The PGP is an independant witness of Joseph Smith's work as a prophet and a restorer of the true Christianity.

Eighteen dollars IS a great price to pay for this book, especially when most mormons would happily give you one for free. But if you go the free route, then they will pester you endlessly trying to convert you. So there is a price to be paid that way too. Factor the time you will spend reading the book for little in the way of edification or enjoyment and yes, it is definitely a pearl of great price.

As one reviewer proudly pointed out, it's companion mormon scripture, the Book of Mormon, WAS rated by Book Magazine as one of 20 books that changed America. While that badge is proudly worn by many of their faithful, they seem to fail to notice that " The Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx is also on the top 20 list. Communism grew and proliferated like the mormon religion, which is very interesting because the mormon church also practiced a form of communism in it's early days. The communism the early mormons practiced is still regarded as "holy" but not currently in place because it also failed (like communism). Now instead of asking for all of their member's posessions, the religion only asks for a mere 10% of their income.

As mentioned, Joseph Smith claimed he translated the egyption papyrus but as also pointed out, it has been translated since by qualified scholars and their version is nothing similar to Joseph's imagined version. Strange ideas abound in the book...most of them offensive to the modern christian and civilized society.