Full Debate: Was the Fall Necessary as Taught in the Book of Mormon?

This is a debate I had in 2023 with Andrew Harrison on "The Gospel Truth" TH-cam channel (a channel that focuses on Christian debate and discourse). This was my first debate. I enjoyed my experience and thought my performance was pretty good. Thanks again to Marlon for hosting and Andrew from being my opponent.
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[@cranzag]

How long ago was this debate? Did this happen awhile ago and was just uploaded? Or was it recent?

[@readitbom]

This happened in November 2023, if I remember correctly. It was a live streamed debate on "The Gospel Truth" channel. I only just recently uploaded it to my channel.

[@jope2123]

Andrew is so close and yet so far 😂 good job Swennson

[@brannonburton5494]

The fall story is not only literal, but metaphorical for all of humanity . God could not overrule our agency and force us to come to earth where he knew we’d sin. We had to make that choice ourselves. We could have chosen to remain with God in a state of innocence without the ability to procreate or make a mistake for eternity. However, we chose to partake of the fruit of the tree of life and take these hardships upon us. It was our choice.
This is what I believe we are being taught in the bible and lds scripture.

[@readitbom]

I partly agree with you.
I see it as it wouldn't have been just for God to create man in enmity with Himself. Hence, the only just option was the Garden, which allows for God to create man in innocence and allow them to choose to fall, which brought about separation from Him, but also the opposition required for man to grow and learn more than they could in innocence. God's justice required man to be separate from Him because of sin, but God showed mercy by sending Christ to atone for all men's sins. All men can be saved through Christ and return to God's presence having had this probationary state to learn, grow, and decide to choose Christ. This is what the Book of Mormon teaches.
This is how God is just and merciful in bringing about His plan, which used the fall.

[@arjunheart5859]

With the exception of the (well enough contained) venemous spite that Andrew pointed to the church, he made a lot of claims that I agree with. From what I can tell, Andrew is more blinded by his disagreement with the Church than being willing to come to understanding.
I know that's not what debate is for. Debate is more about giving the audience a thorough view of both perspectives.
But I have one question: if the fall was necessary, how should the necessity be explained? What explanation would justify the fall being necessary without the argument that Adam and Eve were innocent, not knowing good nor evil?

[@readitbom]

The answer as to why the fall was needed can be found in many places. One of these being Abraham 3:
24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
Here we see that God's plan was prove or test us in order to be able to bless us with glory, His glory, eternal life. In other words God's plan was to see if who would obey Him so that He could bless them with becoming like Himself.
The fall is necessary because as we see with Satan, when we reject God when in His presence, we can't repent of that.
The fall brought about a separation from God. This separation allows us to be outside of God's presence, so that we aren't influenced to obey simply because He is there. God wants to see who we really are on the inside. This separation is talked about in the Book of Mormon as a state of preparation in which we use our agency to choose follow Christ or to reject Christ. Through who accept Christ and endure in their faith til the end are promised receive eternal life and become like Christ.
Also, this separation allows for us to not be utterly lost if we rebel against God in this life. Through the mercy of Christ preaching to the dead allows for those who reject Christ in this life to accept Him and His Gospel in the next. Even though these people don't get to become like Heavenly Father, they are saved from being cast off forever.
Hopefully this makes, sense. I can make a video on this in the future.

[@arjunheart5859]

@@readitbom I agree with the LDS perspective and doctrine on the fall being necessary. My question was more to prod at the nuance that the non-LDS debater was making between "the fall was necessary" and "the fall was necessary, as described by the Book of Mormon"
That said, I appreciate the more in-depth explanation.

[@readitbom]

@@arjunheart5859 Yes, Andrew (the other debater) threw me for a loop when he said that a Christian could say that the Fall was necessary, and that be okay, but we as Latter-days saints can't. I literally quoted a sermon by John Wesley where he gives some of the exact same reasons for the fall being necessary that we give. He is okay in saying that, but we aren't.