Book of Mormon

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Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition)

The Book of Mormon is one of four sacred texts of Mormonism, which also include the Bible, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. First published by Joseph Smith, Jr. in March 1830 in Palmyra, New York, it stands as the central dividing doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and other Christian faiths. Adherents to its teachings are commonly referred to as Mormons. The book's self-declared purpose is to testify of Jesus, through the writings of ancient prophets of the Western Hemisphere, who traveled there from ancient Israel, probably between 600-650 BC. It asserts that it was abridged and compiled by the prophet/historian Mormon, and his son Moroni in the 4th century, for "the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God." Joseph Smith translated the record by divine inspiration with assistance from the Urim and Thummim.

Along with the Bible, which is also held to be the Word of God, the Book of Mormon is esteemed as part of the canon of churches that grew out of the Latter Day Saint movement, founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The largest of these denominations, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), accepts the Bible "as far as it is translated correctly" (Articles of Faith), as well as the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants as canonical scripture.

Content

Title Page

The title page, translated from the last of the golden plates, states:

"The Book of Mormon - an account written by the hand of Mormon upon plates taken from the Plates of Nephi
"Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites — Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile — Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation — Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed — To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof — Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile — The interpretation thereof by the gift of God.
"An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven — Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever — And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations — And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ."

Organization

The format of The Book of Mormon is similar to the Bible, with separate books written by different authors who recorded the interactions of God with people. Generally the book is composed of the following books, though editorial divisions in different churches' editions vary:

The book's sequence is primarily chronological. Notable exceptions include the "Words of Mormon," which is an editorial insertion (authored by Mormon), and the "Book of Ether," which is an abridgement by Moroni of an earlier civilization's record. The books of First Nephi through Omni are first-person narratives, as are Mormon and Moroni. The remainder of the Book of Mormon is a third-person historical narrative, compiled and abridged by Mormon.

In the version published by the LDS Church ("The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ"), the book also contains a title page (written by Mormon and Moroni), a modern day introduction written by church leaders, the "Testimony of Three Witnesses," the "Testimony of Eight Witnesses," the "Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith" concerning the Book of Mormon, "A brief explanation about the Book of Mormon," chapter headings written by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, a "pronouncing guide" to names and places, footnotes and cross-references to the Bible, and an index.

Investigation of the book

The book invites the reader to make a personal investigation into the veracity of the writings. The invitation is associated with a promise that God Himself will give an undeniable witness of its truth through the Spirit. This can be found in the 10th chapter of Moroni, verses 3-5:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Such a witness is a very personal event and can vary widely, depending on the individual. Of those whom claim to have received a witness most consider it to be sacred and of great import. In Mormon circles this is most commonly referred to as "a testimony", a knowledge born of faith, prayer and spirit; and the act of telling others of the experience or the faith gained thereby is called "bearing one's testimony". Members of the Church believe that such spiritual affirmation is more important than, and overrides any other evidence or criticism of the book.

Brief narrative summary

The following dates, people, and named authors are laid forth in the Book of Mormon.

  • 1 Nephi begins in ancient Jerusalem around 600 BC, at roughly the same time as the Book of Jeremiah in the Bible. It tells the story of a prophet, Lehi, his family, and several others as they are led by God from Jerusalem, across the Arabian peninsula, and then to the Americas by ship. The books from 1 Nephi to Omni recount the group's dealings from approximately 600 BC to about 130 BC, in which the community splits into two main groups, the Nephites and the Lamanites, and grow into separate sizeable civilizations that war with each other.
  • The Words of Mormon, written in AD 385 by Mormon, is a short introduction to the books of Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, 3 Nephi, and 4 Nephi, all of which he abridged from a large quantity of existing records that detailed his nation's history from the time of Omni to his own life.
  • 3 Nephi is of particular importance because it contains an account of the resurrected and glorified Jesus's visit to the Americas, sometime after his 40-day ministry and ascension into heaven at Jerusalem. During his American ministry, Christ repeated much of the same doctrine and instruction given in the Gospels of the Bible and established an enlightened, peaceful society which endures several generations.
  • Mormon is an account of the events during Mormon's life, after the enlightened society of 3 Nephi and 4 Nephi deteriorated yet again into warring groups.
  • Ether is an abridgment of a record of an earlier people by Moroni, written shortly after the death of Mormon, his father. The account describes a group of families, headed by a man named Jared and his unnamed brother, as it is led by God to the Americas. The Jaredite civilization existed on the American continent long before Lehi's family arrived in 600 BC, and it was much larger and more developed. Some have argued that the rise and fall of the Jaredite empire corresponds with that of the Olmec.
  • Moroni details the final destruction of the Nephites and the idolatrous state of the remaining society. He adds a few spiritual insights and mentions some important doctrinal teachings, then closes with his testimony and an invitation to pray to God for a confirmation of the truthfulness of the account.

The book's major themes

Stated purposes

The purpose of The Book of Mormon, as stated on its original title page, "is to show the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord has done for their fathers" and to convince "Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself to all nations."

Another Witness of Christ

The crowning event of the Book of Mormon is the visitation of the resurrected Christ to the Nephites around 34 AD, shortly after his 40-day ministry in Jerusalem (3 Nephi 11-26). Every prophet in the Book of Mormon teaches about Jesus.

An angel prophesied to Nephi that Jesus's birth would be 600 years from the time he and his family left Jerusalem (1 Nephi 10:4, 19:8; See 3 Nephi 1). Many prophets in the Book of Mormon, beginning with Lehi and Nephi, saw in visions the birth, ministry, and death of Christ in visions (1 Nephi 11), and were told his name. (Mosiah 3:8). At the time of King Benjamin, the Nephites were called "the children of Christ" (Mosiah 5:7). The faithful members of the church at the time of Captain Moroni (73 BC) were called "Christians" by their enemies, because of their belief in Christ (Alma 46:13-15). For nearly 200 years after the Christ's appearance at the temple in the Americas, the land was filled with peace and prosperity because of the people's obedience to Christ's commandments (4 Nephi). The great prophet-general Mormon worked to convince the faithless people of his time of Christ (360 AD), and Moroni buried the plates with faith in Christ (See title page). Many others also bore witness to the reality of the Messiah.

Some doctrinal teachings

The following teachings are especially notable in The Book of Mormon:

  • Christ spoke to the Jews in Jerusalem of 'other sheep' (referring to other Hebrews, not Gentiles) who would hear his voice (see John 10:16), which the Book of Mormon explains meant that the Nephites and other remnants of the lost tribes of Israel throughout the world were to be visited by Christ after his resurrection. The various groups had their own prophets, and each recorded their history and dealings with God. These records will eventually be had among men, and will complement the Bible and Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 15:13-24, 3 Nephi 16:1-4, 2 Nephi 29:7-14).
  • The land of the Jaredites, Nephites, and Lamanites, which is the American continent, is choice above all other lands (1 Nephi 2:20; 13:30; 2 Nephi 1:5; 10:19; Jacob 5:43; Ether 1:38, 42; 2:7; 2:10-12, 15; 9:20; 10:28; 13:2).
  • "Inasmuch as ye keep [the Lord's] commandments, ye shall prosper in the land, but inasmuch as ye keep not my commandments, ye shall be cut off from my presence" (1 Nephi 2:20; 4:14; 2 Nephi 1:20; 4:4; Jarom 1:9; Omni 1:6; Mosiah 1:7; 2:22; 2:31; Alma 9:13; 36:1; 36:30; 37:13; 38:1; 48:15; 48:25; Helaman 3:20; 50:20; 3 Nephi 5:22).
  • All mankind must be born again, for the natural man is an enemy to God until he yields to the holy spirit and is born of Christ, being changed to a state of righteousness, becoming his son or daughter (Mosiah 3:19; 27:25; Alma 22:15-18; Moroni 10:34).
  • Between death and the resurrection the spirit returns to God and awaits the resurrection in either a place of rest or a place of darkness and torment. At the resurrection, the spirit and body shall be reunited, not one hair of the head shall be lost, and this resurrection shall come to all (Alma 11:42-45; 40:11-14, 23).
  • Giving to the poor (charity) is emphasized as a necessary aspect of living the gospel of Christ (2 Nephi 9:30; Mosiah 4:26).

Dominant narrative themes

The following narrative themes are especially consistent in The Book of Mormon:

  • The Pride Cycle. When God blesses his people most, they forget him in pride until by tribulation they are brought to humility and repentance, which brings the blessings of God. Pride of heart because of exceeding riches unto wearing costly apparel and despising the poor is a sure sign of wickedness (2 Nephi 26:20; 28:13; Jacob 2:13; Alma 1:6, 27, 32; 4:6-13; 5:53; 31:28; 32:2-3; Hel. 4:12; 6:39; 4 Nephi 1:24; Mormon 8:37).
  • The danger of secret combinations, organizations which meet secretly and use secret signs and oaths, committing crimes for personal gain. Notable examples include the Gadianton robbers in the Book of Helaman and the secret combination of Akish in the Book of Ether. Prevalent modern interpretations of this term include gangs, Mafia, and terrorists.
  • The scattering and gathering of Israel. Because the Nephites consider themselves a remnant of the House of Israel, a great many passages refer to its scattering and gathering; Nephi quotes heavily from Isaiah concerning the subject, too. Many of the prophecies in the book refer to the last days, when Israel will be gathered for one final time.
  • God's mercy to the faithful. Throughout the book, references to God's mercy in forgiving the sins of those who repent and honoring those who have faith in him is shown. Several narratives involve stories of people who give up their sinful lives and adopt the gospel. Other narratives show what lies in store for those who reject the prophets and teachers of the gospel. Many narratives show the kind of power God will exercise in behalf of those who believe in Him.
  • America as the promised land. The Book of Mormon portrays the Americas as a favorable, promised land, to which the Lord leads favored groups of people, including the Jaredites, the Mulekites, the Nephites, and early European colonists of the New World.

Origin of the Book of Mormon

See Linguistics and the Book of Mormon for additional information and analysis on authorship.

Authorship

This is a much debated point. Many different parties have differing views on the origin of the Book of Mormon. If the book is what it purports to be then it is an ancient record, compiled and abridged by Mormon of the pre-Colombian Native Americans, recording the generations of his nation and the teachings of ancient Hebrews. If not, it was written by Joseph Smith and his associates. There is no conclusive proof on either hand, whatever claims may be made by either party.

Joseph Smith as Translator

If true then the book is an abridgment of earlier records by Mormon and his son, Moroni (who carried on the work of abridgment after his father's death) at about AD 400. The record was subsequently buried in a stone box in a hillside, where it remained until the time of Joseph Smith.

According to the accounts of Joseph Smith and his associates, the original record was engraved on thin, malleable sheets of metal with the appearance of gold and bound with three rings at one edge, much like a modern book. The leaves were engraved on both sides with considerable skill. At the end of Moroni's ministry (around AD 421), he hid these gold plates along with several other artifacts in a stone box.

On September 22, 1823, Joseph Smith was directed by God through the angel Moroni to the place where the plates were stored. He was not immediately allowed to take them, but after four years was entrusted with them. Through the power of God he was able to translate the characters (supposedly related to 600 B.C. Egyptian with Hebrew influence (Mormon 9:32,34) into English.

Because the heavy plates were reportedly made of gold (or perhaps gold alloy or gold colored metal), the plates were much sought-after by individuals interested in their monetary value. Joseph admitted that, prior to receiving the plates, he had entertained thoughts of selling them to provide for his family, who were farmers and not particularly wealthy or well-educated.

Joseph Smith claimed he was commanded to show the plates to several people and no one else. Accounts by these individuals are recorded in the front of The Book of Mormon as "The Testimony of Three Witnesses" and "The Testimony of Eight Witnesses." Most of the witnesses at some point became disaffected with Joseph Smith's leadership and the church, but none withdrew their testimony of what they signed.

After translation was complete, the angel again took the plates from Joseph Smith, and no public account of their whereabouts has been made since.

The golden plates were commonly referred to as a "Golden Bible," particularly by non-Mormons, though a few members also used the term in early descriptions. The label "Golden Bible" actually predates the Book of Mormon as legends of such an artifact existed in Canada and upstate New York while Joseph Smith was growing up (Bushman 2005).

See Golden Plates

Passages from the King James Version of the Bible

A substantial segment of the Book of Mormon, namely 2 Nephi chapters 7, 8, and 12-24, matches nearly word-for-word the chapters 50, 51-52:1-2, and 2-4 (respectively) of the King James Translation (1611) of the Book of Isaiah. The footnotes and chapter headings acknowledge this and encourage comparisons between Isaiah and 2 Nephi. There are differences in more than half of the 433 verses of Isaiah that are quoted in the Book of Mormon; most are very minor, but some are significant, which shows that Joseph Smith did not copy the KJV word-for-word. Some think he referred to it during the translation, and a few errors in the King James text seem to also exist in the Book of Mormon. It should be noted that this translation from the plates was made into the 1611 KJV literary and linguistic style, which did not exist when the plates were to have been created, and was no longer used when the translation was performed.

Alternative explanations

Alternative explanations for the authorship of the Book of Mormon have arisen. Most of these explanations attack the notion of Joseph Smith receiving divine revelations.

An incomplete list of alternative origins of The Book of Mormon is given below. (See Dr. Jeff Lindsay's website for additional scholarly analysis in defense of these allegations.)

Smith as author

According to this view, Joseph Smith simply wrote the Book of Mormon and later claimed to have translated it. This position tends to be the most commonly-held among Smith's critics and non-Mormons in general. Some Latter-day Saint scholars, such as Hugh Nibley, addressed this viewpoint, claiming that it is nearly impossible to write such a book within such a period of time, particularly given that Smith was an unlearned man with little or no knowledge of Hebrew peoples. Forensic evidence tends away from this, but remains inconclusive; many of Smith's writings have been preserved, a comparative analysis does not show that Smith or any close to him authored the manuscript. However, another author believes there is evidence to indicate that Joseph Smith had both the capability and resources to accomplish this task (Vogel 2004).

Another way Smith could have written the Book of Mormon was by means of automatic, or spirit writing. This theory was suggested by Scott C. Dunn and others. Automatic writing refers to the ability to write or dictate text in a relatively rapid, seemingly effortless and fluent manner with no sense of control over the content. The content of automatic texts is often similar to that of the Book of Mormon: Examples include multiple authorship, use of archaic language, accounts of bygone historical figures, descriptions of times and places apparently unfamiliar to the writer, narratives with well-developed characters and plot, accounts of various ministries of Jesus Christ, poetics, occasionally impressive literary quality, doctrinal, theological, and cosmological discussions, and even discourses by deity. More importantly, the manner in which Joseph Smith produced the Book of Mormon, and apparently many revelations and other scriptures as well, bears strong resemblance to the process of automatic writing. For example, there is no indication that Smith used notes or outlines or conducted major reworkings of his materials prior to their initial publication. While such conditions are characteristic of a relatively simple translation task, they are also typical of automatic writing. There are many other characteristics of automatic writing shown in the circumstances surrounding the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (American Apocrypha, Signature Books, pg. 17-46).

Smith as a plagiarist of contemporaries

In the early 20th century LDS Apostle B.H. Roberts authored a manuscript entitled Studies of the Book of Mormon, in which he critically examined the claims and origins of The Book of Mormon. In his manuscript, Roberts compared the content of The Book of Mormon with View of the Hebrews, a book written by Ethan Smith (no relation to Joseph), pastor of a church in Poultney, Vermont. View of the Hebrews was published in 1825, some five years before The Book of Mormon and called for recognition of Native Americans as the lost tribes of Israel and for bringing them back into the Christian fold. Speculation regarding the possible origins of the Native Americans was common in the era.

David Persuitte, in his book, Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon, shows extensive parallels between passages in View of the Hebrews and in The Book of Mormon, but notes no instances of direct copying, nor does he demonstrate that Smith ever read or even encountered the book. Had he owned a copy, Smith could be said to have been inspired by View of the Hebrews. However, it is known that Ethan Smith had visited Palmyra in support of his book, so the idea of Joseph Smith being exposed to View of the Hebrews is plausible. However, if such plagarism did exist, most blame would have to be placed on the shoulders of Oliver Cowdery. Cowdery was educated and trained as a typesetter/printers assistant in the 1800s and worked at the Poultney Gazette in the summer of 1823 (the paper became the Northern Spectator in December of 1823) when Ethan Smith brought the View of the Hebrews manuscript to be published. Soon thereafter Cowdery left the paper and within a few months Joseph Smith had reported the first divine visitation on the equinox (September 21, 1823). The obvious connection being that Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith were related and often associated together. This employment at the Poultney Gazette would not have been Cowderys first exposure to View of the Hebrews, his family, including father William and stepmother Keziah, were noted as being longstanding members of Ethan Smiths congregation in Poultney when he arrived and assumed leadership in November 1821. Ethan Smith made no secret of his theories presented in View of the Hebrews during sermons.

Some claim Smith plagiarized material from the manuscript for an unpublished novel by Solomon Spaulding. Spaulding's romantic novel has very little in common with the Book of Mormon. Even the story, which revolves around a group of seafaring Romans who sail to the New World around two millennia ago is not relatable to the Book of Mormon. Recently, non-Mormon researcher Thomas Donofrio claims to have found hundreds of parallels between peculiar wordings in the Book of Mormon and the writings of well-known historical and religious figures of the 18th and 19th centuries. Some difficulty is seen with this hypothesis given Joseph Smith's lack of formal education.

One of Smith's colleagues as author

According to this theory, someone else (either Sidney Rigdon or some other close friend of Smith) wrote the book and allowed Smith to take credit for it. Given that Smith had only basic literacy at the time, some consider this theory more probable than the view that Smith wrote the book himself. Both Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery were better educated and could have helped Smith author the book. According to one theory invented by Richard Bushman (2005), after dictating the primary text, Smith and his scribes would spend the evenings poring over the text, editing and making adjustments. In this case, the Book of Mormon would be considered a collaboration between Smith and his scribes, primarily Oliver Cowdery.

Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery both denied having written the book, and in fact Cowdery was one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Even though he became disaffected with Joseph Smith's leadership and with the church and was excommunicated in 1838, Cowdery never denied his testimony of having seen the golden plates and a decade later returned to the church. There is also no evidence that Joseph Smith knew of or was in contact with Sidney Rigdon until after the Book of Mormon was published. Most histories state that Parley P. Pratt, a member of Rigdon's congregation near Kirtland, Ohio, was baptized around September 1830 in Palmyra. Soon after, Pratt returned to Ohio, which is when Rigdon learned of Smith and the Book of Mormon and was baptized. According to these accounts, Rigdon first met Smith in December 1830, nine months after the Book of Mormon's publication.

Views of historicity

Main article: Archaeology and the Book of Mormon

Latter Day Saint views

The dominant and widely accepted view among Latter Day Saints is that the Book of Mormon is a true account of the people whose history it documents.

Since the time of its publication, it has been common among Latter Day Saints to view and explain the Book of Mormon as a comprehensive history of all Native Americans (Mauss 2004); this understanding of the Book of Mormon is referred to as the "hemispheric model." However, belief in the hemispheric model is an assumption not based on a close reading of the text, nor on the teachings of Joseph Smith, who stated repeatedly that he believed the events in the Book of Mormon took place in Central America. Since modern genetic evidence has shown that Native American Indians are primarily descendants of East Asians, the hemispheric model, along with all of its incorrect assumptions, has been losing support.

The location of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon are not identifiable. Several groups of Mormon apologists (including FAIR and FARMS) have proposed that the city Zarahemla is located somewhere along the Central American isthmus because of the description given in Alma 22:27. This approach, often referred to as the "Limited Geography Model," argues for a more limited view of the Book of Mormon, suggesting that the book is a history of only a small group of Native Americans in Central America. This theory, presented by Joseph Smith and others as early as 1842, has been gaining substantial support recently because it more accurately represents the descriptions given within the text itself. For instance, the populations and civilizations described in the Book of Mormon were too small to fill entire continents; moreover, there is much evidence that one common assumption of the past (that Book of Mormon civilizations were alone in America) is probably incorrect.

Critics' views

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 Some Mormon and non-Mormon religious scholars claim to have found archaeological, cultural and linguistic evidence that the book was an ancient record, these conclusions are not accepted by the majority of scholars. These scholars point to the available history of the four major civilizations in Meso-America in the Book of Mormon time period (Maya, Mixtec, Zapotec and Aztec) where there is archeaological data and some recorded history. Each of these civilization was very advanced in language, writing, mathematics and astronomy. Furthermore, ample evidence has been uncovered of the types of plants, animals and implements available to the early inhabitants. The Book of Mormon clearly makes multiple reference to plants and animals many of which do not match the Book of Mormon time period.

Some Logical Errors used in arguments

The discussion surrounding plants, animals and implements mentioned in the Book of Mormon, from both sides often uses strawman arguments and logical fallacies to prove each side. This next section will demonstrate where faults with the arguments lie. However since this section is labelled as a critical view, it will concentrate on voicing the critical views and not those of the proponents. Each of the arguments here, as well as countless not yet included have been published by various sources and can be inspected online from Utah Lighthouse Ministries - a well known publisher of books on Mormonism.

"Poor Choice of Wording"

A defensive argument offered is that the authors and/or translator(s) of the Book of Mormon simply used the wrong words to describe unfamiliar items. Some believe this argument is logically irrational for the following reasons:

  • The plates that begat the Book of Mormon are claimed to have been written in the language of the travellers.
    • If the travellers had brought these items to the new world, given their familiarity with the items, the language would have contained descriptive words capable of describing what they were familiar with and what they were not.
    • Since the items were prevalent in the old world the travellers would be well versed in indentifying if a strange object encountered in the new world is a member of those items or not.

Both the Hebrew and Egyptian languages, at the claimed time of authorship of the plates, contained proper wording and descriptive ability. (Ed. note: since we do not know the structure or syntax of Reformed Egyptian - given that no examples survive at the time of this writing - we must logically conclude that the language had available to it all of the structure and content of its reported parent languages)

  • At the time the Book of Mormon was translated, the English language in use contained the proper wording to describe every item encountered in both the new and old worlds, even the 1611 KJV english used for the translation contained the proper wording. Therefore neither the writing of the plates, nor the translation of the Book Of Mormon could have involved any unfamiliar words or concepts.
  • Following on - to claim that the translator did not have access to the proper meaning of the words on the plates opens up the logical claim that the translation is therefore flawed because:
    • It demonstrates that seer stones or any other mechanism did not work properly to produce a correct translation if the user was unable to translate simple descriptive concepts from one language to another - which was the stated sole purpose of the mechanism. If one item of the translation can be shown to be faulty, then rationally all items must be viewed with suspicion and the claim of being the most correct text is clearly negated.
    • To hold the seer stones or any mechanism blameless, then points to the translator as being faulty, which destroys a key underpinning of the Mormon faith.
    • One could also argue that the translation itself should have been done into the period english used in 1830's America and not 1611 KJ english. There would have been no precursor located on the plates instructing any future reader to use a language not yet created in any form, let alone a singular dialect.

It is unlikely any LDS adherent would rationally take this defense as it defeats the belief that Joseph Smith was a true prophet/man of god and/or the authenticity of the Book - neccessary beliefs in order to "restore" the Aaronic and Melchezedik priesthoods.

"Argumentum ad ignorantiam" 1

A popular argument used by opponents proceeds: "There is no evidence of these plants, animals or implements found, therefore disproving the Book of Mormon." This statement falls into a logical fallacy known as argumentum ad ignorantiam (argument from ignorance) and takes form as either one of the following cases:

  • 'B' has not been proven false, therefore 'B' is true. or
  • 'B' has not been proven true, therefore 'B' is false.

Simply noting the wording used in the book versus what has been uncovered in digs, does not suffice as proof. As is well proven in other sections, much of Meso-America has an unbroken archaeological record, and some advanced written history, mathematics and astronomy. The Mayan civilization, for example, was in many ways more advanced than any old world civilization - including the travellers.

If the Book of Mormon is based on historical fact, then the plants, animals and implements would have had to have been introduced, lost, and then re-introduced after the re-discovery of the new world by the Spaniards. To avoid the pitfalls of the aforementioned logical fallacy, the petitioner must rely on the unbroken archeological record. Since the record is regarded as being complete and descriptive as to exposing the plants, animals and implements of the time, the fact that the introduction, loss and re-introduction is missing makes the case that those three actions did not take place - one need not worry about the fate of individual items. The Book of Mormon covers perhaps less than 2 millenia. The Meso-American record dates as far back as 30,000 years.

To learn more about logical fallacies, read the section on Logical Fallacy.

Native American Language

Another argument deals with the language to have been used by the indigenous inhabitants of the new world. Most Mormon and non-Mormon scholars believe that other groups of people lived in the ancient Americas. It was commonplace in 1800's America for people to assume the strange tongues spoken by the inhabitants were related to someting equally cryptic: Hebrew. Here is a link to a website that lists in compact form 30 books written prior to 1830 which advanced this theory to early 1800's America. It is conceivably an easy theory to accept as the spoken Native languages are not related to languages in Europe or Asia. For further explanation, visit the following link from Indiana University: Native American Languages and for more on the structure and syntax, visit this link: Native American Syntax It is important to mention that expatriated Hebrew speaking Jews do not typically speak Hebrew outside of closed groups or religious cerimonies. Reasons given for this have typically centered around the persecution Jews have received over the millenia, as such, most are at the very least bi-lingual and engage others in the local language. Therefore, exposure to Hebrew as a conversational language in 1800's America would have been quite rare.

Evidence has been provided that many native inhabitants migrated south from the Siberian-Alaskan entry point over roughly 30,000 years, the groups became fractured enough to develop similarly derived, but differently practiced cultures. In addition, the evidence of Atlantic travel to the Americas with groups, such as the Olmecs, may have introduced African and other language and cultural traits with the already-here inhabitants. In terms of evidence of advanced thinking, Meso-American cultures developed written language roughly the same time the ancestors of Europe did, yet with no demonstrable connection. This is not to say they were alone, the Iroquois of North America also had advanced writing and language, different yet again. In line with the argument offered in this section, the Hebrew and Egyptian languages at the time of the arrival of the travellers were both quite advanced. To accept that the Book of Mormon is fact, one would have to accept that a culture and its descendants lost knowledge and ability, or accept they and their culture was destroyed by the Lamanites as stated by the Book of Mormon.

Assumption of Translation

Unlike the source of the Book of Mormon, there exist approximately 20000 manuscripts/texts from which the Christian Bible was derived. They are available for inspection at any time if the translation is in question. However, the portion of the Christian Bible that consists of the Jewish Sefer Torah is not a translation - it is a direct copy. Critics of Joseph Smith often fail to point out or realize that Jewish Rabbis/scholars do not translate the Sefer Torah - it is copied from original source on a timely basis and undergoes rigorous inspection with each copy - a single mistake no matter the magnitude causes rejection of the copy(Ibid. Sefer Torah), although not all mistakes have been historically caught [1], [2], [3], [4]. This following of the law of Mitzvoh has enabled Judaic scholars to maintain what Jews and Christian alike consider the 'Word of God' in its exact form as written nearly 5800 years ago. [5]

The LDS Church today uses the 1769 edition of the King James Version, which is slightly different than the 1611 version that Smith owned, and omits the Apocrypha. 433 verses of the Bible are included in the Book of Mormon, almost half of which match the wording in the King James Version, and about a third match the wording in the Septuagint and/or Hebrew Bible.

While there may not be a one to one translation from Hebrew into English word for word, there is one for concept to concept. Since Mormons take the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, The Pearl of Great Price and others as a whole to form Mormon canon, critics claim that to cast the authenticity and accuracy of one portion into doubt is to draw the same shade across all as each had similar ancestry. For a discussion of the Smith's translation of the Bible, see, Joseph Smith Translation, Apocrypha and Standard Works.

LDS Funded Archeology

Returning to the arguments concerning archeological findings, it is incorrect to assume that the LDS has never tried to prove the historicity. In 1951 Thomas Ferguson, a devoted LDS member, petitioned Mormon President David O. McKay to financially back the founding of the New World Archeological Foundation (hereafter NWAF). Ferguson requested at first a 5 year funding grant to dig throughout Meso-America for evidence of the veracity of the Book of Mormon claims. His persistence paid off and the first five years were funded from 1955 to 1959. At the end of this period, additional funding was granted and continues to this day.

In a 1961 newsletter Ferguson predicted that although nothing had been found, the Book of Mormon cities would be found in 10 years. Eleven years later in 1972 LDS member Hal Hougey wrote Ferguson questioning the progress given the stated timetable in which the cities would be found. Replying to Hougey as well as secular and non-secular requests, Ferguson wrote in a letter dated 5 June 1972: Ten years have passed... I had sincerely hoped that Book-of-Mormon(sic) cities would be positively identified within 10 years--and time has proved me wrong in my anticipation. To date, the NWAF has been continuously unlucky. However, given the light of the logical fallacy presented earlier, this is not a proper argument that the Book of Mormon is false or true.

During the period of 1959-1961, NWAF colleague Dee Green was editor of the BYU Archeological Society Newsletter and had an article from it published in the summer of 1969 edition of Dialogue: A journal of Mormon Thought, pp76-78 in which he acknowledged that the NWAF findings did not back up the veracity of the Book of Mormon claims. After this article and another six years of fruitless search, Thomas Ferguson published a 29 page paper in 1975 entitled Written Sypmosium on Book-of-Mormon Georgraphy: Response of Thomas S. Ferguson to the Norman & Sorenson Papers. The full text will be omitted here, but he summed up as thus on page 29: I'm afraid that up to this point, I must agree with Dee Green, who has told us that to date there is no Book-of-Mormon georgraphy...

Ferguson wrote a 20 Febuary 1976 letter to Mr & Mrs H.W. Lawrence in which he stated: ...The real implication of the paper is that you can't set the Book-of-Mormon geography down anywhere--because it is fictional and will never meet the requirements of the dirt-archeology(sic)

While each of the aforementioned quoted sources are easily verifiable, critics think it interesting to note that the LDS Church library does contain copies of each, but they are not part of any LDS curriculum.

This is not to say the NWAF has found nothing. Quite the opposite, the findings of the NWAF have been invaluable in continuing the unbroken record of Meso-America. Currently BYU maintains 86 documents on the work of the NWAF at the BYU NWAF website and these documents are used outside both BYU and the LDS church by researchers.

Misc. Data

Recent studies have demonstrated that Native Americans do not have certain genetic markers in common with modern Middle Eastern DNA samples, and genetic research shows that they are more closely related to people in Asia than anywhere else. Critics claim this contradicts the statement found in the introduction of the current edition of the Book of Mormon, which says that the Lamanites, descendents of Hebrews, are the "principal ancestors" of Native Americans, however there is no claim that they are the sole ancestors. There are three different people who are mentioned, of which one may be Asian.

Critics believe that the faithful are blinded and biased by opinion in the review of the evidence, and that Latter-day Saints take a stance that heavily leans on the slim possibility of it being true, grasping at straws in the face of facts. However, most scholars who defend the authenticity of the Book of Mormon claim that the "facts" are usually distorted, misleading, or misunderstood.

Other arguments against the Book of Mormon are made on an archaeological basis, such as the mention of animals that are not known to have been present in the Americas prior to contact with Europe. One specific issue is language, in that the Nephites and Lamanites would have spoken a Semetic language up to at least 400 C.E., where the Book of Mormon stops. However, no spoken semetic language has survived in the Americas to modern times. These critics also feel that the 1,000 years after the end of the period covered in the Book of Mormon do not suffice to account for the difference among Native American languages nor their distance from Semetic languages. A common counterargument is that the Book of Mormon mentions contact with other civilizations with their own non-Semitic languages that might have influenced or supplanted any Semitic language being spoken, and point to written samples of Semetic languages in available archaelogical data. Likewise, no evidence has been found for there having been a massive battle on the Hill Cumorah, where 230,000 men died, in addition to women and children.

Role of the Book of Mormon in Mormonism

The Book of Mormon is of prime importance to the church as one of the greatest differentiating factors of the church as well as a spiritual foundation. It is held as a tangable evidence of the truthfulness of the church.

Members of the church hold The Book of Mormon as the most important, correct, and basic book of scripture. Not placing enough emphasis on the Book of Mormon or ignoring it all together was decried in a revelation to Joseph Smith that pronounced a condemnation on the "whole church" for treating the Book of Mormon "lightly," until they should "repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I [the Lord] have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father's kingdom" (Doctrine and Covenants 84:55-58). The importance of studying the Book of Mormon has been stressed by every LDS church president since Joseph Smith, who stated that the Book of Mormon was "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."

The Book of Mormon's significance was reiterated in the late 20th century by Ezra Taft Benson, Apostle and 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In an August 2005 Ensign message, current LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley challenged each member of the church to reread the Book of Mormon again before year end. The book's importance is commonly stressed at the twice-yearly General Conference and at special devotionals by General Authorities in the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the several Quorums of the Seventy.

Differences between the Book of Mormon and Latter-day Saint doctrine

Critics of Mormonism argue that the teachings of Book of Mormon are not entirely consistent with Mormon (and/or more specifically, LDS) doctrine. The book's Introduction states that the Book of Mormon "contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel," though it does not dictate certain specific doctrines important to Latter-day Saints. These come from other sources, including modern revelation. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints belive that the president of the church is a prophet whom receives guidance from God. From his revelations come the doctrines of the chuch which are treated as God's will, as well as the official interpretation of scripture. The organization, instructions and even the scriptures may change with the times to meet the current needs of the church, but the basic belief as a whole will remain unchaged. However, it is clear that a few of the doctrinal elements that distinguish Mormonism from other Christian religions are not mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Vital doctrines not found in the Book of Mormon include the origin of God, Baptism for the dead, The Word of Wisdom (the Mormon law of health) and other temple ordinances. It also does not dictate the doctrine of plural marriage, or polygamy; however, the Book of Mormon does mention polygamy, and Jacob says concerning it:

"I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my bretheren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none. For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things." (Jacob 2:26-30).

The saints believe that the Lord commanded polygamy for a time as permitted by the ending clause, for raising up seed in a time of hardship, but when the 1890 Manifesto revoked that commandment, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began to excommunicate members who entered into polygamous relationships. It holds to this doctrine still today.

To counter the accusation that the Book of Mormon does not contain "the fullness of the everlasting gospel," some LDS members point to a statement made by Joseph Smith to the effect that the basic and essential ordinances of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are Faith in Jesus, Repentance, Baptism, and Confirmation to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which are taught in the Book of Mormon, and all other doctrines and practices are but appendages to those tenets. Another interpretation of the phrase "fullness of the everlasting gospel" is that the Book of Mormon contains, as does the Bible, the true gospel (the message of Christ's Atonement and of the plan of salvation), untarnished by centuries of misinterpretation.

The following passages appear to casual observers to conflict with Mormon (and more specifically, LDS) doctrines:

  • The Father and the Son are one God (Mosiah 15:4). Critics argue that this means the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit cannot be three individuals, as is claimed in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22, and that mankind cannot be made like God. However, Mosiah 15:4 is clearly a reference to Jesus Christ as both the Father and the Son (see Mosiah 15:1-3). The prophet Abinadi is teaching corrupt priests about the Law of Moses, and how it is in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. This Book of Mormon teaching, in effect, shows that the God of Israel and the Messiah are one and the same being, Jesus Christ; He is Jehovah, [God] of the Old Testament ("Father," representing God the Father) and Messiah, Lord of the New Testament ("Son"). Thus, Mosiah 15:4 is in complete harmony with the teachings of the LDS church.
  • God is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Mormon 9:9). This would seem to imply that God could not have once been a man, as was later taught by Joseph Smith (nearly 14 years after having written the Book of Mormon). Most Latter Day Saints believe the phrase "God is the same yesterday, today, and forever" is used in reference to the constancy of the gospel and God's purposes; from before the time of Adam until the end of the world and beyond, there has only been one true gospel preached. Thus, since the phrase does not refer to the nature of God, Mormon 9:9 is not a contradiction of the doctrine of eternal progression.
  • Desiring many wives is "wicked" (Jacob 1:15). Critics argue that the doctrine of plural marriage contradicts the Book of Mormon. Few Latter Day Saints would argue that desiring multiple wives is good. What the critics fail to point out, however, is that it is the desire that is condemned, not the practice, which the Lord has commanded from time to time.

Latter Day Saints believe it makes no sense to claim that a book so complex and revolutionary as the Book of Mormon might contradict itself within the span of a few pages. Moreover, Latter Day Saints find it equally ridiculous when critics claim that Joseph Smith, who was intimately aware of the Book of Mormon's teachings, taught doctrines contrary to the teachings of the book on which rests the whole validity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Therefore, it seems irrational to Latter Day Saints that these "contradictions" exist; in their mind, any problems or confusion must stem from a person's misinterpretation (or in the case of some critics, deliberate misreprensentation) of certain passages or teachings.

Book of Mormon Editions

The Book of Mormon is published today in the following forms:

  • by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the expanded title The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
  • for the Community of Christ by Herald House as Book of Mormon - Revised Authorized Version (1966) and Book of Mormon - Authorized Version (1908)
  • by the Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite) as The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates taken from the Plates of Nephi — an original edition compiled by a committee made up of Church of Jesus Christ apostles Thurman S. Furnier, Charles Ashton and William H. Cadman
  • for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) by Richard Drew, Burlington (Voree), Wisconsin — a photo enlarged facsimile of the 1840 edition
  • by Zarahemla Research Foundation as The Book of Mormon - Restored Covenant Edition
  • by the University of Illinois Press as The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition (2003) (this edition is based on the 1920 LDS edition)
  • by Doubleday under the title The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (2004)

Some critics have suggested that some of the changes across editions significantly affect the meaning of the Book of Mormon and indicate an agenda inconsistent with the idea of a revealed or inspired book. Most of these changes have been discussed in official Church publications including the Ensign, Improvement Era, Millennial Star and Times and Seasons, and are consistent with early pre- and post-publication edits made by Joseph Smith. Most corrections were made due to earlier print or copy errors, or changes in punctuation. See Linguistics and the Book of Mormon.

References

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  • Bushman, Richard L.. 2005. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. New York: Alfred Knopf. ISBN 1400042704
  • Givens, Terryl. 2002. By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195168887
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  • Mauss, Armand L. 2003. All Abraham's Children: Changing Mormon Conceptions of Race and Lineage. Illinois: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252028031
  • Persuitte, David. Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon, second edition, McFarland & Company (2000), trade paperback, 325 pages, ISBN 078640826X
  • Vogel, Dan. 2004. Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet. Salt Lake City: Signature Books. ISBN 1560851791

See also

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