After reading the Qur'an and all the LDS extra biblical "scriptures," there's simply only one conclusion that came to my mind:
Mormonism is the white and delightsome version of Islam.
Yeah, but you haven't read either…
You know that I have. Here is my condensed summary of the Book of Mormon followed by a brief commentary:
(The account of the Jaredites.) According to the Book of Mormon, somewhere around 2500 B.C., God selected the brother of Jared and set his family apart by blessing their seed beyond measure. He instructed them to build eight vessels that are described, in so many words, as floating submarines. He then touched eight stones to give them illuminating power so they would not travel in darkness. (He revealed himself as Jesus Christ at this point, as well, and warned them that they must serve only Him or they would perish off the Promised Land He was giving them.) They loaded up these vessels with their families, their flocks, and seeds of every kind, no mention of fresh water, but they did prepare food for their year long journey. All eight of these vessels landed at the same spot, somewhere in the Americas, and they cultivated the ground and began worshiping and living for Jesus. Many generations pass by, but these people did not get along, and there was a great war that involved millions of deaths, which completely wiped out their whole civilization. Fortunately, they transcribed their account onto some golden plates and buried them in the earth to preserve this knowledge for future generations.
(The account of Lehi and his sons.) According to the Book of Mormon, during the first year of king Zedekiah's reign, Lehi prophesied that the Babylonians were coming to destroy Jerusalem unless the people repented and turned back to God. He was rejected by his people, so he took his family and moved out into the wilderness. They didn’t know what tribe of Israel they were from, so Lehi sent his sons to recover that information from Laban, apparently the historian in Jerusalem. When Laban refuses to give his sons what they are looking for, Nephi feels led by the Spirit of God to kill Laban and take matters into his own hands. He steals Laban’s sword, clothes, and engraved plates of brass which contain the five books of Moses, the history of the Jews, and the writings of the prophets. When Lehi inspected the plates, he discovered that he is a descendant of Joseph.
After many years of sojourning in the wilderness, Nephi is instructed to build a ship and take his friends and family to another Promised Land God has prepared for these special Israelites. He is given a magic compass to navigate the uncharted waters and eventually they land in the Americas and they begin to possess the land. There is discord in the family of Lehi, and two tribes emerge from the feuds, the Nephites, who were white and delightsome, and the Lamanites, who inherit a curse from God that darkens their skin, because of all their iniquities.
Each of these tribes build their own cities as they continue to multiply and prosper. They construct temples, synagogues, and towers of defense. They are constantly at war with each other, but somehow they continue to grow large enough to inhabit all of the land. Prophets are raised up, and unlike the prophets of the Holy Bible, these prophets did not prophesy in part, they had full revelations and nothing was concealed from them. Each one proclaims that a Messiah is coming, he will be born of the virgin Mary, and that his name will be Jesus. They mention John the Baptist and the twelve disciples Christ will appoint. They actually quote much of the New Testament teachings including some of the Book of Revelation prophecies. Generations pass by, but the Nephites document the history of these events by transcribing everything onto metal plates. They find a hill where a great battle took place and the remains of millions are scattered about. This is where they find the historical golden plates of the Jaredites, and they combine these records with their own plates.
Many battles are described between these two tribes throughout this book and the rise and fall of each tribe several times. The prophets continually proclaim that they need to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus long before Christ even shows up on earth. Not many believe their words until there are three days of darkness signifying the death of Jesus. During this time there is great judgment cast upon the Americas and whole cities are swallowed up in the sand, flooded by great waters, fire sent from heaven destroying others, and unrelenting whirlwinds that kill hundreds of thousands of people. Then in the midst of this darkness, the voice of God is heard. He proclaims that he has destroyed the wicked and preserved the righteous, and he is gathering them all together for a great revival. Jesus shows up and gives them the Sermon on the Mount, (completely plagiarized from the Gospel of Matthew) then He heals them, and prays for them, prayers that were apparently too wonderful to document. He commissions twelve more apostles and sends them out to remind the people of everything He has taught them. He grants that three of these apostles would be given new incorruptible bodies so they can live hundreds of years winning souls to Christ, and then He abruptly leaves after three days of visitation.
The Lamanites and Nephites have many generations of peace until it all fades away and they go back to their old fighting ways. Tragically, the Lamanites eventually wiped out all of the Nephites, and the brass and golden plates that were passed down over the years were hidden by Moroni in 421 A.D.
So, according to this book, the native Americans we know as Indians were descendants of Israelites.
(The account of Joseph Smith.) Joseph Smith was a young treasure hunter who was first visited by the angel Moroni as he descended from heaven in 1823. Moroni eventually led young Joseph to the whereabouts of these engraved plates and told him to interpret the writings into English and to build the true church of Jesus Christ. Joseph determined that the metal plates were written in reformed Egyptian, and by the power of God, and the use of a seer stone, this modern day prophet translated the writings successfully within a relatively short period of time. (By looking into his hat and gazing upon the illuminated words that would appear on his magic rock.) Then Moroni returned and took the plates from Joseph, thus taking away any physical proof of these things.
Now my commentary:
Outside of what is clearly plagiarized from the Holy Bible, these are all fictional accounts. Even Joseph Smith's biography is a revised version of historical events.
I had studied the Bible for a long time before I ever encountered the Book of Mormon. So, when I first opened up this book, I saw on the very first page that this was a counterfeit. I love reading about the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah, so seeing the time stamp of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah grabbed my attention. The two books give different accounts into what was taking place at that precise moment in time and it's not a minor inconsistency.
Lehi is telling the residents of Jerusalem that the Babylonians will come and destroy Jerusalem, unless God's people repent. He has riches and moves freely in and out of this make believe version of an apparently unwalled city without gates. There are very few details of the surrounding area, as well, proving the author had no idea how to describe a place he never visited before.
God's word paints a very different and detailed picture, though. This is already occupied territory. Babylon has infiltrated Jerusalem and Nebuchadnezzar captured the royal family and is holding them for ransom. He sets up Zedekiah as king and orders him to pay tribute. The temple has been ransacked and very little of anything valuable remains. Jeremiah is telling the people to submit to their new overlords and they will survive this ordeal. Only the poor of the land remain.
And this is only the beginning.
Nephi, Lehi's son, is transcribing everything onto metal plates and into reformed Egyptian, which was not a custom of the Jews. It is also impossible for a Hebrew family in that generation not to know what tribe they belonged to, because they lived in the region that was prescribed by lots in Joshua's day. What's he doing in Jerusalem? He says his family has always lived there, but he finds out he's a descendant of Joseph, so he should have been in the northern tribes, far away from this region.
And it came to pass is being used redundantly, nearly every paragraph. This is poorly written compared to the actual Word of God, it's laughable even. Names in the Holy Bible actually mean something, but guess what the Book of Mormon lacks? You guessed it, any resemblance of this well established trait in Scripture. In fact, Joseph Smith sometimes even used relatively modern language and names in this supposedly ancient text, leaving many red flags scattered throughout this obviously fraudulent work of fiction.
Laban has the history of the Jews transcribed onto metal plates, not something the Israelites ever did, they wrote everything on scrolls made with papyrus and animal hides. Nephi was commanded to kill this treasurer and to steal from him. Why? Because Laban wasn't keeping the Lord's commands. (Apparently killing and stealing is perfectly fine, though.) Very confusing and hypocritical writings.
With the books of Moses and the historical records in hand, Lehi discovers his family descended from the tribe of Joseph. (The descendants of Joseph were not called that in the Scriptures, they were known as Ephraim and Manasseh.) The tribe of Joseph is mentioned countless times, which contradicts how this patriarchal family was spoken of in the Holy Bible.
This book claims Jesus came to the Americas after His resurrection, but the Lord said it is finished on the cross. He accomplished what He set out to do in the Holy Bible. He purged our sins, ascended into Heaven, and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Unlike the claims in this fairy tale, Jesus never physically came to the Americas after that. (When He does actually return, it will be for the whole world to see, as the Holy Bible clearly states.) The Book of Mormon is fantasy that contradicts Holy writ.
I would also like to point out that Jesus told His disciples they have seen the Father in Him and through His works, but Joseph Smith said he had an encounter with both the Father and the Son and they revealed themselves with separate bodies. I can't even imagine the audacity of such a foolish claim. Again, the Book of Mormon contradicts His inspired word.
Even the language used in the supposedly ancient text is not consistent with Old Testament writings. Words like doctrines, synagogue, the cross, countries, apostles, and even Bible were not old world terms. Even the names Jesus or Christ were not used back in the law and prophets. Also, the fact that it is translated to resemble a poorly composed version of Elizabethan, should give the reader a clue that something isn't right.
Also, one of the most glaring issues is that it purports to be written by many different authors, but the evidence of that is non-existent, because it's the same dry personality and writing style throughout. It is more than obvious only one person dictated this.
The prophesies spoken of in the BoM make the prophets in the Holy Bible seem insignificant. Actual prophets in the Holy Bible only saw visions in part, and the results were left to interpretation and putting the pieces of the puzzle together through many different prophets, but it is not so in the BoM, for these prophets have clear and detailed visions. They also share Christ's specific New Testament teachings, making it sound like when Jesus shows up hundreds of years later, He's just repeating what was said by these imaginary prophets. Things written like, "wars and rumors of wars" should alert the reader that something is amiss. For example, "There is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved." -2 Nephi 25:20. So, hundreds of years before Saint Peter ever uttered these specific words, the author wants us to believe an imaginary prophet spoke them. It's very easy to sound prophetic when you are writing a fictional account of the past with a copy of the New Testament handy.
Many of these stories are all rehashed versions of mangled biblical stories, sometimes with different names, sometimes with different locations, but all poorly told and obviously not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Also, this book claims the Holy Bible has been corrupted and that precious things had been removed. This was Joseph Smith's way of crowning himself as the prophet of the restoration. He added verses that pointed to himself in his own Bible translation. He also concludes that Satan has great power over people who believe only the Bible, confirming that this whole Book of Mormon is heretical nonsense. Some of the writings actually address theology from the nineteenth century, not of ancient times, and Mormons overlook those red flags, too. For example, nobody was asking questions about purgatory twenty-five hundred years ago.
One of the lowest points in this fictional account is when Nephi calms the storms at sea way before Jesus ever did. Stories like this cheapen what the Son of God actually did when He graciously walked among His creation. He went about doing good, and Joseph Smith ruins all of it by trying to recreate history in this imaginary land, with pretend people, and a fairy tale ending. None of it happened.
Finally, can you even name a legitimate war that has broken out in the history of the earth that was so devastating that all parties involved were eliminated? So much so, that there was also no record of such civilizations remaining or any eye witnesses? Well, it may not have ever happened in reality, but it happens in the Book of Mormon! What are the odds? It was obviously all made up in the mind of a known conman.
Unlike the fictional accounts given in the BoM, the Bible keeps accurate historical records of nations that actually existed, and they still exist to this day. The empirical evidence is overwhelming, but the BoM hasn't one ounce of such historical proof. Elevating the nonsense of the Book of Mormon to be equal with the divine wisdom and infallible Truth written of in the Holy Bible is beyond comprehension, unless one has been entirely brainwashed. There aren't even any examples of perfect love in the BoM, because God's obviously not in it.
These are just some of my thoughts, but the boldness of Joseph Smith's claims exceed that of any other false teachings that have ever been written. Pure blasphemy. He was unabashedly evil. He was a charlatan and an adulterer. Now, imagine the foolishness of following such a deceiver, even after being shown these heresies that contradict what is written in the Holy Bible.
Yet, there are millions of folks who have put their trust, hope, and faith in this blind leader who has led each and every one of his blind followers all into the ditch of destruction. A life of self righteousness that is no different than any other false religion on earth. Mormons live completely bereft from the love that comes from being born again by the Spirit of Truth. They do things in their own strength, and are no different than any Muslim, Hindu, or counterfeit Christian.
I firmly believe that anyone that has Jesus as the foundation of their faith and believes the Holy Bible is a brother or sister in Christ. I don’t like to get into petty doctrinal arguments that cause separation, but I do know the difference between a cult and the church. I am convinced that this particular movement is not of God.
You don’t need the historical proof that none of these events actually took place, but we have that. There are no remains of these civilized tribes anywhere in the Americas, and neither is there any corroborating literary evidence of any of this transpiring outside of Joseph Smith’s book. You don’t need the scientific proof that none of this was true, but DNA does actually prove that Native Americans have absolutely no link to the Hebrew nation. All you need to do is read the book for yourselves and see the deception first hand. It is more than obvious that Joseph Smith desired that others would follow him instead of Jesus, because that is essentially what the Book of Mormon does, it leads people away from the cross.
I believe the whole foundation of Mormon faith is based upon a lie and many in this nation have been deceived over the years, but I think it is high time that the truth was once again proclaimed. Jesus is the only way to the Father, and His word is enough. We don’t need a modern day prophet teaching us new doctrines that contradict the Holy Bible; we have been given the Holy Spirit, who freely gives every believer discernment. He is the greatest teacher we could ever have.
Now, I realize I tend to ruffle some feathers by sharing these things, but please understand where my heart is. I was deceived as a child, as well. I believed I was a good person my whole life, until my wife had left and I investigated for myself what was actually written in the Holy Bible. I have been through it a great number of times from cover to cover, and there is nothing like it on earth. My study led me to being born again in a prayer meeting. I love the Lord and delight in His word. And I believe as far as the heavens are from the earth, so is the gap between the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon. So, please share this with as many people as you know. I happen to believe Mormons are not far from the Kingdom, but they need to denounce Joseph Smith and return to the Father's house before it's too late.
Pray for the deceived, pray for the lost, and please keep praying for our nation. The hour is late and the day is well spent, Jesus is returning for His bride. I pray the church will be prepared.
Lord bless.
Jason’s essay isn’t really evidence against the Book of Mormon. It’s a mixture of theological disagreements, outdated criticisms, misunderstandings of the text, and a few legitimate historical questions.
The strongest criticisms deserve discussion.
But claims like “Jews never wrote on metal,” “Joseph descendants couldn’t live in Jerusalem,” “synagogues didn’t exist,” “God couldn’t reveal Christ’s name beforehand,” or “John 10:16 couldn’t refer to other covenant peoples” are not nearly as decisive as critics often imagine.
You don’t have to believe the Book of Mormon. But if we’re going to critique it, we should critique what it actually says—not a caricature of it.
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