The prophettranslator initiated the majority of changes in the first few editions. For readers unfamiliar with the authors, the tanners are famous or infamous exlds members. In the light of modern biblical criticism these quotations raise problems that have a serious bearing on the integrity of the nephite record as a whole. Here i am going to discuss, rather briefly, some of the problems i have with the book of mormon. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. For example, critics of mormonism have shown convincing proof that the book of mormon is a synthesis of earlier works written by other men, of the vivid imaginings of joseph smith, and of plagiarisms from the king james bible. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. The book of mormon even contains king james bible translation errors. Such is the modern subtitle of the book of mormon, a book first published in 1830 but purporting to be a translation of an ancient scripture penned in the western hemisphere.
It tells of the jaredites, people from the tower of babel who came to central america but perished because of their own immorality. As we search the book of mormon, the spirit will help us find answers to our problems and questions. Though i tend to agree with welch that plates of pure gold would be too fragile to be useful, the fact remains that mosiah 8. Book of mormontransmission from translator to printed text. The book of mormon claims to be a record of the inhabitants of the americas during the period from 2000 b. John sorenson felt that some of the animals mentioned in the book of mormon might not be what we think. Be the first to ask a question about the problems of the book of mormon lists with this book. Christ and the apostles themselves attribute the book to isaiah. Mormon missionaries continue to claim that the science of archeology substantiates the book of mormon, but whether we consider the alleged cities, persons, animals, fabrics, metals, wars and war implements, kings, palaces, or crops, all the. This view finds no acceptance outside of mormonism. Internal evidences of the unity of the book include imagery, repetition, expressions peculiar to isaiah, and song.
This tract takes a more indepth look at the book of mormon and the problems found within its pages. Many members of the latter day saint movement claim historical authenticity of the book of mormon. The late nineteenth century saw a division of isaiah into three parts by critics, who. Problems with the book of mormon where mormon doctrine. Wasnt joseph smith fooled by the fraudulent kinderhook plates. Problems with the book of mormon catholic answers catholic. There are two possible explanations for the origin of the book of mormon. But in order to have an informed conversation with. Jun 21, 2015 here i am going to discuss, rather briefly, some of the problems i have with the book of mormon. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Janet jenson, variations between copies of the first edition of the book of mormon, byu studies winter 1973. However, hugh nibley, a mormon apologist, argues that reformed egyptian is actually meroitic egyptian.
These are five problems with the book of mormon, and to doubt its authenticity as an ancient document. The book of mormon is based on the golden plates that god revealed to joseph smith, and then to the three witnesses. Joseph smith claimed to have translated the book of mormon from a language called reformed egyptian. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. Words of the apostle paul are nearly or exactly quoted supposedly. The book of mormon describes the presence of chariots in the new world. Jul 14, 2016 joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is the most correct book in the world, and that a man could get closer to god by reading it than any other book. Archeologicalanthropological problems in the book of mormon.
Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. James wardle, selected changes in the book of mormon salt lake city. Certainly, problems exist in correctly identifying the animals listed in both the jaredite and nephite records. The book of mormon claims that the church of the lamb of god has few members.
Apparent problems in the book of mormon jeff lindsay. How can the book of mormon use the word book in 600 b. This organization, as did the much larger utah mormon church and many smaller divisions, developed as a direct result. The only bible that joseph smith relied on was the king james version. The object is to help mormons out of mormonism through their finding out about book of mormon problems. The book of mormon contains extensive quotes from isaiah some twentytwo chapters of the prophet are found in the book, in many cases quoted verbatim from the king james version.
Why the message behind the book of mormon musical is so. In these latter days, there are few people who havent been visited at least once by mormon. Feb 05, 2017 the book of mormon, with its deep satirical sensibility, songs that beg to be played on repeat and goodnatured poking of fun at all things sacred, is thus the perfect show for local audiences. From the fraction that we have, skousen identified 256 more corrections that are necessary to bring the current edition of the book of mormon into alignment with the text found in the original manuscript. Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad. A contemporary mormon view is that these civilizations rose and fell in mesoamerica. The mormon church has had this information since 1930, but never released it.
The book of mormon was translated and published in 1830. Second, the book of mormon contains none of the key mormon doctrines. Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would prefer were kept. Russell ballard of the quorum of the twelve apostles testified. The book of mormon uses the term chariot many times and in many different time periods which shows that the bom peoples used the concept of the wheel. Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would. Third, the book of mormon abounds in textual errors, factual errors, and outright plagiarisms from other works. The problems discussed in this book are the same problems that mormon apologists struggle with today. The decision to use the word challenge came from a remark by president spencer w. The book of mormon is the most correct of any book. Another major problem for the book of mormon is archeology, a major embarrassment for the mormon church. What is less well known is that the book of mormon makes a. Even one prominent mormon apologist, john tvedtnes, has rejected such evidence for the book of mormon see dialogue. Apologists offer varying responses and views at anachronisms in the book of mormon.
The book of mormon attributes two of these three sections to isaiah by quotation. However, when confronted with the presence of 1769 kjv errors and 17th century italics in the book of mormon, many of the same apologists will revert to the loose translation by claiming that maybe joseph smith indeed used a 1769 kjv bible to borrow verses over into the book of mormon. The mormon church promotes the book of mormon as an inspired writing. The isaiah problem in the book of mormon chap 11 shields. It makes many claims about the history and anthropology of pre. Roberts was a latterday saint general authority and intellectual who drafted several writings in 1922 dealing with alleged problems in the book of mormon see brigham d. My topic for discussion here is the challenge of the book of mormon.
Not only do they contradict the bible, but they also include errors, have frequently. The writers of the book of mormon musical focus their story on two groups of people, but it is clear from the text that they, themselves, are outsiders of both. The new testament portion of the kjv is often quoted in the old testament. Kimball in his first press conference after he became president of the church.
The challenge of the book of mormon religious studies center. Most, but not all, mormons hold the book s connection to ancient american history as an article of their faith. Joseph smith said 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 history of the church, vol. The books of hebrews and revelation are also quoted or closely paraphrased.
These plates were supposedly written 1,400 years ago and detailed the history of the jewish nephites from 600 b. The english language in america was not standardized in 1829. There are some serios problems with the book of mormon that the lds church cannot adequately explain. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god. In addition, the mormon scriptures have significant problems. The author of this paper was born into a family which belonged to the reorganized church of jesus christ of latter day saints with headquarters in independence, missouri. It is either of divine or human origin, and if it is of human origin that means that joseph smith concocted the book.
What is less well known is that the book of mormon makes a large number of unacknowledged biblical quotes. Book of mormon references to metals, weapons, crops, animals, articles of clothing are known to have not been present in the americas during the time period claimed in the book of mormon. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. It has long been held by critics of mormonism, for instance, that the book of mormon is nothing but a synthesis of earlier works written by other men, of the vivid imaginings of joseph smith, and of simple plagiarisms of the king james bible. Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to. The book of mormon does not claim to be primarily a history book, neither primarily an archaeological textbook nor a treatise on geography, economics, or political science.
Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. Archaeologists and egyptologists have found no evidence that this language ever existed. The book of mormon, above all other books that i know of, is the greatest source we have for answers to reallife problems. If biblebelieving christians make serious use of it, time has shown that the next step is likely to be the integration of these new exmormons into their own or another biblebelieving church. The underlying premise of mormonthink is that many of the issues, or at least the details of the issues, covered on mormonthink are unknown to most latterday saints. Mormon apologist john welch notes that pure gold would be too soft to make useful plates. William hamblin illustrates this with the example of horses among the huns basic methodological problems with the antimormon approach to the geography and archaeology of the book of mormon, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. Thus, in order to remove the problem, later editions have changed the text by adding. Lehi and his party obviously had knowledge of the wheel. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. According to lds scholar donald parry, the fact that the book of mormon uses the expression temple of solomon instead of solomons temple reflects a hebraic grammatical feature called the construct state. If this is true, then the book of mormon should be full of errors. No, he continued expressing his testimony of the book of mormon throughout his life.
Please note some of the many claims for the book of mormon that are not included in this list. The book of mormon claims to be a translation of ancient writing on gold plates. Sarah barringer gordon, a constitutional law and history professor at the university of pennsylvania, is the author of the mormon question. All three of these witnesses were later excommunicated by the church due to accusations of lying, stealing, cheating, counterfeiting, defrauding, and persecuting the mormons. The book was not published for 60 years and finally released in 1985. The theory that the book of mormon is an ancient american history is not accepted. Another major problem for the book of mormon is archeology. However, when confronted with the presence of 1769 kjv errors and 17th century italics in the book of mormon, many of the same apologists will revert to the loose translation by claiming that maybe joseph smith indeed used a 1769 kjv bible to. The tanners have listed, one by one, 400 verses and portions of verses quoted from the new testament in the book of mormon in their book, the case against mormonism. The isaiah problem in the book of mormon by sidney b. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of. He was asked by a reporter, what problems are being faced by the church today. I had never seen the musical, and i had no intention of seeing it. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon.
By the end of the study it is clear that he no longer has a testimony of the book of mormon. William hamblin illustrates this with the example of horses among the huns basic methodological problems with the anti mormon approach to the geography and archaeology of the book of mormon, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. Book of mormontransmission from translator to printed. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. The book of mormon, with its deep satirical sensibility, songs that beg to be played on repeat and goodnatured poking of fun at all things sacred, is. The book of mormon has been subject to problems in its printing, as have other books. Discussion of specific animals in the book of mormon. Other studies and articles before and after the 1981 edition include. Christians reject the book of mormon, doctrine and covenants, and pearl of great price in the first place because they consider the bible to be the only legitimate written, revealed word of god. Lds historical facts, problems, controversies, and contradictions. In addition, the very content of the book of mormon makes it impossible to accept it as divine revelation. Alma 5 and the book of mormons plagiarism of the new testament.
Mormon is allegedly a prophethistorian who was the native american believed by mormons to have written the book of mormon the main religious text of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints mormonism. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from. In major problems of mormonism jerald and sandra tanner examine historical and theological difficulties faced by the church of latter day saints lds. What are 1769 kjv edition errors doing in book of mormon. After several unsuccessful attempts, smith said he dug up the gold plates on september 22, 1827. I offer the following comments for potential readers. Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the. The book of mormon is supposed to be the account of people who came from the middleeast to the americas. Christian apologist robert bowman, in an article about the book of mormon s internal problems, describes the storyline as follows.