About This Video
The Book of Mormon is often misunderstood, as Christians mistakenly see it as presenting unique Mormon doctrine, while Mormons regard it as a historical record, but in reality, it doesn't contain all the unique doctrines of Mormonism and emphasizes various 19th-century religious themes common among Christian sects. It serves as "Another Witness of Jesus Christ" and was shaped by restorationist views, focusing on spiritual rebirth, the Trinity, and the need for reforming the church, distinct from the doctrines found in the doctrine and Covenants or the Pearl of Great Price.
In Shawn's teaching regarding the context of the Book of Mormon, he emphasizes the themes of self-reliance, tithing, Sabbath observance, and an avoidance of secret societies, attributing these as integral to the spiritual narrative and the agrarian mindset found within the text. Furthermore, he explores the historical and spiritual claims surrounding Joseph Smith's experiences, including the notion that the Book of Mormon was produced through inspiration, rather than direct translation from the golden plates, with significant angelic involvement over several years.
The Book of Mormon is argued to be primarily a 19th-century fictional narrative with Christ-centered messages and fantastic themes, derived in part from sources available to Joseph Smith during his time. By accepting this book, believers risk placing it above the Bible, which has substantial archeological, linguistic, and historical support, and embracing additional aspects of Mormonism that stem from Joseph Smith's teachings.
Religious movements often introduce new revelations that challenge the authority of the Bible, yet true understanding of Jesus Christ and His teachings is found by engaging directly with the Bible itself rather than through these new texts. To gain deeper insight and truth, read the Bible and question supplementary religious scriptures critically, encouraging personal investigation and understanding.
The Book of Mormon's Role in Mormon/Christian Debate
Introduction
The Book of Mormon
July 11th 2006
Welcome to Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology.
Live call-in show (will give the number later) Heart@tv20.tv www.bornagainmormon.com Re-broadcast announcement Still looking for teenagers! Email us at shawn@born-again-mormon.com
Word of Prayer
It has been said that “So many hack at the branches few strike at the root.” Tonight we are going to the root – to the Heart of the Matter – regarding the Book of Mormon.
READY? Few issues more misunderstood in the Mormon/Christian debate – from both sides of the aisle – than the Book of Mormon. Christians think the BOM contains unique Mormon doctrine – it doesn’t. Mormons think it’s an historic record – its not.
So let’s talk in terms of the facts – good or bad. Now I know we are going to get emails – If not calls – from well-meaning people saying: “Shawn, I just know the Book of Mormon is true. I just know it. The Spirit has told me” or “I feel it in my heart.” While your sincerity is accepted, it has little to do with the realities of the book. And hard as it is sometimes, we must deal in reality and not let our subjective desires or the indoctrination of our childhood color our perspectives. Right? Right.
Historical Context of the Book of Mormon
(STORY)
The Book of Mormon claims to be a record of people living in the Americas between 600 B.C.E. and 421 C.E. These people got to the Americas by leaving Jerusalem and crossing the sea in a boat. Once here, they broke into two great nations, built a thriving civilization, warred, and in the end nearly exterminated each other. Over time those who remained became the American Indian.
One of the last Prophets, a man named Mormon, took the records of these people and compiled them on Golden Plates. As the story goes, he gave these records to his son Moroni, who buried them in a hill in New York around 421 AD. And Joseph Smith then claimed that Moroni visited him and told him where the plates were buried.
Key Facts About the Book of Mormon
NOW, Let’s look at ten facts regarding the Book of Mormon.
Alright, fact number ONE (or reality Number One):
The book of Mormon is not the “Mormon Bible.” It does not replace the Bible as a Bible. Mormons consider the Book of Mormon to be “Another Witness of Jesus Christ” a subtitle that was added to the book in the 1980’s. Latter-day Saints use the King James Version of the Bible with their own cross references, including some reinterpretations by Joseph Smith.
Reality Number TWO:
- The Book of Mormon does NOT teach all the odd and unbiblical things that make Mormonism what it is today.
- Most of these doctrines and practices come from other “revelations” Joseph Smith claimed to receive which are contained in either the doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, or the revelations of Joseph Smith.
The Book of Mormon does NOT teach:
the temple endowment the Garden as a place of atonement three degrees of glory Mother in Heaven eternal progression Aaronic Priesthood that God was once a man that matter is eternal the LDS version of the conception of Jesus a plurality of God’s the Word of Wisdom polygamy (except to condemn it) premortal existence blood atonement Satan and Jesus as spiritual brothers the ability for Man to become a God polytheism baptism for the dead eternal marriage or that Jesus was created
Fact THREE:
The Book of Mormon does, in fact, teach and emphasize many 19th century religious themes popular among Christian sects at the time.
These themes include:
need for spiritual rebirth the trinity (and a few other concepts on the ontology of one God) the incarnation of God as Jesus missionary zeal revivalistic worship themes (clapping hands in services, etc.) divine healings baptism of the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ crucified traditional virgin Mary theology the Law of Moses
Cultural Themes in the Book of Mormon
Fact FOUR:
The Book of Mormon also teaches/expounds upon a variety of common 19th century cultural themes that were popular among many Christian Restorationist at that time. Religious Restorationists were men and women who believed that the primitive church of Jesus needed to be re-established on earth. Joseph Smith’s family were definitely restorationists.
Popular restorationist platforms found in the Mormonism include:
A rejection of a paid clergy, titles, and denominationalism.
A rejection of Calvinistic Theology.
A Church using only the name of Jesus Christ.
A belief that God’s kingdom was to be established in America (a process known as “building Zion”).
The rejection of all Christian creeds.
A belief in an apostasy and a need for a reformation.
A faith AND works doctrine.
The Story Fabric of the Book of Mormon
Focus on sequential acts that lead to salvation. A frontier-based "spirit of self-reliance," a restitution of tithing, a refocus on Sabbath-day activities, the need for the Bible to be retranslated, the repulsion of secret societies and combinations, and an agrarian attitude—meaning people should work with one's own hands.
All of these themes are woven into the story fabric that makes up much of the context of the Book of Mormon.
Key Historical Facts
Fact FIVE:
The angel Moroni appeared to Joseph on a very important night for people involved in the occult or folk magic practices. It was the night of the autumnal equinox, September 22nd, 1823, beginning at midnight. Folk magic practitioners believed that the veil between heaven and earth was particularly thin at this time, which allowed for communication between heavenly hosts and humans—especially in finding buried treasures.
Joseph said Moroni appeared to him on five separate occasions in the first twenty-four hours. It would be four full years before the angel would allow him to actually get a hold of the plates. During these four years, Joseph was commanded to return to the hill Cumorah (on this very same autumnal equinox anniversary) and meet with Moroni. It was here that Moroni would reappear and instruct him on various heavenly matters.
Church history claims that many other angelic visitors also tutored Joseph during these years he didn’t have the gold plates. These visitors included Nephi, Alma, Mormon, the twelve disciples Jesus had chosen during His visit to the Americas. Sometimes Joseph’s family would gather around in the evenings, and Joseph would rehearse to them what these angels taught him about this so-called ancient American civilization. Joseph Smith’s mother wrote: “During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life with them.” (Biographical Sketches, p. 85.)
Fact FIVE:
The Book of Mormon, based on LDS timelines, was not translated in weeks or months, as many Latter-day Saints are wont to claim. There was a six to seven-year period between the time Joseph Smith announced that an ancient record existed and when he actually produced a manuscript from them. Few people ever speak to this fact. The claims that Joseph translated the book in a matter of months may be a belief, but the facts are there was a seven to eight-year period of time for it production.
Methods of Translation
Fact SIX:
Joseph Smith did NOT translate the Book of Mormon by looking at the mysterious Golden Plates through a Urim and Thummim and translating what they contained.
(Show picture)
Most reputable LDS accounts state that the Book of Mormon was translated by inspiration which came from one of several means:
By Joseph Smith looking into his favorite "seer-stone." By Joseph Smith looking into a hat and dictating what he saw. By Joseph Smith receiving revelation directly from heaven and reciting it to a scribe.
In the end, the Golden Plates had very little to do with the translation process. In fact, the Golden Plates were more often than not even present when Joseph Smith was dictating what they were supposed to have said.
Fact SEVEN:
Joseph was strictly commanded by the Angel Moroni not to show the plates to anyone. And he didn’t. Latter-day Saints always point to the three and eight witnesses of the plates, but I challenge every member to closely examine these claims—how they were written, who wrote them, and how the plates were actually “seen.”
(I’ve always found it interesting that the angel didn’t tell him to not tell anyone about the plates either—I’m sure it would have reduced the “persecution” he received for having them. Oh well.)
Joseph claimed that the angel Moroni would at times transport the plates from one place to the next as Joseph traveled. Based on a chronology endorsed by the Church, the angel Moroni is said to have visited Joseph Smith at least twenty-two times between Sept 22, 1823, and June 1829. The Church also claims Joseph was “tutored by celestial beings” making his work reliable and trusted whereas “much of man’s formal education is tentative, wrong, or outdated within a few years of graduation.”
Fact EIGHT:
The LDS Church has always maintained that the Book of Mormon is the “most correct book” on the face
Analysis of the Book of Mormon's Origins
of the earth, and that people will “draw closer to God by reading it than any other book.” After God accepted the book as correct, over 3900 non-punctuation changes were made in it. Brigham Young said of this most correct book: “If the Book of Mormon were now to be rewritten, it would materially differ from the present translation.” (July 13th 1862, JD 9:311 9:305)
Was the Book truly a recording of an ancient people? Is the Book the most correct book of earth? Did young Joseph actually receive revelation from God to write it?
Fact NINE Much of the Book of Mormon came from borrowed themes found in a variety of sources available to Joseph Smith and his family at that time. These sources include:
The Apocrypha (see particularly the Book of Maccabees) James Adair’s History of the American Indians Josephus’ War of the Jews Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews An article from the October 22 1823 Wayne Sentinel Solomon Spauldings, Manuscript Found The preface to the King James Bible printed in 1769 and The Golden Pot by Eta Hoffman
Investigation Encouragement
I challenge EVERY SINGLE BOOK OF MORMON believing person out there to investigate these sources themselves and directly. Don’t read some commentary on them but read these resources yourself. And mark your Books of Mormon accordingly.
Perhaps the greatest evidence of direct, anachronistic plagiarism found in the Book of Mormon comes from the Bible itself. My respected friend and scholar Michael Marquardt examined the Book of Mormon for anachronistic issues. Of the hundreds he found, we’ve put one simple one the screen for you to see.
being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts (1 Nephi 2:18; 7:8) being grieved for the hardness of their hearts (Mark 3:5)
Mark 3:5 being grieved
Mr 3:5 sullupoumeno epi pwrwsei kardia autwn
without transliteration, the Greek actually reads “grieved for porosis hearts of their”
EXPLAIN THIS!
To clarify, it would be like me saying I found a 600 year old ancient book from Jerusalem in my backyard and translated it. But when you read through it, you come across phrases and words that belong to a completely different era, words like “microwave popcorn,” “Boeing 747,” and “McDonald’s Happy meal.” What would you say about the ancient book I discovered in my back yard? Immediately, you would know my so called discovery is in the least constructed of borrowed material. But even in light of these facts – FACTS – Latter-day Saints insist on maintaining the idea that the Book of Mormon is an ancient document.
Before I read Fact # TEN, let’s open the phone lines (801) 973-TV20 973-8820 so the operators can start shifting the wheat from the chaff. Alright, fact Ten!
Critique of Belief in the Book of Mormon
The dangers of embracing or accepting the Book of Mormon are not what most people believe. In and of itself, the Book is primarily a 19th century piece of fictional literature that conveys a story of biblical proportions. Its messages are either directly or indirectly Christ centered. Its themes fantastic and fanciful. There are arguably very few issues or doctrines in the Book of Mormon that are in conflict with the Bible. So what’s the problem?
The problem is in the association with what comes attached to belief in the book! By accepting the fictional Book of Mormon (which, by the way, the first edition listed Joseph Smith as the author and proprietor of it) you automatically take two detrimental positions in your life as a Christian:
First, you tacitly place the Bible in the shadow of an inferior fictional counterfeit. Your view of God’s Word becomes distorted by reading Joseph’s words. The Book of Mormon has not one single
archeological proof linguistic proof genetic proof historical proof cultural proof or grammatical proof
NOT ONE.
The Bible has substantial, often irrefutable proofs, in every one of these areas.
Ask yourself this: If the Bible was infallible and inerrant, would a Book of Mormon be needed? The answer is a categorical no!. NEVER!
Therefore, in an effort to establish this new and revised religion, Mormonism had to demean and attack the Bible. And this is what they have done.
Second, by embracing the fictional Book of Mormon, you are prone to embrace all the other things associated with Joseph Smith and Mormonism today. The LDS church is HUGE on saying that the Book of Mormon is the key stone to the religion. That “the entire truth of the Church hangs on whether the Book of Mormon is true or not.” That “if the Book of Mormon is true, then everything
Examination of Religious Texts
This is as logical as saying that if Les Miserables is true, then everything Victor Hugo stood for is true too.
NO!
If I were going to establish my own religion or movement, it would only make sense to provide an entirely new manual that “expounded or illuminated” beyond what the “poor Bible” was capable of doing. Every religious start-up requires NEW REVELATION! Get it! This is nothing new. But it always boils down to an attack on the Word of God. ALWAYS.
Comparing Religious Scriptures
Look at all the extrabiblical LDS scripture. Look at the Koran, the Yee Jing, the Upanishads, the Avesta, the Dhammapada, the Nab Hammadi codices, the Kabbalah? What about the Jehovah’s Witnesses New World Translation.
If you want to know Jesus Christ, give Him your will and read His Word. Period. It will reveal more of Him and His truths than any plagiarized, anachronistic piece of religious fiction. Check my facts! Question my data! Consider me a liar but look into it yourself!
Conclusion
Alright . . . dare I open the phone lines tonight? Let’s go to our first caller.
The Bible does not ask you to ask God if it’s true. It is Truth.
Recommended Resources on the BOM:
Grant Palmers, “An Insiders View of Mormon Origins” Any of Michael Marquarts research. “Exiles in the Land of Liberty” by Winn
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