The Word

The LDS Church’s Complex Relationship with the Bible

In examining the perceptions surrounding the LDS Church, people often categorize their feelings into distinct areas. Positively, the Church is associated with strong family values, self-sufficiency, clean living, organization, and friendliness. On the flip side, negative perceptions often revolve around issues such as the historical exclusion of blacks from the priesthood, polygamy, blood atonement, authoritarianism, and controversial doctrines.

Today, I want to address a significant issue that I believe the LDS Church needs to confront and apologize for: its attitude towards the Bible. This, in my view, is the most profound wrong introduced by Mormonism to its members. The leadership, past and present, will one day have to answer for this before God.

The problem began when Joseph Smith introduced The Book of Mormon, which he called “Another Witness of Jesus Christ.” To justify the need for this new scripture, he implied that the Bible was incomplete. This stance was necessary to differentiate Mormonism from other emerging religions and to promote The Book of Mormon. Consequently, the Bible was portrayed as somewhat flawed and inferior to this new witness.

Recently, during a general conference, Mormon officials reiterated that “The Book of Mormon is the most correct book.” The Church’s official stance, as stated in its articles of faith, is that the Bible is the word of God “as far as it is translated correctly,” while The Book of Mormon is also considered the word of God.

Despite what Latter-day Saints may claim about their love and appreciation for the Bible, this underlying attitude persists, and it is an issue that needs to be addressed.