PROBLEMS WITH THE BOOK OF MORMON
For the past few Sunday nights we have been studying Mormonism. We started by noticing their history and then their authority. In last week's article I pointed out some of my concerns with the Book of Mormon and its declaration to be "another testament of Jesus Christ." I stated that I have personal concerns with any book claiming to be an addition to the Word of God (Revelation 22:18-19). In our final sermon on this subject we will examine the teachings of Mormonism. As a preview, I would like to mention some problems that I have with the accuracy and authenticity of their book.
The organization of the LDS church has no Biblical precedent. The New Testament does not provide authority for new counselors, prophets, apostles, or a quorum of seventy men. All of these things are embraced and taught in Mormon doctrines, especially in the Book of Mormon.
The linguistics of the Book of Mormon are not accurate and cannot be verified. It claims that the American Indians were descendants from Lehi, an Israelite prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah (approximately 600 BC). If this is the case, why is there such a diversity of tongues among native Americans today? None of them show a trace of Hebrew. If their language and customs are so well preserved from passing them down through the generations, why are there no stories of crossing the ocean in submarines made our of trees? It think that is one story they would not forget to tell their children. Besides this fact American Indians are genetically similar to Asians, not Hebrews. In fact, scientific research shows that no link can be made through DNA analysis (Simon Southerton, DNA genealogies of American Indians and the Book of Mormon, March 17, 2000).
The Book of Mormon also proclaims that Lehi (the so-called Israelite prophet) found horses when he arrived in America. How is that possible? Where else is that documented? Even in middle school I learned that horses did not exist in the America until the Spaniards brought them over into middle America in the sixteenth century. Remember that the Aztecs thought them to be something like centaurs when they saw them riding on top of the horses.
Nephi, the son of Lehi, is said to have a bow of steel in the Book of Mormon. Jews did not have steel at that time, nor is it mentioned in the Bible until much later in their history. You can study about this weapon in battle in II Samuel 22:35, Job 20:24, Psalm 18:34,and Jeremiah 15:12, although some translations call it a "bow of brass." History tells us that iron was not smelted in the Americas until the Spanish colonization. Along with this concept the book claims they also had "swords and cimeters" when scimitars (which is the current spelling) are not used by the Jews, but Muslims around 500 AD. These are serious contradictions.
These are just a few of the complicated issues that cannot be explained by Mormons. There are others which we do not have time and space to elaborate on in this article. Other questions we might ask would be Why the Book of Mormon does mention silk, when silk did not exist in the Americas at that time? Why does the Book of Mormon contain French slogans when the French language was not around for hundreds of years after the book was claimed to be written? If the prophet Joseph Smith can be discredited doesn't that mean his book is false and vice versa?
We will see in our final lesson that Joseph Smith's teachings contradict his own book. Which leads us to one of two conclusions. . . . (1) Joseph Smith did not write the Book of Mormon under divine guidance and revelation, or (2) Joseph Smith chose to contradict his own doctrine which he claimed was the teaching of God. Either way he can be seen as a false prophet. One of the hardest things to comprehend is his admission that God will not reveal teachings to one outside of the Holy Priesthood, but his own account says he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son nine years before receiving admission into the priesthood himself!
I understand that many Mormons are sincere in their faith, like many others in various religions around the world. However, in John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the only way. The Bible is His book. Everyone else and every other book cannot measure up!