Smith claimed the angel moroni, a prophet in the book of mormon, directed him in the 1820s to a hill near his. How rare a possession the book of mormon the true story. Mormons believe that the book of mormon confirms information found in the holy bible. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. Historically, the mormon story is a young one and for that reason alone is. Mormon historian richard bushman on his doubts, beliefs. Incredible video explains the story of the plates of mormon. Even if a con or a fraud could write that bookwhy would they. It is another testament of jesus christ it is an historical account with mostly spiritual writings by prophets who lived on the. The true story of netflixs murder among the mormons is crazier than fiction featuring fake bibles, magic lizards, a religion torn in two and a forgerturnedbombmakerturnedkiller by laura martin.
What does the book of mormon say about the armor of god. Most histories state that rigdon learned of the book of mormon from parley p. They ignore, of course, the context itself in which god actually gives the interpretation v. The story of the book of mormon by reynolds, george, 18421909. Yes, the book of mormon is another witness of jesus christ. These books are described as being abridged from a large quantity of existing records called the large plates of nephi that detailed the peoples history from the. Mark hofmann and the true story of murder among the mormons. Lehi warned the wicked people in jerusalem that they would be destroyed if they did not repent, but the people didnt listen. It goes into amazingly specific detail describing the civilizations erected by the nephites. This, they say, is a clear prophecy that the bible the stick of judah is to be joined with the book of mormon the stick of joseph to comprise the full revelation of god.
Martin harris testimony of the book of mormon as given to. The nature of the message in the book of mormon is such that, if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it. Debunking 5 myths about the book of mormon lds living. Religious studies center, brigham young university, 1992, 10728. The rest is mormon history, and for a long time, the lds community. The true story of the salamander letter from murder among the. A wicked man named sherem tells people not to believe in christ. Confronted on every page with the steady assurance that what he is reading is both holy scripture and true history, the reader is soon forced to acknowledge a prevailing mood of assent or resentment. An angel, moroni, instructs him and shows him where to find an ancient record. The text gives an account of ancient prophets who lived in the americas. It is fiction, and the feelings you feel are self projected because you fear the great unknown like the rest of us.
As a result of me publishing my testimony online regarding the book of mormon, ive had hundredsmaybe even thousands of people send me messages with their reasoning about why the book of mormon cant be true. Murder among the mormons true story 1985 salt lake city. The religions founder, joseph smith, claimed that his source for. And that is actually all the book of mormon teaches. Moroni explained that the book was inscribed on golden plates in new. The 1st rule of book of mormon evidence there is no. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. To the lds faithful, the book of mormon is the true historical account of a group of ancient israelites who fled jerusalem prior to the babylonian. No latterday saint, no man or woman, can say the book of mormon is true, and at the same time say that the bible is untrue. The book of mormon chronicles the lives of the people and prophets who lived in the america. If joseph smith was a prophet, then the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is the same church that christ established while he was on the earth. The book of mormon is consistent with human evolution. So the question of all questions deals with the truthfulness of book of mormon.
It doesnt have to be a literal history to enjoy it, but. Before you read your scriptures, pray that youll have an open mind. Mormons hold the bible old and new testaments, the book of mormon, the doctrine and covenants, and the pearl of great price as holy canon. Maybe the book of mormon is true after all greg trimble. The book of mormon resembles the bible in its length and complexity and in its division into books named for individual prophets. There are several theories as to the origin of the book of mormon. The true story of a mormon bishops journey of discovery by lee b. How we got the book of mormon joseph smith sees a vision of god and jesus christ. If the book of mormon is true, then joseph smith was a prophet. The lord told lehi to take his wife, sariah, and their sonslaman, lemuel, sam, and nephiinto the wilderness. But the story of its compilation differs markedly from that of the new testament. Review of broadways the book of mormon the washington. Mormonism was still unaware of all the anachronisms we know of today through comparative.
The most common belief of adherents is that promoted by joseph smith, who said he translated ancient golden plates inscribed by prophets. The amazing true story of how chiasmus was discovered in. Publication date 1888 topics book of mormon publisher salt lake city, j. The book of mormon may be fiction in many ways, but thats not to say its message should be discarded entirely. Dear mormons, you dont know the book of mormon is true. Pratt, a member of rigdons kirtland congregation, who had joined the church of. More recently, prophets have encouraged members of the church to read the book of mormon and study it for themselves. Even if a con or a fraud could write that book why would they. Lehi warned the wicked people in jerusalem that they would be. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from god if false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deeplaid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions. It is impossible to read the book of mormon with an open mind.
This video gives a brief description of a writing style called chiasmus, and tells the story of how one 20yearold latterday saint missionary first discove. The story of the book of mormon the book of mormon begins with a prophet named lehi, who lived with his family in jerusalem. Jaco b speaks with sherem, ands after a sign from god, sherem repents and tells the people to believe in christ. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. The crazy, mostly true story of murder among the mormons. Jacobs son enos prays all day and into the night, and his sins are forgiven. The book of mormon begins with a prophet named lehi, who lived with his family in jerusalem. No conartist or fraud has accomplished such a feat in our recorded history. This book the book of mormon must be either true of false. There is a whole new interesting side to the revelation behind the word of wisdom when we look to david whitmer one of the three witnesses of the book of mormon. Lds propaganda in the early days sought to insist upon it being true while hijacking cultures from the aztecs to the mayans. The book of mormon itself suffers the same fate when it comes to its own historical support. How the book of abraham exposes the false nature of. Like the bible, the book of mormon is an ancient record of gods teachings to his people.
However, like most things in church history or all of church literature for that matter, this is not the whole story. The book of mormon describes a vast precolumbian culture that supposedly existed for centuries in north and south america. Book of mormon mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Most adherents to the latter day saint movement view the book as a work of inspired scripture.
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