Mormons hail the Book of Mormon as an incredible literary gem. Latter-day Saint apologists often say that Joseph Smith couldn't have possibly imagined up this sacred text. I've even heard or read people site that the Book of Mormon has different voices, tones, and varying sentence structures proving that just one man could not have done this. Not to mention the countless members who would testify of the BOM's beauty and elegance. Basically, if it was faked then Joseph Smith is the greatest liar in the history of the world.
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| How the LDS church illustrates Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon |
Here are a few things people had to say about the Mormon scriptures:
"...the Book of Mormon [is] 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." - Joseph Smith
"No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so." - George Cannon
"If Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, he should be considered one of the great fiction writers of all time. If he translated it, he should be considered a great prophet." - Randall A. Wright
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| How the Book of Mormon was translated according to David Whitmer, and Emma Smith. Joseph would put the 'seer stone' into a hat, put his face in the hat, and then read the words he saw appear in the hat to Oliver Cowdery (or other scribes) out loud, who would write it down. (An Address to All Believers in Christ, p.12 & www.lds.org) |
But is it such a fantastic document? Is it a thing of beauty, awe, and wonder? I submit to you my rebuttal of such a claim. Here are 10 things that I find to be either very confusing, blatantly contradictory, or just silly from the purported "greatest book ever written."
1. Permitted VS commanded
Mosiah 7:8 reads: "And it came to pass when they had been in prison two days they were again brought before the king, and their bands were loosed; and they stood before the king, and were permitted, or rather commanded, that they should answer the questions which he should ask them." Permitted means allowed. Command means directed and ordered. They are not interchangeable. So, did the king allow them to answer or command them? I get confused.
2. The Flip-Flop
Alma 10:5 reads, "Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the perservation of the lives of this people." The writer of this passage is a man named Amulek,. According to this verse, he is either unsure of how much he knows God, or just forgot...momentarily.
3. Plenty VS Scarce
2 Nephi 5:15-16 reads, "And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Soloman save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine." The LDS prophet Nephi is teaching his people to use all of these substances which were great in abundance to build another Jewish Temple (something forbidden by Jewish law, but I digress) but the temple wasn't built using these substances because they weren't to be found upon the land. What!?!?
4. Language Barrier
Omni 1:14 says that the people of Zarahemla rejoiced "because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews." So the Zarahemlites(?) were excited because the Mosiahians(?) had a record of God's people. However, how did they know that is what they were presented with because "Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand them." There was an obvious language discrepency between the two peoples since they could not communicate to each other, yet the people of Zarahemla knew exactly what Mosiah brought them? It just doesn't add up.
5. Say Again?!
The second half of 2 Nephi 4:14 reads, "...many of which sayings are written upon mine other plates; for a more history part are written upon mine other plates." For a more history part? What does that even mean?
6. His Name
2 Nephi 25:19 reads, "For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in six hundred years from th etime that my father left Jerusalem; and according ot the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God." But Jesus's last name isn't Christ. Christ is His title. It should read "his name shall be Jesus the Christ, the Son of God." Big difference, and kind of a major theology blunder. Furthermore, Christ is a Greek word, and this was supposedly written 600 years before the Roman Empire. They, being the Nephites, were Jewish, so they would have used Messiah, not Christ.
7. Jerusalem is not Bethlehem
Alma 7:10 reads, "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers..." Now, I may not know a lot, but I do know that the Bible says he was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7) which was previously prophesied (Micah 5:2). Jerusalem is north of Bethlehem by about 5 and a half miles. They are not the same city, nor can they be confused with each other. How do you not get this right? I would assume Mr. Smith had access to a Bible...and Christmas songs.
8. The Disguise
The book of Mosiah tells about a prophet named Abinadi, who is telling the people to repent or be destroyed and prophesies that the reign of King Noah is going to end. King Noah hears of this prophet and seeks him out to kill him. Which is why, in Mosiah 12:1, two years later "Abinadi came among them in disguise." But, the weirdest thing happens next. In disguise, he says "Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying - Abinadi, go and prophesy unto this my people..." So let me get this straight. Abinadi was in disguise to go speak to the people, yet the first thing he says is his name!? Why even wear a disguise then?
9. No Man Has seen Me
Ether 3:15 says, "And never have I showed myself unto whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou [the brother of Jared] hast..." But D&C 107:54 says that God appeared to Adam. Furthermore, Mr. Smith says he saw God and Jesus when he was 14. Now, some may say that the Bible says that no man can see God and live (Gen. 32:30, Exod. 33:11) but then they can (Exod. 33:20, John 1:18, 1 John 4:12). But, instead of making this post longer, just read this instead.
10. Parlez Vous Francais?
Jacob 7:27 ends with, "...And I make an end of my writing upon these plates, which writing has been small; and to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu." Really? French? So, Mr. Smith, you're telling me that a man of Jewish lineage, whose family left Jerusalem and settled in what is believed to be Central America, and who wrote in "reformed Egyptian" actually ended his record by saying Adeiu? Even though that word's origins are from around 1375-1325 AD. So Jacob used a word that wasn't going to be invented for another 1,800 years? Really? I find that pretty hard to believe.
So these are the mistakes that I find very interesting, and deflating for the case of the Book of Mormon being the word of God. False prophecies, word usage, confusing wording, and literal backtracking all make it very difficult to see this as an inspired piece. Mind you, these are not just improper transitional mishaps or misspellings...well, except for #5, maybe. But the 9 other ones are pretty substantial mistakes if you ask me. I'm just sayin'...
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