In any discussion I would have with a Mormon, I would always agree to sit down and discuss doctrines but only using the Bible. Since it is my firm belief that any doctrinal truth could be established by using either the Bible or a literature that agreed with the Bible. Mormons that I talked with always insisted that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are equal and supportive of each other. This discussion and cross reference from the Bible to the Book of Mormon shows otherwise. A little about the Book or Mormon:
It is claimed by Mormons that God continued to call prophets among these people. The Book of Mormon is a collection of the writings of their prophets and record keepers. I believe that it is claimed to have been assembled by Joseph Smith, but I could be wrong on this. It is named after Mormon, one of the last of these ancient prophets. These prophets claimed to have known about Heavenly Father’s plan for His children and the mission of Jesus Christ. They recorded that Christ appeared, after His Resurrection, to the people in America, taught them His gospel, and formed His Church among them. The book contains the teachings of Jesus Christ, testifying of His Atonement and His love. They further claim that it (the Book of Mormon) supports and verifies the Bible. In this blog, this should be come evident with a cross reference from the Book of Mormon to the Bible as to whether or not this claim is true and accurate.
The Book of Mormon concludes with a great promise that those who read it and sincerely pray about it can know by the Holy Ghost that it is true (Moroni 10:4).
The Book of Mormon is claimed to be a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2200 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith as The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi.
According to Smith's account, and also according to the book's narrative, the Book of Mormon was originally written in otherwise unknown characters referred to as "reformed Egyptian" engraved on golden plates. Smith claimed that the last prophet to contribute to the book, a man named Moroni, buried it in a hill in present-day New York and then returned to earth in 1827 as an angel, revealing the location of the book to Smith and instructing him to translate and disseminate it as evidence of the restoration of Christ's true church in the latter days.
The Book of Mormon has a number of original and distinctive doctrinal discussions on subjects such as the fall of Adam and Eve, the nature of the Atonement, eschatology, redemption from physical and spiritual death, and the organization of the latter-day church. The pivotal event of the book is an appearance of Jesus Christ to the Americas shortly after his resurrection.
The Book of Mormon is the earliest of the unique writings of the Latter Day Saint movement, the denominations of which typically regard the text not only as scripture but also as a historical record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. The Book of Mormon is divided into smaller books, titled after the individuals named as primary authors and, in most versions, divided into chapters and verses. It is written in English, very similar to the Early Modern English linguistic style of the King James Version of the Bible, and has since been fully or partially translated into 108 languages.
Joseph Smith claimed to have had another vision in 1829 which time John the Baptist appeared to him as a heavenly messenger and conferred upon him and his associate Oliver Cowdery the priesthood of Aaron, after which they baptized one another secretly. Now Joseph Smith claims that their purpose as a religious organization is that of bringing men and women for knowledge of the eternal truth that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer Savior of the world. If this is your claim and you should in harmony with Paul's words and warning it Galatians 1:8 "but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that you have preached unto you let him be accursed" referring specifically to the book of Mormon in comparison to the Bible. In addition to the Bible and the book of Mormon, the LDS continue to recognize a number of other writings. Doctrine and covenants this is primarily a collection of what Joseph Smith called revelations from God. These have been revised at times as doctrinal and historical developments dictated. The pearl of great price this book contains Joseph Smiths' revisions Bible book of Genesis, the 24th chapter of Matthew and Smith personal history. It also has the Smith translation of a papyrus he purchased in 1835. He declared it to be Abrahams writing that told how an angel saved him when he was a priest and tried to sacrifice him on an alter. The papyrus was relocated 1967 and examined by a number of Egyptologists. They found, said one report "not a single word of Joseph Smith's alleged translation bore any resemblance to the contents of this document." It turned out to be the Book of Breathings an Egyptian funeral document buried with the dead. Smith's original manuscript shows that he used 136 English words to translate the Egyptian hieroglyphics for the word "Lake." Joseph Smith's translation of the Bible in 1830, Smith began a revision of the King James version of the Bible which he never completed. He revised some 3400 versus and added much material including a prophecy at the end of Genesis about his own coming as a "choice Seer." Since the manuscript remained with Smith's widow who did not follow Brigham Young, the salt lake church seldom quotes from it, though it is accepted as correct. Further inspired doctrines these may be handed down by the churches living profit at any time and are equal in authority to the holy Bible. The King Follett discourse presented in 1844 is one example. Smith gave this funeral sermon for Elder King Follett in which he explained the doctrine of deified man and humanized god. It appears in the Journal of Discourses a collection of lectures by Smith, young and other 19th-century Mormon authorities.
As for the Mormon Scripture Doctrine and Covenants, The book The Revelations of the Profit Joseph Smith by LDS scholar Linden W. Cook, explains ... And some revelations have been revised by those committees appointed to arrange them for publication, "significant textual additions and deletions have been noted." One such alteration is found at Book of Commandments 4:2 which said of Smith, "he has a gift to translate the book … I will grant him no other gift." But when the revelation was reprinted in 1835 in Doctrine and Covenants 5:4, it read: "for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished."
THE BIBLE OR THE BOOK OF MORMON, WHICH?
I asked the two Mormons from the Waialua Hawaii ward if they had to choose a reference point between the Bible and the book of Mormon which would they choose? The response was "that's an ignorant question." I said, "well to me it doesn't seem to be an ignorant question at all. I have been told by other Mormons that they would take the teachings of the Book of Mormon over the Bible instantly and that they believe the Bible to be secondary to the Book of Mormon." Consider the following data and judge for yourself. It would seem that the Mormons have more respect for their own writings than for the Bible. At least Orson Pratt seems to. For one of his books entitled "Divine authority of the Book of Mormon" he says something to this effect; if it be admitted that the apostles and evangelists did write the book of the New Testament that does not prove in itself that they were divinely inspired at the time they wrote and compile their works. With all the uncertainty of the translation who in his right mind for one moment would suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide? Who knows that even one verse of the whole Bible has escaped pollution and swears to convey the same sense now that it did in the original?
Mormonism teaches that the 15 books of the Book of Mormon are also inspired of God. As far as their belief goes, I have learned they believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. According to the eighth article of the Mormon articles of faith states we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. I read that Elder Bruce R McConkie stated: "there are no people on earth who hold the Bible in such a high esteem as Mormons do… But we do not believe… The Bible contains all things necessary for salvation." Pres. Gordon B Hinckley states that "the numerous different sects and churches bear witness to the inadequacy of the Bible." A study of the Articles of Faith urges "let the Bible then be read reverently and with careful care the reader ever seeking the light of the spirit that he may discern between truth and errors of men." Further information discovered was that it was in 1820 that Joseph Smith had his first vision claiming that while standing alone in the woods vision of two white personages standing about who told him not to join in the church. These personages, it is claimed, were the heavenly father and his son Jesus Christ. Three years later he said that he had another vision. This time a heavenly messenger who called himself Moroni told him of a hidden book written on golden plates. Following instructions from the messenger he said he removed the plates from their hiding place after waiting for years. These golden plates are supposed to be the Book of Mormon.
There are fifteen 'books' in The Book Of Mormon:
The First Book of Nephi (1 Nephi)
The Second Book of Nephi (2 Nephi)
The Book of Jacob
The Book of Enos
The Book of Jarom
The Book of Omni
The Words of Mormon (Words of Mormon)
The Book of Mosiah
The Book of Alma
The Book of Helaman
The Third Book of Nephi (3 Nephi)
The Fourth Book of Nephi (4 Nephi)
The Book of Mormon
The Book of Ether
The Book of Moroni
The Mormon attitude towards the Scriptures may be seen in the following quotation: "Wilford Woodruff is a prophet, and I know that he has a great many prophets around him and he can make Scriptures as good as there are in the Bible." From the apostle JW Taylor, "the living oracles are worth more to the LDS that all the Bibles" from apostle MW Merrill at the conference Salt Lake City. Can you imagine the head of a religious organization making statements like the foregoing and it pretending before the outsiders that Mormonism is based on the Bible? A comment from a Mormon elder said, "we believe in the Bible as part is translated correctly. 8th article of faith, but seeing the Bible has been translated so many times of course scripters will be distorted. But the Bible is inspired. The book of Mormon has only been translated once by Joseph Smith a prophet like Moses and Abraham. So would it be the most correct? Read the book of Mormon and see if Joseph Smith could have written it." My response was, it becomes difficult to believe that a Mormon would even own a Bible. The publication in the book of Mormon taken from 2 Nephi 29:6 states, "Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible." This is an interesting statement when the Bible says in Galatians 1:8 "though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed."
Research has shown that the book of Mormon quotes extensively from the King James version of the Bible. It is curious though that Joseph Smith quoted so often from a publication that he also claims was reported by him to be full of errors. Another curious situation is that the book of Mormon was said to be translated by "the gift and power of God" has itself undergone numerous changes in grammar, spelling and substance. For instance there is apparent confusion over the identity of "the eternal father." According to the first edition at 1Nephi 13:40, "the Lamb of God is the "eternal father." Then later addition say that the Lamb of God is the son of the eternal father. The student original 1830 manuscripts of the book of Mormon still exist. One of the two originals, held by the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, has the words the son added between the lines. All the while claiming to accept the Bible's authority, in case of disagreement, LDS doctrine necessarily assigns greater weight to the words of their profits. Joseph Smith has been quoted to say that "the book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth and is the keystone of our religion." One of the golden plates was said to have been the source for his writings. 11 Mormons testified that they saw the plates. Upon completion of the document, Smith said the plates were taken to heaven. Thus they are not available for textual analysis.
There are some chronological sequence problems in the book of Mormon. Acts 11:26 says that "the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." But Alma 46:15 says, "And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come." It is my understanding that the Mormons use this scripture to describe events in 73 B.C.E or at least in times Before our Common Era. as Christians in America before Christ ever came to earth. Another scripture to support this migration to the Americas BCE is John 10:16 "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." In this scripture, The Mormons hold the belief that Jesus teaches His disciples that His work would not be complete with just the instruction He was giving to those in Israel. There were others that would hear His voice. The Mormons teach that after His resurrection, Jesus went and visited these ‘other sheep’ in the Americas.
Many places in the Bibles accounts still exist or can be cross-referenced to a city that had a name change at the same location. But in the book of Mormon locations of virtually all sites named herein such as Gimgimno and Zeezrom are unknown. I could find no cross-reference to these places under any of the names.
The Pearl of great Price tells of a Charles Anthon who shown a copy of some of the inscriptions and declared them to be authentic and the translation accurate. This story appears to be inconsistent with Smith's claim that he alone had the gift to translate the language of the plates, "the knowledge of which was lost to the world." Could professor Anthon verify correct the text could not read and therefore could not translate?
SOME SIGNIFICANT CONTRADICTIONS IN LDS HOLY BOOKS:
BIBLE: Nothing would be lost from Scripture (Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:24-25; Isaiah 40:8)
BOOK OF MORMON: Many “plain and most precious” doctrines were lost from the Bible. (1 Nephi 13:26, 28)
BOOK OF MORMON: God dwells in the heart of the righteous. (Alma 34:36)
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS: God does not dwell in man’s heart. (Section 130:3)
BOOK OF MORMON: God is a “spirit.” (Alma 18:24-28; 22:9-11; 31:15)
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS: God has a body of “flesh and bones.” (Section 130:22)
BOOK OF MORMON: Murder is forgiven. (Alma 24:10)
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS: Murder is unforgivable. (Section 42:79)
Referencing The Bible - I stated that I often use the New World translation of the police Scriptures together my information. I have found that this translation was taken from the original Greek as well as original manuscripts where possible in the Hebrew language. The translators have used all available sources to translate this book into the English language as well as other languages. Isn't it possible for the true God to create a little book just as he would desire it and then be able to preserve it as he pleases for a few hundred years when considering that he could create an entire universe just the way he and he desired it? In the light of second Timothy 3:16-17, how could we be completely equipped for every good work if the Bible and its instructions were incomplete? It is my understanding that the Bible as it stands today is the accurate word of God.
Various doctrinal statements taken from various Mormon publications not in agreement with the Bible. Is it possible that God inspired both? At some point in time, I would think that a reader with insight as identified in psalm 53:2 would have to make a determination that one is correct and that the other is not.
Book of Mormon says: Man is a fool if he thinks the Bible is sufficient,
Book of Mormon - 2Nephi 29:6
The Bible - 2Peter 1:1-3 Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith, held in equal privilege with ours, by the righteousness of our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May undeserved kindness and peace be increased to YOU by an accurate knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 forasmuch as his divine power has given us freely all the things that concern life and godly devotion, through the accurate knowledge of the one who called us through glory and virtue.
2Peter 3:1-2 Beloved ones, this is now the second letter I am writing YOU, in which, as in my first one, I am arousing YOUR clear thinking faculties by way of a reminder, (2) that YOU should remember the sayings previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through YOUR apostles.
2Timothy 3:15-17 and that from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.
Book of Mormon says: Jesus was born in Jerusalem
Book of Mormon - Alma 7:10
The Bible - Matthew 2:1-6, After Jesus had been born in Beth′le·hem+ of Ju·de′a in the days of Herod+ the king, look! astrologers*+ from eastern parts came to Jerusalem, 2 saying: “Where is the one born king+ of the Jews? For we saw his star+ [when we were] in the east,* and we have come to do him obeisance.” 3 At hearing this King Herod was agitated, and all Jerusalem along with him; 4 and on gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people he began to inquire of them where the Christ* was to be born. 5 They said to him: “In Beth′le·hem of Ju·de′a; for this is how it has been written through the prophet, 6 ‘And you, O Beth′le·hem of the land of Judah, are by no means the most insignificant [city] among the governors* of Judah; for out of you will come forth a governing one, who will shepherd my people, Israel.’”
Micah 5:2 “And you, O Beth′le·hem Eph′ra·thah, the one too little to get to be among the thousands of Judah, from you there will come out to me the one who is to become ruler in Israel, whose origin is from early times, from the days of time indefinite.
Book of Mormon says: Without sin, there would have been no children
Book of Mormon - Nephi 2:25
Pearl of Great Price - Moses 5:11
The Bible - Genesis 1:28 Further, God blessed+ them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.”
Book of Mormon says: Adam and Eve left Eden in great joy
Book of Mormon - 2Nephi 2:22-25
The Bible - Genesis 3:24, And so he drove the man out and posted at the east of the garden of E′den the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning itself continually to guard the way to the tree of life.
Romans 5:12, That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned
1Corinthians 15:22 For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive
Book of Mormon says: Adams sin, enabling us to be born, brought life
Book of Mormon - 2Nephi 2:23
The Bible - 1Corinithians 15:22, Romans 5:12,14,19, 1Timothy 2:14
Book of Mormon says: The soul could never die
Book of Mormon - Alma 42:9
The Bible - Ezekiel 18:4,20 Psalms 78:50 Genesis 3:4 Genesis 2:17
Book of Mormon says: They (men) shall build New Jerusalem
Book of Mormon - 3Nephi 21:23-24
Note: The Book of Mormon contradicts itself on this point, for at Ether 13:3 refers to the New Jerusalem which should come down out of heaven
The Bible - Revelation 21:2
Pearl of Great Price says: Joseph Smith claims to have seen God and Jesus Christ
Pearl of Great Price - P. 48
The Bible - Exodus 33:20 1John 4:12 1Timothy 6:16 Colossians 1:15
Book of Mormon says: God is both the father and son
Book of Mormon - Mosiah 15:2-3 3:5 Ether 4:14
The Bible - John 14:28 Eph 4:6
Book of Mormon says: After his ascension, Christ showed his body to them
Book of Mormon - 3Nephi 10:18-19
The Bible - John 14:19 1Peter 3:18 Acts 9:3-5
Book of Mormon says: Hell hath no end
Book of Mormon - 1Nepohi 14:3
The Bible - Revelation 20:14
Book of Mormon says: The discovered doctrines in North America were left by the lost tribes of Israel
Book of Mormon - 3Nephi 17:4
The Bible - Acts 26:6-7 15:24
Mormons teach many other new or different doctrines: These will be looked up later
1 Adam is a superior person;
2 The soul is immortal
3 Polygamy is permitted
4 There will be new revelations after the completion of the Bible
5 It is acceptable that there be a Baptism of the dead
Book of Mormon -
The Bible - Galatians 1:8-9
Mormons recognize that there are literally hundreds of translations of the Bible (some of which contradict each other)
The Bible says that "All scripture is inspired and beneficial for teaching, reproving and setting things straight." Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Bible is complete and in that all scriptures are in agreement. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jehovah is that author of the Bible and that as the author, he did not make a mistake.
As with all my research, it is ongoing and always under construction. So whatever you may be reading, there's a good chance it will change by the time you read it a second time. As I learn more about the Mormon teaching, I will post it and revise what I have written.
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