Factual evidence of the book of mormon

As seen by science, the book of mormon is stronger today than it was in 1830, 1844, 1950, or even 2000, so i expect it will continue to become stronger in the future. Nonmormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence. Jonathan neville joyful evidence of the book of mormon. May 12, 2017 the book of mormon, on the other hand, is a much different story when we take the time to examine statements from most scholars, historians, and archaeologists who have taken the time to study the mormon scriptures to evaluate their claims of historical accuracy. Many members of the latter day saint movement claim historical authenticity of the book of. As we begin to explore mormon archaeology, it seems appropriate to introduce the fascinating history of thomas ferguson, an attorney by trade, whose true passion manifest as an amateur archaeologist who dedicated decades of his life to the search for evidence to validate the book of mormon as a historical record. Dna evidence refutes the book of mormon claim that native americans are descendants of hebrew immigrants to the americas. Feb 05, 2018 none of this will satisfy the critics. Mormon beliefs are also shown to contradict both the bible and the book of mormon. Thus the book of mormon was translated by the gift and power of god and not by man david whitmer, an address to all believers in christ concord, ca. The most commonly recognized poetic style is parallelism. This common query often expresses the questioners incorrect assumptions about archaeological methodologyassumptions usually based the questioners lack of knowledge about a very specialized academic area.

These facts establish how plausible it is that the book of mormon really is an artifact of the ancient world. Let the debate continue, but let all the evidence be admitted. Update on horses in the book of mormon a mormon blog. There are two possible explanations for the origin of the book of mormon. As an ex member, my take is that the lds church is one of the unique religions where o. Is there archaeological evidence for the book of mormon. Mar 30, 2009 let the debate continue, but let all the evidence be admitted. The overriding goal is to provide increased access to a simplified narrative to all who desire to thoroughly examine mormon truth claims. And this would be an impressive argument if there was some credible evidence that the book of mormon wasnt a work of fiction. The 1st rule of book of mormon evidence there is no.

Update on horses in the book of mormon mormanity a mormon. He gave a longer version of this last year at a byu devotional. His library research spurred his first hunt for archaeological evidence. In other words, the best testament for the truth of the lds church is whether your life is better, whether you feel closer to god, etc. What is the actual history of the coming forth and translation of the book of mormon. For example, evidence to support the claim by mormons that native americans are descendants of. This series of short articles addresses the fundamental issues posed by the book of mormon, clearly demonstrating that the setting described in the book readily conforms to the factual evidence for ancient mesoamerica and not north or south. Sorenson claims that there is fossil evidence that some new world horses may have survived the. For one particular physical evidence, look no further than a plethora of archaeological sites. Upon completion of the essay and podcast series, a book may be published.

The book of mormon department of christian defense. The critics will lead their readers and listeners to every possible path within the maze, as long as it doesnt lead to authentication of. It becomes a literal maze of confusion, if not dealt with carefully. Admittedly, evidence surrounding the book of mormon is not our greatest strength, while the bible itself contains hundreds of verifiable events, wars, cities, historical figures, and factual. Is there any historical evidence for joseph smiths own version of how he produced the book.

The nhm inscription is the most important piece of geographical evidence book of mormon supporters have for their claims. Ancient myan ruins support the book of mormon blogger. Nov 30, 20 these facts establish how plausible it is that the book of mormon really is an artifact of the ancient world. Mormonism is a religion largely based upon faith inspiring stories. If this is true, then the book of mormon should be full of errors. Its about factual evidence that the church like all religion is in decline. In fact, several mormon organizations have been founded in order to prove these very presuppositions. Many members of the latter day saint movement claim historical authenticity of the book of mormon. This view finds no acceptance outside of mormonism. Recent archaeological evidence has shown that military fortifications around mesoamerican cities were, in fact, fairly common, and that the type of construction described in the book of mormon is completely consistent with what evidence shows. As time passes the earth provides more and more evidence the book of mormon was not a fabrication of a young man in upstate new york. This series of short articles addresses the fundamental issues posed by the book of mormon, clearly demonstrating that the setting described in the book readily conforms to the factual evidence for ancient mesoamerica see figure 1. While mormon scholars admit valid challenges to mormonism from archaeology and the book of abraham, they say the evidences of mormonisms truthfulness is the book of mormon itself, gods confirmation in your spirit, and the number of changed lives. Mormon traditions that would have us believe the book of mormon took place in the heartland and at new york truly conflict with the book of mormon, believed to be the word of god, so the heartland model is not valid.

The conclusion states, much as critics and defenders of the book of mormon would like to use dna studies to support their views, the evidence is simply inconclusive. Due to the nature of its origin, that would support the existence of god. There is absolutely no archaeological evidence to directly support the book of mormon or the nephites and lamanites, who were supposed to have numbered in the millions. The factual evidence we do have raises doubts about the book of mormons authenticity. His latest newsletter dated oct, 2009, says, 10 reasons why the book of mormon took place in peru. May 30, 2019 in order to counter any bias in favor of the book of mormon, the authors apply a strongly skeptical prior assumption that the book of mormon has little to do with early indian cultures, precisely as coe claims. Are the hopewell indians the same people depicted in the. Jan 23, 2016 the book of mormon describes a ditch being dug around the protected area. Second, the book of mormon contains none of the key mormon doctrines. The purpose of the book of mormon is to convince the world that jesus is the christ, our lord and redeemer. What should an lds member do when they encounter information that is both antimormon and factual. What 2 engineers discovered after using statistical.

How could there be so many witnesses of the book of mormon and the plates and not one of them deny their testimony even when some of them became bitter toward joseph smith. I couldnt possibly cover every book of mormon correlation in one sitting. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. The list includes items such as steel swords, barley, cement, thrones, and literacy. The stories in the book of mormon and other mormon. And to know where to look for evidence of the book of mormon, its best to go back to the text itself. Critics challenge the viability of the population size. My new book, nephi in the promised land is now available in the nephi project discovery store. Any explanation other than a completely factual history is indicative of its dishonest origins.

Mar 02, 2020 as time passes the earth provides more and more evidence the book of mormon was not a fabrication of a young man in upstate new york. Oct 07, 2017 what is the actual history of the coming forth and translation of the book of mormon. The mesoamerican model book of mormon archaeological forum. Ive noticed that some lds respondents here have responded to a question about factual evidence about the book of abraham, in this case by aiming toward whether being mormon is, essentially, good for you. Non mormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence.

The list of archaeological and historical claims of the. All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. To begin looking for archaeological evidence you have to know where to look. The book of mormon, on the other hand, is a much different story when we take the time to examine statements from most scholars, historians, and archaeologists who have taken the time to study the mormon scriptures to evaluate their claims of historical accuracy. Intellectual evidence of book of mormon authenticity is an issue worthy of careful consideration. That very arrangement is now well documented archaeologically an ancient american setting for the book of mormon, provo, utah. In addition to the list of claims and evidences of the book of mormon, this site also has a section called why of what mormons believe. Atop it a fence of timbers was planted and bound together with vines. Oct 06, 2018 admittedly, evidence surrounding the book of mormon is not our greatest strength, while the bible itself contains hundreds of verifiable events, wars, cities, historical figures, and factual. The theory that the book of mormon is an ancient american history is not accepted as scientifically verifiable by the mainstream. He has studied church history and the book of mormon for decades, but didnt begin publishing in the field until 2015.

Think joseph smith could have gotten that right by sheer chance. This feeling is for them the real proof that the book of mormon is inspired scripture. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. The debate remains as titled, and the affirmative will remain the stories in the book of mormon and other mormon scriptures are based on verifiably factual events, as presented in my round 1 presentation of criteria. John clark of the new world archaeological foundation has compiled a list of sixty items mentioned in the book of mormon. This is a project designed to accurately reflect not only what mormons believe but also the logic behind mormon beliefs. Book of mormon central archaeological evidence for the.

Archaeological evidence and the book of mormon fairmormon. Why the book of mormons battle numbers dont add up and. Jonathan neville joyful evidence of the book of mormon 48m. The overall trend in the date over the past 175 years fits the expectations for the book of mormon as history rather than hoax. In fact, several mormon organizations have been founded in order to prove. Yeah, as one cabbie said you can prove anything with facts. If the book of mormon is true, then joseph smith was a prophet. Its clear that the book of mormon is a product of the 19th century and the nt was written first.

The nahom case provides evidence, not of the authenticity of the book of mormon, but of the willingness of lds scholars to look anywhere to find validation for a historically accurate reading of the book of mormon. Factual evidence or no factual evidence doesnt change my testimony one bit. Jonathan neville is a lawyer, businessman, educator and author who has written over forty books, including both nonfiction and fiction. Supporting evidences of the book of mormon are broadly identifiable. Along with my own insights ive provided evidence from archaeologists, historians, gospel scholars, and others who have made such study the. Archaeology itself can be divided and subdivided into numerous disciplines. Archaeological evidence and the book of mormon why is there no archaeological evidence for the book of mormon. This series of short articles addresses the fundamental issues posed by the book of mormon, clearly demonstrating that the setting described in the book readily conforms to the factual evidence for ancient mesoamerica and not north or south america. If the book is true, as i believe it is, it should hardly be surprising that serious unresolved questions marks persist in some areas.

While many have lauded the churchs efforts to enhance. The standard of truth as the first in a fourvolume history. Royal skousen is a professor of linguistics at brigham young university and has spent years studying the text of the book of mormon to look for variants and textual patterns. God knows the book of mormon, another witness of jesus christ, is true. The list of archeological and historical claims of the book of mormon compared to nonapologetic evidence. Considering joining the church of jesus christ of latter.

This is important because the latterday saints make such a point about it containing the fullness of the everlasting gospel. The number of alternative explanations for the source of the book of mormon are as plentiful as antimormon ministries. Intro to the list of claims and evidences of the book of. Critics challenge the viability of the population size and growth of the book of mormon people. Well, the book of mormon is a migration story, similar to the idea of the book of exodus in the old testament, except there are three migrations involved in this. Supporters of the book of mormon claim it uses chiasmusa figure of speech utilizing inverted parallelismand claim it is evidence to support the book s ancient origin. Most, but not all, mormons hold the book s connection to ancient american history as an article of their faith. And, with more study, the books sturdiness and richness and the remarkable accomplishment of its translator, the prophet joseph smith, become more apparent.

If you want to know what god knows, live the commandments of jesus christ, and read the book of mormon, another witness of jesus christ, and pray to an all wise and righteous god, and find out the truth for yourself. But even if so, this may, paradoxically, actually be splendid evidence for the book of mormons antiquity. Third, the book of mormon abounds in textual errors, factual errors, and outright plagiarisms from other works. Most, but not all, mormons hold the books connection to ancient american history as an article of their faith. In 20, the lds church began releasing a series of gospel topics essays, to explore frequently questioned aspects of its doctrine and history. Historical evidence has led many people to question the authenticity of the book of mormon and the credibility of joseph smiths story. When talking to mormons, expect to hear them say, i know the book. More and more evidence is discovered, validated, and presented as undeniable proof the story told in the book of mormon is factual not fiction. In fact, the evidence disproves the historical claims of mormonism. This first article addresses the key issue of writing. Provides concrete evidence disproving the book of abraham, demonstrating that joseph smith was a false prophet. Added to these proofs is the testimonies of the 11 witnesses and their seeing and handling of the plates, along with the fact that the translator of the book was. I know that christ established his church on the earth then and today.

Thus, it can be seen that archaeological evidence for the book of mormonwhich does exist, as will be discussed shortlydoes not constitute proof, nor does it. They then compare 1 separate positive correspondences or points of evidence between the book of mormon and coes book. They came from asia across the bering straight during the ice age. On wednesday, january 15, 2020, royal skousen will be presenting a lecture on the history of the text of the book of mormon at brigham young university.

Third, the book of mormon abounds in textual errors, factual errors, and. Problems with the book of mormon catholic answers catholic. The book of mormon describes a ditch being dug around the protected area. One such group is the foundation for ancient research and mormon studies, better known as f. Jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, began to dig throughout mesoamerica for evidence of the veracity of the book of mormon claims. This information is definitely food for thought and is the icing on the cake to what i already believe. What should an lds member do when they encounter information. George is a proponent that the book of mormon lands are in peru. The stories in the book of mormon and other mormon scriptures. In fact i find most of the proofs agains the bom and the lds church are eyeroll inducing for. The native americans were not descended from the 12 lost tribes of israel. Archaeology refutes the existence of the precolombian civilization described by the book of mormon. This influenced mark twain to describe the book of mormon as slow, sleepy, and insipid.

Those who would defend traditional beliefs about mormon origins often turn to the testimonies of 11 men. This site provides you with an overview of what the book of mormon claims from an archeological or historic viewpoint, and compares it to nonapologetic apologetic meaning speak to defend scientific and historical resources. Ever since scientific archaeology started a century and a half ago, the consistent pattern has been this. Of course, this method of translation is as occultic as it gets. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. In order to counter any bias in favor of the book of mormon, the authors apply a strongly skeptical prior assumption that the book of mormon has little to do with early indian cultures, precisely as coe claims. But keep in mind that horses in the book of mormon are one of the biggest weaknesses in a book abounding with strengths. While there is still much to learn about the people and stories in the book of mormon, some of the best archaeological evidence to support the book of mormon comes from lehis journey to the promised land. It is either of divine or human origin, and if it is of human origin that means that joseph smith concocted the book. Like other ancient histories, the book of mormons depiction of warfare appears to be highly exaggerated when it comes to the size and scope of the conflicts and their outcomes.

The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. Much evidence exists to support the claims made by the book of mormon native american evidences of book of mormon contents. The book of mormon is the only explanation for this scripture. There is no factual evidence to support the book of mormon no historical, archaeological, linguistic, or genetic evidence for it. Two of the most prevalent claims for the book of mormon are, there is much archaeological proof to the book of mormon, and the american indians are descendants of israelites who came to america as described in the book of mormon. Native american writings are potentially strong evidence that the occurrences described in the book of mormon actually happened. Excluding the bible and similar writing, can you prove to an atheist or to someone that is agnostic that god exists. The 1st rule of book of mormon evidence there is no evidence. Top 10 facts the mormon church doesnt want its members to. Following upon prior works, the church recently published saints. It was written by prophets anciently, preserved, and translated in our era by the power of god as a tool to bring souls to christ. The volume has long invited scrutiny from all branches of science.