I felt the necessity to create this page based on people I care about who are Mormons. This is not an attack but an effort to share the truth with love. It is important that members understand what the Mormon church (Latter Day Saints/LDS) actually stands for, as opposed to what they claim they stand for.
I’m sure most Mormons do not realize the huge doctrinal differences between the LDS and mainstream Christianity. They are told the Bible is an accepted work, but only when translated correctly. However, they present zero evidence that the Bible is not translated properly. I’ve gone to great lengths in other pages of this website to strongly confirm the authenticity of the Bible as a document. Both internal and external evidence, as well as by historical and archaeological evidence overwhelmingly attest to the accuracy of the Bible. In addition, the Divine inspiration of the Bible is attested to by the dozens and dozens of literally fulfilled prophecies found within it. Conversely, the Book of Mormon has no such internal, external, historical, archaeological or prophetic evidence to show that it was inspired by God.
By claiming the Bible is translated incorrectly, Mormon leaders can conveniently discount the Bible whenever it contradicts an LDS teaching. It must also be noted that the founder of the Mormon church, who claims the Bible is translated incorrectly, has objectively been proven a false prophet by mistranslating what he believed to be ancient Mormon documents (more on this under Joseph Smith below), as well as by making many “prophecies” that were never fulfilled and actually were proven false.
One thing I certainly can appreciate is the strength and fellowship of the Mormon community. I understand the strength of the community, and how difficult it might be to leave, and perhaps face being ostracized from family and community. But the most important thing is the truth. The Bible is true and that point can be well defended. What is also true is that the Bible is doctrinally incompatible with LDS books and teachings.
Everyone has been given the free will to believe what they choose. Just believing Jesus Christ existed does not make you a Christian. Most everybody believes in the historicity of Jesus. The critical point is who you believe Jesus is, compared to who Jesus Himself said He was. We must contrast clear Biblical teachings with Mormon beliefs directly.
That all sound like a true Christian denomination. However, none of these claims are true, as LDS' own books and teachings clearly demonstrate.
Although the Bible is one of the 4 accepted LDS books, it is severely downplayed in favor of the other accepted works. So if a Mormon doesn’t actually compare the Bible to the Book of Mormon directly they will not see the differences.
Mormons are taught from a young age to believe what their leaders tell them, and to believe them uncritically. A statement written in a book meant for Mormon teachers sheds light on this:
“…Lucifer…wins a great victory when he can get members of the Church to speak against their leaders and to do their own thinking…When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done.” (1)
I can think of no other explanation than blind obedience for accepting the obvious historic and doctrinal fallacies and contradictions I will outline. The main areas covered below are
The heart of the issue is Mormon theology. I will begin with showing what the Mormon church actually believes, and contrast that with true Christian beliefs. There is really no reason to go further than that. However, I will also share information on the founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, as well as other credibility issues.
The Mormon Church has four accepted sacred works: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. The present prophet’s words are also a source of authority. While LDS claim to uphold the Bible, they simultaneously discredit and disavow the Bible’s content in favor of the Book of Mormon. Any section of the Bible that seems to contradict or disprove any LDS teaching can be safely ignored by the LDS as having been “translated incorrectly.” I’m not saying Mormons do not have faith in Jesus, just that the “Jesus” they believe in is not the biblical Jesus, nor who Jesus Himself claimed to be.
Because Mormon theology diverges so far from Christian theology, it is easy to compare them side by side, as the chart below demonstrates.(2) Below that chart is another presented contrasting views of deity. (unfortunately the charts below will not show as side-by-side on a smart phone but each point lines up).
These views of the Mormon church are based directly on their gospel books. Any Mormon that disagrees either has not read those books or is in denial.
Mormon leaders will adamantly deny that they are polytheists. The truth, however, is that they are polytheists by any standard definition of the term. Technically, Mormon theology is "henotheistic," which is a form of polytheism which stresses a central deity. In Mormonism, the central deity is Elohim, whom Mormons call "God the Father." But henotheism also accepts other deities.
In Mormonism the other deities include endless other gods who were once men and have evolved into godhood. This includes God, the Father and Jesus.(18) Any Mormon claim that believing they are monotheistic by believing in Elohim as God the Father is simply self-deception. If Elohim became God, just as countless other men who have become gods, then what sets him apart? How could a God who was once a man have been the creator of all things ?!
It cannot be more clear that claiming Mormonism is a Christian religion is logically, historically, and doctrinally an indefensible position. This information is drawn from Mormon’s sacred works. These are facts in black and white. Again, believe what you choose, but if you really believe LDS is a Christian religion you are being deceived.
From the beginning, the Mormon church has confessed its devoted allegiance to the biblical Jesus Christ. However, the issue is which “Jesus Christ” do they believe in. Like countless other sects and cults, they believe in a false, pagan Christ who has nothing to do with the biblical Jesus. Paul warned the Corinthians about those who preach another Jesus besides the one preached by the Apostles (1Cor11:4).
The below chart demonstrates, point by point, a direct comparison of who Mormons believe Jesus is, again, based on their sacred writings.(3) Anyone who concludes that these two teachings offer the same Jesus Christ is simply not paying attention. The Mormon church has taken the biblical Jesus Christ and transformed Him into a pagan deity.
In the The Pearl of Great Price, Articles of Faith, p. 59, we read: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” This statement leaves the impression that Mormons believe the biblical doctrine of the Holy Trinity – namely that there is one God who manifests Himself in three persons. However, actual church writings and teachings do not support this.
The Mormon doctrine of God is contradictory to what the Bible teaches. Mormons believe in many gods and teach that God himself was once a man. Moreover, Mormon males supposedly have the possibility of attaining godhood themselves! Joseph Smith made this clear in the King Follett Discourse(4):
God was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens…
I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil so that you may see.
It is the first principle of the gospel to know for certainly the character of God and to know that we may converse with him as one man with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ did.
Here then, is eternal life – to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you.
Other statements by Smith further reveal this Mormon concept of God:
In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create and populate the world and people it. (5)
The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s. (6)
Subsequent Mormon writers have affirmed this view of God.
As Man is, God was; As God is, Man may become.(7)
Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the Eternal Father was once a mortal man who passed through a school earth similar to that through which we are passing. He became God – an exalted being. (8)
Conversely, the Bible teaches that one true God exists eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(1Tim 2:5; Deut 4:35&6:4; Isa 43:10; 1Cor8:4-6; John 17:1-3; 2Cor 1:3; Phil2:11; Col 1:3; 1Pet1:2; Titus 2:13; John 20:28; John 1/1; Rom9:5; 1Pet1:1; John16:13; Heb9:14; Acts5:3-4; Matt 28:19; 2Cor13:14).
The teachings are simply incompatible.
Mormonism claims that it alone offers salvation to the world. The Mormon church distinguishes two kinds of redemption: “general” and “individual” salvation. General redemption is resurrection from the dead and all will experience that.
According to church leader Bruce McConkie, “general” redemption is called salvation by grace alone, and works are not involved (9). But even in this “general” redemption of grace, men are still judged by their works and on this basis are assigned to different states, or "kingdoms" in the afterlife.(10)
Individual redemption, or true salvation, affords resurrection to the highest kingdom, the celestial kingdom. It is this salvation alone that is crucial to Mormons, which forgives all sin and which determines whether one has the opportunity for deification. This salvation is salvation by grace coupled with obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel (11).
The Mormon church also teaches that salvations comprises various conditions of existence after death. Worthy Mormons can reach the highest level and attain exaltation or deification through their works. All others are “damned” and inherit lesser kingdoms. Mormons also agree that progression is possible within each kingdom after death (though they debate whether progression from one kingdom to another is possible after death). So it is an obvious bedrock of Mormon theology that works are required to attain higher and higher levels of heaven, to the point of attaining godhood.
This Mormon concept of salvation has nothing whatever to do with the biblical doctrine of salvation. which teaches:
There is really no reason to go any further. Based on Mormon theology regarding who God is, who Jesus is, what salvation means, and on the inerrancy of the Bible, it is clear the LDS beliefs and teachings are incompatible with true Christianity.
Again, my goal is not to disparage, but just to illuminate the facts, which I'm guessing most Mormons cannot be aware of. My Mormon friends are really great people who I truly love and can only hope they can see through to the truth.
I've provide more information below on Joseph Smith, the founder and therefore the foundation of everything the church stands for. I will also provide information about the Book of Mormon that is very important to consider. If anyone wants to question the information presented feel free to contact me via the contact page, and share your evidence and view point. But as I've stated, its the actual doctrines mentioned above that truly are the issue. You can try to debate some of the information below (although the points listed are well researched and documented), but the doctrines mentioned above are black and white issues that you will not be able to overcome.
At the foundation of the issue is the founder of Mormon, Joseph Smith. The Mormon church considers Smith a true prophet of God. He is the foundation of everything that was to follow. Some Mormons understand the contradictions and fallacies of the current LDS church and its leaders over the years, but still hold that Joseph Smith was correct, and that he was who he said he was. The actual evidence soundly dispels that notion.
The official version of Mormonism’s beginnings is found in the Pearl of Great Price (1851). Smith sited the doctrinal strife among different Christian denominations and sought God’s council on which was correct. However, had Smith consulted with Christian men or read the New Testament carefully, he could have determined that the differences among the various Christian denominations were largely on minor points, not on major doctrine.
Smith,15 at the time, “kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God.” He claimed he saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and that he was told that all the denominations were wrong and corrupt. Smith became convinced that, out of all men in the world and throughout history, he had been uniquely called by God.
The next revelation he received was 3 years later when he received the first of several major necromantic encounters, or contacts with the dead. At this time a spirit appeared telling him the location of certain “gold plates” which contained the purported historical records of the Jewish “Nephite” peoples concerning their early migration to the Americas.
In his History of the Church, Smith records this spirit as being “Moroni” who was supposedly the son of a “Nephite” historian named “Mormon,” the alleged author of the “gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was “translated.” These and other necromantic encounters were likely the result of Joseph Smith’s use of magic rituals to invoke the spirit world. From 1825 until his death in 1844 Smith supposedly received several hundred direct revelations from the spirit world.(12) These came from “God,” “Jesus,” and “angels,” as well as many from the dead (such as Apostles John, Peter and James, John the Baptist and others).
It should be noted here that the Bible specifically condemns this practice of contacts with the dead, or necromancy. Deuteronomy 18:9-11 states:
“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead” (NIV)
The specific terms “divination,” “sorcery,” “interprets omens,” “witchcraft,” and “casts spells” all apply to early Mormonism. The phrase “who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead” describes and condemns the Mormon church as a whole. Both of Smith’s parents were involved in the world of the psychic and the occult.(13) This is verified by the Mormon church’s own Dr D. Michael Quinn, who was perhaps the Mormon church’s most academically qualified historian.
Quinn was a member of the church and a church historian, and was not attacking the church but merely writing historical information. Full disclosure, Quinn was excommunicated from the church in 1993 along with 5 others, not because of any of his writings, but ostensibly because he was gay. The Salt Lake Tribune said he had "the most literal faith" of any member of the September Six, as that excommunicated group was known.
Quinn’s book, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View, was published in 1987, several years before his excommunication. He was a well-respected and highly regarded historian, so no one can say he was apostate and was writing dirt about the church. To his death he still considered himself Mormon. His book is an exhaustive recounting, from a simple historical view, of the role of 19th-century New England folk magic lore in Joseph Smith's early visions and in the development of the Book of Mormon. Quinn concluded that Joseph Smiths actions are “…consistent with an awareness of magic and the occult.” (14).
Apparently Smith regularly participated in the occult practice of crystal gazing. He would place “seer” stones in a hat, then bury his face in the hat to “see” visions. This was how the Book of Mormon was allegedly translated.(15) Smith’s dependence upon the supernatural for his new religion is clear. There is little doubt that The Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants are occultly derived texts.
Smith was not alone in his trust of occult practices, or in his use of occult implements. Many early Mormon leaders and laity were actively involved in the use of seer stones, just as modern New Agers use crystals to contact the spirit world(16). Most of Mormonisms highly praised “Eleven Witnesses” to the Book of Mormon were involved in occult practices as well.(17)
The contemporary Mormon church does not deny its occult history. However, it does deny any association with occult activity today. Yet, this just is not the case. The leaders of the Mormon church continue to accept spiritism and necromancy, and rely on psychic/spiritist powers. They continue efforts to contact the spirit world to this day. But they equivocate, making an arbitrary division between what is considered to be “godly” and “ungodly” necromancy. If they seek it “in Jesus’ name” it supposedly makes the practice “godly.” However, as shown above, they deny the true Jesus. So invoking spirits in the name of a spiritistic Jesus cannot protect them from being deceived.
The Bible clearly states that spirits must be tested as to whether or not they really are who they claim to be. Any spirit that claims to be from God and yet rejects and distorts God’s Word must be lying. Joseph Smith’s alleged contact with God the Father, Jesus, and dead biblical characters could not have been genuine because these spirits brought to him unbiblical messages contradicting biblical scripture.
In addition, there is no biblical justification for such necromancy. God never tells us there is such a practice as godly spiritism or mediumism. On the contrary, it is labeled as an abomination to Him (Deut 18:9-13). The basic Mormon approach is explicitly rejected in Isaiah 8:19,20:
"When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn." (NIV)
Clearly the Mormon church cannot claim Isaiah to be a mistranslation, as a complete scroll of Isaiah was found within the Dead Sea scrolls.
The legitimacy and validity of the entire Mormon church rests squarely upon its declaration that Joseph Smith was a genuine prophet of God. If he was not, then their foundation is gone and the Mormon church has been guilty of promoting a false prophet to the world for almost 200 years.
Joseph Smith himself emphasized that one who claims to be a true prophet of God must have his prophecies evaluated by the standard of God’s Word. And God’s Word states anyone who claims to be a prophet must prove himself by establishing a perfect record of predictions, i.e. absolute accuracy. A single false prophecy is sufficient to establish a person as a false prophet.
Therefore, by his own words, Smith is proven to be a false prophet. Many prophecies given by him in Doctrine and Covenants deny every biblical doctrine they comment upon. Also, Smith’s own specific predictions of future events have characteristically been proven to be wrong. This is in contrast to the true prophets of the Bible in which not one prophecy has ever been proven false, and many, many have literally already been fulfilled
Mormons leaders have devised various ways to “explain” Smith’s many false prophecies. They generally claim that any errors were given when Smith was not “acting” as a prophet. However, this is rather silly and is not the case, as his prophecies were in fact given “as a prophet.”
Doctrine and Covenants states in chapter one that all prophecies contained in it shall be fulfilled (D&C, 1:37,38). This leaves no room to maneuver. A single false prophecy anywhere in Doctrine and Covenants will completely invalidate the entire book. Yet there are dozens of proven false prophecies within it, condemning both the book and Mormonism as a whole. Yet Mormon leaders continue to believe and teach that Doctrine and Covenants is the inerrant “word of God.” Rather than listing many specific false prophecies here, you can refer to these books for many examples.(19)
For someone who claims that the Bible is only correct if it is translated properly, you would expect that person to be an expert at such. Another important testimony against Joseph Smith’s claim to be a true prophet, and therefore against Mormon writings as a whole, is that of the so-called Book of Abraham, which is part of the Mormon scripture known as The Pearl of Great Price. This was supposedly translated from an ancient Egyptian papyrus found in Egypt in 1831 and acquired by Michael H. Chandler. In 1835 Joseph Smith became very much interested in these papyrus leaves and arranged to purchase them.
Believing he had divinely received the gift of interpreting ancient Egyptian, he claimed that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham himself. In 1842, Smith published his translation under the title, “The Book of Abraham” in Times and Seasons. Scholars, both theological and secular, panned this work and questioned its validity and authenticity over the decades that followed. Of course, they did not have access to the actual papyri.
However, since 1912, numerous Egyptologists, including some LDS scholars, have studied the papyri and have found them to consist of approximately 87 words from the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Smith claimed to have translated these 87 words into the Book of Abraham, which is an 11 page document containing over 4000 words ! Therefore each Egyptian hieroglyph would have to translate to an average of 46 English words. This clearly demonstrates that Joseph Smith had no actual gift or ability to translate these hieroglyphics.
For many years this collection of papyri was lost. But somehow they (or a duplicate set of them from ancient times), was presented to the Mormon church by the Metropolitan Art Museum of NYC on November 27, 1967. This allowed for an objective verifications of Joseph Smiths skills as an interpreter/translator by present day Egyptologists.
Their findings were that not a single word of Joseph Smith’s alleged translation bore any resemblance to the contents of this document. It turned out to be a late, even Ptolemaic, copy in hieratic script of the Sensen Papyrus, which belongs to the same genre as the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Needless to say, this makes it abundantly clear that Joseph Smith was a false prophet. If, therefore, Joseph Smith was a false prophet, then none of their sacred writings, nor claims of the Mormon church can have any foundation in truth.
Another important point about Joseph Smith is his character. No one who has fairly examined the evidence can accept the claim of the Mormon church that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the biblical God. In fact it seems clear that Smith was likely influenced by the “lying spirits” mentioned in scripture. He should also be rejected as a prophet on other grounds. He never fulfilled the moral requirements for a prophet such as humility, honesty and integrity, all of which are characteristic of the biblical prophets.
For example, as opposed to the humility you would expect in a prophet of God, Smith had a rather high view of himself. He believed that all of Christendom was ignorant, but because he had the Holy Ghost he could say, “I am learned, and know more than all the world put together.”(20) He also had his secret “Council of Fifty” ordain him “a King on earth”(21) and had him run for President of the United States in 1844.(22)
Smith also boasted that he comprehended “heaven, earth and hell,” and that God was his “right-hand man!” He also said “I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I’m the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam…Neither Paul, John, Peter nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I.”(23). Obviously Smith’s supernatural revelations didn’t encourage humility, but rather encouraged a pridefulness and egotism within him. This is in direct contrast to all biblical prophets.
The Mormon church praises Smith as if he were another Christ, with some of their leaders saying as much directly.(24). Although the Mormon church believes in the Second Coming of Christ, the early church also believed in the second coming of Joseph Smith.(25). So obviously Mormonism holds Joseph Smith in very high regard. But is that trust justified by the life and deeds of the real Joseph Smith? The answer is NO, as an entirely fictionalized image of Smith has been invented and maintained by the Mormon leadership in an effort to support its evangelistic efforts and its claim to divine authority.
Mormons claim the character of Smith was like that of Jesus. As the chart below shows, there can be no comparison.
Mormons claim the Book of Mormon to be divinely inspired. Mormon apostle Orson Pratt boasted that Mormons “have more than on thousand times the amount of evidence to demonstrate and forever establish the Divine Authority of the Book of Mormon than in favor of the Bible!”(26).
However, from almost any angle of study, the Book of Mormon fails to stand up to critical examination. More recent Mormon leaders have begun to accept this fact and are increasingly claiming that it can’t be proven true and that one must rely upon subjective experience in order to “confirm” its alleged divine origin.(27)
The fact is, there are irrevocable facts which disqualify the Book of Mormon from any serious consideration as a revelation from God. These facts are in addition to the anti-biblical teachings found within it, which also prove it could not have been inspired by the God of the Bible.
The Book of Mormon claims it is a translation of ancient historical records, yet the evidence I will highlight below, shows it to actually be a nineteenth-century production. It would therefore essentially be a forgery and would cast critical doubt on Smith’s ability to allegedly translate other books.
The Mormon church claims Smith translated the alleged gold plates using divine implements called Urim and Thummim, which were used in the Old Testament. We don’t know exactly what the Old Testament Urim and Thummim were. However, what Smith and other witnesses described as the tool he used, indicates that what he was engaging in was crystal gazing.(28) In addition, Smith did not even need the presence of the gold plates to “translate” them(29).
For background, the gold plates chronicled the history of the so-called “Nephite” peoples some 1400 to 2400 years before Joseph Smith’s time. Fawn Brodie was excommunicated from the Mormon church for her scholarly critical study on Joseph Smith (30). In this work she cites persuasive evidence for the likelihood of a nineteenth-century origin of the Book of Mormon. For example, how is it possible that Jewish writers between 600 B.C. and A.D. 421 would discuss the social and religious issues unique to nineteenth-century Christian America?
Alexander Campbell observed, in his 1831 review of the newly published Book of Mormon, that it contains
“...every error and almost every truth discussed in New York for the last ten years. He decided all the great controversies...But he is better skilled in the controversies in New York than in the geography or history of Judea."(30)
The 19th century influences in the Book of Mormon are well documented. In his study A Parallel, The Basis of the Book of Mormon, Hal Hougey observes a large number of striking similarities between the Book of Mormon and Ethan Smith’s 1823 text View of the Hebrews, a book that was available to Smith(31). Mormons responded by pointing out that similarity does not necessarily prove plagiarism. However, it is the extent of the similarity that is crucial. Hougey concluded that
“While a few insignificant parallels between two books may prove nothing, a large number of parallels, many of them very striking in nature, are evidence which must honestly be considered”(32).
The King James Bible provides concrete evidence of Book of Mormon plagiarism. According to Dr. Anthony Hoekema, there are some 27,000 words taken from the King James Bible(33). An inquiring Mormon might want to know how significant portions of the gold plates ended up containing perfect King James English a thousand years before King James English existed. There can be no reasonable explanation for this.
There are also an abundance of parallels or word-for-word quotations from the New Testament which are found in the Book of Mormon. Yet the Book of Mormon was supposed to have been in the possession of the “Nephites” back in 600 BC. Jerald and Sandra Tanner in their book The Case Against Mormonism, Vol. 2 (Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1967), listed over 400 clear examples that establish beyond all question that the author of the Gold Plates/Book of Mormon was well acquainted with the New Testament, and specifically the KJV of 1611, which came 2000 years after the Golden Plates were supposedly written.
So the evidence clearly points to the source of the Book of Mormon being a combination of human endeavor and spiritistic revelation. Given the many testimonies of Smith’s occultism and use of seer stones in the “translation,” it would be difficult to discard the possibility of supernatural influences. The evidence certainly eliminates the possibility of divine revelation.
The Book of Mormon according to Joseph Smith Jr. is “the most correct of any book on earth” (Joseph Smith Jr., History of the Church, 4:461). Revelations supposedly from God to Joseph Smith claim the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God, and that the Lord affirmed the authenticity of it. Yet a comparison of the latest edition with the first edition will show more than 3000 changes.
These changes are not just slight and grammatical in nature. They involve changes in names and places, even changes in describing God and the Son of God and in doctrine.(34). If the revelations Smith received were truly from God, how could there be any error or need for doctrinal changes ?!
One doctrinal change that most are aware of is their changed stance on polygamy, which was changed due to Utah's quest for statehood, rather than divine inspiration. Here is another one that most people do not know about. All the way up until the 1970s, Mormonism forbade black people from entering the church. Being essentially "unclean souls," they would never be able to become gods of their own worlds. At best, blacks could serve as servants on the planet of a proper white Mormon. A full ten years after the Civil Rights Era started, the LDS finally gave blacks full rights in the church, and with a bonus...After becoming Mormon, their skin would begin to lighten, a sign of Yahweh's curse upon them gradually lifting !
All of this is in stark contrast to the Holy Bible, which has been shown to be virtually unchanged over the dozens of centuries. God does not change and His Word does not change.
The Mormon church teaches that “good Mormon” individuals should receive supernatural guidance from God on a daily basis.(35), and that direct revelation from God is daily guiding the church.(36) The concept of continuous revelation places the church on the horns of a dilemma. It requires the acceptance of new revelation with no authoritative, unchanging or objective standard against which to test its truth or falsehood.
This is crucial for understanding how easily Mormonism was, and is, led into unbiblical teachings. Brigham Young, for example, claimed that all his sermons were divinely inspired scripture, even though they emphatically contradicted biblical teaching. He stated:
In my doctrinal teachings I have taught many things not written in any book…I have never looked into the Bible, the Book or Mormon, or the Doctrine and Covenants, or any of our Church works to see whether they agreed with them or not. When I have spoken by the power of God and the Holy Ghost, it is the truth, it is scripture, and I have no fears but that it will agree with all that has been revealed in every particular. (37).
Unfortunately for him, it did not always agree. He merely accepted supernatural inspiration and assumed truth, never bothering to check Scripture as the standard. Claiming something is divine proves nothing. Young’s sermons were recorded accurately, and he proclaimed his sermons were literally scripture (38). The problem for the modern Mormon church is that they cannot logically reject his teachings and simultaneously maintain his prophethood. But they do reject his teachings.
Mormon leaders emphasize that each of their presidents and prophets have given “living scripture” and speaks with the “authority of God.” Modern presidents and prophets continually contradict past presidents and prophets. One or the other must be a false prophet !! This is why past president and prophet Ezra Taft Benson declared in 1980 that the president of the church is the only man who can speak for God on everything and that God’s new revelation actually replaces the old.(39) He even stated “nothing a Mormon President says can be incorrect.” The words of the president are also to have authority over the Bible, and the other standard works of their church, since they too are past revelations !! (40)
Any religion that permits its leaders the authority of God with no checks or balances is asking for trouble. Remember, we are not speaking of progressive revelation, where God reveals new information that does not contradict old revelation. The New Testament is new revelation, but it never contradicts the Old Testament. Rather, it fulfills it. What the Mormon church is claiming is not revelation that is progressive, but revelation that is open to new interpretation and ultimately relative. Because it is relative, it can have no authority.
The Book of Mormon claims to represent the history of three different groups of people, the most important being the Nephites, who allegedly migrated to the Americas from Jerusalem around 600B.C. When Jesus resurrected, He allegedly visited these people in North America and these peoples were converted.
The Book of Mormon preaches that the Nephites were wiped out around 400 A.D. by one of the other apostate groups. Before this happened, a Nephite historian named Mormon supposedly gathered all the records of his predecessors and wrote them on the gold plates in “reformed Egyptian.” It should be noted that Mormonism has never explained how godly Jews of A.D. 400 allegedly knew Egyptian, nor why they would have written their sacred records entirely in the language of their pagan and idolatrous arch enemies !!
Mormon supposedly entrusted the plates to his son Moroni who allegedly finished the history and buried the plates in Cumorah, NY around A.D. 421. Fourteen hundred years later the resurrected Moroni, in a necromantic vision, supposedly led Joseph Smith to the plates.
If the Book of Mormon were truly an historical record of ancient peoples inhabiting a vast civilization in relatively recent history, it is virtually impossible that no evidence could be marshalled for the existence of such a civilization. Archaeology has repeatedly confirmed biblical history from many thousands of years ago. Yet not a shred of archaeological evidence exists verifying the Book of Mormon.
The book claims that the peoples were exceedingly numerous and that the land was covered with buildings. Yet not a shred of archaeological evidence exists to back up these claims. Whether we consider the purported cities, rivers, crops, fabrics, animals, metals, coins, kings, wars and war implements, palaces, etc., no evidence at all supports their existence.(41) This has forced numerous researchers to conclude the Book of Mormon is comprised primarily of myth and historical invention.(42).
Nevertheless, Mormon apologists and lay writers claim that archaeology proves the Book of Mormon is true. Mormon missionaries and scores of books and pamphlets continue to claim there is archaeological evidence. However, these claims are soundly denied by actual archaeologists. Not only has archaeology not verified anything in the Book of Mormon, it has directly discredited it. Even some in the Mormon church have been forced to admit this (43).
Publications of zealous but misinformed amateur Mormon archaeologists, who are careless or biased or both with their use of data, have exacerbated the misinformation problem. Mormon church authorities continue to support these unreliable “apologetic” works. The claims of Mormons regarding various artifacts and ancient sites may all be refuted by anyone willing to take the time to research the claims. Marvin Cowan observes:
“…everything [Mormons] have pointed to as “proof” has turned out to be a forgery or else an exaggerated interpretation which cannot stand up under investigation…Dozens of biblical sites have been located by using the Bible as a guide—but not one has ever been found by using the Book of Mormon.” (44)
Not only is there no archaeological evidence to support the vast civilizations claimed in the Book of Mormon, anthropology and genetics refute Smith’s claims that the American Indians are descendants of the Israelites.(45) Yet Mormon missionaries and church authorities continue to ignore such evidence. Incredibly they claim to potential converts that the Smithsonian Institute or other prestigious professional organizations have utilized the Book of Mormon as an archaeological guide. The Smithsonian adamantly denies this
Honest Mormon scholars are forced to admit the fallacies proven by archaeology. Mormon anthropologist D.F. Green stated that he:
“…did not see how the archaeological myths so common in our proselytizing program enhance the process of true conversion…The first myth we need to eliminate is that a Book of Mormon archaeology exists.”(46).
As archaeological expertise and data grow, this lack of verifying evidence becomes more and more embarrassing and difficult to explain. The Bible is accepted as a reliable archaeological guide by reputable archaeologists, while the Book of Mormon is accepted by none.
I’m not telling anyone what to believe, nor am I trying to brow beat anyone into changing their mind. I believe on this page, and on this website as a whole, I've presented sufficient evidence that the God of the Bible is real, and that the Bible is a true record. God gives us all free will to believe what we choose, though not without consequences. The evidence is extremely clear that Joseph Smith was not a prophet, that the Book of Mormon was not the result of Divine inspiration, and that Mormon theology directly contradicts the teachings of the Bible. I hope this opens the eyes of readers and at the very least inspires you to do your own research and seek the truth for yourself.
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