All About Mormons

Hi all. I recently received and responded to an email that attacked the Book of Mormon. I thought you might enjoy the exchange:

Hi ******,

Thanks for your detailed response. Please see my comments in bold.

On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 7:15 PM, ****** ***** <*******@hotmail.com> wrote:

Hello [Fernando Duarte],

Thank you very much for your reply and material which I have examined. Although the issue regarding the ‘Spaulding Enigma’ is well-documented by recognized authoritative sources as I presented in my last e-mail, (The quote I sent you refuting this theory came from Richard Bushman, the foremost living academic scholar on the life of Joseph Smith. He was quoting Fawn Brody, the author of “No Man Knows my History,” arguably the foremost biography of Joseph Smith ever written. The only biography that can compete with “No Man Knows my History” is Bushman’s own “Rough Stone Rolling,” which I personally suspect is the superior of the two. I can find “recognized authoritative sources” that will tell you that Bigfoot exists and that the earth has been visited by aliens. What’s important is what the majority of scholars agree upon, and what the eminent scholars in the field have written.) my personal objection to the document lies in a more internal and defined examination. I have a 1978 edition of the Book of Mormon. (Have you read it?) It is not just the fact of what is in the Book of Mormon, but what is not; which renders completely erroneous. (I have no idea what you’re trying to say in this last sentence. Feel free to clarify if you wish.) It is also evident on examination that Joseph Smith had no accurate conception of the Divine Will and Purpose of Almighty God. (Millions of people around the globe would say that just the opposite is “evident.” Your subjective opinion is not convincing.)

The Holy Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation are all inspired of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and the one defining characteristic which separates it from all other venerated books is accurate prophecy. The Bible’s own internal evidence confirms it to be God’s Word of Truth offering the hope of a second chance for all mankind through the Anointed Liberator Jesus. (I agree with this, though I would say there is more than “accurate prophecy” that makes the Bible remarkable.)

If Adam and Eve had not transgressed in the Garden of Eden, they would be alive today along with the rest of a perfect human race enjoying everlasting life on earth. With no death, the heavenly immortal ‘little flock’ (Luke 12:32) [Israel of God] (Galatians 6:16) would not have been required; therefore this is an addition to God’s Divine Plan. (I disagree with some of the minor theological details of this paragraph, but agree with its main theme. I’m not certain what the antecedent of “this” is in your last sentence. Feel free to clarify if you wish.)

Because we are all born into Adamic sin through no fault of our own, God has provided the Anointed Liberator to atone for this and although we still remain imperfect, Jesus died that ‘all’ shall receive a resurrection during the Sabbath Millennium of the Christ with a second chance of everlasting life on earth. (John 11:25 Psalm 37:11, 29) (If by “Adamic sin” you mean “fallen state,” I agree with this paragraph.)

The fundamental doctrine of the ‘ransom’ is that Jesus died for ‘all’ including Adam. (Hebrews 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6) The day is coming when everyone [who dies] shall die for his own iniquity (sin). This is not the case now. Each does not now die for his own sin, but for Adam’s sin — “In Adam all die.” He ate the sour grape of sin, and our fathers continued to eat them, entailing further sickness and misery upon their children, thus hastening the penalty, death. (If by “die for his own iniquity” you mean suffer a “spiritual death,” as we LDS call it, and if by “die for Adam’s sin” you mean “die because of Adam’s sin,” then I think I agree with this paragraph. Regardless, I fail to see how this line of reasoning disproves the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon…)

When Christ Jesus died, he gave absolution for ‘Adamic Sin’ to the whole of the human race. The day in which “every man [who dies] shall die for his own sin,” only, is the Millennial or Restitution day. [This is the ‘second’ death (Revelation 20:6; 21:8)]

Now the point is *****, none of this material or information is found in the Book of Mormon and yet, this is the whole point of God’s Will and Purpose. (Have you actually read that book? Christ saving us from Adam’s transgression and from our own sins is discussed in Mosiah 3, Alma 22, Mormon 9, 2 Nephi 9, Mosiah 4, Alma 40, Helaman 14, and elsewhere. The fact that Adam would have remained in the garden of Eden had he not transgressed is mentioned in 2 Nephi 2, Alma 12, and elsewhere. In fact, Christ and His atoning sacrifice are mentioned throughout the Book of Mormon.) Plus over the last six thousand years Almighty God has been establishing his own Legal Precedent regarding the settling of the issue of good and evil, which later will be used as a touchstone throughout the whole of creation. (Sorry again, but you’ll need to explain this sentence better for me to understand it.) In addition to this, a rather disturbing practice regarding the Movement itself is the imposition of tithing, by which a portion of each members income is paid to the central body on a regular basis; thereby enabling it to become both rich and powerful. (Actually, ours is one of the few churches with an unpaid, volunteer clergy. Unlike most other Christian denominations, no one gets rich by being a clergyman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tithing and offerings go into a central fund in order to build more Mormon chapels, temples, and to support our vast humanitarian efforts. This is done in the same spirit as was done in the primitive church, wherein the earliest Christians “had all things common” (Acts 2:44. Acts 4:32). Second, tithing is actually a Biblical principle. See, for example, Malachi 3:8,10.)

This is in total opposition to the original followers of The Way (Acts 9:2) (Acts 9:2 discusses letters sent to Damascus requesting that Christians be brought bound to Jerusalem. I don’t think it’s the verse you’re looking for. In fact, I challenge you to find a single New-Testament verse that states tithing is unbiblical or un-Christian. You won’t find one.) who understood that the execution of the Anointed Liberator Jesus, caused all sacrifice and offering to cease thereby fulfilling and moving aside all the law including tithing. (On the contrary, Christ’s gospel required the earliest Christians to sacrifice everything. Recall the story of the rich young man, who Christ told to give up everything and to follow him [Mark 10:17-27]? Recall that the earliest Christian’s had all things in common, apparently giving up personal possession of their earthly goods for the good of the community [Acts 2:44. Acts 4:32]? Recall how Paul praised the saints of Macedonia and Achaia for having paid a “certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem,” precisely the kind of humanitarian support for which the tithes and offerings given to the LDS Church are used? If I’m not mistaken, some of Paul’s missions were themselves in part financed by the financial offerings of faithful Christians.) In fact Jesus himself stated that it is better to ‘give’ than ‘receive’ and as the founder of the new movement he took nothing but instead gave all he had. (While Mormon clergymen certainly fall far short of Christ’s perfect example, as do we all, they, too, give much and receive nothing in return. I don’t think the same could be said of the “Mega-church” pastors so common now days.)

The Apostle Paul later advised be imitators of him, as he was of Christ; he too gave all he had. The Mormon Movement is therefore in great error. (Non sequitur, my friend. Non sequitur.) For myself, I am on a small state pension and yet I am giving all I have to help 4½ million West Africans understand the Divine Will and Purpose of Almighty God. (I think that’s noble of you.)

The Book of Mormon is as I mentioned before, a compilation of individuals and events taken from the Holy Scriptures and fused with names of unknown origin interspersed with a pre-Columbian idea written by one Solomon Spaulding, while at the same time infusing the name of Jesus the Anointed One to enhance a hope which is not defined except that all might eventually be brought before the ‘Bar’ of the Great Jehovah. (Yours is a highly simplistic view of the Book of Mormon which most scholars would refute. The eminent scholars in this field have discredited the Solomon Spaulding theory, and the stories of the Book of Mormon are not found in the Bible, with the exception of some of the writings of Isaiah which are quoted in that book. Speaking of the origin of Book of Mormon names, did you know that research has shown that many of the Book of Mormon names are ancient Semitic names that are not found in the Bible? How could an uneducated 19th-century farm boy like Joseph Smith have come up with names like those? But I digress…)

This event is found in Matthew 25:31-46 in parallel with Revelation 20:1-15. Yet while the Book of Mormon concludes here (Where is “here”? I don’t quite understand what you’re getting at…), the Bible continues with Revelation 21 introducing the New Heavens and the New Earth and concluding the reward of ‘everlasting life’ on earth for the faithful who have come through the Sabbath Millennium and the ‘second death’ for those who continued to follow Satan. Revelation 22

[The Great Jubilee of Almighty God] concludes with The Divine Will and Purpose of Almighty God now fully established. (You seem to be implying that the Book of Mormon does not discuss Christ’s final judgment. That is not the case. See Jacob 6, 2 Nephi 33, Moroni 10, Mosiah 16, Alma 5, Alma 11, Alma 12, Mormon 9, and elsewhere.)

The Book of Mormon makes no mention of this (ah but it does…see my previous comment…), also it contains no substance or value in comparison the Holy Scriptures with no definition regarding the sacred secret of the Christ (Colossians 4:3) or its identification (Galatians 3:29) (Again, this is a subjective judgment on your part. Millions of people disagree with you. Additionally, had you actually read the Book of Mormon, you would know that its authors quoted 21 complete chapters from Isaiah. Can I assume you believe these chapters also contain “no substance or value”?) neither is there any mention of their singular reward of immortality in the heavens as the Israel of God. (Luke 12:32) (You need to read a book before condemning it, friend. This reward is specifically mentioned in many places in the Book of Mormon. See, for example, 3 Nephi 28, 2 Nephi 9, Mosiah 2, Alma 12, Alma 11, Enos 1, Mosiah 16, Alma 5, Alma 40, Alma 41, Helaman 3, and Mormon 6.) Also there is no mention of the millions who will eventually inherit the earth with the reward of everlasting life as perfect humans. (Psalm 37:11, 29) (Try giving 3 Nephi 12 a read. “… the meek..shall inherit the earth.”) Even God’s Legal Precedent which is now being established as a touchstone for all creation is not even mentioned. (The words “Legal Precedent” don’t appear in the Bible either. You’re going to have to explain yourself further for me to be able to comment beyond that.)

The absence of this along with the other points mentioned, means that the words of Revelation 22:18, 19 apply to those involved in the writing of The Book of Mormon and those upholding it today. It is therefore without doubt, a non starter! (Ah, the famous “if any man shall add unto these things…” scripture. Serious biblical scholars nearly universally agree that this scripture refers to the Book of Revelation alone, not the entire Bible. In fact, most scholars believe the Book of Revelation was not the last Biblical book to be written. Click on the link for further discussion of this topic.)

I have written a small number of books *****, plus a number of articles including a special one under the title The Liberator. Although this is only six pages in length, it contains more insight and understanding of God’s Will and Purpose than the whole Book of Mormon. I shall be pleased to send you a copy to examine if you so wish. (This paragraph is quite presumptuous, to say the least. Just the same, feel free to send along your material if you wish.)

I look forward to your further comments.

May the true God bless and watch over you as you persevere in his word, in the name of Yeshua ha Notzri Messiah Liberatus as even now we approach his in-coming Kingdom. (Fair enough. I used “non sequitur,” so I’ll accept your foreign-sounding name for the Savior. Thank you sincerely for your good will in hoping that God bless me.”)

Pathfinder in Truth and Hope.
****** ******

Now *****, I do want to apologize if I’ve been flippant in any of my remarks. You must understand that I receive emails like yours often, and that hearing the same arguments over and over again grows tiresome. I do not believe you have read the Book of Mormon, and, if you have, I do not believe you understood it. I have no problem with people who choose to believe that the Book of Mormon is false, but if you’re going to make that argument, at least base it on knowledge and not ignorance. My testimony of the Book of Mormon comes from having actually read that book with an open mind, and having prayed to God to discover for myself if it is true. Subsequent academic research has only strengthened that God-given testimony. I invite you to do the same.

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