Scriptures Articles
Does the Book of Mormon Contradict the Bible?
Critics of the Book of Mormon often try to say that it contradicts the Bible. They do this by taking one passage from the Book of Mormon out of its context and placing it next to a biblical verse and saying, “See, look, they’re different.” This sort of trickery is dishonest and, as many Mormons can testify, nowhere does the Book of Mormon contradict the Bible. Instead, it confirms and validates the meanings and doctrines of the Bible. Some biblical doctrines are examined and explained in the Book of Mormon, making them easier to comprehend.
One of the most common claims is that the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible by teaching that Jesus was born in Jerusalem, not Bethlehem. However, these critics do not quote that verse in its full context. The passage reads:
For behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth. And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem, which is... Read the rest of this article »
Why Do We Need the Book of Mormon?
Some people wonder why we need the Book of Mormon if we already have the Bible. The Bible, they say, is the complete word of God. However, the Bible never claims to be complete, and even today different churches use different Bibles. The Catholic version of the Bible includes 14 books not found in the Protestant Bible, and Eastern Christian Churches have books not found in any Western Bible.
The Book of Mormon helps us more fully understand God’s teachings about Jesus Christ and about salvation through Him. The title page of the Book of Mormon proclaims that its aim is to
“Show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers.”
“[T]hat they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever.”
“And also to the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.”
The Book of Mormon validates and elucidates... Read the rest of this article »
Did the Three Witnesses deny their testimonies about the Book of Mormon?
In the introduction to the Book of Mormon there is section entitled “The Testimony of the Three Witnesses” This testimony was given by three men–David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris–each of whom saw the plates from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. According to their account, they gathered with Joseph Smith to pray in the woods and while praying an angel appeared to them and showed them the plates and other artifacts.
Over the next several years, these three witnesses faced many challenges and left the Mormon Church. Two, Harris and Cowdery, later returned, humbly repenting of their mistakes and pride which had led them out of the Mormon Church. Whitmer never rejoined the Mormon Church, but he never denied his testimony. Instead, he claimed that everyone else in the Church had gone wrong, but that the Book of Mormon and his testimony were still true.
Anti-Mormon... Read the rest of this article »
Does the Book of Abraham Prove that Joseph Smith was a False Prophet?
In 1835, Joseph Smith and members of the Mormon Church in Kirtland, Ohio, purchased some papyrus scrolls and mummies from a traveling showman named Michael Chandler. Joseph Smith had realized that some of the scrolls, but not all, contained writings by the ancient biblical prophet Abraham. Over the next few years, whenever he had free time, Joseph Smith translated portions of the text and eventually published it as the Book of Abraham in 1842. When the Mormons were expelled from Illinois in 1846 after Joseph Smith’s murder, the mummies and papyrus remained behind and were eventually lost. This book has become very controversial among critics of the Mormon Church who claim that the Book of Abraham could not have come from those papyri as Joseph Smith claimed.
In the 1960s a few fragments of the original papyri were found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and given back to the Mormon Church. ... Read the rest of this article »
Did the Mormon Church Change the Book of Mormon?
Anti-Mormon critics and others assert that the Mormon Church has made over 4,000 changes to the Book of Mormon. They claim that if the Book of Mormon was true and “the most correct book” as Joseph Smith described it, then it could not be changed, and since (as they claim) there have been changes, it is not true.
There are two arguments here. The first is that there have been changes to the Book of Mormon and second, that changes to the Book of Mormon would prove that it was false. Neither of these arguments is valid. It is true that there are differences among the printed versions of the Book of Mormon, but the number 4,000 is misleading. Most of the changes were made by Joseph Smith himself and were changes for clarification in meaning and style or correction of grammatical and spelling errors that crept into the published manuscript. Joseph Smith never claimed that the text was perfect. His claim that the Book of Mormon... Read the rest of this article »
Mormon Temples and Temple Work
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the Mormon Church is its temples. Mormon Temples are sacred buildings, set apart from the world. They are not ordinary church buildings like chapels. Mormons have both churches and temples. In temples, Mormons perform sacred ordinances that strengthen us in this life and prepare us for the life to come. Also in temples, families can be sealed together for all eternity and faithful Mormons can perform ordinances like baptism for those who died without the opportunity.
The Holy Endowment
One of the most sacred and defining moments in the life of a member of the Mormon Church comes when he or she receives his or her endowment. An endowment is a gift; in this case it is a gift of knowledge and spiritual power from God. Jesus referred to an endowment of power when he commanded his disciples to “tarry [...] in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). ... Read the rest of this article »
Is the Bible the [block]0[/block]?
Critics of Mormonism have long claimed that the Book of Mormon cannot be true scripture since the Bible contains all of God’s word. They often cite the closing verses to The Revelation of John which reads:
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Revelation 22:18-19).
At first glance this seems to say that nothing can be added to the Bible, especially since it appears in the last chapter of the New Testament as we have it today. However, when one looks more carefully at the text itself and at the origins of the Bible, it becomes clear that John was referring to his book, that is, the Book of Revelation.
The... Read the rest of this article »
