The Book of Mormon

[+Donny]

im getting a copy of the book of mormon, and I would like to see if anyone knows where I should read for some biblical contradictiosn between the two

[Luke]

Richard Abanes is writing a new book on Mormonism to come out soon, and it should have good information from what he told me (lots of photocopies of things, etc.).

I suggest buying <I>Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons</I> by Ron Rhodes, which you can pick up at LifeWay, Donny (that's where I got it).

[WooTang]

I guess you can if you really want to. It reads alot like the Bible. But you'll find that nothing in it really contradicts the Bible, per se. It's "another gospel of Jesus Christ" It's records Joseph Smiths account of Jesus' visit to America. And to be quite honest, there are some verses in the Book of Mormon that can be used to refute Mormonism. I wish I could remember the exact verses, but it speaks of One God, not many like Mormonism teaches.

Woo

[Luke]

You really need to get the other two books of Mormon Scriptures, those are where the most debating power lies. :D

[+Donny]

what 2 books of mormon scripture? and I will get some books next time I go to Family Christian Bookstore to get some cds( I would go to lifeway, but sorry man, to far away)

[WooTang]

The book of Mormon is about a group of people who came over from Israel and started a colony. During that time, Jesus came to visit, there were wars between different colonies. That's the basic jist of it. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no objective historical evidence about any of this. The two book, The Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine of Covenants, is where they get most of their thology. But you'll have a hard time getting your hands on these books. I believe you have to join the church before they let you read them. Otherwise, they're pretty expensive.

Woo

[Luke]

I don't know if FCS will carry what you need, but if they do, then great! :)

The other two books of the Mormon Scriptures are <I>The Pearl of Great Price</I> and <I>Doctrine and Covenants</I>. I suggest getting a copy of both.

[+Donny]

then what is the BOok of Mormon?

[Travis]

Oh, from the title of the thread I thought you were debating between a book and a morman.

[Luke]

The Book of Mormon is basically an edited KJV. Joe Smith took the KJV and made a bunch of edits to it, added a few books about Jesus' visit to America, and poof, there it is. It is one of the three books of Mormon Scriptures. It's been changed hundreds of times since its initial release.

[Luke]

Originally posted by pleasurespain
Oh, from the title of the thread I thought you were debating between a book book and a morman.

I noticed that too. Fixed.

[WooTang]

According to the Mormon faith, as well as Encarta encyclopedia and http://www.mormon.com, The Book of Mormon is not an edition of the KJV, but a translation from the prophet Mormon, written by way of a set of golden plates found by Joseph Smith near his home. The plates could be interpreted by a pair of glasses that Smith found. After copying the plates, they suddenly disappeared and/or were taken into heaven by an angel, according to Smith. However, most conservative theologians who consider Smith the be a heretic, believe that the entire book, plates, etc. were merely a hoax.

Woo

[reyespablo]

A few things:

1) The two other books (Peark of Great and Doctrine & Covenants) can be bought fairly easily. One can go to an online bookstore (www.DeseretBook.com) or a regular bookstore or even buying from LDS Distribution Center (www.ldscatalog.com). You can find a Triple Combo of their Scriptures for as low as $5.

NOTE-LDS missionaries do not pass these other two out because they consider them "deep doctrine." However, the Book of Mormon can be very alluring, and that is the strategy. Once you believe in the Book of Mormon, which reads like KJV, then you have to start believing that the other book must true as well.

2) Below is some Contrdictions from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. These were taken from www.utlm.org (Utah Lighthouse Ministry). This ministry was begun by ex-Mormons and they have an awesome testimony. There is a wealth of information on their website and literature you could even buy. I recommend buying MORMONISM: Shadow or Reality? It is an exhaustive book by the Tanners but it has EVERYTHING.


Here is one very key heresy. In Ephesians 2:8-9, it reads, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." However in the Book of Mormon it reads in 2 Nephi 25:23b "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved after all we can do."


Bible and Book of Mormon Contradictions

By Sandra Tanner



The Bible plainly states that the gospel, with its inclusion of Gentiles, was not fully revealed until after Christ's death.
Eph. 3:3-7 Paul writes "by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: whereof I was made a minister ...... (See also Col. 1:26; 1 Peter 1: 1-12; Romans 16:25-26)

However, the Book of Mormon maintains that this knowledge was had in 545 B.C.

2 Nephi 25:19 "For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh... his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ... (v.23) For we labor... to persuade... our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

2 Nephi 26:12 "And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that Jesus in the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;"

2 Nephi 30:3 "For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off,"

2 Nephi 31:17 "For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and the Holy Ghost."

During Jesus' ministry He spoke of His church as something in the future.
Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

After Christ's resurrection and the day of Pentecost we read "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47)

However, the Book of Mormon claims the Christian church was established as early as 147 B.C.

Mosiah 18:17 "And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward."

The Bible says believers were first called Christians after Paul's ministry in Antioch.
Acts 11:26 "And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

However, the Book of Mormon claims people were known by this title as early as 73 B.C.

Alma 46:15 "...yea, all those who were true believes 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."

The Holy Ghost was bestowed on the Christians at the time of Pentecost.
Luke 24:49 "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father unto you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

Acts 2:1-4 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,..."

Yet the Book of Mormon claims that people received the gift of the Holy Ghost as early as 545 B.C.

2 Nephi 31:12-13 "...the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me... Wherefore, my beloved brethren,... by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost;..."

In the Old Testament the only ones who could be priests were the descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Israel.
Numbers 3:9-10 "And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death" (See also Numbers 8:6-26).

However, the Book of Mormon story claims that descendants of the tribe of Manasseh (Alma 10:3) were made priests.

2 Nephi 5:26 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people."

The Old Testament teaches that the first born of the flocks were to be given automatically to the Lord. Sacrifices were to be made from their remaining animals.
Exodus 13:12 "That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's" (See also Ex. 13:2; 22:29-30; Numbers 3:13; 18:15-18; 2 Sam. 24:24).

Deuteronomy 12:6 "And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks."

The Book of Mormon claims that the Nephites were keeping the law of Moses. However, the Nephites broke the law of Moses by using the first of the flocks for burnt offerings. These should have already been given to the Lord as tithing.

Mosiah 2:3 "And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses."

The Bible states that all of King Zedekiah's sons were killed.
Jeremiah 39:6 "Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes."

Contrary to the Bible, the Book of Mormon claims that one son of King Zedekiah escaped destruction and came to the Americas.

Heleman 6:10 "the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north" (See also Heleman 8:21).

The Bible prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

However, the Book of Mormon said he would be born at Jerusalem.

Alma 7: 10 "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin..."

[+Donny]

thanks, ill put that site on my favorites

[Luke]

Originally posted by WooTang
According to the Mormon faith, as well as Encarta encyclopedia and http://www.mormon.com, The Book of Mormon is not an edition of the KJV, but a translation from the prophet Mormon, written by way of a set of golden plates found by Joseph Smith near his home. The plates could be interpreted by a pair of glasses that Smith found. After copying the plates, they suddenly disappeared and/or were taken into heaven by an angel, according to Smith. However, most conservative theologians who consider Smith the be a heretic, believe that the entire book, plates, etc. were merely a hoax.

Do a side-by-side comparison of the Book of Mormon and the KJV and that alone will easily disprove this.

As far as the plates bit, another important piece of information is that only two people ever witnessed Smith's translation of these plates. Both of them later left the church.

And that's not quite the same as the story I read. Sounds like the Mormons changed their history <I>again</I>...

[Jeffro-Wilson]

http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/sections this is a site for donny which has every section of the Doctrine and covenants by section number- enjoy http://scriptures.lds.org/pgp/contents and here is the pearl of great price

[soulthirst]

I've read about Mormonism in a magazine called HomeLife. It described the Mormon faith as being cult-like. Now, I don't want to offend anybody here who might be Mormon. This magazine has been known to exaggerate some facts. But they did give a pretty convincing argument. I don't know about the Book of Mormon, but it's said to be another testament of Jesus Christ. I, personally, don't believe that. I wasn't sure about the article in the magazine until I remembered this video I has seen of this sermon a preacher was preaching. He told about how he had been raised Jehovah's Witness. When he was old enough, he went out promoting literature that was made by Lighthouse Ministeries, but he was not allowed to read it. He told of his conversion to the Christian faith, and his father's disownment of him. But he really didn't care because he had found his church and he had friends. Now, I know that this a different affiliation, but Mormonism and Jehovah's Witness are actually closer than they think. Okay, my point is, if you are interested in the Mormon faith and what they have to offer, do some research first. As for the book of Mormon, that's offered via the Church of Latter Day Saints. Another version of Jehovah's Witness. So be wary if you read the book, that it may not be all it's cracked up to be.
<<breathes after a long sentence>> I'm through. Hope I didn't talk your ear off TOO much

[Luke]

Originally posted by soulthirst
Now, I don't want to offend anybody here who might be Mormon.

We don't have any that I'm aware of. If we did, I would have offended them by now. :D

As far as the actual facts, the Mormon church is indeed a cult and they are not Christians. For further study, I reccomend going to the Christian bookstore and getting a book on the subject. There are many good ones. There are also little $2 "fast-facts" type things readily available.