Criticism of Mormon sacred texts
Part of a series on the |
Book of Mormon |
---|
The standard works of Mormonism—the largest denomination of which is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)—have been the subject of various criticisms. Latter-day Saints believe the Book of Mormon is a sacred text with the same divine authority as the Bible; both are considered complementary to each other. Other Mormon sacred texts include the Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants, which are also recognized as scripture. Religious and scholarly critics outside Mormonism have disputed Mormonism's unique scriptures, questioning the traditional narrative of how these books came to light and the extent to which they describe actual events. Critics cite research in history, archeology, and other disciplines to support their contentions.
Book of Mormon
Origin
There are several theories as to the origin of the Book of Mormon. Most adherents of Mormonism view the book as a work of inspired scripture. The most common theory accepted by adherents is that promoted by Joseph Smith, who said he translated the work from an ancient set of golden plates inscribed by prophets. Smith said he discovered these near his home in Palmyra, New York, in the 1820s after being told to go there by the angel Moroni and translated them "by the gift and power of God". Besides Smith himself, there were 11 witnesses who said they physically saw the plates in 1829 (three stating they were visited by an angel as well). Several other witnesses, some of them friendly to Smith and some hostile, observed him dictating the text that eventually became the Book of Mormon.
Nevertheless, critics have explored a number of issues, including (1) whether Smith actually had golden plates, or whether the text of the Book of Mormon originated in his mind or through inspiration; (2) whether it was Smith himself who composed the book's text, or whether an associate of Smith's such as Oliver Cowdery or Sidney Rigdon could have composed the text; and (3) whether the book was based on a prior work such as the View of the Hebrews, the Spalding Manuscript, or the Bible.
Existence of golden plates
Two separate sets of witnesses—a set of three and a set of eight—testified as having seen the golden plates, the record from which the Book of Mormon was translated. Critics, including Jerald and Sandra Tanner and the Institute for Religious Research (IRR), note several pieces of evidence that, they argue, call into question the authenticity of the experience.[1] These include letters and affidavits in which Martin Harris stated that the Eight Witnesses never saw the plates, and that his own witness was more spiritual than physical. Additionally, each of the Three Witnesses (Harris, Cowdery, and David Whitmer) left the church during Smith's lifetime and considered Smith to have been a fallen prophet.[citation needed]
Apologists note that the witnesses in most cases affirmed their witness until their death, and claim that the aforementioned affidavits and letters are either fraudulent, or otherwise not reliable. In 1881, Whitmer, the one witness who never returned to the church, issued an affidavit reaffirming his testimony of the experience.[2]
Plagiarism
Historicity
The Book of Mormon purports to be a record of an ancient
- The lack of correlation between locations described in the Book of Mormon and American archaeological sites.[9]
- The lack of linguistic connection between any Native American languages and Near Eastern languages.[15]
- The lack of current DNA evidence linking any Native American group to the ancient Near East.[16]
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, there have been many
Archaeology
Since the introduction of the Book of Mormon in 1830, both Mormon and non-Mormon archaeologists have studied its claims in reference to known archaeological evidence. Latter Day Saints generally believe that the Book of Mormon describes historical events; however, the existence of the civilizations and people described in the Book of Mormon is not accepted by mainstream
The Book of Mormon contains an account of peoples who, in succeeding groups between 2500 BC[17] and 600 BC, traveled from the Middle East and settled in the Americas. Evangelical lecturer and journalist Richard Abanes and author David Persuitte argue that aspects of the Book of Mormon narrative (such as the existence of horses, steel, and chariots in pre-Columbian America) are not supported by mainstream archaeology.[18][19][20] Apologist Michael R. Ash, of FAIR, counters that obtaining archaeological evidence to prove or disprove specific ancient events is difficult.[21] Joseph Allen, along with other LDS scholars, have found sites in Mesoamerica that they believe may represent ancient Book of Mormon cities.[22] John L. Sorenson does not dispute that other peoples may have been present in the Americas concurrent with Book of Mormon peoples (see limited geography model).[23]
Genetics
A traditional Mormon hypothesis of the origin of Native Americans is that they are descended solely from Hebrews in Jerusalem. Scientist Yaakov Kleiman, Mormon anthropologist Thomas W. Murphy, and ex-Mormon molecular biologist Simon Southerton argue that this hypothesis is inconsistent with recent genetic findings,[24][25][26] which show the genetic origins of Native Americans to be in Central Asia, possibly near the Altay Mountains. FARMS counters that testing and drawing generalizations from this hypothesis alone is an overly simplistic approach, and that the resulting conclusions would not stand up under peer review.[27] In addition, the traditional Mormon hypothesis under test may itself be based on assumptions unsupported by the Book of Mormon narrative (see limited geography model).
Writing in FARMS, apologist David A. McClellan concludes it is not probable that "the genetic signature of a small migrating family from 2,600 years ago" can be recovered.[28]
Linguistics
Critics Jerald and Sandra Tanner and Marvin W. Cowan contend that the Book of Mormon's use of certain linguistic anachronisms (such as the Americanized name "Sam"[29] and the French word "adieu"[30]) provide evidence that the book was fabricated by Joseph Smith, rather than divinely inspired.[31] [32] In addition, Richard Abanes argues that because the first edition of the Book of Mormon contained hundreds of grammatical errors (removed in later editions), the book was therefore fabricated by Smith and not divinely inspired.[33]
Book of Abraham
The Book of Abraham differs from the other Mormon sacred texts in that some of the original source material has been examined by independent experts.
The
General statements by Egyptologists
Sometime in 1856,
Egyptologist Dr. James H. Breasted, of the University of Chicago noted:
these three facsimiles of Egyptian documents in the "Pearl of Great Price" depict the most common objects in the Mortuary religion of Egypt. Joseph Smith's interpretations of them as part of a unique revelation through Abraham, therefore, very clearly demonstrates that he was totally unacquainted with the significance of these documents and absolutely ignorant of the simplest facts of Egyptian writing and civilization.[citation needed]
Dr. W. M. Flinders Petrie of London University wrote: "It may be safely said that there is not one single word that is true in these explanations"[citation needed]
Dr. A. H. Sayce, Oxford professor of Egyptology: "It is difficult to deal seriously with Joseph Smith's impudent fraud.... Smith has turned the goddess [Isis in Facsimile No. 3] into a king and Osiris into Abraham."[citation needed]
Doctrine and Covenants
Unlike the other Mormon scriptures, the Doctrine and Covenants does not purport to be an ancient manuscript, but is instead composed of revelations received by modern prophets and other documents of instruction to church members. There has been criticism of apparent revision, omission and addition of material in it.
Book of Commandments
A number of sections were changed between the 1833
In support of his view that Joseph Smith had been called of God to translate the Book of Mormon but subsequently started teaching false doctrine, Whitmer particularly highlighted that chapter 4 of the Book of Commandments states that Joseph Smith "has a gift to translate the Book and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift", while the Doctrine and Covenants (now D&C 5:4) changes it to "you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished".[42]
The Church of Christ (Temple Lot) also regards these changes as being apostate. In the foreword to their 1950 tract "The Book of Commandments Controversy Reviewed", Apostle Clarence L. Wheaton and Angela Wheaton describe the revelations having been "mutilated and changed almost beyond recognition so as to include provisions for doctrines and officers that were not provided for in the original version", asserting that the versions in the original Book of Commandments agreed with the Bible and Book of Mormon, and describing the versions in the Doctrine and Covenants as teaching "an apostate form of doctrine and organisation".[43]
LDS apologists generally contend that the revisions were by inspiration. For example, an article in the January 2013 issue of LDS Church's Ensign magazine claims that "[...] Joseph was inspired to update the contents of the revelations to reflect a growing Church structure and new circumstances", citing a November 1831 conference resolution to this effect.[44]
Plural marriage
In 1876, as part of a larger re-ordering, re-numbering and expansion of the Doctrine and Covenants, section 101 from the 1835 edition (and subsequent printings) was removed. Section 101 was a "Statement on Marriage" as adopted by a conference of the church,[45][46] and contained the following text:
Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.[47]
At the same time, the
David's wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife;
The
Regarding this apparent contradiction, LDS apologists argue that David's sin referred to by Jacob was the murder of Uriah the Hittite and taking of an unapproved wife, and that Solomon's sin was allowing his wives to lead him astray.[50]
Followers of
Lectures of Faith
In 1921, the LDS Church removed the "
Other
Until 1981, editions of the book used code names for certain people and places in those sections that dealt with the United Order. The 1981 LDS edition replaced these with the real names, relegating the code names to footnotes. The Community of Christ edition still uses the code names.
Some of the material in the Doctrine and Covenants relates to the production of the Book of Mormon, for which see above.
Joseph Smith Translation and Book of Moses
The LDS Church includes Joseph Smith–Matthew (an extract from Smith's revision of the Gospel of Matthew) and the Book of Moses (an extract from Smith's revision of the Book of Genesis) as part of the Pearl of Great Price. However, it has not canonized the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible in its entirety. The entire translation is, however, used by the Community of Christ. Several critics[53] and linguists[53] have noted areas where the translation appears to have been faulty. In 2017 BYU professor Thomas Wayment and graduate student Haley Wilson announced they had discovered a textual dependence of the Joseph Smith Translation on a popular 18th century bible commentary by Adam Clarke.[54]
See also
- Account of John
- Criticism of the Latter Day Saint movement
- The Book of Joseph
- Kinderhook plates
- The Book of Mormon and the King James Bible
- Reformed Egyptian
Footnotes
- ^ "Facts On The Book Of Mormon Witnesses — Part 1". www.irr.org.
- ^ "An Address," 27, in EMD, 5: 194.
- ^ Abanes 2003, pp. 67–75
- ^ Tanner 1987, pp. 84–85
- ^ Persuitte 2000, pp. 155–172
- ^ McConkie, B.R. (1966). Mormon Doctrine. Deseret Book: Salt Lake City.
- ^ Kimball, S.W. (Apr., 1976). Ensign, p. 6.
- ^ Kimball, S.W. (1981). President Kimball Speaks Out, p. 89.
- ^ Citing the lack of specific New World geographic locations to search, Michael D. Coe, a prominent Mesoamerican archaeologist and Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Yale University, writes (in a 1973 volume of Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought): "As far as I know there is not one professionally trained archaeologist, who is not a Mormon, who sees any scientific justification for believing [the historicity of The Book of Mormon], and I would like to state that there are quite a few Mormon archaeologists who join this group".
- ISBN 1-57345-157-6
http://www.mormonfortress.com/cows1.html Archived April 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine - ^ a b c d 1 Nephi 18:25
- ^ Ether 9:19
- ^ 1 Nephi 4:9
- ^ Alma 18:9
- ^ Lyle Campbell. 1979. "Middle American languages," The Languages of Native America: Historical and Comparative Assessment. Ed. Lyle Campbell and Marianne Mithun. Austin: University of Texas Press. Pages 902-1000.
Lyle Campbell. 1997. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford University Press.
Jorge Súarez. 1983. The Mesoamerican Indian Languages. Cambridge University Press. - ^ The traditional view of the Book of Mormon suggests that Native Americans are principally the descendants of an Israelite migration around 600 BC. However, DNA evidence shows no Near Eastern component in the Native American genetic makeup. For example:
Simon G. Southerton. 2004. Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church. Signature Books. The entire book is devoted to the specific topic of DNA evidence and the Book of Mormon. "...[T]he DNA lineages of Central America resemble those of other Native American tribes throughout the two continents. Over 99 percent of the lineages found among native groups from this region are clearly of Asian descent. Modern and ancient DNA samples tested from among the Maya generally fall into the major founding lineage classes.... The Mayan Empire has been regarded by Mormons to be the closest to the people of the Book of Mormon because its people were literate and culturally sophisticated. However, leading New World anthropologists, including those specializing in the region, have found the Maya to be similarly related to Asians. Stephen L. Whittington...was not aware of any scientists 'in mainstream anthropology that are trying to prove a Hebrew origin of Native Americans....Archaeologists and physical anthropologists have not found any evidence of Hebrew origins for the people of North, South and Central America.'" (pg 191)
Defenders of the book's historicity suggest that the Book of Mormon does not disallow for other people groups to have contributed to the genetic makeup of Native Americans;[citation needed] nevertheless, this is a departure from the traditional view that Israelites are the primary ancestors of Native Americans, and therefore would be expected to present some genetic evidence of Near Eastern origins. A recently announced change in the Book of Mormon's introduction, however, allows for a greater diversity of ancestry of Native Americans. See, for example, the following Deseret News article published on November 9, 2007: Intro Change in Book of Mormon Spurs Discussion - ^ Sacred Sites: Searching for Book of Mormon Lands. by Joseph L. Allen Published: October 2003 p.8
- ^ Abanes 2003, pp. 74–77
- ^
Wolverton, Susan (2004), Having Visions: The Book of Mormon : Translated and Exposed in Plain English, Algora, pp. 84–85, ISBN 0-87586-310-8
- ^ Persuitte 2000, pp. 102
- ^ Ash, Michael R. "Archaeological Evidence and the Book of Mormon". www.fairlds.org. [1]. Accessed 7 December 2007.
- ^ Sacred Sites: Searching for Book of Mormon Lands. by Joseph L. Allen Published: October 2003
- ^ John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and F.A.R.M.S., 1985).
- ^
Kleiman, Yaakov (2004), DNA and Tradition: The Genetic Link to the Ancient Hebrews, Devora, p. 88, ISBN 1-932687-13-0
- ^
Southerton, Simon G. (2004), Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-181-3
- ISBN 1-56085-151-1
- ^ Whiting, Michael F (2003), DNA and the Book of Mormon: A Phylogenetic Perspective Archived 2007-06-30 at the Wayback Machine, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, at 24–35.
- ^ McClellan, David A., [2], Detecting Lehi's Genetic Signature: Possible, Probable, or Not? Farms Review, Volume 15, Issue 2, Pp. 35–90, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2003.
- ^ 1 Nephi 2:5,17
- ^ Jacob 7:27
- ^
Beckwith, Francis (2002), The New Mormon Challenge, Zondervan, pp. 367–396, ISBN 0-310-23194-9
- ^ Cowan, Marvin (1997), Mormon Claims Answered
- ^ Abanes 2003, pp. 73
- ^
Larson, Charles M. (1992), His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri, Institute for Religious Research, ISBN 0-8024-1234-3
- ^ Tanner 1979, pp. 329–363
- ^ Ostling, Richard and Joan Mormon America, pp.278-85
- ^ Joseph Smith stated in his History of the Church, "with W.W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery as scribes, I commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics, and much to our joy found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of Egypt, etc. — a more full account of which will appear in its place, as I proceed to examine or unfold them". History of the Church, Vol. 2, Ch. 17, p. 236.
- ^ Smith additionally stated that he, "was continually engaged in translating an alphabet to the Book of Abraham, and arranging a grammar of the Egyptian language as practiced by the ancients." History of the Church, Vol. 2, Ch. 17, p. 238
- ^ Tanner 1979, pp. 329–362
- ^ Michael D. Rhodes and John Gee, Interview on KSL Radio on January 29, 2006 and Michael D. Rhodes, "I Have a Question", Ensign, July 1988, pp. 52–53.
- ^ Stenhouse 1878, pp. 510–519
- ^ a b Whitmer, David (1887). "Part Second, Chapter VIII: The Changes and Additions to Some of the Revelations". An Address to All Believers in Christ.
- ^ Wheaton, Clarence L.; Wheaton, Angela (1950). The Book of Commandments Controversy Reviewed (PDF). Independence, Missouri: Church of Christ (Temple Lot).
- ^ Dirkmaat, Gerrit. "Great and Marvelous Are the Revelations of God". Ensign. No. January 2013. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- ^ History of the Church, vol. 2, at 247 (August 1835)
- ^ Messenger and Advocate (Aug 1835), at 163
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants [1835 Edition] 101:4
- ^ Doctrine and Covenants Section 132
- ^ Smith, Elbert A (1943). Differences That Persist Between the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Utah Mormon Church (PDF).
- ^ "Question: Why does Doctrine and Covenants 132 speak favorably about some Old Testament practitioners of plural marriage, while Jacob 2 is negative?". FAIR.
- Snuffer, Denver (2020) [2017]. "Section 157:33-43". Teachings and Commandments. Restoration Scriptures Foundation.
- ^ See Introduction, 1921 edition.
- ^ a b Examples: 5 books published by the Lighthouse Ministry: Inspired Revision of the Bible, and Kevin Barney, The Joseph Smith Translation and Ancient Texts of the Bible, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 19:3 (Fall, 1986): 85-102}
- ^ Thomas A. Wayment and Haley Wilson-Lemmon, “A Recovered Resource: The Use of Adam Clarke’s Bible Commentary in Joseph Smith’s Bible Translation,” in Producing Ancient Scripture: Joseph Smith’s Translation Projects in the Development of Mormon Christianity, eds. Michael Hubbard MacKay, Mark Ashurst-McGee, and Brian M. Hauglid (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2020), 262–84.
Sources
- ISBN 1-56858-283-8
- Beckwith, Francis (2002), The New Mormon Challenge, Zondervan, ISBN 0-310-23194-9
- ISBN 978-0-252-02589-1.
- ISBN 0-679-73054-0
- ISBN 0-385-50951-0
- ISBN 0-06-066371-5
- Persuitte, David (2000), Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon (2nd ed.), McFarland & Company, ISBN 0-7864-0826-X
- Smith, Andrew F. (1971), The Saintly Scoundrel: The Life and Times of Dr. John Cook Bennett, Urbana and Chicago: ISBN 978-0-252-02282-1.
- Stenhouse, T. B. H. (1878), The Rocky Mountain Saints: A Full and Complete History of the Mormons, New York: D. Appleton and Company.
- ISBN 0-8024-1234-3
- ISBN 99930-74-43-8
- ISBN 1-4255-3152-0
- Van Wagoner, Richard S. (1986), "Sarah Pratt: The Shaping of an Apostate", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 19 (2): 69–99, archived from the original on 2009-02-21, retrieved 2019-07-11.
- Wolverton, Susan (2004), Having Visions: The Book of Mormon: Translated and Exposed in Plain English, Algora, ISBN 0-87586-310-8
- Wymetal, Wilhelm Ritter von (1886), Joseph Smith, the Prophet, His Family, and His Friends: A Study Based on Facts and Documents, Salt Lake City, UT: Tribune Printing and Publishing Company, pp. 60–61.
External links
- LDS Standard Works
- English-language LDS Bible: complete text in PDF, including footnotes and chapter headings. Does not include other supplemental material.
- Book of Mormon
- Doctrine & Covenants
- Pearl of Great Price
- Apologetic websites
- Official site of the LDS Church
- BYU operated Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS)
- Church-unaffiliated Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR)
- Critical websites
- Utah Lighthouse Ministry of Jerald and Sandra Tanner
- Mormonism and Scripture page at the Institute for Religious Research