query: who was the book of mormon written by

pos: Book of Mormon function as a sign—as tangible evidence that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God—that mission could have been accomplished much more concisely." Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2200 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith as "The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi". According to Smith's account and the book's narrative,

pos: Book of Mormon Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2200 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith as "The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi". According to Smith's account and the book's narrative, the Book of Mormon was originally written in otherwise unknown characters referred to as "reformed Egyptian" engraved on golden plates. Smith said that

pos: Criticism of the Book of Mormon Criticism of the Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2200 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith as "The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi", who claimed that it had been written in otherwise unknown characters referred to as "reformed Egyptian" engraved on golden plates. Contemporary followers of the Latter Day Saint movement

pos: Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet) Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet) Moroni (), according to the Book of Mormon, was the last Nephite prophet, historian, and military commander who lived in the Americas in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. He is later known as the Angel Moroni, who presented the golden plates to Joseph Smith, who translated the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was originally written. According to the Book of Mormon, Moroni was the son of Mormon, the prophet for whom the Book of Mormon is named. Moroni shares a name with Captain Moroni, a much earlier Book of Mormon figure,

pos: Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the story that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. The story first appeared in print in the book "Mormonism Unvailed" , published in 1834 by E. D. Howe. The story is that a Spalding manuscript was stolen by Sidney Rigdon, who used it in collusion with Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to produce the Book of Mormon. Although Rigdon claimed that he was converted to the Latter Day Saint movement through reading the Book

pos: Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet) death and became an angel who directed Joseph Smith to the location of the buried golden plates in the 1820s. Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet) Moroni (), according to the Book of Mormon, was the last Nephite prophet, historian, and military commander who lived in the Americas in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. He is later known as the Angel Moroni, who presented the golden plates to Joseph Smith, who translated the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was originally written. According to the Book of Mormon, Moroni was the son of Mormon, the prophet for whom

pos: Book of Mormon function as a sign—as tangible evidence that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God—that mission could have been accomplished much more concisely." Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2200 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith as "The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi". According to Smith's account and the book's narrative,

pos: Judaism and Mormonism translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." In addition to these two books, in keeping with the meaning of the ninth Article of Faith, the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price are also considered canonical scripture. According to Mormon doctrine, the Book of Mormon was originally written in reformed Egyptian by a group of the House of Israel who had migrated from the area of Jerusalem. The book was translated by Joseph Smith "by the gift and power of God". The Book of Mormon is in a style that closely

pos: The Book of Mormon and the King James Bible Most Mormons accept the miraculous origin theory of the Book of Mormon and deny that the KJV was a source for it, arguing that the alleged similarities between the two are artifacts of the divine nature of the creation of the work. In contrast, those who reject the miraculous origin of the Book of Mormon view the KJV as a major source for the Book of Mormon. Adherents of Latter Day Saint movement generally believe the Book of Mormon has a miraculous origin. While Joseph Smith described the Book of Mormon as a "translation" of text written on golden plates,

pos: Origin of the Book of Mormon was not planning on doing any other work besides the Book of Mormon". Oliver Cowdery was a third-cousin of Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith's mother. A pastor who lived near Cowdery, Ethan Smith, had written "View of the Hebrews", another work that has been posited as a source for the Book of Mormon. Cowdery served as scribe during the transcription of the Book of Mormon, and was one of the Three Witnesses to the golden plates. Cowdery later resigned and was excommunicated in 1838, then re-joined the LDS Church in 1848. Sidney Rigdon was a Baptist preacher, and one the

pos: Sidney Rigdon Joseph Smith. Rigdon's branch faced less success, modernly accounting for only a small fraction of practicing Latter Day Saints. Rigdon has been named as a potential author for the Book of Mormon. According to this theory, Rigdon obtained from a Pittsburgh publisher a manuscript for a historical novel written by Solomon Spalding, and by reworking it and adding a theological component, had created the Book of Mormon. The theory that Sidney Rigdon was the true author of the Book of Mormon first appeared in print in an August 31, 1831, article by James Gordon Bennett, who had visited Palmyra/Manchester area

pos: Mormon studies John A. Clark). Origen Bacheler examined the Book of Mormon itself in "Mormonism Exposed Internally and Externally", arguing that the book was inconsistent with the Bible and was written by Joseph Smith himself. In the 1960s, ex-Mormons Jerald and Sandra Tanner continued that anti-Mormon tradition by reprinting anti-Mormon works in the public domain as well as important but unflattering documents from LDS history through Utah Light House Ministry. They published their own criticisms of the LDS church as well, which, unlike early anti-Mormon works, cite historical documents. Ed Decker, an excommunicated Mormon, made two anti-Mormon films: "The God Makers" (1982)

pos: Michael T. Griffith which was described in the "Mormon Studies Review" as a "Much Needed Book that Needs Much". He has also written "A Ready Reply: Answering Challenging Questions About the Gospel", "Refuting the Critics: Evidences of the Book of Mormon's Authenticity", "How Firm A Foundation: Evidences of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ", and "Compelling Evidence: A New Look at the Assassination of President Kennedy". Griffith has also written an article on Joseph Smith's prophecies with Jeff Lindsay and W. John Walsh. Michael T. Griffith Michael T. Griffith (born 1957) is a Mormon apologist who has written several books defending The Church

pos: Liahona (Book of Mormon) Lord". Liahona (Book of Mormon) According to the Book of Mormon and other Latter Day Saint movement sources, the Liahona () is a brass ball that operated as a type of compass with two spindles. One of the spindles was said to point the direction Lehi and his party should travel after their escape from Jerusalem, but it only worked when they were faithful. The Book of Mormon states that the Liahona also contained periodic written instructions from God. According to some sources, the Liahona was among the Book of Mormon artifacts Joseph Smith said were found with the golden

pos: Liahona (Book of Mormon) Liahona (Book of Mormon) According to the Book of Mormon and other Latter Day Saint movement sources, the Liahona () is a brass ball that operated as a type of compass with two spindles. One of the spindles was said to point the direction Lehi and his party should travel after their escape from Jerusalem, but it only worked when they were faithful. The Book of Mormon states that the Liahona also contained periodic written instructions from God. According to some sources, the Liahona was among the Book of Mormon artifacts Joseph Smith said were found with the golden plates.

pos: Jerald and Sandra Tanner particularly when the source of such statements are hand written notes in the margin of a book and no one can substantiate who wrote said notes. The Tanners have published compiled lists of changes to the text of the "Book of Mormon" and other texts used by the LDS church. They argue that the alterations are substantial and that the inconsistencies in the texts are evidence against LDS claims of their being divinely inspired. This is because of the Tanner's interpretation of Joseph Smith's claim the Book of Mormon was "the most correct book on the face of the earth

pos: Book of Mormon held their property in common. When individuals within a society began to disdain and ignore the poor, to "wear costly apparel", and otherwise engage in wickedness for personal gain, such societies are repeatedly portrayed in the book as being ripe for destruction. Joseph Smith characterized the Book of Mormon as the "keystone" of Mormonism, and claimed that it was "the most correct of any book on earth". Smith produced a written revelation in 1832 that condemned the "whole church" for treating the Book of Mormon lightly. The Book of Mormon is one of four sacred texts or standard works of

pos: Mormon Enigma Mormon Enigma Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, Prophet's Wife, "Elect Lady," Polygamy's Foe is a biography of Emma Hale Smith, wife of Joseph Smith Jr., written by Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery. Generally accepted as a groundbreaking biography, the book places Emma Smith into a context that has better explained the trials and sacrifices of the members of the early Latter Day Saint church. The work made possible, along with other more recent historical works, a major reinterpretation of the formative period of Mormonism. The book won the 1984 Best Book Award for interpretive history by the Mormon

pos: Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact theories the tract by Thorowgood. In response to L'Estrange, Thorowgood published a second edition of his book in 1660 with a revised title and included a foreword written by John Eliot, a Puritan missionary who had translated the Bible into an Indian language. The Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement published by founder and leader Joseph Smith Jr in 1830 at the age of twenty-four, states that some ancient inhabitants of the New World are descendants of Semitic peoples who sailed from the Old World. Mormon groups such as the Foundation for Ancient Research and

pos: Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting of the churches embracing the Book of Mormon—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)—has not endorsed an official position for the geographical setting the Book of Mormon, although some of its leaders have spoken of various possible locations over the years. There have also been multiple attempts to identify the several civilizations in the Book of Mormon, which are dated in the text as living from 2500 BC to 400 AD, but no consensus has ever been reached. According to Joseph Smith, an angel named Moroni told him "there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates,

pos: Book of Mormon that the Book of Mormon is an ancient record of actual historical events. The Book of Mormon is divided into smaller books, titled after the individuals named as primary authors and, in most versions, divided into chapters and verses. It is written in English very similar to the Early Modern English linguistic style of the King James Version of the Bible, and has since been fully or partially translated into 108 languages. As of 2011, more than 150 million copies of the Book of Mormon had been published. According to Joseph Smith, he was seventeen years of age when an

pos: Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon most prominent anachronisms, as well as perspectives of Mormon scholars and common apologetic rebuttals. According to Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon was originally engraved on golden plates, which he received in 1827 from an angel named Moroni, whom Smith identified as a resurrected inhabitant of the American continent. Smith claimed to translate the original text of the plates into English; the book says that the text was written on the plates in "Reformed Egyptian". The Book of Mormon is said to have taken place somewhere in the Americas from c. 2500 BC to 400 AD, thus placing its events

pos: Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting , Nephite civilization came to an end near the year 384 A.D., with only a few Nephites surviving,() of which some or all were "hunted until they were destroyed" by the surviving tribal civilization. The Copan and Quirigua, sites in the Yucatan visited by Stephens and Catherwood, contain artifacts that date more recent than Book of Mormon times. It has not been shown that any of Stephens’ artifacts date to Book of Mormon times, and Joseph Smith does not make this assertion. The first history of the Church was written in 1834 and 1835 by Oliver Cowdery, as a series

pos: View of the Hebrews View of the Hebrews View of the Hebrews is an 1823 book written by Ethan Smith, a United States Congregationalist minister, who argued that Native Americans were descended from the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. This was a relatively common view during the early nineteenth century, as most Europeans and Americans had a view of history as biblical. Numerous commentators on Mormon history, from LDS Church general authority B. H. Roberts to Fawn M. Brodie, biographer of Joseph Smith, have noted similarities in the content of "View of the Hebrews" and the Book of Mormon, which was first published in

pos: B. H. Roberts condensed version of his larger study, which demonstrated eighteen points of similarity between the two books, and in which he reflected that the imaginative Joseph Smith might have written the Book of Mormon without divine assistance. Mormon historians have debated whether the manuscript reflects Roberts's doubts or was a case of his playing the devil's advocate. When he presented "A Book of Mormon Study" to church leaders, he emphasized that he was "taking the position that our faith is not only unshaken but unshakable in the Book of Mormon, and therefore we can look without fear upon all that can

pos: The Golden Pot Applewoman is echoed in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" when Ebenezer Scrooge sees Jacob Marley's face in his own door knocker. (Dickens, 421) It has been speculated that "The Golden Pot" was an influence for Joseph Smith when authoring the origin story for how he created The Book of Mormon. This was first suggested in An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins written by Grant H. Palmer. There are similarities between the two stories and since "The Golden Pot" was published in 1814, and The Book of Mormon was published in 1830, it has been used by critics of The Church

pos: Mormon (word) embraced by the faith. Because the term became identified with polygamy in the mid-to-late-19th century, some Latter Day Saint denominations who never practiced polygamy have renounced the term. The term "Mormon" is taken from the title of the Book of Mormon, a sacred text adherents believe to have been translated from golden plates which had their location revealed by an angel to Joseph Smith and published in 1830. According to the text of the Book of Mormon, the word Mormon stems from the Land of Mormon, where the prophet Alma preached the gospel and baptized converts. Mormon—who was named after

pos: Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting a primary location for Book of Mormon geography, has become a "movement" among many active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Proponents see this new model as a way of better supporting the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon. In the Joseph Smith Papers, Joseph Smith had a vision that was written down by Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith and many others. “On the top of the mound were stones which presented the appearance of three altars having been erected one above the other, according to the ancient order; and the remains

pos: Book of Ether often emphasized in Mormonism as applicable to the present day. The Americas are still considered "the promised land" and the continued prosperity of the present nations are believed to be contingent on the righteousness of their people. According to the Book of Mormon, the Book of Ether was taken from a set of twenty-four plates written by Ether and discovered by the people of Limhi during the time of King Mosiah (son of King Benjamin). Joseph Smith claimed the book was abridged by Moroni onto the golden plates, from which he later translated the Book of Mormon into English. However,

pos: Mormon Enigma that both the book and its authors were still suspect.» Mormon Enigma Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, Prophet's Wife, "Elect Lady," Polygamy's Foe is a biography of Emma Hale Smith, wife of Joseph Smith Jr., written by Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery. Generally accepted as a groundbreaking biography, the book places Emma Smith into a context that has better explained the trials and sacrifices of the members of the early Latter Day Saint church. The work made possible, along with other more recent historical works, a major reinterpretation of the formative period of Mormonism. The book won the

pos: Origin of the Book of Mormon Origin of the Book of Mormon There are several theories as to the origin of the Book of Mormon. Most adherents to the Latter Day Saint movement view the book as a work of inspired scripture. The most common belief of adherents is that promoted by Joseph Smith, who said he translated ancient golden plates inscribed by prophets. Smith claimed the angel Moroni, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, directed him in the 1820s to a hill near his home in Palmyra, New York where the plates were buried. Besides Smith himself, there were at least 11 witnesses who

pos: Studies of the Book of Mormon that he was given for the purpose of translating the golden plates. "View of the Hebrews" describes hieroglyphic paintings found in the American southwest. Roberts wrote, "Was this sufficient to suggest the strange manner of writing the Book of Mormon … in an altered Egyptian?" (Joseph Smith said that the golden plates were written in "reformed Egyptian".) "View of the Hebrews" argues that the Hebrews who arrived on the American continents divided into two classes, that "most of them fell into a wandering idle hunting life" but that "more sensible parts of this people associated together to improve their knowledge

pos: John E. Clark has particularly focused on the Olmecs and their culture. He has also written papers on the Book of Mormon and archaeology. Among books Clark was involved in writing is "Olmec Art and Archaeology in Mesoamerica". Clark has lived in and performed extensive archaeological research while living and working in Mexico for several decades. In 2005 Clark was one of the speakers at "the Worlds of Joseph Smith symposium" at the Library of Congress. Clark is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who accepts the historicity of the Book of Mormon. John E. Clark John Edward

pos: Mormon (word) According to the "Oxford English Dictionary", one of the earliest published usages of the term "Mormon" to describe believers in the Book of Mormon was in 1833 by the Louisville (Kentucky) "Daily Herald" in an article, "The Mormons and the Anti-Mormons". The terms "Mormon" and "Mormonite" were first used in the 1830s as pejoratives to describe those who followed Joseph Smith and believed in the divine origin of the Book of Mormon. The term was soon adopted by Mormons themselves, however, and has lost its generally pejorative status. The term "Mormon" is most often used to refer to members of

pos: Origin of the Book of Mormon "View of the Hebrews" Ethan Smith's theory about what happened to the ancient Israelites after they arrived in America. He argues that it essentially summarizes the basic narrative of the Book of Mormon, including the split into two factions (civilized and savage). Persuitte also quotes several similar descriptions of structures built by the civilized faction, the wars between the two factions, and other similarities. According to Persuitte, these are sufficient to have "inspired" Joseph Smith to have written the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith himself mentioned Ethan Smith and cited passages from "View of the Hebrews" in an article from

neg: Book of Mormon of the book. Exceptions include the Words of Mormon and the Book of Ether. The Words of Mormon contains editorial commentary by Mormon. The Book of Ether is presented as the narrative of an earlier group of people who had come to America before the immigration described in 1 Nephi. First Nephi through Omni are written in first-person narrative, as are Mormon and Moroni. The remainder of the Book of Mormon is written in third-person historical narrative, said to be compiled and abridged by Mormon (with Moroni abridging the Book of Ether). Most modern editions of the book have been

neg: Mormonism Unvailed Mormonism Unvailed Mormonism Unvailed is a book published in 1834 by Eber D. Howe. The title page proclaims the book to be a contemporary exposé of Mormonism, and makes the claim that the historical portion of the Book of Mormon text was based upon a manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. The publication of "Mormonism Unvailed" is significant in Mormon history as it is considered to be the first anti-Mormon book . The book represented the first significant opposition to Mormonism by an author who had actually addressed the contents of the Book of Mormon. Of the many subjects discussed in

neg: I Spy a Nephite I Spy a Nephite I Spy a Nephite is a popular Mormon children's book written by Pat Bagley (editorial cartoonist for "The Salt Lake Tribune") and conceptually based on the Where's Waldo? series of books. The book centers around Norman, a Nephite librarian who discovers "The Book of Things Past, Present, and Coming Attractions" which transports him through history. Many references are made to Mormon religion, culture, and history. The book uses many Mormon cultural references to give a whimsical Book of Mormon feel. For instance the book features a dog named Rover-hah. The children's book was published in 1991

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man. Nelson also noted statements made by Smith's wife Emma, who gave her account of the translation method in 1856: When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a part of it, as he dictated each sentence, word for word, and

neg: The Book of Mormon (musical) The Book of Mormon (musical) The Book of Mormon is a musical comedy. First staged in 2011, the play makes light of various Mormon beliefs and practices, but ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service. The script, lyrics, and music were written by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone. Parker and Stone were best known for creating the animated comedy "South Park;" Lopez had co-written the music for the musical "Avenue Q." "The Book of Mormon" follows two Mormon missionaries as they attempt to preach the Mormon religion to the inhabitants of a remote Ugandan village. The

neg: Mormon Scientist a single chapter, The Kind Father Who Created It All. This chapter recounts Eyring’s death from cancer and summarizes his personal philosophy. Mormon Scientist Mormon Scientist: The Life and Faith of Henry Eyring is a book about Henry Eyring, who from 1930 to 1980 made substantial contributions to theoretical chemistry while also speaking and writing extensively about the compatibility of science and religion. The book, written twenty-six years after Eyring’s death by his grandson Henry J. Eyring, explores Eyring’s contributions to science and religion, his family heritage, and his paradoxical way of thinking. The book was published in January 2008.

neg: Mormon Scientist Mormon Scientist Mormon Scientist: The Life and Faith of Henry Eyring is a book about Henry Eyring, who from 1930 to 1980 made substantial contributions to theoretical chemistry while also speaking and writing extensively about the compatibility of science and religion. The book, written twenty-six years after Eyring’s death by his grandson Henry J. Eyring, explores Eyring’s contributions to science and religion, his family heritage, and his paradoxical way of thinking. The book was published in January 2008. "Mormon Scientist" draws from Eyring’s 88-box archive at the University of Utah’s Marriott Library, as well as from two of his books,

neg: Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship including and excluding Alexander Hamilton as a candidate author, Jockers's methodology picked Rigdon when Hamilton was excluded. Using Schaalje’s open-set method, Schaalje's method picked "none of the above" when Hamilton was excluded. When Hamilton was included, both Jockers's and Schaalje's method correctly picked Hamilton. By using Smith's personal writings written in his own handwriting, the Schaalje rebuttal concluded that stylometric evidence supports neither Smith nor Spalding–Rigdon authorship. Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship The Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship is the story that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized in part from an unpublished manuscript written by

neg: Mormon (word) the land—was a 4th-century prophet–historian who compiled and abridged many records of his ancestors into the Book of Mormon. The book is believed by Mormons to be a literal record of God's dealings with pre-Columbian civilizations in the Americas from approximately 2600 BC through AD 420, written by prophets and followers of Jesus Christ. The book records the teachings of Jesus Christ to the people in the Americas as well as Christ's personal ministry among the people of Nephi after his resurrection. Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ, "holy scripture comparable to the Bible".

neg: B. H. Roberts Mormon problems. The first, "Book of Mormon Difficulties: A Study," was a 141-page manuscript written in response to a series of questions by an inquirer, referred to Roberts by church president Heber J. Grant. When Roberts confessed that he had no answer for some of the difficulties, and the General Authorities chose to ignore them, Roberts produced "A Book of Mormon Study," a treatise of more than 400 pages. In this work he compared the Book of Mormon to the "View of the Hebrews", written by Ethan Smith, and found significant similarities between them. Finally, Roberts wrote "A Parallel," a

neg: Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship of Oberlin College. Ohio; including correspondence touching the Manuscript, its preservation and transmission until it came into the hands of the publishers." Though the Oberlin manuscript, "Manuscript Story – Conneaut Creek", is not the same story as 'Manuscript Found'", Vernon Holley found many similarities between the earlier manuscript and the Book of Mormon. In 1832, Latter Day Saint missionaries Samuel H. Smith and Orson Hyde visited Conneaut, Ohio, and preached from the Book of Mormon. Nehemiah King, a resident of Conneaut, who knew Spalding when he lived there, felt that the Mormon text resembled the story written by Spalding years

neg: The Book of Mormon Movie The Book of Mormon Movie The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey is a 2003 American adventure drama film directed by Gary Rogers and written by Rogers and Craig Clyde. A film adaptation of the first two books in "The Book of Mormon", a religious text of scripture, the film was given a limited theatrical release on September 12, 2003. The movie is based on the first two books of the Book of Mormon: First Nephi and Second Nephi. The source material contains a lot of theological discussion, and parables, some of which have been cut from the

neg: Standard works been officially canonized by the LDS Church. Latter-day Saints consider The Book of Mormon a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It contains a record of God’s dealings with the prophets and ancient inhabitants of the Americas. The introduction to the book asserts that it "contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel. The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon." Segments of the Book of Mormon provide an account of the culture,

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon Linguistics and the Book of Mormon According to most adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement, the Book of Mormon is a 19th-century translation of a record of ancient inhabitants of the American continent, which was written in a script which the book refers to as "reformed Egyptian". This claim, as well as virtually all claims to historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon, are generally rejected by non-Latter Day Saint historians and scientists. Linguistically based assertions are frequently cited and discussed in the context of the subject of the Book of Mormon, both in favor of and against the

neg: Book of Mormon (Mormon's record) Book of Mormon (Mormon's record) The Book of Mormon is the name of a book, or division, in the larger Book of Mormon. This "inner" book has nine chapters. According to the text, the first seven chapters were written by the prophet Mormon and the last two by his son Moroni. These men were given a sacred charge to observe the destruction of their people for their wickedness and failure to repent; and to record their observations on metal plates which would be hidden until the Lord would reveal them to the world at a future time. The book thus

neg: The Book of Mormon Movie panned by Mormon and non-Mormon critics. "Variety" described it as "[w]ell meaning but often as tediously earnest as a Sunday sermon". In the Bloggernacle, "A Motley Vision" gave it a grade of C–. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes scored 17% of 6 critics giving the film a positive review. The Book of Mormon Movie The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey is a 2003 American adventure drama film directed by Gary Rogers and written by Rogers and Craig Clyde. A film adaptation of the first two books in "The Book of Mormon", a religious text of scripture, the

neg: Book of Mormon (Mormon's record) the Lamanites attack Shem. Mormon's army of thirty thousand defeats a Lamanite army of fifty thousand. Book of Mormon (Mormon's record) The Book of Mormon is the name of a book, or division, in the larger Book of Mormon. This "inner" book has nine chapters. According to the text, the first seven chapters were written by the prophet Mormon and the last two by his son Moroni. These men were given a sacred charge to observe the destruction of their people for their wickedness and failure to repent; and to record their observations on metal plates which would be hidden

neg: Book of Mormon Grandin in Palmyra, New York on March 26, 1830. Today, the building in which the Book of Mormon was first published and sold is known as the Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site. Since its first publication and distribution, critics of the Book of Mormon have claimed that it was fabricated by Smith and that he drew material and ideas from various sources rather than translating an ancient record. Works that have been suggested as sources include the King James Bible, "The Wonders of Nature", "View of the Hebrews", and an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. FairMormon maintains that

neg: Solomon Spalding that the Mormon text resembled the story written by Spalding years before. In 1833, Spalding's brother John and seven other residents of Conneaut signed affidavits stating that Spalding had written a manuscript, portions of which were identical to the Book of Mormon. These statements were published in E. D. Howe's 1834 book "Mormonism Unvailed", in which the theory was presented that the Book of Mormon was plagiarized from this manuscript. Several years later, Spalding's widow and daughter, other residents of Conneaut, and residents of Amity, Pennsylvania, also signed statements indicating that Spalding had authored a manuscript that was similar to

neg: No Man Knows My History and then the concept of a religious novel, the Book of Mormon. This book, she claims, was based in part on an earlier work, "View of the Hebrews", by a contemporary clergyman Ethan Smith. Brodie asserts that at first Smith was a deliberate impostor, who at some point, in nearly untraceable steps, became convinced that he was indeed a prophet—though without ever escaping "the memory of the conscious artifice" that created the "Book of Mormon". Jan Shipps, a preeminent non-LDS scholar of Mormonism, who rejects this theory, nevertheless has called "No Man Knows My History" a "beautifully written biography...the work

neg: Mormon History Association MHA until 1974, "" was a principal venue for articles on Mormon History written by MHA members. A DVD archive of past issues of the journal is available at MHA's web site. Among the awards presented by the Association are: the Leonard J. Arrington Award "for distinguished and meritorious service to Mormon history" – named for the MHA's founder, and father of New Mormon history; Best Book Award; Best First Book; Best Documentary or Bibliography; Best Biography; an award for an outstanding International Mormon history; an award for an outstanding history of a Mormon family (or grouping of families in

neg: Mormon Miracle Pageant the musical group. The original script was based on the 1950 book "The Mormon Miracle" written by Grace Leora Johnson. There are usually several evangelical Christian church groups, who attempt to proselytize the largely LDS attendees prior to the nightly event. These evangelists typically hand out anti-Mormon (or pro-Evangelicalism) literature and engage pageant-goers in religious discussion as they approach the site. Some evangelists carry picket signs and wear "overtly anti-Mormon t-shirts." In addition, some local "fundamentalist Mormon" groups have been known to carry picket signs in the approach area, criticizing the position of the LDS Church on polygamy and abortion;

neg: Studies of the Book of Mormon Studies of the Book of Mormon Studies of the Book of Mormon is a collection of essays written at the beginning of the 20th century (though not published until 1985) by B. H. Roberts (1857–1933), a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which examine the validity of the Book of Mormon as a translation of an ancient American source. Roberts "served in the innermost circles of Mormonism" and for decades "used his great oratorical and writing skills, as well as his scholarly and research abilities, to defend the Book of Mormon and give

neg: The Book of Zombie The Book of Zombie The Book of Zombie is a 2010 American independent horror film written by Erik Van Sant and directed by Scott Kragelund, Paul Cranefield and Erik Van Sant. Brian Ibsen, Larisa Peters, Andrew Loviska, Paul Cantu, Bill Johns, Adrienne MacIain, Andy Evans, Adam Gehrke, and Elissa Dowling star as survivors of a Mormon-themed zombie attack. On Halloween in a small, sleepy town in Utah, David Driscoll and Jenny King, who are involved in a relationship gone cold, try to settle down for a romantic evening, but they are visited by two Mormon missionaries, who seem to suffer

neg: Zenos Zenos According to the Book of Mormon, Zenos () was an old world prophet whose pre-Christian era writings were recorded upon the plates of brass. Zenos is quoted or paraphrased a number of times by writers in the "Book of Mormon", including Nephi, Jacob, Alma, son of Alma, Nephi, son of Helaman, Samuel the Lamanite, and Mormon. Zenos is reported to have written on a variety of topics, including the signs to accompany the death of the Messiah, the Atonement of Christ, and the scattering and gathering of Israel. According to one Book of Mormon writer, Zenos was killed as

neg: Historicity of the Book of Mormon it was nevertheless divinely inspired. Between these two views is the view held by some Latter Day Saints that the Book of Mormon is a divine work of a spiritual nature, written in ancient America, but that its purpose is to teach of Christ and not to be used as a guide for history, geology, archaeology, or anthropology. Discussion regarding the historicity of the Book of Mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. A contemporary Mormon view is that these civilizations

neg: Book of Pukei fashioned military half cocked hat, such as was worn in the days of the patriarch Moses—his speech was sweeter than molasses, and his words were the reformed Egyptian. The "spirit" tells Joseph that "thou art chosen to interpret the book, which Mormon has written, to wit, the gold Bible". The spirit promises to give Joseph a breast plate and "an assistant, even Oliver, the pedagogue", a reference to Book of Mormon scribe Oliver Cowdery. Book of Pukei The "Book of Pukei" is the earliest satire of the Book of Mormon. It was published in June and July 1830 by Abner

neg: Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship at Berkeley concluded that the probability of Spalding having been the sole author of the First Book of Nephi was less than 7.29 x 10 and less than 3 x 10 for the Book of Alma. A 2008 Stanford study (Jockers et al.) of the text of the Book of Mormon compared it to writings of possible authors of the text showed a high probability that the authors of the book were Spalding, Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery. It concluded that "our analysis supports the theory that the Book of Mormon was written by multiple, nineteenth-century authors, and more specifically, we

neg: Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon There are a number of words and phrases in the Book of Mormon that are anachronistic—their existence in the text of the Book of Mormon is at odds with known linguistic patterns, archaeological findings, or known historical events. Each of the anachronisms is a word, phrase, artifact, or other concept that critics, historians, archaeologists, or linguists believe did not exist in the Americas during the time period in which the Book of Mormon claims to have been written. Mormon scholars and apologists respond to the anachronisms in several ways. The list below summarizes the

neg: Book of Jarom they would. The record (a metal book written on sheets of gold) was passed through generations. Nephi, the writer of First and Second Nephi, forged the plates to write prophecies and spiritual teachings. Nephi passed them to his brother Jacob (Jacob 1:1-4), who passed them to his son Enos (Jacob 7:27), who passed them to his son Jarom (Jarom 1:1). (See Omni for more generations) Book of Jarom The Book of Jarom is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. According to the text it was written by Jarom, a descendant of Jacob, the brother of

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon Longfellow and Joel Barlow). Smith was not included in the pool of authors because a set of original works written by Smith alone could not be identified with confidence. However, this study only examined the relative likelihood of the five above-mentioned authors writing the Book of Mormon, not the possibility of an author or authors outside the five-person pool . Another study was published in the same journal that critiqued the methodology used in the earlier study and, using Smith's personal writings written in his own handwriting, concluded that stylometric evidence supports neither Smith nor a Spalding–Rigdon authorship. Non-Mormon Thomas

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon of his examples. Salmon's analysis of Nibley was itself later critiqued in a response to his article from William Hamblin of FARMS. Among other things, Hamblin criticized Salmon for critiquing a few weakly supported parallels made by Nibley while ignoring both much more strongly supported parallels made by Nibley and "a broader analysis" of Nibley's arguments. Linguistics and the Book of Mormon According to most adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement, the Book of Mormon is a 19th-century translation of a record of ancient inhabitants of the American continent, which was written in a script which the book refers

neg: Archaeology and the Book of Mormon circulated in Mormon culture that the Book of Mormon was being used by the Smithsonian to guide primary archaeological research. These rumors were brought to the attention of Smithsonian directors who, by 1982, sent a form letter to inquiring parties stating that the Smithsonian did not use the Book of Mormon to guide any research, and included a list of specific reasons Smithsonian archaeologists considered the Book of Mormon historically unlikely. In 1998, the Smithsonian revised the form letter and stated that Book of Mormon had not been used by the Smithsonian in any form of archaeological research. Mormon scholars

neg: Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet) from First and Second Nephi, Lehi was portrayed by Bryce Chamberlain. The film was a critical failure. Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet) According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi ( ) was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah (approximately 600 BC). Lehi was an Israelite of the Tribe of Manasseh, and father to Nephi, another prominent prophet in the Book of Mormon. In the first book of the Book of Mormon, First Nephi, Lehi and Nephi lead their family out of Jerusalem, and across the sea to the "promised land" (the Americas). Mormon scholar

neg: Mormon Doctrine (book) Mormon Doctrine (book) Mormon Doctrine (originally subtitled A Compendium of the Gospel) is an encyclopedic work written in 1958 by Bruce R. McConkie, a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was intended primarily for a Latter-day Saint audience and is often used as a reference book by church members because of its comprehensive nature. It has never been an official publication of the church, and it has been both heavily criticized by some church leaders and members and well regarded by others. After the book's first edition was removed from publication at

neg: Studies of the Book of Mormon a decade after the University of Illinois had published Roberts's "Study", BYU republished "View of the Hebrews". Studies of the Book of Mormon Studies of the Book of Mormon is a collection of essays written at the beginning of the 20th century (though not published until 1985) by B. H. Roberts (1857–1933), a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which examine the validity of the Book of Mormon as a translation of an ancient American source. Roberts "served in the innermost circles of Mormonism" and for decades "used his great oratorical and writing

neg: Archaeology and the Book of Mormon Mesoamerica was cacao beans. The Book of Mormon describes more than one literate people inhabiting ancient America. The Nephite people are described as possessing a language and writing with roots in Hebrew and Egyptian, and writing the original text of the Book of Mormon in this unknown language, called Reformed Egyptian. A transcript of some of the characters of this language has been preserved in the "Anthon Transcript". Archaeological evidence shows that the only people known to have developed written languages in America were the Olmecs and Maya, whose written languages have no resemblance to Hebrew or Egyptian hieroglyphs. Additionally,

neg: Mormonism and Christianity the Book of Mormon. In 1982, the church subtitled the book "Another Testament of Jesus Christ", to emphasize that Jesus was a central focus of the book and that the book is intended to be a complement to the Bible. Although Mormon neo-orthodox scholars say they have faced "resistance" from Mormon orthodoxy, some perceive the direction of the movement to be consistent with a broader trend among the LDS hierarchy to present Mormonism in terms more acceptable to mainline Christianity. Critics argue that because Mormonism is not based on an authoritative systematic theology, and much of Mormon scripture was written

neg: Zenock Zenock According to the Book of Mormon, Zenock () was an old world prophet whose pre-Christian era writings were recorded upon the plates of brass. Zenock is quoted or paraphrased a number of times by writers in the Book of Mormon, including Nephi, Alma, son of Alma, Amulek, Nephi, son of Helaman, and Mormon. Zenock is reported to have written and prophesied about the divinity, death, and atonement of the coming Messiah. In the Book of Alma (chapter 33 verse 17), Alma the Younger reports that Zenock was stoned to death for preaching that the Messiah would be the "Son

neg: Abish (Book of Mormon) converted by coming to see the miracle that had occurred. This event begins a chain of great conversion among the people of the Lamanites. Abish (Book of Mormon) According to the Book of Mormon, Abish () was a Lamanite woman who lived in the 1st century BC, and one of only three women named in the Book of Mormon (other than those who also appear in the Bible). She is mentioned in the narrative of the Book of Alma, and is notable as a figure in the dramatic narrative of the conversion of King Lamoni by the missionary Ammon. Abish

neg: Paanchi (Book of Mormon) Paanchi (Book of Mormon) Paanchi (), a person in the Book of Mormon (), was one of the sons of Pahoran who contended for the judgement-seat of the Nephite people. He was executed in about 50 BC for plotting to seize the judgement-seat by violent rebellion. Hugh Nibley relates the name to Egypt, and states: Mormon scholars have speculated that the presence of the name "Paanchi" in the Book of Mormon indicates that claims of ancient Nubian influence in Pre-Columbian America (specifically, in the time of Nubian King Paanchi) and claims of the Book of Mormon to be an authentic

neg: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies Willes Center for Book of Mormon Studies. FARMS supported and sponsored what it considered to be "faithful scholarship", which includes academic study and research in support of Christianity and Mormonism, and in particular, the official position of the LDS Church. This research primarily concerned the Book of Mormon, the Book of Abraham, the Old Testament, the New Testament, early Christian history, ancient temples, and other related subjects. While allowing some degree of academic freedom to its scholars, FARMS was committed to the conclusion that LDS scriptures are authentic, historical texts written by prophets of God. FARMS has been criticized by

neg: Mormons had in the early 1820s while living in upstate New York. In 1823, Smith said an angel directed him to a buried book written on golden plates containing the religious history of an ancient people. Smith published what he said was a translation of these plates in March 1830 as the Book of Mormon, named after Mormon, the ancient prophet–historian who compiled the book. On April 6, 1830, Smith founded the Church of Christ. The early church grew westward as Smith sent missionaries to proselytize. In 1831, the church moved to Kirtland, Ohio where missionaries had made a large number

neg: Origin of Latter Day Saint polygamy on July 17, 1831. This alleged revelation is described in a letter to Brigham Young written in 1861 by an early Mormon convert, William W. Phelps, thirty years after the supposed revelation. This was during a period when LDS Church leaders were justifying the practice and origins of plural marriage, particularly to Mormon splinter groups who did not agree with the practice. The key portion of the revelation proclaims: This wording is comparable with the portion of the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, which corresponds to today's 2 Nephi 30:5–6, which states that when Native Americans receive the

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet . ... [W]hen finished [Smith] would say "Written," and if correctly written that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used. One challenge in performing a linguistic analysis of the Book of Mormon is that no original text is available for analysis; only handwritten printers' copies transcribed from the original handwritten copies of the original English text, and a few

neg: Historicity of the Book of Mormon I had sincerely hoped that Book-of-Mormon cities would be positively identified within 10 years—and time has proved me wrong in my anticipation." During the period of 1959–61, NWAF colleague Dee Green was editor of the "BYU Archaeological Society Newsletter" and had an article from it published in the summer of 1969 edition of "", pp 76–78 in which he acknowledged that the NWAF findings did not back up the veracity of the Book of Mormon claims. After this article and another six years of fruitless search, Ferguson published a 29-page paper in 1975 entitled, "Written Symposium on Book-of-Mormon Geography: Response

neg: Criticism of the Book of Mormon a vision. Most linguists, archeologists, and historians do not regard the Book of Mormon to be of ancient origin. In 1834 a publication by Eber D. Howe claimed that Smith had plagiarized an unpublished manuscript written by Solomon Spalding. Scholars today have varying theories about the true authorship of the Book of Mormon, but most conclude that Smith composed the book himself, possibly with the help of Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, drawing from information and publications available in his time, including the King James Bible, "The Wonders of Nature", and "View of the Hebrews". Two separate sets of witnesses,

neg: Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon and ruins of the Inca, Maya, Olmec, and other ancient American and Old World civilizations as giving credence to the Book of Mormon record. Book of Mormon prophets quote chapters 48 through 54 of the Book of Isaiah after having left Jerusalem around 600 BC. Since Isaiah died around 698 BC, under traditional biblical belief, there would be no conflict. However, modern biblical scholars assert that these chapters were not written by Isaiah, but rather by one or more other people during the Babylonian captivity, sometime between 586 and 538 BC (between 14 and 82 years after it could have

neg: Abish (Book of Mormon) Abish (Book of Mormon) According to the Book of Mormon, Abish () was a Lamanite woman who lived in the 1st century BC, and one of only three women named in the Book of Mormon (other than those who also appear in the Bible). She is mentioned in the narrative of the Book of Alma, and is notable as a figure in the dramatic narrative of the conversion of King Lamoni by the missionary Ammon. Abish plays a key role in the conversion of an entire kingdom of Lamanites (an ancient tribe in the Americas that had rejected a religion

neg: The Book of Mormon and the King James Bible are not significantly different in meaning." The text of the Book of Mormon is written in an archaic style, and some Latter Day Saints have argued that one would expect a more modern 19th-century vocabulary if Smith had authored the book. The Book of Mormon also appears, according to Skousen, to use archaic phrases that are not found in the KJV but were in current usage at or around the time of its first publication in 1611. For example, in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, the original text of what is now Alma 37:37 reads: counsel the

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon Donofrio has found hundreds of parallels between peculiar wordings in the Book of Mormon and the writings of well-known historical and religious figures of the 18th and 19th centuries. Unlike the earlier studies, Donofrio's research has not been peer-reviewed. Respondents to this study point out that the use of parallels to prove derivation can be used to illogical extremes. Latter-day Saints claim that the Book of Mormon is a translation, not originally written by Smith, but translated into the language with which he was familiar. While wordprint studies may be compelling, apologists argue that the inclusion of modern phraseology should

neg: Origin of the Book of Mormon Rigdon learned of the Book of Mormon from Parley P. Pratt, a member of Rigdon's Kirtland congregation, who had joined the Church of Christ in Palmyra in September 1830. Upon Pratt's return to Ohio, Rigdon reportedly learned of Smith and the Book of Mormon and was baptized by Pratt. According to these histories, only after his own baptism did Rigdon travel to New York, first meeting Smith in December 1830, nine months after the Book of Mormon's publication. Critics of the Book of Mormon cite a number of works that could have served as sources for the Book of Mormon.

neg: Archaeology and the Book of Mormon producing valuable archaeological data, have not led to any widespread acceptance by non-Mormon archaeologists of the Book of Mormon account. 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, wrote, 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. In 1955, Thomas Ferguson,

neg: Linguistics and the Book of Mormon Smith choosing the best word available to convey the meaning of the original text. Craig L. Blomberg has pointed out several verses in the Book Mormon apparently similar to biblical verses in the King James version of the Bible. According to Blomberg, includes overt references to , , , and were most likely written with their direct influence in mind. Furthermore, Blomberg claims that contains allusions to . Blomberg summarizes his overall position on Book of Mormon anachronisms as follows: "Indeed, the entire Book of Mormon abounds with explicit references to Christ, to his life and ministry and to the

neg: Restoration (Latter Day Saints) creeds were an abomination." Smith described another vision in 1823 as being visited in his bedroom by an "angel Moroni", who told him of a record of an ancient people written in an ancient language on golden plates. After repeated visits by this angel in successive years, Smith described receiving and translating this ancient record and publishing the translation as the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon provided many teachings about the atonement of Christ that were not as clear in the Bible, as also teachings about the House of Israel and the baptismal covenant. When Smith prayed in

neg: Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet) Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet) According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi ( ) was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah (approximately 600 BC). Lehi was an Israelite of the Tribe of Manasseh, and father to Nephi, another prominent prophet in the Book of Mormon. In the first book of the Book of Mormon, First Nephi, Lehi and Nephi lead their family out of Jerusalem, and across the sea to the "promised land" (the Americas). Mormon scholar Hugh Nibley has suggested that he was a merchant and contemporary of the Seven Wise Men of

neg: Milton R. Hunter writings of an Aztec historian Ixtlilxochitl who, in written accounts of Mesoamerican history provided to the newly arrived Europeans, appears to corroborate a number of claims made in the Book of Mormon. Hunter also served as national president of Delta Phi Kappa, a fraternity for former Mormon missionaries. During his career as a teacher and church leader, Hunter wrote 23 books, principally on religious and history oriented topics. His book "Brigham Young, the Colonizer," published in 1940, was based on his dissertation. "Utah in Her Western Setting" was enthusiastically reviewed and was used as a text in Utah schools. However,

neg: Criticism of the Book of Mormon and phrases in the Book of Mormon that are anachronistic—their existence in the text of the Book of Mormon is at odds with known linguistic patterns, archaeological findings, or known historical events. Each of the anachronisms is a word, phrase, artifact, or other concept that critics, historians, archaeologists, or linguists believe did not exist in the Americas during the time period in which the Book of Mormon claims to have been written. Apologists offer varying views on these anachronisms, typically countering them in one of two ways. One claim is that archaeological evidence may exist that has not yet been

neg: The Book of Mormon and the King James Bible by Tvedtnes was "problematic as proof" and that in some cases Tvedtnes's analysis and evidence was "highly ambiguous, substantially incomplete, strained, or simply in error." The KJV is seen as a significant source for the Book of Mormon among those who reject the miraculous origin theory. The Mormon faith, however, states that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ's divinity, and that the Bible and BOM together accomplish this purpose. Which would explain their defense that the BOM naturally is similar and even sometimes the same as the Bible. The Book of Mormon explicitly quotes the prophet

neg: Joseph Smith a ship and sail to a "promised land" in the Western Hemisphere. There, they are divided into two factions: Nephites and Lamanites. The Nephites become a righteous people who build a temple and live the law of Moses, though their prophets teach a Christian gospel. The book explains itself to be largely the work of Mormon, a Nephite prophet and military figure. The book closes when Mormon's son, Moroni, finishes engraving and buries the records written on the golden plates. Christian themes permeate the work; for instance, Nephite prophets in the Book of Mormon teach of Christ's coming, and talk

neg: Criticism of Mormon sacred texts its historicity. 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 historians or archaeologists. The Book of Mormon contains an account of peoples who, in succeeding groups between 2500 BC and 600 BC, traveled from the Middle East and settled in the Americas. Evangelical lecturer and journalist Richard Abanes and author David

neg: Book of Moroni and charity. Moroni declares that his words are the words of one "speaking out of the dust" which alludes to a prophecy of Isaiah (see Isaiah 29:4). Moroni 10 contains some of the most well-known and most often quoted verses in the Book of Mormon. Book of Moroni The Book of Moroni () is the last of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. According to the text it was written by the prophet Moroni sometime between 400 and 421. Moroni's people had been destroyed by the Lamanites down to every last man, woman, and child, even taking

neg: Grant Hardy Grant Hardy Grant Hardy is professor of history and religious studies and director of the humanities program at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He earned his B.A. in ancient Greek in 1984 from Brigham Young University and his Ph.D. in Chinese language and literature from Yale University in 1988 Having written, cowritten, or edited several books in the fields of history, humanities, and religious texts as literature, Hardy is known for literary studies of the "Book of Mormon" (Book of Mormon). Hardy's contributions in Mormon studies are "The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition" (2003) and "Understanding the

neg: Golden plates or a combination of these elements. The Book of Mormon refers to other documents and plates as being "sealed" to be revealed at some future time. For example, the Book of Mormon says the entire set of plates was "sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord" and that separate records of John the Apostle were "sealed up to come forth in their purity" in the end times. One set of plates to which the Book of Mormon refers was "sealed up" in the sense that they were written in a language that could not be read. Smith may have

neg: Latter Day Saint movement and engraved metal plates published Book of Mormon, that they had seen the plates. The Book of Mormon is accepted by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement as a sacred text. In addition to the golden plates, the Book of Mormon refers to several other sets of books written on metal plates: In 1843, Smith acquired a set of six small bell-shaped plates, known as the Kinderhook Plates, found in Kinderhook, Pike County, Illinois. Although Smith did not translate the plates, William Clayton, his secretary, wrote that Smith said they contained "the history of the person with whom they were found and he

neg: Second Nephi Second Nephi The Second Book of Nephi (), usually referred to as Second Nephi or 2 Nephi, is the second book of the Book of Mormon. The original translation of the title did not include the word "second". First and Second were added to the titles of The Books of Nephi by Oliver Cowdery when preparing the book for printing. According to the book, it was written by the ancient prophet Nephi, son of Lehi, who lived around 600 BC. Unlike First Nephi, this book contains little history of the Nephite people but instead discusses visions and prophecies of Nephi