Posted on 01/10/2006 4:14:51 AM PST by Quester
Contradictions Between the Book of Mormon and the Bible
Copyright © 1999 Institute for Religious Research. All rights reserved.
There are many serious objections to the claim of Joseph Smith and the LDS church that the Book of Mormon is divinely inspired latter-day scripture supplemental to the Bible. However, none are more significant than the numerous contradictions between Book of Mormon teaching and the Bible. This list is illustrative only, not exhaustive.
1. The Book of Mormon teaches that little children are not capable of sin because they do not have a sinful nature (Moroni 8:8). In contrast, the Bible in Psalm 51:5 clearly teaches that we have sinful nature from birth: "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (NIV). (This does not mean that those who die in infancy are lost.*)
2. The Book of Mormon teaches that the disobedience of Adam and Eve in eating the forbidden fruit was necessary so that they could have children and bring joy to mankind (2 Nephi 2:23-25). In contrast, the Bible specifically declares that Adam’s transgression was a sinful act of rebellion that unleashed the power of sin and death in the human heart and throughout God’s perfect world (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 5:12; 8:20-21). There is no Biblical support for the view that Adam and Eve could only fulfill the command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28) by disobeying God’s command regarding the forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:17). The Book of Mormon teaching that these divine commands are contradictory, and that God expected Adam and Eve to figure out that in reality He wanted them to break the latter command ("of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it") in order to keep the former ("be fruitful and multiply"), has no basis in logic or the Biblical text, and attributes equivocation to God.
3. The Book of Mormon teaches that black skin is a sign of God’s curse, so that white-skinned people are considered morally and spiritually superior to black skinned people (2 Nephi 5:21). In contrast, the Bible teaches that God "made of one blood all nations of men" (Acts 17:26, KJV), that in Christ distinctions of ethnicity, gender and social class are erased (Galatians 3:28), and that God condemns favoritism (James 2:1).
4. The Book of Mormon teaches that, "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23; see also Moroni 10:32). In contrast, the Bible teaches that apart from Christ we are dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1,5) and unable to do anything to merit forgiveness and eternal life. Salvation is wholly of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 11:6; Titus 3:5-6), not by grace plus works. Good works are a result, not the basis, of a right relationship with God (Ephesians 2:10).
5. According to the Book of Mormon, about 600 years before Christ, a Nephite prophet predicted that "many plain and precious parts" (1 Nephi 13:26-28) would be removed from the Bible. In contrast, from the Bible it is clear that during His earthly ministry, Jesus himself constantly quoted from the Old Testament Scriptures, and showed full confidence in their completeness and accurate transmission as they had survived down to His time. Jesus declared that "heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away" (Mark 13:31; see also Matthew 5:18), and promised His disciples who were to pen the New Testament that the Holy Ghost "shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26); Jesus further promised the apostles that they would "bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16). These promises clearly imply that the fruit of the apostles — the New Testament Scriptures and the Christian church — would endure.
6. According to a Book of Mormon prophecy (Helaman 14:27), at the time of Christ’s crucifixion "darkness should cover the face of the whole earth for the space of three days." In contrast, the New Testament gospel accounts declare repeatedly that there was darkness for only three hours while Jesus was on the cross (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44).
An earlier prophecy in 1 Nephi 19:10 implies the three days of darkness will be more than regional in scope for it says this sign will be "unto those who inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel." The darkness then would extend over the ocean to the islands and reach as far as Israel in the Middle East.
Book of Mormon references to the fulfillment of this prophecy, however, use wording that could be understood to mean the three days of darkness was only in the Americas, stating that the three days of darkness would be "over the face of the land." (3 Nephi 8:3ff; 10:9). This appears to be the position of the late Mormon General Authority B.H. Roberts in his book Studies of the Book of Mormon, p. 292). If this is the case, then this would resolve the apparent contradiction between the Bible and the Book of Mormon regarding what happened at the time of Christ's death, for we would have 3 hours of darkness in Israel and 3 days of darkness on the American continents. However, this would make the earlier prophecies of 1 Nephi and Helaman internally contradictory with later BOM references, since their phrasing of "the isles of the sea ... those who are of the house of Israel" and "the whole face of the whole earth" is difficult to understand as merely a localized time of darkness.
7. The Book of Mormon people are said to have observed "all things according to the law of Moses (2 Nephi 5:10; 25:24). However, although they are supposed to have been Hebrews, they were descendents of the tribe of Joseph (1 Nephi 5:17) or Manasseh (Alma 10:3), not the tribe of Levi and family line of Aaron, as the Law of Moses dictates (Numbers 3:10; Exodus 29:9; Numbers 18:1-7), so they would not have had a legitimate priesthood.
8. According to the Book of Mormon, there were many high priests serving at the same time (Mosiah 11:11; Alma 13:9-10; 46:6,38; Helaman 3:25) in the New World, among those it describes as Jewish immigrants from ancient Israel who "kept the law of Moses" (e.g., 2 Nephi 25:10; Jacob 4:5; Jarom 1:5). In contrast, it is clear from the Bible that only one individual at a time occupied the office of high priest under the Old Testament dispensation (see, for example Leviticus 21:10; Matthew 26:3; Hebrews 8:6-7). (The mention in Luke 3:2 of "Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests" is not a real exception -- in Christ’s time Israel was under the domination of the Romans, who intervened to change the high priest at will. That is, this office became a kind of "political football," rather than following the appointment process dictated in the Law of Moses. See John 18:13, which describes Annas as "father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.")
9. The people described in the Book of Mormon operated multiple temples (Alma 16:13; 23:2; 26:29). This violates the dictates of the Old Testament Scriptures on two counts: First, God commanded Israel to build only one temple to reflect that fact that there is only one true God (Deuteronomy 12:5,13-14; 16:5-6). Second, the one legitimate temple was to be built in Jerusalem (Zion), the location designated by God (The Old Testament is filled with explicit references to God choosing Jerusalem [Zion] as the place where "His name would dwell" in the temple: for example, 1 Kings 8:44,48; 11:13,32,36; 14:21; 2 Kings 21:7; 23:27; 1 Chronicles 28:4; 2 Chronicles 6:6; 7:12,16; Psalm 78:68-69; Isaiah 18:7.
10. The most common biblical terms used to describe the Old Testament priesthood, temple and appointed feasts, are entirely missing from the Book of Mormon. Here are 10 examples of such biblical terms with their frequencies, that never appear once in the Book of Mormon:
"laver" (13 times in Bible)
"incense" (121 times in Bible)
"ark of the covenant" (48 times in Bible)
"sons of Aaron" (97 times in Bible)
"mercy seat" (23 in Bible)
"day of atonement" (21 times in Bible)
"feast of tabernacles" (17 times in Bible)
"passover" (59 times in Bible)
"house of the LORD" (627 in Bible)
"Aaron" – this name appears 48 times in the Book of Mormon, but never in reference to the biblical Aaron or the Aaronic priesthood
Conclusion: The contradictions between the Book of Mormon and the Bible constitute a most serious obstacle to accepting the Book of Mormon as Latter-day scripture that is supplemental to the Bible. The Bible came first, not the Book of Mormon. And whereas the Bible is organically linked to the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ by extensive surviving manuscript evidence going back as far as A.D. 125-30, the Book of Mormon is wholly lacking in any such evidences of ancient origin.
Is it not reasonable, therefore, to make the Bible the standard for judging the Book of Mormon, and not the other way around? If we accept the Bible as our "measuring stick" for spiritual truth, the Book of Mormon must be rejected.
— Luke P. Wilson
Find sunday sermon in a backwoods baptist church but lacking in facts.
What part of our beliefs are not contained on our website? We have all our scriptures and most of our publications online. Even the "Secret book of doctrines that you are not allowed to see", otherwise referred to as the Doctrine and Covenants.
I own three sets, engraved with my name of, "triple combinations." A book that contains the three publications in one:
Book of Mormon
Pearl of Great Price
Doctrine and Covenants...I know it's not secret.
The Book of Mormon speaks of a different Jesus than the New (and last) Testament.
LDS gets away with this because the vast majority in their ranks never read the Bible with the tutalage of the Holy Spirit.
Been there, done that.
Good. Many of the others on this forum have called it thus.
One thing I will agree with: I really don't have time to sit around defending the True Church. I have too much work to do on myself and too much work to do for my family and in living my life as the Lord desires to do so.
I suppose most of the kindly Mormon Bashers do have the time.
;)
Perhaps you should read some history of the scriptures and how they came to be selected hundreds of years after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Perhaps I have?
What about the Apocrypha? What about the books of Mary and Thomas? What about the fact that the roman emporer ordered the first 50 copies?
What about the fact that the Smithians have been duped?
Stick to the subject, please.
Somehow, I expected just such a response from you. Bless you and have a wonderful day.
I testify that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, is my Master and is the Head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true, the Church is True and that the Lord has poured out His blessings upon me and my family since I became a member. I further testify that I intend to study His Word further and deeper in the spirit for the rest of my days. These things I say in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have fun with that, living with the significant, deep and irreconcilable contradictions. I guess you get to serve two different Jesus'.
One the Christ, and one spawned by the anti-Christ.
God bless you too. And I actually mean it.
When I found the saving Grace of Christ, I quit spending my time "working" on myself. I now spend my time loving God, and basking in the knowledge that he died for me - while I was still in my sin. And only through his Blood Atonement and Grace and my Love of him, can I be made perfect.
For those of us working on ourselves we fall into the sin of "Pride," where we think it is ourselves who can make us whole in the sight of the Lord. It is not! Our works are like a filthy rag. Now this is not to say that we should stop doing good. It is through works that we indicate our greater love for Christ than for ourselves. By doing good works, out of dedication to Him, and not for our own glory and exaltation do we indicate that he is indeed our LORD, GOD, SAVIOR - JESUS CHRIST and HOLY GHOST which is the very SPIRIT of GOD that dwells within us even as those who still commit sin, even without trying.
All of us have defects of character that can only be discovered by a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
How can you truly repent if you know not of what you repent? How can you truly repent without confessing your sins to the Lord?
Seems to me that if you aren't doing that you aren't following your own instruction book and better get to work.
I think we have two different views of salvation and the purpose of that salvation.
The Lord doesn't NEED me to praise Him or WORSHIP him. He is well aware of His nature and stature. The purpose of the Plan of Salvation is to bring us home to Him. Why would he tell us the story of the servants with talents if he did not want us to improve ourselves and our lot. I was once a Baptist and the one thing that confounded me was the lack of the answer to the question why? Now I have that answer and I am working out my salvation on my knees and in my works where I can.
The God of Christianity teaches that Pride is a GREAT sin. It is a focus upon ourselves and not Christ. It is one of extreme importance to God...because by being prideful, it puts our position, in our minds, ahead of the rightful first position of God. It keeps us from being humble.
Well said ...Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
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Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
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Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
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Proverbs 28:25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
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Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
That's pride????
Man, I'm glad you don't sit in the Judgement Seat.
God does speak to us, and He says “worship me” (Psalms 100: [1] Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. [2] Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. [4] Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name). What is it about HIM that makes HIM needy for worship? One might also ask “doesn’t He have enough angels in Heaven to heap praise on Him? Why would He want more? The answer is simply because He cares about us, we are on His infinite mind, what happens to us concerns Him deeply (John 14: [18] I will not leave you as orphans (comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless) I will come to you).
Now about the talents:
The rewared for the 5-talent man (19-21)
The statement: “Well done good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”
The 2-talent man (22-23)
The statement: “Well done good and faithful slave; you were faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”
Is this man condemned for not making as much as the first? No. We don’t need to compare ourselves with others.
The 1 talent man ( 24-28)
He thought the master was hard. He doesn’t appear to be that way when he dealt with the first two.
The condemnation of the man by the master...
You wicked, lazy servant. Is the master admitting to being terrible? The third servant didn’t really know the master. The other two knew the master and probably thought, “The master has given me this so I can try something. Even if I blow it, that is why he has given it to me.” The third guy doesn’t know or trust the master. He is afraid of him.
If you try, you get great reward - even if you are not very successful...even if you sin and aren't perfect or as good as the other guy. If you don’t try, you won’t have any success, you won't get any reward.
Notice also that the master holds the slave accountable for what he thought--not what was true, but for what he thought was true. God holds us accountable for what we think, it is up to us to find the truth by the instructions we find in his word.
In essence you are correct and my efforts tend to be as the first servant, using all the talents my Master has given me to increase them.
I hope that you will find all you seek in your scripture. Please also remember that all verses in the Holy Bible are in a context, not merely sentences to be pulled out to condemn others.
Salvation is what I seek, and whatever good works I can do cannot hurt. So, Grace plus works will equal salvation.
At the least I would think that the changes that have occurred over the last century would make the average thinking LDS member a little uncomfortable or curious.
Carry on.
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