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#17 The Facts On The Mormon Church
17. Are the Mormon scriptures really the
word of God? If so, why has the church made significant changes in them; why do
they contain demonstrable errors and undeniable contractions?
The Mormon Church claims that the Book of Mormon, The Pearl
of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants are genuine scriptures
inspired by God. But this cannot possibly be true.
The Tanners have reprinted the original 1830 edition of the Book of
Mormon, noting in the text significant changes and more than 3,000 minor
changes. But even a single minor change is incompatible with its claimed
word-by-word translation. For example, the 1830 edition of Mosiah 21:28 refers
to King Benjamin, while modern editions read "King Mosiah." According to the
Book of Mormon chronology, Benjamin was no longer king at the time (he was dead:
Mosiah 6:3-7; 7:1), so the inspired name was changed to read King Mosiah to
cover the error.
Similarly, serious doctrinal problems have been corrected. For example, in
Nephi 11:18 the 1830 edition teaches, "The virgin which thou seest, is the
mother of God, after the manner of the flesh." However, since Mary could not
literally be the mother of the earth deity "Elohim," modern editions read "the
mother of the Son of God" rather than "the mother of God.
Other significant errors include the Book of Mormon teaching that Jesus was
born in Jerusalem (Alma 7:9-10), not in Bethlehem as the Bible teaches (Micah
5:2; Matthew 2:1). In Helaman 14:20, during Jesus' crucifixion, the darkness
over the face of the land is said to have lasted for three days instead
of the biblical three hours. (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33).
We have two choices: Either Smith copied errors that were originally on the
supposed gold plates or the Book of Mormon is not "a perfect translation by the
power of God" as Mormonism claims. Either way, the Book of Mormon cannot be
trusted.
The Mormon scripture Doctrine and Covenants presents more serious
problems. The original edition of Doctrine and Covenants was called the
Book of Commandments and was published in 1833. This book contained
allegedly direct, word-for-word revelations from God to Joseph Smith. But in
1835 the Book of Commandments was reissued under the title Doctrine
and Covenants and had, literally, thousands of changes made from
"God's" earlier revelations. There are at least 65,000 changes between the
Book of Commandments and Doctrine and Covenants. Joseph Smith
apparently made mistakes that "God" missed when He stopped the translation
process to correct scribal errors.
Nevertheless, the Mormon Church frequently claims that the Book of Mormon and
Doctrine and Covenants have never been changed. Supposedly, there has been
no tramping with "God's Word." But the evidence is there for anyone to see. All
interested readers may examine the issue for themselves by comparing modern
versions with the first editions of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and
Covenants as found in Joseph Smith Begins His Work, Volumes 1 and 2
(notarized photostat copies).
The third inspired scripture of the Mormon Church is The Pearl of Great
Price. The Church also maintains this book has not undergone changes. And
yet again there are literally thousands of words deleted and hundreds of words
added during reprints. The Tanner's text Changes in the Pearl of Great Price:
Photo Reprint of the Original 1851 Edition of the Pearl of Great Prize with All
the changes Marked proves this beyond doubt.
Further, a portion of The Pearl of Great Price, "The Book of Abraham,"
has recently been proven a forgery. It is a copy of a pagan text-the Egyptian
Book of Breathings, an extension of the occult Egyptian Book of the Dead
relating to the alleged journeys of the soul after death. The Mormon Church
refuses to acknowledge its fabrication because to do so is to confess that
Joseph Smith cannot be trusted in the most vital area of all-his ability to
reveal the Word of God. Smith claimed that he translated both "The Book of
Abraham" and the Book of Mormon under the power of God. But since "The Book of
Abraham" is now a proven forgery of a pagan text, how can any Mormon know that
the Book of Mormon is not a similar fabrication?
The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of
Great Price are the "Word of God" to Mormons. Yet they have been changed in
hundreds and even thousands of places-corrections, additions, deletions-all done
without any indication or acknowledgment of such action. Why has this been done
if these books are truly the Word of God? Why have Mormon leaders kept such
actions hidden from Church members?
Taken from The Facts On The Mormon Church, by John Ankerberg
and John Weldon, published by Harvest House Publishers.
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