16. The Book of Mormon

16A. What did Joseph Smith say about the Book of Mormon?

Joseph Smith declared that the Book of Mormon contained "the fullness of the everlasting gospel" that he had been called to restore. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:9; 42:12, 135:3)

16B. What is the everlasting Gospel as set forth in the Bible?

Paul made the everlasting Gospel known in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

"Now I make known to you brethren the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you stand.

by which you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believe in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures,

and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures."

Was this gospel of 1 Corinthians lost or changed by the Orthodox Christian Church?

No, this gospel has remained in the Orthodox Christian Church. It is one of the central doctrines of Christianity that binds the many denominations of the Christian Church together.

16C. Does the Book of Mormon contain the Mormon gospel?

No, Joseph Smith's gospel has expanded to include a "God" who was once a sinful man, and is now resurrected in a physical body. Refer to the quote on 3G.

16D. Does the Book of Mormon contain the central teachings of Mormonism?

No, the central teachings of Mormonism include:

• God being man, Man becoming God.
• Three degrees of Glory.
• A pre-mortal state of man.
• Marriage for eternity.
• Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood.
• Baptism for the Dead.

None of these teachings are in the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon does not contain "the fullness of the gospel" as claimed by Joseph Smith, in fact it contains almost no Mormonism.

16E. Joseph Smith said, "The Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth." Have there been any changes in the Book of Mormon since it was first published in 1830?

Yes, there have been over 2000 changes since 1830.

16F. What are some of the obvious errors in the Book of Mormon?

Joseph Smith said the Book of Mormon was written their Gospels and Epistles. His quotes were taken directly from King James English.

Joseph Smith also copied entire chapters from the King James Bible:

• Isaiah 2:14 with 2 Nephi 12-24;
• Isaiah 48, 49 with 1 Nephi 20, 21;
• Isaiah 50, 51 with 2 Nephi 7, 8.

These passages of Scriptures include the verse and chapter divisions, and italics from the King James Bible, which wasn't written until centuries later.

In Alma 46:15 believers are called Christians in 73 BC, Acts 11:26 says they were first called Christians at Antioch in 42 AD.

16G. Are there any archaeological findings that prove the Book of Mormon?

No, according to Mormon Archaeologist Professor Dee F. Green.

"The first myth we need to eliminate is that the Book of Mormon archaeology exists...If one is to study the Book of Mormon archaeology, then one must have a corpus of data with which to deal with. We do not...no Book of Mormon location is known with reference to modern topography. Biblical archaeology can be studied because we do know where Jerusalem and Jericho were and are, but we do not know where Zarahemla and Bountiful (nor any location for that matter) were and are...a concentration on geography would be the first order of business, but we have already seen that twenty years of such an approach has left us empty handed."

Dialogue, op. cit. Summer 1969, pp. 77-78. Mormon Archaeologist Professor Dee. F. Green.