This is a paper that I wrote in 1995 attempting to compare LDS/Mormon belief vs Evangelical Christianity:
A COMPARISON OF MORMONISM AND CHRISTIANITY
by Ed Householder
January 19 1995
INDEX:
I. PART 1 – NATURE OF GOD & CHRIST / SALVATION BY GRACE
–A. DEITY OF CHRIST / TRINITY / NATURE OF GOD
—-1. ONE AND ONLY ONE GOD
—-2. CHRIST IS GOD
—-3. HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD
—-4. CHRIST AND GOD THE FATHER BOTH CALLED THE CREATOR
—-5. VERSES WITH GOD, CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
—-6. GOD IS OMNISCIENT (ALL-KNOWING)
–B. BOOK OF MORMON VERSES THAT CONTRADICT MORMON DOCTRINE & AGREE WITH BIBLICAL DOCTRINE (CONCERNING THE NATURE OF GOD)
—-1. ONLY ONE GOD
—-2. GOD IS UNCHANGING:
—-3. GOD IS SPIRIT
—-4.GOD IS OMNISCIENT (ALL-KNOWING)
—-C. SALVATION BY GRACE
II. PART 2 PROPHECY
–A. MISSOURI TEMPLE PROPHECY – Sept. 1832 – D&C 84:1-5,31:
–B. PROPHETIC FAILURE:
–C. Former LDS Leaders understanding of the prophecy:
III. PART 3 – RELIABILITY OF MORMON SCRIPTURE
–A. BOOK OF MORMON
—-1. B.O.M. CONFLICTS WITH THE BIBLE.
——a. KJV ISAIAH VS. BOOK OF MORMON
——b. BETHLEHEM OR JERUSALEM ?
—-2. CHANGES IN THE B.O.M.
—-3. Mormon doctrines that are not found in the Book of Mormon.
—-4. ARCHAEOLOGY
——a. Smithsonian Institution letter – Summer 1979
——b. LETTER FROM THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
–B. DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
—-1. CHANGES IN THE D&C FROM THE BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS.
—-2. DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS VERSES THE BOOK OF MORMON. (PLURAL MARRIAGES OR NOT?)
–C. PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
—-1. TRANSLATION OF POGP
—-2. DEE JAY NELSON’S LETTER OF RESIGNATION
PART 1 – NATURE OF GOD & CHRIST / SALVATION BY GRACE / DEITY OF CHRIST / TRINITY / NATURE OF GOD
ONE AND ONLY ONE GOD
Deut 6:4 Shemah
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: (KJV)
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! (NASB)
Kings 8:60 KJV
That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
Tim 2:5 KJV
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 43:10,11 KJV
Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.I , even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.
Isaiah 44:6 KJV
Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Isaiah 44:8 KJV
… Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Isaiah 45:18 KJV
For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.
CHRIST IS GOD
John 1:1 John 10:30 John 20:28 Col 1:9
HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD
Acts 5:3-4 Lie refers to Holy Spirit and God
CHRIST AND GOD THE FATHER BOTH CALLED THE CREATOR
Gen 1:1 John 1:3 Col 1:15 Heb 1:2 Isaiah 44:24
VERSES WITH GOD, CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
Cor 13:14 1Peter 1:2 Luke 3:22 Matt 28:19
GOD IS OMNISCIENT (ALL-KNOWING)
Psalm 147:4,5
He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite.BOOK OF MORMON VERSES THAT CONTRADICT MORMON DOCTRINE & AGREE WITH BIBLICAL DOCTRINE (CONCERNING THE NATURE OF GOD)
ONLY ONE GOD
ALM 11:28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?
ALM 11:29 And he answered, No.
ALM 11:30 Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these things?
ALM 11:31 And he said: An angel hath made them known unto me.
ALM 11:38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?
ALM 11:39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last;
Who is the Eternal Father?
MNI 4:3 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify
NE1 11:21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! ...
ALM 11:44 ... and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
NE3 11:27 And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one.
NE2 31:21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
MSH 15:4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.
MSH 16:15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord, who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.
D&C 20:28 Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen.
GOD IS UNCHANGING:
MOR 9:9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?
MOR 9:10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
MOR 9:19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
MNI 8:18 For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.
ALM 31:17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; …
GOD IS SPIRIT:
ALM 31:15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.
GOD IS OMNISCIENT (ALL-KNOWING)
Article of Faith p.43 Being Himself eternal and perfect, His knowledge cannot be otherwise than infinite.
NE2 2:24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
NE2 9:20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.
SALVATION BY GRACE
Eph 2:8-9 KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:5 KJV
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Rom 3:24,27,28 KJV
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Where is the boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
PART 2 PROPHECY
MISSOURI TEMPLE PROPHECY – Sept. 1832 – D&C 84:1-5,31:
D&C 84:1 A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high.
D&C 84:2 Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.
D&C 84:3 Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.
D&C 84:4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.
D&C 84:5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.
D&C 84:31 Therefore, as I said concerning the sons of Moses--for the sons of Moses and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed--
(August 1833)
D&C 97:19 And the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say: Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there. ...
(December 1833)
D&C 101:17-21
D&C 101:17 Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.
D&C 101:18 They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion--
D&C 101:19 And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled.
D&C 101:20 And, behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed; neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed, for the work of the gathering of my saints--
D&C 101:21 Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion.
PROPHETIC FAILURE:
1. The temple was not built in Missouri at “the place appointed.”
2. “this generation shall not pass away” was written in 1832.
As of this writing in 1993, 161 years have passed and surely has “this generation”.
The time limit stated in the prophecy has run out.
3. According to LDS leaders Zion was re-established in Salt Lake City.
However D&C 97:19 states that “surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place”
and D&C 101:20 states that there would be “none other place appointed”.
Former LDS Leaders understanding of the prophecy:
Elder George A. Smith, speaking in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, March 10,1861:
Journal of Discourses 9:71
Who is there that is prepared for this movement back to the center stake of Zion, and where the architects amongst us that are qualified to erect this temple and the city that will surround it? ... And let me remind you that it is predicted that this generation shall not pass away till a temple shall be built, and the glory of the Lord rest upon it, according to the promises...
Elder George Q. Cannon, October 23, 1864 Salt Lake City, in the Tabernacle:
Journal of Discourses 10:344
The day is near when a Temple shall be reared in the Center Stake of Zion, and the Lord has said his glory shall rest on that House in this generation, that is in the generation in which the revelation was given, which is upwards of thirty years ago.
Elder Orson Pratt, April 10, 1870, Salt Lake City:
Journal of Discourses 13:138
We have just as much confidence in returning to Jackson county and the building of a great central city that will remain there a thousand years before the earth passes away, as the Jews have in returning to Jerusalem ... There are many of the old stock, who passed through all those tribulations I have named, still living, whose faith in returning to Jackson county, and the things that are coming, is as firm and fixed as the throne of the Almighty.
Apostle Pratt, Salt Lake City, May 5, 1870:
Journal of Discourses 13:362
God promised in the year 1832 that we should, before the generation then living had passed away, return and build up the City of Zion in Jackson County; that we should return and build up the temple of the Most High where we formerly laid the corner stone. He promised us that He would manifest Himself on that temple, that the glory of God should be upon it; and not only upon the temple, but within it, even a cloud by day and a flaming fire by night.
PART 3 – RELIABILITY OF MORMON SCRIPTURE
I believe that the bible is the inerrant inspired word of God. A study of the bible will demonstrate that it is, internally consistent, externally consistent, grammatically correct, historically accurate, archaeologically accurate, scientifically accurate and unchanging. I propose to apply the same tests to the three Mormon scriptures.
BOOK OF MORMON
B.O.M. CONFLICTS WITH THE BIBLE.
KJV ISAIAH VS. BOOK OF MORMON
Quote from Book of Mormon page 81, footnote for 2 Nephi 12.
"Comparisons with the King James Bible in English shows that there are differences in more than half of the 433 verses of Isaiah quoted in the Book of Mormon, while about 200 verses have the same wording as KJV."
BETHLEHEM OR JERUSALEM ?
Alma 7:10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, ...
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
CHANGES IN THE B.O.M.
Gerald and Sandra Tanner photocopied the original 1830 version of the Book of Mormon and documented it's changes in "3'913 Changes in the Book of Mormon."
Examples from "3'913 Changes in the Book of Mormon."
Note: highlights are added or deleted words.
Nephi p. 25 ... behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the son of the Eternal Father! ...
Nephi p. 26 And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea the son of the Everlasting God, was judged of the world; ...
Nephi p. 32 ... that the Lamb of God is the son of the Eternal Father and the Saviour of the world; ...
Nephi p. 32 ... they both shall be established in one, for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth; ...
Nephi p.87 ... and the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not: ...
Mosiah p. 200 ... learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Benjamin (Benjamin replaced with Mosiah) had a gift from God, ...
Alma p. 303
WAS ... yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unaltarerable, according to their wills; ...
IS NOW ... yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, according to their wills; ...
MORMON DOCTRINES THAT ARE NOT FOUND IN THE BOOK OF MORMON.
· Organizational structure of the church.
· Melchizedek priesthood.
· Aaronic priesthood.
· Plurality of gods.
· God as an exalted man.
· A human being’s ability to become a god.
· The three degrees of heaven.
· The plurality of wives.
· The Word of Wisdom.
· The pre-existence of the human spirit.
· Eternal progression.
· Baptism for the dead.
· Celestial marriage.
The Mormon Papers, Harry L. Ropp, p. 55
ARCHAEOLOGY
a) HISTORICAL BACKGROUND –
The Jaredites who were refugees from the Tower of Babel, migrated to America about 2247 B.C. They lasted a couple of generations and were wiped out by internal strife.
At about 600 B.C. the two families of Lehi and Ishmael left Jersualem and came to the Americas. They divided into two warring camps, the Lamanites and the Nephites. The Lamanites were cursed by the Lord with dark skins, which supposedly accounts for the origin of the American Indians.
In A.D. 421 the Nephites were all killed, and the infidel Lamanites were left in control of the land. Columbus discovered them when he landed in 1492.
My question is this, given the time that the peoples in the BOM inhabited America, 1021 years for the Nephites alone., is it not completely improbable that not one verifiable piece of archaeological evidence such as a city or place name has ever been found to substantiate the archaeological claims of the BOM.
Paul Little in “Know Why You Believe p.103” states, “there are over 25,000 sites showing some connection with the Old Testament period in Bible Lands. This does not even include the well known sites and cities mentioned int the New Testament.”
b) BOM ARCHAELOGICAL REFERENCES –
Jaredites Ether 9:17-19
17 Having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious
things;
18 And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other
kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.
19 And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.
Jaredites Ether 10:21-27
20 And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by the place where the sea divides the land.
21 And they did preserve the land southward for a wilderness, to get game. And the whole face of the land northward was covered with inhabitants.
22 And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy and sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain.
23 And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work.
24 And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness.
25 And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thrash.
26 And they did make all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts.
27 And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship.
Nephites & Lamanites Jarom 1:8
8 And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war.
Nephites & Lamanites Helaman 3:7-11,13-15
7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.
8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east.
9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings.
10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping.
11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.
13 And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large, concerning them.
14 But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites, and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their prophecies, and their shipping and their building of ships, and their building of temples, and of synagogues and their sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and their plundering, and all manner of
abominations and whoredoms, cannot be contained in this work.
15 But behold, there are many books and many records of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.
Nephites & Lamanites Mormon 6:10-15 230,000 Nerphites killed on or near the hill Cumorah
10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.
11 And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow, when the Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were hewn down, being led in the front by me.
12 And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led by my son Moroni.
13 And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and he also in the midst.
14 And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Gilgal had fallen with his ten thousand; and Limhah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Jeneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and Cumenihah, and Moronihah, and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen with their ten thousand each.
15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who had deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen; and their flesh, and bones, and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their mother earth.
Nephites & Lamanites Alma 11:4-6
4 Now these are the names of the different pieces of their gold, and of their silver, according to their value….
5 Now the reckoning is thus—a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a shum of gold, and a limnah of gold.
6 A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and an onti of silver.
Nephites & Lamanites Alma 43:18-20 –
18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.
19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—
20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings;…
Nephites & Lamanites 2 Nephi 5:15,16 –
15 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.
16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.
Smithsonian Institution letter - Summer 1979
"STATEMENT REGARDING THE BOOK OF MORMON"
ref. "Where Does It Say That" p.9-5
The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as scientific guide. Smithsonian archeologists see no direct connection between the archeology of the New World and the subject matter of the book.
The physical type of the American Indian is basically Mongoloid, being most closely related to that of the peoples of eastern, central, and northeastern Asia...
Present evidence indicates that the first people to reach this continent from the East were the Norsemen who arrived in the northeastern part of North America around A.D. 1000. There is nothing to show that they reached Mexico or Central America.
...none of the principal Old World domesticated food plants or animals (except the dog) occurred in the New World in pre-Columbian times. American Indians had no wheat, barley, oats, millet, rice, cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, donkeys, camels, etc., before 1492. ...
Iron, steel, glass, and silk were not used in the New World before 1492 ...
There is a possibility that the spread of cultural traits across the Pacific to Mesoamerica and the northwestern coast of South America began several hundred years before the Christian era. However, any such inter-hemispheric contacts appear to have been the results of accidental voyages originating in eastern and southern Asia. It is by no means certain that even such contacts occurred; certainly there were no contacts with the ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, or other peoples of Western Asia and the Near East.
No reputable Egyptologist or other specialist on Old World archeology, and no expert on New World prehistory, has discovered or confirmed any relationship between archeological remains in Mexico and archeological remains in Egypt.
Reports of findings of ancient Egyptian, Hebrew, and other Old World writings in the New World in pre-Columbian contexts have frequently appeared in newspapers, magazines, and sensational books. None of these claims has stood up to examination by reputable scholars. No inscriptions using Old World forms of writing have been shown to have occurred in any part of the Americas before 1492.LETTER FROM THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
ref. “Where Does It Say That” p.9-5
"The Society has been asked several times whether the Book of Mormon has been substantiated by archaeological findings. We referred this question to the late Dr. Neal M. Judd, noted archaeologist of the Smithsonian Institution, and his reply was as follows:
Neither representatives of the National Geographic Society nor, to my knowledge,
archaeologists connected with any other institution of equal prestige have ever used the Book of Mormon in locating historic ruins in Middle America or elsewhere.DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
CHANGES IN THE D&C FROM THE BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS.
TMP p. 56-58
Book of Commandments published in 1833 (65 revelations between July 1828 & Sept 1831)
Enlarged by 71 sections in 1835 and reprinted under the title Doctrine and Covenants.
Book of Commandments 4:2
"He [Joseph Smith] has no power over them [the gold plates] except I grant it unto him; and he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to not other gift, for I will grant him no other gift."
Doctrine and Covenants 5:4
"And 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 shall 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."
The Book of Commandments chapter 6 contains 143 words. When reprinted in Doctrine and Covenants it grew to 252 words. How does a translation expand by 109 words?
see "Where does it say that?" p 3-1,3-2,3-3
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS VERSES THE BOOK OF MORMON. (PLURAL MARRIAGES OR NOT?)
D&C 132:0 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, as also plurality of wives.... Plurality of wives acceptable only when commanded by the Lord...
D&C 132:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines--
D&C 132:38 David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
D&C 132:61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood--if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
D&C 132:62 And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.
Book of Mormon:
ETH 10:5 And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men's shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings.
JAC 2:23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
JAC 2:24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
JAC 3:5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father--that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them. PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
Note: Pearl of Great Price =
1. the Book of Moses
2. the Book of Abraham
3. the writings of Joseph Smith and Joseph F. Smith
TRANSLATION OF POGP
TMP p. 71-73
The Book of Abraham Was Egyptian papyri rediscovered in 1967.
Joseph Smith used 1,125 words to translate the 46 Egyptian characters, a ratio of 25:1.
The Egyptian character “looks like a backwards E” (see page 71 & 72 for exact symbol) is only part of a word which means lake or pool. Joseph Smith used 76 words and 334 letters to translate this Egyptian character as follows:
ABR 1:13 It was made after the form of a bedstead, such as was had among the Chaldeans, and it stood before the gods of Elkenah, Libnah, Mahmackrah, Korash, and also a god like unto that of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
ABR 1:14 That you may have an understanding of these gods, I have given you the fashion of them in the figures at the beginning, which manner of figures is called by the Chaldeans Rahleenos, which signifies hieroglyphics.
Another Egyptian character which is equal to the demonstrative pronoun this or the is translated
by Joseph Smith with the following 59 characters.
ABR 1:11 Now, this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, one of the royal descent directly from the loins of Ham. These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar,
DEE JAY NELSON’S LETTER OF RESIGNATION
TMP p. 105
PROF. DEE JAY NELSON
Lecturer
Egyptologist
Highland Park Drive
Billings, Montana 59102
Field Address:
Nile Hilton
Cairo, Egypt U.A.R.
Attention: First Presidency
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Church Office Building
Salt Lake City, Utah
This letter is to inform you that it is our considered desire that my own name and those of my wife and daughter be removed from the membership rolls of the Latter Day Saint Church.
We:
Dee Jay Nelson
Katherine G. Nelson (Mrs. Dee Jay Nelson)
Kim Cherie Nelson
do freely, and with full understanding of the implications of the step, require that our names be removed from all member records of the L.D.S. Church.
Dee Jay Nelson, do hereby renounce and relinquish the priesthood which I now hold.
Following my translation (the first to be published) of the bulk of the hieratic and hieroglyphic Egyptian texts upon the Metropolitan-Joseph Smith Papyri Fragments three of the most eminent Egyptologists now living published corroborating translations. These amply prove the fraudulent nature of the Book of Abraham, in which lies the unjust assertion that negroes are unworthy of participation in the highest privileges of the L.D.S. Church.
We do not wish to be associated with a religious organization which teaches lies and adheres to policies so blatantly opposed to the civil and religious rights of some citizens of the United States.
By affixing our signatures to this document we exercise our constitutional rights of religious freedom and separate ourselves from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Dee Jay Nelson
Katherine G. Nelson
Kim Cherie Nelson
Date: Dec. 8. 1975