by Richard Harty

Created on: July 03, 2007

The Book of Mormon is the story of various lost tribes of Jews coming to the American continents. They eventually split into two groups. Supposedly the good light skinned Nephites, who believed in Jesus, were wiped out by the bad dark skinned Lamanites, who rejected the teachings of Jesus, whose descendants are supposedly the present day American Indians. Jesus supposedly came to the Americas soon after his death in Jerusalem.

The prophet Mormon compiled the books in pre-Colombian America and left the writings in the form of gold tablets buried in New York near Joseph Smith's home to save the message for future generations. Joseph Smith was told by an angel where to find the tablets. He then translated them into English as the Book of Mormon.

If the story above does not stretch credibility one can examine the Book of Mormon and find plagiarized portions of the King James version of Isaiah and portions of the King James version of the New Testament. Mark 16:15-18 is quoted nearly word-for-word in Mormon 9:22-24. This passage does not appear in many early Greek New Testament manuscripts and is believed to have been composed in the second century. This would be long past the time Mormon was claimed to have been written.

There are no signs of any Semitic words in any North or South American Indian languages and there is no Semitic DNA in any North or South American Indians. There is no archaeological evidence found in the geographical areas where the stories supposedly took place of any Semitic artifacts, chariots, metal swords, etc.

To me, there is very little evidence that the Book of Mormon is authentic. It appears to be a complete fabrication.

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