Today we’re asking a few questions about the Book of Mormon witnesses! The BoM is the keystone of Mormonism and should be studied in-depth by those claiming that it’s the word of God.
Many times we’ve found that the majority of Mormons don’t know what’s in their beloved canon and have no idea the BoM doesn’t contain major doctrines of Mormonism. Making matters worse, they don’t have a solid understanding about the witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
What is a witness? Should we care and if so, why?
With the exception of Martin Harris, why were all of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon related to Joseph Smith or David Whitmer?
See our article Book of Mormon Witnesses that gives a detailed outline of who’s who in the group of eleven witnesses!
What made the Church change their opinion about the witnesses? Why do they extol them now when Joseph Smith mercilessly berated them back then?
An article on LDS.org speaks to their continued devotion to them. Here’s what Dallin Oaks had to say at a General Conference in April 1999;
“Furthermore, their testimony stands uncontradicted by any other witnesses. Reject it one may, but how does one explain three men of good character uniting and persisting in this published testimony to the end of their lives in the face of great ridicule and other personal disadvantage?”
Here’s what Joseph Smith had to say about them;
History of the Church 3: 232; “Such characters as McLellin, John Whitmer, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and Martin Harris are too mean to mention; and we had liked to have forgotten them.” – Joseph Smith, 16 December 1838
If you’re LDS whom do you believe – Joseph Smith or Dallin Oaks?
Why did most of them leave the Church?
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