Studying the Book of Mormon 11
“The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.” – Lord Macaulay
If I were to rank the books in the Book of Mormon on the level of the most nefarious and cockamamie stories, Ether would be at the very top of my list. It’s obvious from Joseph Smith’s paper trail that nothing was left to the imagination of what kind of man he was.
One of the main problems with this story is the timeline. According to reputable historians, the confounding of languages at the Tower of Babel took place circa 3,300 BC and through the Peleg continental division in 3006 BC. Ether supposedly took place in 2200 BC.
A very reliable and well written site on the historical, archaeological and biblical findings of this event in history can be found here:
http://ldolphin.org/babel.html
The book of Ether contains so many impossibilities, false prophecies, plagiarisms, contradictions and flat out lies that we’re just going to jump right into the list this week.
If the book of Mormon is true, it’ll hold up to the scrutiny and prove itself to be from God. Thus far, history has proven otherwise. If you’re a member of the LDS Church, do this for yourself; actually study it and see if I’m wrong. This isn’t a time for feelings – this is a time for truth.
We learn from scripture when we should and shouldn’t judge. I was reminded of this while doing some research for a friend about another subject matter. We are not to judge motives which are hidden because only God knows our hearts. According to Paul we are not to judge what others eat or drink because those things are between that person and God alone. Romans 14:1-4. We must, however, judge public teachings and commanded to do this as Paul advised Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:6.
False prophets teach messages that come from themselves, not from God. Jesus tells us in John chapter ten that He is the door and robbers never go through the door of Jesus. They always try to hoist themselves up through another way, to trick the sheep with another teaching and another belief. They always have a secret or exclusive doorway and teaching they’ve privately been shown by God.
We are to defend the gospel that has been delivered once to the saints (Jude 1:3) and hate even the garment that’s been tarnished (Jude 1:23).
Here’s what the LDS Church has to say about Mr. Smith’s teachings; as you can see, they obviously don’t have a problem with what he did or said.
“As guided by the Spirit, Joseph spent about three years going through the Bible, making thousands of corrections to the text and restoring information that had been lost. This restored information sheds marvelous light on many doctrines that are not clearly presented in the Bible as it exists today.”
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=c5a720596a845110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=da135f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Noteworthy teachings
Jared says you can read about Sodom and Gomorrah as well as Jericho in the Bible, why would the Mormons do this if the Bible is corrupt? – Ether 1:4
Everyone’s language confounded but Jared, his brother & friends – Ether 1:35-7
Jared and brother along with families and friends of friends and their families went to the valley to gather animals – Ether 2:1
Sailing crew commanded to go no further than America – Ether 2:7
Circa 2,200 BC even before there were Israelites, Gentiles told to repent – Ether 2:11
God leaves when you sin – Ether 2:15
God forgot they needed air in the barge so Jared instructs God on how to build a seafaring vessel – Ether 2:16
Barge built tight just like a dish – Ether 2:17
Built the boat so they wouldn’t drown in the flood – ??? – Ether 2:20
Brother of Jared saw the finger of Jesus and was afraid Jesus would smite him because he found out God has flesh and bones – Ether 3:8
No one has greater faith than brother of Jared – Ether 3:9
There are a couple of problems with the verse listed below.
Ether 3:13; “And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.”
This story contradicts the Bible – no man has seen God. Exodus 33:20
Knowing something doesn’t bring salvation – Eph. 2:8-9
How can God be the father and the son? – Ether 3:14
VERY confusing verse –
Ether 3:19; “And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.”
Why would God do this? Only priests were allowed behind the veil. What’s the deal with the faith statement?
Brother of Jared has perfect knowledge of God – Ether 3:20
Another VERY confusing verse –
Ether 3:22; “And behold, when ye shall come unto me, ye shall write them and shall seal them up, that no one can interpret them; for ye shall write them in a language that they cannot be read.”
Again, why would God do something like this? Why would he have something written in a language no one could understand?
Jesus shows the nameless brother of Jared every single person on earth that had lived before him and even those who will ever live on the face of the earth after him – Ether 3:25
God can’t withhold anything – Ether 3:26
Textual change – Mosiah was Benjamin in 1830 version – Ether 4:1
Moroni seals up the interpreters – Ether 4:5
Jesus curses anyone that doesn’t believe the Book of Mormon – Ether 4:8
Either God is talking about his father in heaven or Jesus is his own dad – Ether 4:12
Circa 2,200 BC, before there were Israelites, Jesus calls upon the Gentiles to believe – Ether 4:13
Only 3 uneducated men will know how to translate plates – Ether 5:2-4
Was Orihah a polygamist? He had 31 kids – Ether 7:2
Story of John the Baptist lifted with name changes – Ether 8:4
Why were these Jewish people eating pork? – Ether 9:18
Lots of big cities…no archaeological evidence – Ether 9:23
Many serpents poison lots of people – Ether 9:31
Poisonous serpents chase people – Ether 9:33
Oaths are bad – Ether 10:33
They rejected the prophets because of their secret societies (Mormons come to mind…) – Ether 11:22
In 2200 BC the Spirit of the Lord was inside of Ether – Ether 12:2
Christ showed himself after his resurrection to the fathers of Jaredites (remember this was written in 2200 BC) – Ether 12:7
By faith the Law of Moses was given – Ether 12:11
By faith the 3 disciples didn’t die – Ether 12:17
Many people saw beyond the veil because of faith – Ether 12:19
God can’t hide his finger from the brother of Jared – Ether 12:20
New Jerusalem in America – Ether 13:4
Wanted to write more but was forbidden – Ether 13:13
The curse of the vanishing tools – Ether 14:1
Fighting for the defense of his property and wives – Ether 14:2
One of the secret combinations murdered a high priest – Ether 14:10
Coriantumr invites Shiz to battle – Ether 14:28
2 million people died in war (this is 5x the number of Americans killed in WW2) – Ether 15:2
Headless Shiz rises up on his arms and breathes – Ether 15:31
Things not invented yet OR not in America at that time
Aquariums – Ether 2:2
Bees – Ether 2:3
Glass – Ether 2:23
Flocks & herds – Ether 6:4
Steel – Ether 7:9
Silks, grains – Ether 9:17-19
Flocks – Ether 9:31
Grains, flocks, gold – Ether 10:12, 23, 24
Greek & Latin words found (small list) in BC era
Apostles – Ether 12:41
Baptize – 4:18 (2x), 12:14
Christ – 4:1, 2, 3; 12:7, 16, 19, 38; 13:4
Cross – 2:6, 22, 25; 3:3, 4; 4:1; 6:3; 8:9
Disciples – 4:10; 12:17, 31
Epistle – 15:4, 5 (2x), 18
Exceedingly – This word was used 40 times in 15 chapters
2:17
3:1, 9
6:28
7:1, 4, 7, 11, 19
8:5, 7, 8, 9
9:15, 16 (3x), 23, 26, 30
10:3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 13, 22, 27
11:4
12:19
13:27 (2x)
14:4, 16, 29
15:8, 9, 16
Gentile – God had not formed the nation of Israel at this point in history, but Ether seems to have already separated the people and made reference to Gentiles 10 times.
2:11
4:6, 13
12:22, 23, 25, 28, 35, 36, 38
Gospel – 4:3, 18
Grace – 12:26, 27, 36, 41
Holy Ghost – 5:4; 12:14, 23, 41
Jesus – 3:17, 19, 20; 5:5; 12:39, 41
Jesus Christ – 2:12; 3:14, 19, 20; 4:7, 8; 12:22, 41
John – 4:16
Saint – 8:22
Son of God & variations – 4:7; 9:22; 12:18
Use of the phrase “and it came to pass”
Ether has 433 verses and this phrase showed up 167 times in 156 of the verses. That means 35% of the text contains this phrase. Questions for the Mormon: how does this glorify God and how did this phrase add to the storyline of the text?
1:35. 37, 38, 39, 40 – 5 verses
2:1, 4, 5 (2x), 6, 13, 14, 16, 18, 21 – 10x, 9 verses
3:1, 6, 21, 28 – 4 verses
6:2, 4 (2x), 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 18, 21, 22, 25 (2x), 26, 27, 29, 30 – 17x, 15 verses
7:1, 3 (2x), 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 24 (2x), 26 – 15x, 13 verses
8:1, 2, 4, 5, 6 (2x), 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 25 – 13x, 12 verses
9:1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 23 (2x), 24 (2x), 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 – 21x, 19 verses
10:1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30, 32 – 15 verses
11:2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 (2x), 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23 – 15x, 14 verses
12:1, 5, 36, 37 – 4 verses
13:15, 18, 19, 22, 23, 27, 28 (2x), 29 – 9x, 8 verses
14:4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 26, 29 (2x), 30 – 16x, 15 verses
15:1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 – 23 verses
Poor grammar
Ether 3:2; “…and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually…”
Ether 7:16; “And he gave battle unto Shule, the king…”
Ether 7:17; “And it came to pass that he gave battle again unto Shule, the king…”
Ether 7:19; “…nevertheless they did not gain power any more over Shule the king…”
Ether 7:21; “And Cohor, the son of Noah, caused that his people should give battle unto Shule…”
8:3; “And when he had gained the half of the kingdom he gave battle unto his father…”
Ether 8:5; “…they did raise an army and gave battle unto Jared. And it came to pass that they did give battle unto him by night.”
Ether 8:8; “…daughter of Jared being exceedingly expert…”
Ether 10:9; “…Morianton, (he being a descendant of Riplakish) gathered together an army of outcasts, and went forth and gave battle unto the people…”
Ether 10:27; “…they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship.”
Ether 10:34; “Now Com did fight against them much….”
Ether 11:15; “…and there arose a mighty man among them in iniquity, and gave battle unto Moron…”
Ether 12:6; “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things…”
Ether 13:16; “…wherefore he gave battle unto them who sought to destroy him”
Ether 13:23; “…Shared, and he also gave battle unto Coriantumr; and he did beat him, insomuch that in the third year he did bring him into captivity.”
Ether 13:29; “…Shared gave him battle again upon the plains…”
Ether 13:30; “…Coriantumr gave Shared battle again…”
Ether 14:3; “…the brother of Shared and he gave battle unto Coriantumr…”
Ether 14:4 “…the brother of Shared did give battle unto him in the wilderness of Akish…”
Ether 14:7; “…which he did receive great strength to his army.”
Ether 14:8; “…Gilead, also received great strength to his army, because of secret combinations.”
Ether 14:10; “And it came to pass that one of the secret combinations murdered him in a secret pass…”
Ether 14:11; “…Coriantumr came up unto the land of Moron, and gave battle unto Lib…”
Ether 14:12; “And it came to pass that he fought with Lib, in which Lib did smite upon his arm that he was wounded…”
Ether 14:13; “…and Lib gave battle unto him upon the seashore.”
Ether 14:16; “And when he had come to the plains of Agosh he gave battle unto Lib, and he smote upon him until he died…”
Ether 14:26; “…and there he gave battle unto Shiz for the space of three days”
Ether 15:2; “He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly two millions of his people…”
Ether 15:6; “…the people of Shiz did give battle unto the people of Coriantumr.”
Ether 15:16; “…so great were their cries, their howlings and lamentations, that they did rend the air exceedingly.”
Ether 15:17; “…they did rend the air with their cries, and their howlings, and their mournings, for the loss of the slain of their people.”
False prophecies
Intro for Ether – God didn’t confound their language (Gen. 11:9)
Ether 1:35 – God didn’t confound their language (Gen. 11:9)
Ether 1:43 – This is a false prophecy. These folks were destroyed.
Ether 3:9-17 – Because of faith of Jared’s brother, God will become man & he showed himself unto the brother of Jared
Ether 4:6 – Gospel not given to Gentiles until they repent
Ether 4:15 – Those who don’t believe Book of Mormon are not saved
Ether 6:11; “And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.”
I have a few questions about the verse above. According to the website of Port World, sailing from Kuwait to Los Angeles is 11,551 miles. Sailing along at 4 knots would take 121 days. http://www.portworld.com/map
Most ships at the time of the Greco-Roman Empire could sail from 50-60 miles per day with 170 oarsmen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trireme
How many people were on that ship and why didn’t God know how to build the barge with the amount of people needed to properly navigate it? Why did it take them 3 times longer than it should have?
Ether 12:11 – By faith the Law of Moses was given and the Son came because of faith. Jesus came to pay the price for sin, not because people had faith.
Ether 12:19 – by faith the ancient fathers saw behind the veil
Ether 15:19 – Spirit of the Lord went away because of sin (the Bible tells us He will never leave once He comes to us in John 14:16-17)
Plagiarism
Ether 4:18-19 – See Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16-17; Matthew 25:34
Ether 8:10, 25 – See Matthew 14:6-11; John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3
Ether 12:4, 6, 8, 11, 17, 19, 22, 26, 28, 32-35, 37, 41 – See Heb. 6:19; 2 Cor. 9:8; Heb. 11:1 (Compare rest of this passage with all of Hebrews 11 – “The Hall of Faith”; Hebrews 6:4, 2 Cor. 12:31; Heb. 11:30, Heb. 11:5, 6:19, 11:33, 2 Cor. 12:9; 1 Cor. 13:13; John 14:2, 10:17; Matt. 25:28-29; 2 Cor. 13:14
Ether 13:9-10, 12 – See Rev. 21:1; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rev. 21:2, 7:14; Matt. 19:30
Greatness of America
America is great –
1:42, 43
2:7, 9, 10, 12, 15
America is the Promised Land –
2:7, 8, 9
6:5, 8, 12, 16
7:27
America is choice above all other lands –
2:7, 10, 12, 15
9:20
10:28
13:2
New Jerusalem in America –
3:3, 4, 5, 6, 10
America is land of inheritance –
13:8
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The following paragraph about the practice of baptizing the dead was taken from Jefflindsey.com, an LDS “apologetic” website–if there is such a thing. It shows how Mormons helplessly try to explain the practice of baptizing the dead:
