Is the Book of Mormon a book that one should actually consider? I mean being a catholic, it was never brought to my attention but I had some mormon friends tell me about it. Plus, was it really another testament of Jesus?

-- Guillermo Quintero (willie5@emelec.com), January 27, 2003

Answers

Mormons can be great people, really friendly and they have good morals and family values on the whole (except the ones who practice polygamy). However their theology is really hoakey to put it lightly.

Supposedly Joseph Smith (the founder of the Mormons) received the book of Mormon from an Archangel (gabriel?) in Pennsylvania. It came to him in the form of a golden book, but somehow, Joseph Lost it, or it dissapeared (mysteriously). "Luckily", Joseph "remembered" what the whole book said so he wrote it down later and thus began the Mormons.

Divine revelation stopped with the comming of Jesus Christ. The gospels and the subsequent letters of Sts. Paul, Peter, James and the whole New Testament. Jesus Christ being the manifestation of God himself, there is no need for any more prophets, Jesus is the Messiah. Before God spoke through Prophets, but he has now spoken to us through His Son.

The Mormons believe that we all become gods and Jesus Christ himself was just another god. When we die (if we are mormons) we will become a god of some planet in the universe... pretty hoakey, right? Therefore, sine Jesus is just another god, they claim that revelation can continue happening - thus the book of Mormon.

Joe

-- Joseph Carl Biltz (jcbiltz@canoemail.com), January 29, 2003.

Guillermo, here are some comments based on what I found out. I have read many books in my life. Some accepted in the Bibles (Jewish, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Ethiopian, Slavonic,...), others like the Gospel of Thomas accepted by some, rejected by others, and many others considered spurious (fake) by most of which I read over 30:from infancy narratives of Jesus , Gospels of other apostles,to Acts of Pilate, and so on. I have a list of them. Too long to put in this thread.

The Book of Mormon falls into that category. I have it in English and Spanish. The English was modeled after the King James (1609) version. It was supposedly given to Joseph Smyth around 1829 inscribed in Golden plates given to him by the Angel Moroni.

2 of the witnesses, Emma Hale Smyth, his wife and first recorder, and David Whitmer claim Joseph never used the plates when dictating the Book of Mormon. See this site http://www.irr.org/mit/divination.html for the winesses and this site http://www.irr.org/mit/origins.html for more on a critical history of the Mormon Church. Originally Joseph drank tea. Today's Mormons don't drink tea, coffee or alcoholic beverages. Continues….

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), January 29, 2003.

The book of Mormon is inspired in the Legend of Quetzalcoatl ( my personal opinion). Jesus comes to America to preach to native indigenous groups. That was before 1492 AD. Quetzalcoatl was one of the last priestly rulers of Tollan ( Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico) who abolished human sacrifice. He ruled around 1050 AD. He is described as bearded and light skinned.When he was forced from power he promised to come back on the year of his birth: Ce Acatl. On Ce Actl = 1519, Hernan Cortez came to Mexico. The Aztecs thought he was Quetzalcoatl. I believe Joseph Smyth used this myth in creating the book of Mormon. This is one of many sites on him . http://www.angelfire.com/al/quetzalcoatl/quet01.html

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonzalez@srla.org), January 29, 2003.

The above post covers it in essence. Not to contradict, but just to flesh it out a bit - Joseph Smith supposedly received visitations by both Jesus Christ and an angel named Moroni. The angel revealed to Smith the existence of some ancient golden tablets which were buried in a hillside in New York state. Smith located the tablets by using a magical "seerstone" (not a new idea to Smith - he had a long history of divination, using magical stones and other talismans). He supposedly brought the tablets home, and translated them (they were in an unknown language) by the power of the same magical stone. This, we are told, was the origin of the Book of Mormon. It is curious that several sections of the book are identical to sections of the King James Bible. The only other people who ever claimed to have seen the gold tablets were a few members of Smith's family, and a couple of close friends, who then became leaders in Smith's new church. Moroni took the tablets away once the translation was complete.

There is nothing in the Book of Mormon that is of benefit to any Christian, let alone a Catholic. And there is much in it to be avoided. Mormonism is a manmade, polytheistic religion, completely incompatible with Christianity. Don't be confused by the fact that Jesus Christ plays a prominent role in their theology. The role He is assigned is not the role God has revealed. Mormons also believe that God the Father was once a man like us, who worked his way up to divinity, just as Jesus was in the process of doing, and just as Mormons of today can do.

If you want more information, go to www.catholic.com and select "non-Catholic groups".

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), January 29, 2003.

The book of mormon is a book of false religion. It's origin is man, not God. The founder was Joseph Smith, and it began in the 1800's I believe. The Mormon church is often referred to as the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. According to the legend, some golden tablets appeared to Smith in a vision and he wrote all that He saw. The result is the book of mormon. Many strange unbiblical doctrines. I suggest you steer clear of it. Pray for your friends to be released from the cult.

-- Oliver Fischer (spicenut@excite.com), January 30, 2003.

My dear friends. How miss informed you seem to be. If you are going to disuade someone from reading from The Book of Mormon, please have your facts straight about this book and the Mormons themselves. In many of your responses you even contradicted yourselves (eg: Angel Gabriel or Moroni)(Pennsylvania or New York). I see no valid or logical reason to suggest that this book could be damaging to ones religious and/or spritual life. Yes this book testifies of Christ, save it be only through the mouths of prophets on the other side of the world. To the person who originally submitted the question. Do yourself a favor and read from this book and see for yourself if it is of God. If you have any other questions, you should ask someone with an unbiased opinion (ie-God Himself)... Dexter J

-- Dexter Jackson (interboy77@hotmail.com), February 08, 2003.

The Book of Mormon "testifies of Christ"?? If identifying Jesus as the brother of Satan is your idea of "testifying of Christ", then yes, the BOM does indeed offer such "testimony". If describing Jesus as a lesser God who is still working His way to complete divinity (as God the Father did before Him) is valid testimony of Jesus, then the BOM does "testify" to this. If teaching doctrines directly opposed to what Jesus taught (such as the notion that all men will eventually end up in one of the three heavens; or that good Mormons can eventually work their way up to godhood, and be gods of their own planets, equal to God the Father) is your idea of "testifying of Jesus", then maybe you need to look up what "testify" means.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 08, 2003.

Hi Guillermo.

I think the Book of Mormon is a great fiction book and would make for great late night entertainment. But, if you truly believe in Jesus, it would be of greater value to read The Bible. The Book of Mormon would probably serve better as door stop. I mean no disrespect....oh, yes I do. How dare him use God's name in vain! And, how dare him deceive so many souls? I think that the average person and see the lies in that Book of Mormon.

rod

-- Rod A. Rodriguez (elreyrod@yahoo.com), February 22, 2003.

"When we die (if we are mormons) we will become a god of some planet in the universe..."

Not to be blasphemous or anything....but that sounds so cool! Where can I find this book? I've got a planet to rule...MWAHAHAHAHA!

-- Anti-bush (Comrade_bleh@hotmail.com), November 01, 2003.