This is an index of claims made in this work with links to corresponding responses within the FAIR Wiki. An effort has been made to provide the author's original sources where possible.
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| 3 | Attempts to describe Mormon doctrine are "fraught with peril." | Changing doctrine |
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| 3 | Reversals of doctrine regarding polygamy and regarding Blacks and the priesthood were "painful and damaging" to the Church. | Changing doctrine |
- Author's opinion.
- No examples of the "pain" and "damage" are provided.
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| 4 | The idea that the words of living prophets supersede the words of dead prophets has been "recently" promoted. | Changing doctrine |
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| 4 | Mormon doctrine is "fluid and changeable." | Changing doctrine |
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| 7-8 | The Nephites raise "herds of cattle, goats and horses." | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Animals |
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| 8 | The Nephites raise Old World wheat and barley. | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Plants |
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| 8 | The Nephites construct a temple that is "similar in splendor" to Solomon's. | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Temple in New World |
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| 8 | The Nephites are skilled in the use of metals such as iron, copper, brass, gold and silver. | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Metals |
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| 8 | The Nephites use steel to fashion swords, breastplates, and arm and head shields. | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Metals—Swords |
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| 8 | The Nephites built defensive mounds around their cities. | Book of Mormon and warfare—Fortifications |
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| 8 | The Lamanites vastly outnumber the Nephites. | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Demographics |
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| 8 | The Book of Mormon links the color of a person's skin to morality. | Blacks and the priesthood—LDS scriptures |
- 2_Ne. 5:21
- Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate, March 1835
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| 9 | The Book of Mormon promotes the view that the "white race" is superior. | Blacks and the priesthood—LDS scriptures |
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| 10 | In 1966 the Book of Abraham papryi were discovered. | Book of Abraham papyri |
- Larson, By His Own Hand upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri, 1992
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| 10 | The translation of the papryi does not resemble the Book of Abraham. | Book of Abraham—Book of the Dead |
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| 10 | The denial of the priesthood to the Blacks was based upon the Book of Abraham. | Blacks and the priesthood—Origin of the priesthood ban |
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| 10-11 | The Church publicly taught racist principles in the 1950's. | Racist statements by Church leaders |
- Mark E. Petersen, "Race Problems—As They Affect the Church," Talk given at Brigham Young University on Aug. 27, 1954
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| 11 | The 1978 revelation allowing all men to hold the priesthood came in response to "public pressure." | Blacks and the priesthood—Social pressure |
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| 12 | Many General Authorities believed that the priesthood prohibition would remain in place until Christ's return. | Blacks and the priesthood |
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| 12 | Passages in the Book of Mormon were rewritten to "tone down references to skin color." | Book of Mormon textual changes—"white" changed to "pure" |
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| 12 | LDS scripture states that those with lighter skin color "are favored because of what they did as spirits in a pre-earth life." | Blacks and the priesthood—Pre-existence |
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| Claim
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| 17 | A similarity exists between the degraded Lamanites and the Native Americans of the 19th Century. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
- Brodie, No Man Knows My History, 1971.
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| 22 | The Book of Mormon portrays the Lamanites as naked, head shaven, tent dwelling, arrow wielding and idle, similar to stereotypical perceptions of the Native Americans at the time. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 27 | Joseph Smith "fell under the spell of the mounds and could not resist the lure of buried riches." | Book of Mormon and the Mound Builders |
- Silverberg, The Mound Builders, 1968.
- Vogel, 1986, 1994.
- Brodie, No Man Knows My History, 1971.
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| 27 | Joseph Smith used a "seer stone" or "peep stone" to search for buried treasure. | Joseph Smith and seer stones |
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| 27 | Joseph Smith was charged with being "disorderly" for his money digging activities in 1826. | Joseph Smith's 1826 glasslooking trial |
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| 28 | Scholars have "concluded" that Joseph Smith was inspired by View of the Hebrews. | Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews |
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| 28 | The New World history in View of the Hebrews "shares close parallels with the plot of the Book of Mormon." | Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews |
- Ethan Smith, View of the Hebrews, 1825.
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| 29 | Joseph Smith was inspired by the myths surrounding the Moundbuilders in writing the Book of Mormon. | Book of Mormon and the Mound Builders |
- Brodie, No Man Knows My History, 1971.
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| 30 | Joseph "likely" added the story of the Jaredites to account for how animals arrived in the New World after the Flood. | Story of Jaredites added to explain presence of animals in New World |
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| 37 | Mormonism does not assign value to native cultures, their histories or mythologies. | Mormonism and native cultural traditions |
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| 37 | The Lamanite "family" has expanded to include Native Americans and Polynesians. | Polynesians as Lamanites |
- Gospel Principles, 1997, p. 268.
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| 38 | The patriarchal blessings of Native Americans and Polynesians often state that they are of the tribe of Manasseh (through Lehi). | Polynesians as Lamanites |
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| 38-39 | Modern day prophets repeatedly declare Native Americans and Polynesians to be descendents of Lehi. | Polynesians as Lamanites |
- Gordon B. Hinckley, Church News, Mar. 13, 1999. (Colonia Juarez Chihuahua Temple dedication)
- James E. Faust, Church News, Mar. 18, 2000. (Tuxtla Gutierrez Mexico Temple dedication)
- Thomas S. Monson, Church News, May 27, 2000. (Villahermosa Mexico Temple dedication)
- Gordon B. Hinckley, Church News, Aug. 7, 1999. (Guayaquil Ecuador Temple dedication)
- Gordon B. Hinckley, Church News, May 13, 2000. (Cochabamba Bolivia Temple dedication)
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| 40 | The Church believed that Lamanites who accepted the Gospel would become light-skinned. | Lamanite curse |
- 3_Ne. 2:14-16
- Spencer W. Kimball, "The Day of the Lamanites," The Improvement Era, December 1960, 922-923.
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| 41 | A general authority claimed that the writings of Ixtlilxochitl corroborated the Book of Mormon. | Book of Mormon geography/Statements |
- Milton R. Hunter, sometime in the 1960's.
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| 42 | Most Mormons are unaware that the New World has been continuously inhabited for 14,000 years. | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence |
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| 42 | The New World shows no sign of having experienced a universal flood. | Global or local Flood |
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| 42 | The Church employs apologists to defend the "myths" surrounding the Book of Mormon. | Apologetics |
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| 43 | Members are encouraged not to try and determine where the Book of Mormon occurred. | Book of Mormon geography |
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| 45 | Church leaders "seem reluctant or powerless to curtail" the belief among Mesoamerican and South American saints that they are descendents of the Lamanites. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 135 | Mormons believe that if there is a conflict between science and religion, that the science is incorrect. | Mormonism and science |
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1979. No page number given.
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| 135-136 | Mormonism reserves the right to identify scientific truth. | Mormonism and science |
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| 136 | Mormonism declares that it "corners the market" on religious truth. | Salvation of non-members |
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| 136 | Joseph Smith declared that all other religions were false. | "Joseph Smith said that all churches were wrong, and that they were an 'abomination' in God's sight. Doesn't that sound bigoted?" |
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| 136 | LDS think that all other religions are the "whore of the earth" and "church of the devil" | Whore of the earth |
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| 136 | The current generation of Mormons is taught a selective view of Church history | Censorship and revision of LDS history |
- Boyd K. Packer, "The Mantle is Far, Far Greater than the Intellect," BYU Studies, 21:259 (1981)
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| 137 | Many church members are "blissfully unaware" of Brigham Young's practice of polygamy | Brigham Young and polygamy |
- Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 1997
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| 137 | Senior church leaders prefer that members not question changes in temple ordinances. | Temple endowment changes |
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| 138 | LDS ecclesiastical leaders expect "unquestioning obedience" of church members. | Authoritarianism and Church leaders |
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| 139 | The Church "unofficially" discourages prayer to "Mother in Heaven" | Heavenly Mother |
- AAUP Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure. 1998. "Report of Committee A," Academe: Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors. Sept./Oct.: 71-4.
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| 140 | Church leaders are "loath" to make unequivocal statements of doctrine. | Changing doctrine |
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| 140 | BYU's emphasis is on conformity rather than personal freedom. | Authoritarianism and Church leaders |
- Student Honor Code, Brigham Young University
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| 141 | CES insists that gospel learning takes precedence over secular learning. | Mormonism and education [needs work] |
- The only sources referred to are "parents."
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| 142 | Limited geography theories advanced by FARMS are "much too controversial" for CES students | Book of Mormon geography/New World/Limited Geography Theory |
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| 142 | Spencer W. Kimball believed in a hemispheric Book of Mormon geography | Amerindians as Lamanites#Talking past each other? |
- A talk by President Kimball given in 1977 (not listed in "Works Cited" section)
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| 142 | Church members are shocked at the "limited archaeological evidence" for the Book of Mormon | Book of Mormon archeology |
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| 143 | LDS apologists continue to tell members how "scientists continue to get it wrong." | Apologetics |
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| 143 | Most members follow their leaders without question. | Authoritarianism and Church leaders |
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| 143 | LDS theology supports a literal interpretation of the creation of man. | Mormonism and science |
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| 143 | LDS theology supports a literal interpretation of the tower of Babel. | Mormonism and science [needs work] |
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| 143 | LDS theology supports a literal interpretation of the Flood | Global or local Flood |
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| 143-144 | The perception is that the Church has officially denounced evolution. | Evolution |
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 1979.
- Boyd K. Packer, "Our Moral Environment," Ensign, May 1992, p. 66. (This talk does not specifically mention the theory of evolution - Packer is stating that we are not simply "advanced animals," which the author includes in his quote.)
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| 146 | The Garden of Eden was in Jackson County, Missouri | Garden of Eden in Missouri? |
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| 146 | Mormons believe that the continents separated only after a global flood. | Global or local Flood [needs work] |
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| 146 | Mormons are "compelled" to believe in a global flood as symbolizing the "baptism of the earth" | Global or local Flood |
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| 148 | FARMS' goal is to deter members from reading any book that challenges their faith | Does the Church discourage reading critical material? |
- The author states that this is an "obvious" conclusion.
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| 153 | B.H. Roberts' manuscripts "Book of Mormon Difficulties" and "A Book of Mormon Study" were "clearly intended for publication." | B.H. Roberts and "Studies of the Book of Mormon" [needs work] |
- Brigham H. Roberts, Studies of the Book of Mormon, 2nd edition, 1992.
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| 153 | Roberts' concluded that a 19th-century origin for the Book of Mormon was "entirely plausible" | Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews |
- Brigham H. Roberts, Studies of the Book of Mormon, 2nd edition, 1992.
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| 154 | LDS scholars have made a "steady retraction" of claims regarding the scale of the Nephite/Lamanite presence since the 1920's. | Book of Mormon geography/New World/Limited Geography Theory |
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| 156 | All Church presidents, General Authorities and "most church members" have believed in a hemispheric Book of Mormon geography | Book of Mormon geography/Statements |
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| 156 | The Book of Mormon states that the Lamanites are "the principal ancestors of the American Indians" | Are the Lamanites the principal ancestors of the American Indians? |
- 1981 introduction to the Book of Mormon.
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| 156 | A hemispheric geography most closely aligns with an "uncontrived" reading of the Book of Mormon. | Book of Mormon geography/New World/Hemispheric Geography Theory |
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| 159 | Moroni makes no mention of traveling from Central America to New York in the Book of Mormon. | Book of Mormon geography/New World/Limited Geography Theory/Plates to New York |
- John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, 1985.
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| 160 | There is no indication that the Book of Mormon people came in contact with others in the land. | Book of Mormon anachronisms/Demographics |
- Brigham H. Roberts, Studies of the Book of Mormon, 2nd edition, 1992.
- John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, 1985.
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| 163 | The shrinking of Book of Mormon geographical models corresponds with the growing research showing that ancient Americans came from Asia. | Book of Mormon geography/New World/Limited Geography Theory |
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| 164 | A limited Book of Mormon setting is at odds with "a straightforward reading" of the Book of Mormon. | Book of Mormon geography/New World/Limited Geography Theory |
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| 164 | The limited Book of Mormon setting contradicts D&C 54:8 | Book of Mormon geography/Borders of the Lamanites |
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| 168 | LDS scholars believe that Mayan cities are prime candidates for where Lehi's people lived. | Amerindians as Lamanites—Maya and Olmec |
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| 168 | The Jaredites are usually identified as the Olmec | Amerindians as Lamanites—Maya and Olmec |
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| 168 | Joseph Smith declared the the city of Palenque was a Nephite city, but modern scholarship indicates this city wasn't built until 600 A.D. | Book of Mormon geography—Statements—15 Sept. 1842: Speculation that Palenque is a Nephite city |
- No source given by the author.
- The statement made by the author about Palenque is incorrect. The earliest recorded ruler was was K'uk Balam (Quetzal Jaguar), who governed Palenque for four years starting in the year 431 A.D.
- Pottery shards show that Palenque was occupied as early as 300 B.C.
- If one assumes, as Joseph apparently did, that Palenque was indeed a Nephite city, and knowing as we do now the tendency for Mesoamerican conquering rulers to destroy the monuments or records of previous ones, it would not at all be surprising to see the record go back only to the time that the Lamanites conquered the Nephites (approximately 400 - 420 A.D.).
- A known reference to Joseph's statement about Palenque is Joseph Smith (editor),"Extract from Stephens' 'Incidents of Travel in Central America'," Times and Seasons 3/22 (15 September 1842): 915. off-site GospeLink
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| 168 | The history of Book of Mormon archaeology is "littered with apostacy" | Book of Mormon geography—Apostacy [needs work] |
- Michael D. Coe, "Mormons and Archaeology: An Outside View," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 8:40-48 (1973).
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| 172 | There is no evidence of iron or steel smelting in the ancient New World | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Metals—Iron |
- Michael D. Coe et al., Atlas of Ancient America (1986).
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| 172 | There were no wheeled vehicles in ancient America | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Chariots [needs work] |
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| 172 | There were no draft animals to pull wheeled vehicles | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Animals—Horse |
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| 172 | There are no archaeological remains of wheat or barley in Mesoamerica. The barley found in Arizona doesn't count because it was only in a limited region. | Book of Mormon anachronisms—Plants—Barley |
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| 173 | Deer or tapir were never ridden by Native Americans, therefore they could not be the "horses" referred to in the Book of Mormon | Book of Mormon anachronisms/Animals |
- No source given.
- The Book of Mormon never refers to horses being ridden by the Nephites.
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| 173 | Dee Green said in 1973 that Book of Mormon archaeology does not exist | Book of Mormon archaeology [needs work] |
- Dee F. Green, "Book of Mormon Archaeology: The Myths and the Alternatives," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 4:71-80 (1973).
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| 175 | "Book of Mormon archaeology" has yielded little credible evidence | Book of Mormon archaeology |
- John E. Clark, "Book of Mormon Geography," Enclyclopedia of Mormonism (1992).
- Hugh W. Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon (1964).
- Hugh W. Nibley, Lehi in the Desert: The World of the Jaredites; There Were Jaredites, (1988).
- Bruce W. Warren, Review of F. Richard Hauck, Deciphering the Geography of the Book of Mormon: Settlements and Routes in Ancient America, and John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon in BYU Studies 30:127 (1990).
- David J. Johnson, "Archaeology" Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992).
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| 176 | The Smithsonian issues a statement that discredits the Book of Mormon | Smithsonian statement on Book of Mormon archaeology |
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| 177 | LDS apologists claim that the simplification of the Smithsonian statement indicates that the original statement is now inconsistent with the current knowledge of Mesoamerican archaeology | Smithsonian statement on Book of Mormon archaeology |
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| 177 | There is little evidence of a cultural link between Polynesia and the Americas. A linguistic link between a South American variety and Polynesian variety of sweet potato is not yet explained. | Polynesians as Lamanites |
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| 180 | Most Mormons have had their ancestors posthumously "baptized into the Mormon faith." | Baptism for the dead |
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| 181 | The Molecular Genealogy Foundation may reveal disconcerting "surprises" in LDS family trees that trace back to "well known polygamists" in the early church. | Joseph Smith and polygamy/Children of polygamous marriages |
- Author's opinion that the project may reveal embarrassing information about the descendants of Joseph Smith and other Church leaders through plural wives.
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| 184 | The Indian Student Placement Program was an attempt to turn them "white and delightsome." | Lamanite curse |
- Thomas Murphy, doctoral thesis.
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| 184 | "Mormon folklore" claims that Native Americans and Polynesians carry a curse based upon "misdeeds on the part of their ancestors." | Lamanite curse |
- Thomas W. Murphy and Simon G. Southerton. 2003. "Genetic Research: A 'Galileo Event' for Mormons," Anthropology News, 44:20.
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| 185-186 | In response to the DNA issue, the Church linked to an article written by Jeff Lindsey, "a chemical engineer with no professional training in DNA research." | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence |
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| 186 | LDS scientists have responded to DNA findings by claiming that it would be improbable to find evidence of an Israelite presence in the Americas. | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence |
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| 186 | LDS writers claim that the presence of other people in the Americas actually supports "careful readings of the Book of Mormon." | Amerindians as Lamanites |
- Daniel C. Peterson, "Editor's Introduction," FARMS Review 15/2 (2003): ix–lxii. off-site PDF link
- Matthew Roper, "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations," FARMS Review 15/2 (2003): 91–128. off-site PDF link
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| 186 | LDS scholars "have come to the conclusion" that Book of Mormon populations comprised a very small part of a much larger group of people on the continent. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
- Daniel C. Peterson, "Editor's Introduction," FARMS Review 15/2 (2003): ix–lxii. off-site PDF link
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| 187 | LDS suggest that it would impossible to use DNA technology to identify a small local colony of individuals. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
- D. Jeffrey Meldrum and Trent D. Stephens, "Who Are the Children of Lehi?," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 12/1 (2003): 38–51. off-site PDF link wiki
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| 188 | It is not likely that "founders effect" or "genetic drift" would "completely frustrate the identification of Israelite DNA in the Americas." | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 188 | The Book of Mormon states that the Lehite/Mulekite groups were both descended from Jewish ancestors | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence#General genetics issues |
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| 190 | The Lemba prove that it is possible to detect Middle Eastern genes in a foreign environment | Lemba and Cohen modal haplotype |
- John L. Sorenson, "The Problematic Role of DNA Testing in Unraveling Human History," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/2 (2000): 66–74. off-site [No PDF link] wiki
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| 190 | Church leaders have consistently associated Lamanites with Central America. | Statements by Church leaders regarding Book of Mormon geography |
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| 191 | The Mayan Empire is considered by Mormons to the closest to the people of the Book of Mormon. | Amerindians as Lamanites—Maya and Olmec |
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| 191 | There is too much genetic variation in the X lineage to account for Book of Mormon people to have arrived as recently as 2600 years ago. | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence/Geography issues/Haplotype X2a |
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| 192 | The X lineage occurs in North America and is not found in Central America. | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence/Geography issues/Haplotype X2a |
- Hauswirth et al., 1994
- Ribeiro-dos-Santo et al., 1996
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| 192 | LDS writers have overlooked the fact that Mitochondrial DNA research shows that 99.6% of Native Americans migrated to the American continent thousands of years before the Israelites came into existence, and none of these are candidates for Israelite origin. | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence |
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| 192 | The remaining 0.4% is likely the result of genetic mixture with people who came to the New World after Columbus | Book of Mormon and DNA evidence |
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| 193 | LDS scholars claim that the impact of Book of Mormon immigrants to the New World made an impact "so small that they barely mattered." | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 193 | A great number of Native Americans are now assumed to have been absorbed into New World Israelite civilizations. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 193 | "Other people" in the Book of Mormon have "remained invisible" to most readers. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 193-194 | "Gentiles who inhabited the Americas before, during and after the Book of Mormon period are potential Lamanites." | Amerindians as Lamanites |
- 2_Ne. 1:5
- John L. Sorenson and Matthew Roper, "Before DNA," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 12/1 (2003): 6–23. off-site PDF link wiki
- D. Jeffrey Meldrum and Trent D. Stephens, "Who Are the Children of Lehi?," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 12/1 (2003): 38–51. off-site PDF link wiki
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| 195 | The children of Lehi were to be "kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves." | Amerindians as Lamanites |
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| 195 | There are no explicit references to non-Israelites living near the Lehites or Jaredites. | Amerindians as Lamanites |
- Brent L. Meltcalf, "Reinventing Lamanite Identity," Sunstone, 131:20-25 (2004).
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| 195 | Five hundred years after their arrival, groups were still identified as having descended from Laman, Lemuel, Ishmael, etc. | Book of Mormon tribal affiliations [needs work] |
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| 196 | Familial terms used in the Book of Mormon imply a genetic link. | Book of Mormon tribal affiliations [needs work] |
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| 197 | Joseph Smith and other leaders taught that the Book of Mormon described the origins of the Indians in the western hemisphere. | Statements by Church leaders regarding Book of Mormon geography |
- Matthew Roper, "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations," FARMS Review 15/2 (2003): 91–128. off-site PDF link
- Matthew Roper, "Swimming the Gene Pool: Israelite Kinship Relations, Genes, and Genealogy," FARMS Review 15/2 (2003): 129–164. off-site PDF link
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| 197 | Mormons "tend to be hazy" regarding what past Church leaders have said regarding geography. | Statements by Church leaders regarding Book of Mormon geography |
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