FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Countercult ministries/The Interactive Bible/Difficult Questions for Mormons/Prophecies in the Book of Mormon
< Countercult ministries | The Interactive Bible | Difficult Questions for Mormons
Revision as of 16:19, 24 October 2016 by RogerNicholson (talk | contribs)
Contents
- 1 Response to "Difficult Questions for Mormons: Prophecies in the Book of Mormon"
- 1.1 Quick Navigation
- 1.2 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Three Witnesses"
- 1.3 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Charles Anthon story"
- 1.4 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Columbus described"
- 1.5 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Joseph Smith's name given. Smith called to be the translator of the Mormon record"
- 1.6 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Jerusalem destroyed"
- 1.7 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? 600 years until Jesus is born"
- 1.8 Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Martin Harris and the lost manuscripts"
- 1.9 Response to claim: "Why do the unfulfilled prophecies in the Book of Mormon remain unfulfilled? Example: Jews becoming Christian en masse"
- 1.10 Response to claim: "Why is the Book of Mormon quite specific about Christ but does not add anything that the New Testament does not address (for example, what Christ did from age 12 - 30)?"
- 1.11 Response to claim: "Why does the Book of Mormon prophesy that the Jews would be restored to the land of their inheritance if they believed in Christ (they are occupying it now w/o believing in Christ)?"
- 1.12 Response to claim: "Why did Alma not know when Christ was coming (Alma 13:21-26) even though he possessed plates and Lehi and Nephi had written precisely when he would arrive?"
Response to "Difficult Questions for Mormons: Prophecies in the Book of Mormon"
| Style and Inconsistencies | A FAIR Analysis of: Difficult Questions for Mormons A work by author: The Interactive Bible
|
Influenced by Joseph Smith's background |
| Claim Evaluation |
| Difficult Questions for Mormons |
|
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Three Witnesses"
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Charles Anthon story"
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Columbus described"
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Joseph Smith's name given. Smith called to be the translator of the Mormon record"
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Jerusalem destroyed"
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? 600 years until Jesus is born"
- Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Martin Harris and the lost manuscripts"
- Response to claim: "Why do the unfulfilled prophecies in the Book of Mormon remain unfulfilled? Example: Jews becoming Christian en masse"
- Response to claim: "Why is the Book of Mormon quite specific about Christ but does not add anything that the New Testament does not address (for example, what Christ did from age 12 - 30)?"
- Response to claim: "Why does the Book of Mormon prophesy that the Jews would be restored to the land of their inheritance if they believed in Christ (they are occupying it now w/o believing in Christ)?"
- Response to claim: "Why did Alma not know when Christ was coming (Alma 13:21-26) even though he possessed plates and Lehi and Nephi had written precisely when he would arrive?"
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Three Witnesses"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Three Witnesses.
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader
The authors are implying that Joseph Smith simply added prophecies to the Book of Mormon based upon what he already knew. However, in the case of the witnesses, Joseph learned that there would be three witnesses from the text of the Book of Mormon, and acted to fulfill that prophecy after the text had already been translated. The Witnesses' experience came after the translations of Ether and 2 Nephi. Joseph committed himself, and those near him asked to be the witnesses. Either they were in on the con - in which case why did they not reveal it when they all turned against him? - or that would have been an extremely risky move for Joseph to have taken if it weren't true.
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Charles Anthon story"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Charles Anthon story."
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: This claim is false
The story of Charles Anthon stating the he could not read a "sealed book" is a prophecy from the Bible, not the Book of Mormon. Isaiah 29:11 reads, "And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed." Charles Anthon actually fulfilled this prophecy.
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Columbus described"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Columbus described.
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources
Columbus is not mentioned by name, so the prophecy is not as "unrealistically specific" as the authors imply. From the Gospel Doctrine Teachers Manual: "The Gentiles who 'went forth … upon the many waters' are understood to be Christopher Columbus and other early explorers and settlers of the Americas (1 Nephi 13:12–13)." The prophecy describes "a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters" who "went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land."
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Joseph Smith's name given. Smith called to be the translator of the Mormon record"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Joseph Smith's name given."
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources
The prophecy isn't as "unrealistically specific" as the authors imply. Joseph Smith's name is not given in the Book of Mormon. 2 Nephi 3:14-15 states, "And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise; And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father."
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Jerusalem destroyed"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Jerusalem destroyed.
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader
The destruction of Jerusalem was prophesied a number of times in the Bible. Why would the Book of Mormon be any different?
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? 600 years until Jesus is born"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? 600 years until Jesus is born.
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources
One must keep in mind that the Book of Mormon was an abridgment of other records made by Mormon, who lived approximately 400 years after Christ was born.
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Martin Harris and the lost manuscripts"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Martin Harris and the lost manuscripts. (1 Nephi 9, Words of Mormon).
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: This claim is false
The Book of Mormon says nothing about Martin Harris or the lost manuscript. Mormon wrote, " But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren. And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will. (Words of Mormon 1:6-7)." This infers that Mormon included the small plates of Nephi, which Joseph ultimately translated to replace the lost manuscript, "for a wise purpose." It says nothing about Martin Harris losing the original 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript.
Response to claim: "Why do the unfulfilled prophecies in the Book of Mormon remain unfulfilled? Example: Jews becoming Christian en masse"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why are the prophecies in the Book of Mormon dealing with events that already occurred unrealistically specific? Jews becoming Christian en masse."
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader
Unfulfilled prophecies have yet to be fulfilled in the Lord's time. We do not get to determine the timeframe in which a prophecy ought to have been fulfilled.
Response to claim: "Why is the Book of Mormon quite specific about Christ but does not add anything that the New Testament does not address (for example, what Christ did from age 12 - 30)?"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why is the Book of Mormon quite specific about Christ but does not add anything that the New Testament does not address (for example, what Christ did from age 12 - 30)?"
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: This claim contains propaganda - The author, or the author's source, is providing information or ideas in a slanted way in order to instill a particular attitude or response in the reader
The Book of Mormon took place on a different continent that the one that Christ lived on: Why would prophets in the New World be expected to discuss anything regarding what Jesus Christ did from age 12 to 30? Not even the New Testament itself provides this information. This was irrelevant to Christ's mission, which was to provide salvation for us all.
Response to claim: "Why does the Book of Mormon prophesy that the Jews would be restored to the land of their inheritance if they believed in Christ (they are occupying it now w/o believing in Christ)?"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why does the Book of Mormon prophesy that the Jews would be restored to the land of their inheritance if they believed in Christ (they are occupying it now w/o believing in Christ)? (2 Nephi 10:7)"
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources
There is not indication that this prophesy has yet been fulfilled. There are still more Jews living outside of Israel than living in it.
Response to claim: "Why did Alma not know when Christ was coming (Alma 13:21-26) even though he possessed plates and Lehi and Nephi had written precisely when he would arrive?"
The author(s) of Difficult Questions for Mormons make(s) the following claim:
Response to claim: "Why did Alma not know when Christ was coming (Alma 13:21-26) even though he possessed plates and Lehi and Nephi had written precisely when he would arrive?"
FAIR's Response
Fact checking results: The author has stated erroneous information or misinterpreted their sources
Alma did not know precisely when Christ would arrive, nor did Lehi and Nephi. It is important to remember that most of the Book of Mormon is an abridgment by Mormon, who lived roughly 400 years after Christ had already come. Therefore, Mormon knew, as he was abridging the words of Alma, when Christ arrived. Mormon, however, was quoting Alma rather than imposing his own knowledge on the record.
Notes