Criticism of Mormonism/Video/Search for the Truth DVD/Witnessing to Mormons

Witnessing to Mormons

Claim: "Joseph Smith was a liar, again and again he lied. Joseph Smith said that there were cities all over America that held many, many people in South and Central America. Not one city has ever been found. Not one crumb, not one remain, and yet in the Bible multitudes of cities have been found just as the Bible said." - Floyd McElveen McElveen appears to know very little amount pre-Columbian history. There were cities all over South and Central America filled with people. In fact, Joseph Smith's conception of what pre-Columbian America was like was unusual for his era. When he discovered an 1842 book describing Central American ruins, he was surprised and pleased to have someone from the secular world confirm the Book of Mormon's portrait of pre-Columbian life. When the Book of Mormon was published, Amerindians were perceived as being generally without "high culture," writing, cities, and other trappings of "advanced civilization." McElveen's complaint about the status of Book of Mormon vs. Bible archaeology is simply a rehash of DVD material presented earlier. (See here for responses.) LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has presented numerous "direct hits" for the Book of Mormon that were unknown when the Book of Mormon was published. However, McElveen and associates have either misrepresented or "lied" "again and again" over the course of the video. To read more: John E. Clark, "'Archaeology, Relics, and Book of Mormon Belief'," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/2 (2005). [38–49] link Book of Mormon and Biblical archaeology Daniel C. Peterson, "Mounting Evidence for the Book of Mormon," Ensign 30/1 (January 2000): 18.off-site Claim: "Joseph Smith was a complete deceiver. He deceived people into believing that he had a revelation from God when he did not. The Book of Abraham has been proven false and Joseph Smith along with it. The DNA evidence showed he was false about what he said that the Lamanites and then the Indians descended from Israel—from the Jews. It was proven that they did not. He lied about that. He was a liar from the very beginning." - Floyd McElveen The DVD participants apparently believe that they can merely make claims, and have them be accepted. All of these issues have already been addressed, and remain false. To read more: Prophecy and revelation First Vision Book of Abraham DNA Question #3 To read more: Links

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