Hi, my name is Danny and I was a Latter-day Saint for 60 years. In this video, I am continuing to examine the contradictions between the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith Jr. claimed the Book of Mormon to be the “most correct book on earth.” If that is so, then you would expect it to align with the teachings and practices of the Old and New Testaments. That is what we are about to find out. The Book of Mormon begins in Jerusalem about 600 BC. with a prophet named Lehi, who was commanded by God to take his family on a journey into the wilderness and across the ocean to a promised land God had preserved for them. Their destination was in the Western Hemisphere of the future Americas. Once Lehi’s family arrived and was established there, they observed the Law of Moses as it reads in 2 Nephi 5:10 dated about 580 BC. “And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses.” It also states in Alma 30:3 dated 75 BC. “Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of God, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled.” Okay, nothing wrong with that if the story is true. But here is the problem… As you read the Book of Mormon, you see that it repeatedly claims the Nephites and Lamanites descended from Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. 1 Nephi 5:14-16 “And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine. And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them. And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records.” A major difficulty for the claim in the Book of Mormon that the people were “keeping the law of Moses” was that NONE of the Nephites or Lamanites were descendants from the tribe of Levi. It says in Alma 10:3 they were all from the “tribe of Manasseh, one of Joseph’s sons.” And why is that such a big problem? It’s problematic, because in the Old Testament it was strictly required under the Law of Moses that only priests from the tribe of Levi were qualified to serve in the ordinances of the tabernacle first and later in the temple. In the Old Testament the Levitical priesthood was under the control of the descendants of Aaron, Mose’s brother – both of whom were of the tribe of Levi. Even the New Testament book of Hebrews, affirms that the priesthood under the Mosaic covenant was strictly “the order of Aaron,” the exclusive authority of the Levites. It even makes the point in Hebrews 7:5-13, that no one from the tribe of Judah (the tribe from which Jesus descended) “has ever served at the altar.” Thus, without someone from the tribe of Levi, the Nephites and Lamanites living in the Americas, who were supposedly of Hebrew descent - would not be able to have the Levitical priesthood necessary to perform the ordinances of the Mosaic Law. This contradiction is simply ignored in the Book of Mormon. I personally believe that Joseph Smith did not fully comprehend how the Mosaic Law functioned, when he wrote the Book of Mormon. His obvious lack of knowledge and understanding weakens the validity and legitimacy of his book. Its only reference to the tribe of Levi is in a quotation of Malachi 3:3 recorded in 3 Nephi 24:3, having nothing to do with the Nephite’s priesthood. The Book of Mormon does contain the term’s “priests” and “priesthood.” But without Levites to perform as “priests” in a “priesthood,” the Book of Mormon has a dilemma. Consider this defense offered by the late Joseph Fielding McConkie, a well-known LDS author and Religion professor at BYU titled “Priesthood among the Nephites,” in Book of Mormon Reference Companion, pg. 656. “From Lehi to the coming of Christ, the Nephite people had the Melchizedek Priesthood. During this period, they did not hold the Aaronic priesthood, inasmuch, as they were not descendants of Aaron and there were no Levites among them. Nonetheless, the Nephites observed the law of Moses with all its rites, rituals, and ordinances, looking “forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law should be fulfilled (2 Nephi 25:24-25; 5:10). This was done by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which embraces the right to do all that the Aaronic Priesthood can do (D&C 107:4-10). So, while McConkie’s statement admits the Nephites did not hold the Levitical priesthood, he claims that instead the Nephites had the Melchizedek priesthood. But we find no direct reference of the “Melchizedek priesthood” in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon in Alma 13:14-18 does address a “high priesthood” or “holy order of God” that was “the order of his Son” with specific language clearly drawn from the New Testament in the book of Hebrews 7:1-5. This “holy order” is mentioned without explanation only once in 2 Nephi 6:2, prior to the book of Alma about 82 BC. I realize this can get a little confusing - but I’m trying to demonstrate that an alibi or a work-around is only necessary for the LDS Church to make any sense of the Book of Mormon. As it stands, then, the Book of Mormon’s claim - that the Nephites strictly adhered to the Law of Moses prior to the coming of Christ is contradicted by the Old Testament’s teaching that - the priesthood under the covenant made through Moses was the sole authority of the Levites. Again, 2 Nephi 5:10 states “And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses.” This is claiming that the Nephites for about three-quarters of the Book of Mormon - over a period of nearly six centuries prior to the birth of Christ – rigorously followed the Mosaic Law. If that is true, it simply doesn’t show it in the Book of Mormon. For example - although the Book of Mormon has many references to Nephite temples, it never refers to any of the distinctive elements of the Israelite tabernacle or temple in Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon never mentions temple items or specific rooms that are found in the biblical temple, such as: lamp; laver or basin; mercy seat; cherubim; Holy Place; Most Holy Place; incense; ark of the covenant also called the ark of the Lord or ark of the testimony, to name just a few. Nor does the Book of Mormon ever use the term “feast” or “feasts” in reference to religious observances or - refer to various specific feasts of the Mosaic covenant, such as: Day of Atonement; First fruits; Harvest; Pentecost; Booths or Tabernacles; Unleavened Bread; or Passover. Even though the Book of Mormon contains numerous references to “priests,” it does not report those priests performing the services characteristic of the Levite priests in the Old Testament. Instead, the Book of Mormon mentions the priests functioning primarily as teachers. The Book of Mormon lacks any mention of the Nephites observing other requirements of the Law of Moses. For example, it never mentions them performing circumcision. Yet at the very end of the Book of Mormon there is a statement in Moroni 8:8 announcing the end of the law requiring “circumcision.” By contrast, “circumcision” is mentioned prominently in the first five books of the Old Testament - which contains the Law of Moses. And is mentioned many times throughout the rest of the Hebrew Bible. The Book of Mormon also lacks any reference to Nephites observing the Law of Moses concerning what is physically clean or unclean - although the term “unclean” is used in a moral or spiritual sense several times. It also contains no references to Nephites paying “tithes,” which in the Law of Moses was of crucial importance in supporting the sacrificial system. The Book of Mormon only mentions tithing in reference to Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedek in Alma 13:15 and in a quotation from Malachi 3:8, 10 in 3 Nephi 24:8, 10. The “Sabbath” is mentioned in the Book of Mormon only once in Jarom 1:5. By contrast, in the Old Testament following the books of Moses, there are numerous references to the Sabbath. I believe this evidence shows a clear lack of interest in or emphasis on the Nephite’s practice of the Law of Moses in the nearly six hundred years before the coming of Christ. Upon Jesus’ appearance to the Nephites, He instructed them in 3 Nephi 9:19 “And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.” However, there are only three mentions of sacrifices and burnt offerings (I Nephi 5:9; 1 Nephi 7:22; Mosiah 2:3). It is obvious the author of the Book of Mormon did not know what the Israelites practiced, or even what the different types of sacrifice were. Also, there are virtually no Jewish customs appearing in the Book of Mormon. In the Old Testament, we find the following offerings: trespass offerings, meat offerings, drink offerings, wave offerings, and peace offerings. These offerings are mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible. The Book of Mormon, on the other hand, does not have a single verse where any of these important offerings are mentioned. The author of the Book of Mormon seems to have been oblivious to the importance of sacrifices and offerings under the Law of Moses in ancient Israel. So, in covering an entire 600 year-period under the Old Covenant - all the writer of the Book of Mormon came up with were five passages (1 Nephi 5:9; 1 Nephi 2:7; 1 Nephi 7:22; Mosiah 2:3; 3 Nephi 9:19). By contrast, in just the books of the Old Testament that follow the Pentateuch, we find hundreds of references to the Israelites giving sacrifices and offerings. Now, please listen because this is significant! We, read in Mosiah 2:3 “And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses.” Instead of helping the case for authenticity of the Book of Mormon, this verse shows that the author of the Book of Mormon did not understand the law of Moses - at all. According to the law of Moses the “firstlings of their flocks” were never offered as burnt offerings or sacrifices. All “firstlings” belonged to the Lord and did not count as a man’s personal property. Whereas, all burnt offerings, or sacrifices for sin were selected from one’s own personal property. You see - all the firstlings of the flock being the Lord’s property, came into the hands of the high priest for his personal use. And through the high priest it could be offered up as a peace offering – but never as a burnt offering or sin offering. (see Exodus 13:2, 12 and Exodus 22:29-30). This crucial mistake in the writing of the Book of Mormon, shows that the author was unfamiliar with the Jewish law concerning offerings, and proves the Book of Mormon invalid. The Nephites were still living under the Law of Moses – while at the same time, teaching and believing in Jesus Christ. If you were an avid reader of the Book of Mormon - and for the very first time in your life you read the Old Testament – it would cause you to wonder, why no one under the Old Covenant in the Hebrew Bible, knew who Jesus Christ was! Why did the Nephites in the New World know all about Jesus – when the Jews in the Old World knew nothing about who Jesus Christ was? The only logical conclusion is – that the author of the Book of Mormon was living in the 19th century and was reinventing history, which anachronistically included many Christian aspects well before the time of Christ. I think Smith was attempting to outdo the Bible. It states in 2 Nephi 25:24-25 “And, notwithstanding, we believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.” We can see the contradiction here within these two verses. The Nephites believe in and describe themselves as “alive in Christ” and yet they keep the Law of Moses – a law which has become “dead” to them. This is a very strange way to believe and behave, which is not consistent with the Jews in the Old Testament. We find in reading the Bible, when God commanded His people to build a temple - there was meant to be only ONE temple. Do you know why there was only one? Because it represented the only One True Living God. And that one and only temple HAD to reside in Jerusalem – nowhere else! If that’s the case - why then, are there additional temples mentioned in the Book of Mormon? The Ark of the Covenant with the 10 Commandments was kept in Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem, and animal sacrifice was the predominant mode of divine service in that temple. Solomon tells us in 2 Chronicles 2:6 “But who is able, to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him.” Everything that transpired in Solomon’s temple was public knowledge. Every ritual, and ordinance is written and explained in great, detail in the Book of Leviticus. Nothing was kept secret. For the Jews in Israel – everything revolved around temple worship. But, not for the Nephites! In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites built 3 temples – One in the Land of Nephi (2 Nephi 5), a second in the Land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 1:18), and a third in the Land of Bountiful (3 Nephi 11:1). Of course, there was no Ark of the covenant in these temples. Nor were there animal sacrifices being performed in these Nephite temples. It seems these buildings were used solely for open assembly or a gathering place to hear from their leaders. Neither was there mention of the temple being used for ordinances - like in today’s LDS temples - such as endowments, marriage sealings, second anointings, or ordinances for the dead. Of course, none of those ordinances were found in the Jerusalem temple, either. That later became a modern invention by Joseph Smith. Since there were no Levite priests among the Nephites - none of the Jewish rituals, ceremonies, nor ordinances of the Nephite temple as described in Leviticus could be performed. So, what was the purpose for building temples in the lands of the Book of Mormon in the first place? The author of the Book of Mormon – namely Joseph Smith - didn’t know how to make that connection. I’m convinced those temples did not really exist. There have been no archaeological findings of buildings dating back to the pre-Columbian era matching that kind of grand construction. There was no Levitical priesthood among the fictional Nephites to perform Jewish ordinances in those temples, anyway. No mention of the Melchizedek priesthood - by name at least. We know Christ, Himself, said He came to fulfill the law and the prophets. And to formally introduce the gospel of love and grace as a replacement. However, Mormonism’s “restored gospel” brought back certain mosaic laws with its commandments, ordinances and practices. To name a few of these from the Law of Moses - existing in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, today are: Tithing – Replaced by generous giving with a joyful heart without compulsion 2 Corinthians 7:9. Sabbath Day observance – Jesus taught in Matthew 12:8 He was Lord of the Sabbath. We seek rest daily in Him. Dietary restrictions – Matthew 15:11 Jesus taught that it’s not what goes into the mouth or body that defiles us. Priesthood – Hebrews 7:12 teaches Levitical priesthood done away and replaced with the priesthood of Christ. Genealogies – 1 Timothy 1:4 and Titus 3:9 warns against endless genealogies. Temple worship – No more material temple buildings. Each believer is a spiritual temple of the Lord 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. I’m going to conclude this critique of the Book of Mormon with a quote – this time from a recently deceased apostle of the LDS Church – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who doubled down on the fact that, “…everything in the Church – everything – rises or falls on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and, by implication, the Prophet Joseph Smith’s account of how it came forth… It sounds like a ‘sudden death’ proposition to me. Either the Book of Mormon is what the Prophet Joseph said it is or this Church and its founder are false, fraudulent, a deception from the first instance onward.” Well, I couldn’t agree more with Jeff. I’m convinced the weight of evidence is not in favor of either Joseph Smith or the LDS Church. Something to seriously consider. Thanks for your time. Find more videos like this on YouTube or at talkingtomormons.com God Bless!
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