PART 2

Unannotated Changes

Joseph Smith claimed that the Book of Mormon was the most correct book in the world, and that a man could get closer to God by reading it than any other book.64 The Mormon Church has had a policy of not annotating its changes in the Book of Mormon, thus its people are not generally aware that it has been changing the Book of Mormon. In fact, LDS leaders still use this quotation to impress its members with the book's accuracy.65

A look at the original 1830 edition will quickly disillusion anyone who believes this. As one critic put it, "the Book of Mormon, so far as examined, lets us down to the level of an ignorant, unlettered, unsophisticated youth."66

While the doctrinal and archaeological errors remain in their totality in present editions, literally hundreds of grammatical errors and misuses of the English language which appear in the original 1830 edition have been edited out.

Examples are: "as I was a journeying" (249; Alma 10:7; 8:10); "Lamanitish servants a going forth" (271; Alma 17:26; 12:38), "a preaching" (284; Alma 21:11; 13:15), "a begging" (309; Alma 30:56; 6:72), etc.67

This has resulted in the publication of another book by the Utah Lighthouse Mission which compares the original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon with the 1964 LDS edition, noting all the changes. It is appropriately named 3,913 Changes in the Book of Mormon. Now, however, the 1981 edition of the Book of Mormon has made it obsolete, for it has over two hundred additional changes.

An example of how the editing still does not go far enough may be found in Helaman 7:8, 9; 3:8-9. The 1830 edition reads, "Yea, if my days could have been in them days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren. But behold, I am consigned that these are my days . . . (p. 427)." The Mormon editors caught the first error and changed "them" to "these," but left "consigned," which should have been changed to "resigned."

When confronted by the fact that their own leaders have been editing the Book of Mormon, Mormons generally try to excuse them by saying that the changes are only superficial. Some of these changes go far beyond grammar. For example, the 1830 Book of Mormon tells of translating by King Benjamin which subsequent editions changed from King Benjamin to King Mosiah (200; Mosiah 21:28; 9:170). Why this change? Because closer examination of the text shows that King Benjamin had died by then and Mosiah was king.68

Mormons also defend editing by their church leaders on the grounds that they are led by the Holy Spirit in whatever corrections they may make.69 However, upon close examination of the changes, it becomes obvious that some of the editing is worse than the original text.

An example of this in the 1830 edition is found on page 87; (2 Ne. 12:8-9; 8:24-25). This is a passage of Isaiah and corresponds to Is. 2:8-9 in the Bible. The primary change in this verse is the addition of the word "not" in verse 9; 25. The 1830 edition added it once, causing confusion. Subsequent editing, apparently by Joseph Smith himself, added another "not" which compounded the confusion. The result is that this passage, which in Isaiah condemns idolatry, becomes, in the Book of Mormon, a command to commit idolatry:70

“Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not.”

Samples of other glaring errors which need to be edited are:71

Helaman 9:6; 3:73 “Now, immediately when the judge had been murdered'he being stabbed by his brother by a garb of secrecy, and he fled...”

Alma 43:38; 20:41 “While on the other hand, there was now and then a man fell among the Nephites, by their swords and the loss of blood, they being shielded from the more vital parts of the body, or the more vital parts of the body being shielded from the strokes of the Lamanites, by their breastplates...”

Mormon General Authority B. H. Roberts wrote wearily about his frustration with Book of Mormon errors:72

Many errors, verbal and grammatical, have already been eliminated in the later English editions, and there is no valid reason why every one of those that remain should not be eliminated...There is just no good reason why we should not have just as good a Book of Mormon in the English language as they now have in the French, the German, the Swedish and the Danish.. The present writer hopes that he will live to see those verbal and grammatical changes authorized.

Despite Joseph Smith's declaration that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book, the Book of Mormon actually apologizes for being poorly written, yet practically in the same sentence, brazenly condemns all who refuse to believe it:

“...when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words. And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn”. (Ether 12:25-26; 5:26-27)

Un-Biblical Doctrines

If the Book of Mormon is a fraudulent work as this paper contends, then doctrinal errors which are in conflict with the Bible should also be evident. This can be clearly demonstrated to the unbiased investigator. Un-Biblical doctrines selected to illustrate this are (1) the corruptibility of the Holy Scriptures, (2) the always-known gospel, (3) salvation by works and (4) the baptism of the Holy Spirit before the day of Pentecost.

Despite the insistence of the Book of Mormon that many parts have been taken away from the Bible (I Ne. 13:26-28; 3:167-171), the New Testament makes it very clear that this would never be permitted by God:

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”. (Mt. 5:18)

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (I Pet. 1:23-25)

In the light of these passages, the Book of Mormon teaching of the corruptibility of the Holy Scriptures is contrary to the Bible. This is significant for Mormons, for the Book of Mormon also teaches that what little remains of the Bible is true (I Ne. 13:40-41; 3:192-197).

The Book of Mormon teaches that the gospel has been known by holy men throughout the ages. The New Testament, however, teaches that knowledge of the complete plan of salvation through Christ was a mystery which was not revealed to anyone before it was made known to the apostles after Christ's resurrection:73

“by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;...which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles by the Spirit;” (Eph. 3:3-5)

“...the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest...” (Rom.16:25-26)

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:...which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col.1:26-27)

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” (Eph.3:8-10)

This last Bible passage shows that even the very angels of heaven did not understand the gospel until after it was revealed to the apostles after Christ's resurrection. Since angels were constantly revealing the gospel to the Nephites in the Book of Mormon, this demonstrates conclusively that the entire theological basis of the Book of Mormon is un-Biblical.

The Book of Mormon teaches that salvation is obtained by both faith and works. Mormons often quote James 2:26 '"faith without works is dead"to try to show that the Bible also teaches this and that Paul's teachings on salvation by faith alone is not properly understood by evangelical Christians.

St. Paul's most concise statement of the doctrine of salvation by grace alone reads "for by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). Bible scholars generally agree that the great Pauline doctrine of salvation by faith alone does not disagree with James, which teaches that true saving faith must be accompanied by good works. They are quick to explain, however, that God sees our faith the instant it first appears, while man sees our faith only by seeing our good works. The Bible thus teaches that while we are saved by faith alone, our salvation produces works which are seen by all.74

The author of the Book of Mormon could not grasp this, but felt compelled to correct the Pauline concept, even though it was supposedly centuries before it had been revealed to St. Paul. The Book of Mormon "correction" for this is found in 2 Ne. 25:23; 11:44: ". . . for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." This is a good example of the Book of Mormon's attempt to restore "plain and precious things" to the Bible which end up in distorting the true gospel of Jesus. This is precisely the type of distortion of the gospel that brings to bear the anathemas of the New Testament (Gal. 1:6-9).75

According to the Book of Mormon, people were baptized with the Holy Spirit during Old Testament times, long before the day of Pentecost. The Bible plainly teaches that this could not take place in a general way until after Jesus had been crucified and ascended into heaven:76

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (Jn. 7:37-39)

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you”. (Jn. 16:7)

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49)

The constant recurrence of New Testament-like infillings of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament portion of the Book of Mormon shows that the significance of the events on the day of Pentecost in the second chapter of Acts were not understood by the author of the Book of Mormon. This is still another example of the un-Biblical doctrines taught in the Book of Mormon.

Misinformation about the American Indians' Past

The application of scientific investigation methods to the question of the history and origin of the American Indian did not begin until the latter part of the 19th Century. This should be of special interest to the LDS Church, for logically this should prove that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. The LDS Church has not welcomed the new discoveries, however, for instead, they show that he was a false prophet rather than a true one.77

Even today, Mormon missionaries cite as evidence out-moded ideas which are nearly 200 years out of date.78 When pressed to present modern evidence, they immediately turn from objective evidence to the subjective method of simply "asking God" if the Book of Mormon is true. They are taught that this is a surer way of confirming spiritual truth than testing it by objective investigation. This is especially surprising in light of their emphasis on education and their dictum, "The Glory of God is Intelligence."

The results of scientific inquiry may be divided into four categories: (1) racial, (2) linguistic, (3) cultural, and (4) religious. Scientists have determined that the American Indian has the physical characteristics of the Asian Mongolians. They believe that between 25,000 and 30,000 years ago, there was a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska over which Asian tribes migrated following the animals which they hunted for food.79

Five different linguistic stocks form the basis for all the languages of the American Indians. Each of these stocks are as completely unrelated as English and Hebrew, for example.80 These form the base for 169 related languages that are still as unintelligible as, say, English and German. Then these major languages are broken down into numerous dialects which are can be used with a certain amount of mutual understanding between them. None of the language stocks are related to any existing Old World languages.81

As far back as 9,000 B.C., bone was the material used for cutting. Identical bone pins and awls have been found in Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky, showing that trade was widespread by 5000 B.C.82 As early as 4,000 B.C., the Indians in America learned that by heating chert, it became hardened enough to provide a sharp cutting edge. While gold, silver and copper were used to make ornaments, the use of other metals was nearly unknown before Columbus. The highest level of civilization achieved in the Americas was the "polished stone" age.83

The bow and arrow came into use only about A.D. 800. This was very easy for archaeologists to confirm, because spear heads are 2-4 inches long, while the arrowheads are one-to-two inches long.84 Before that, the principal hunting weapon was the lance thrown with an "atuatl" to give it added thrust.

In North America, the inhabitants were nomadic, living off the abundant wildlife. Evidence shows that about A.D. 800, agriculture began in earnest as the population increased. Interestingly enough, tribal wars did not begin to any real degree until then. Apparently the investment of work in the land gave the feeling of proprietorship, and aroused feelings of competition between the different tribes.85

While different civilizations did rise and fall in Pre-Columbian, only the Mayas in Yucatan developed a written language.86 Thousands of their inscriptions are found on ancient temples and buildings, most notably in the ancient cities of Copan and Palenque.87

Especially in Central America, the Indians showed themselves to be notable astronomers. The Mayas divided the year into eighteen months of twenty days each. Five days were added at the end of the year, and a sixth day each four years.88 In other areas, however, the Indians were notably behind some other parts of the world. The sail and the rudder, for example were unknown to them.89 Also, the dog was their only domestic animal.90

The unbroken record of Indian religions is of a paganism which included idol worship, cannibalism and human sacrifice. Its animism and belief in witchcraft is well documented. No evidence exists indicating that this religion was ever changed or interrupted.91

When comparing these findings with the Book of Mormon, the great gulf between them immediately becomes apparent. The Book of Mormon presents 3 migrations to the Americas, all from the Middle East.92 The first was shortly before the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel (Eth. 2:5; 1:26), and there were no other immigrations until 600 B.C. The second and third were shortly after 600.B.C. Both of these latter migrations were composed of Israelites. One of them, the Mulekites, found one lone survivor of the previous inhabitants. Other than that, all three migrations found the Americas empty of inhabitants (2 Ne. 1:9-11; 1:19-24).93

Scientific findings agree, however, that the Americas have been inhabited without any sign of annihilations for at least 25,000 years.94 Evidence that a white race inhabited Pre-Columbian America is nonexistent.95 Furthermore, the body structure of the Indians is different than that of the Jewish race.96

The fact that there are 5 language stocks would seem to indicateat least 5 migrations to the Americas after the Tower of Babel. An ancient date for these would be necessary to explain the hundreds of kindred languages that have been formed from them.97 The Book of Mormon does not record any other migrations to America that would account for them.

The Book of Mormon teaches that both the white and the dark races inhabiting the Americas spoke and wrote a mutually intelligible language based on Hebrew as late as A.D. 400, and also that the knowledge of Egyptian writing was current, though it had been reformed (Mor. 9:32; 4:98-99). This militates against archaeological findings which state that neither Hebrew nor Egyptian writings existed in ancient America.98 The only script that existed in ancient America, the Mayan script in Yucatan, bears absolutely no resemblance to the letters copied from the golden plates by Joseph Smith.99

The Book of Mormon states that the inhabitants of ancient America had iron and steel tools and weapons (2 Ne. 5:15; 4:21), linen and silk clothes (Alma 1:29; 1:44), and nearly every kind of domesticated animal which we have today (1 Ne. 18:25; 5:216; 2 Ne.17:21; 9:34; 3 Ne.7:8; 3:43). It even states that the ox was found in America in A.D. 600 in a wild state (I Ne. 18:25; 5:216-217). Not only is there no evidence of the former, but the affirmation of the latter should definitely make the whole matter suspect, for the ox is a product of human surgical intervention nearly 100% of the time.100 The animals mentioned as domesticated in the Book of Mormon were unknown in Pre-Columbian America, as were some of the grains it mentions, such as barley and wheat (Mosiah 7:22; 5:35; 9:9; 6:12).101 Also, the Book of Mormon week was of seven days following the Jewish pattern.102

Mormons understand the Aztec legends of Quetzelcoatl to be an echo of Christ's visit to the Americas after his resurrection. Scientists have determined, however, that Quetzelcoatl's visit was about A.D. 1,000.103 The very fact that he was remembered as a bearded white man would seem to indicate that the Indians were not white at that time.104 No evidence at all exists which would indicate the existence of a Christian civilization in the Americas previous to the arrival of Columbus.105

During the summer of 1985, the author visited the archaeological center in Kampsville, Illinois. One of the archaeologists was a part-Cherokee Indian named John White. He affirmed to the author that he had read the Book of Mormon and that the results of the diggings there in no way resembled ancient Indian life as described in it.

This coincides with what Ross T. Christensen, a Mormon anthropologist at Brigham Young University, has admitted: "The statement that the Book of Mormon has already been proved by archeology is misleading."106

Due to the recurring claims of some Mormon missionaries that scientists use the Book of Mormon in their archaeological investigations, the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, D.C., periodically puts out a letter clarifying its position. In one such letter dated "Summer 1979," they state clearly:

The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as a scientific guide. Smithsonian archaeologists see no direct connection between the archeology of the New World and the subject matter of the book.107

If a person is not convinced of the fraudulent nature of the Book of Mormon by the internal textual evidence, then the scientific refutations should suffice.

The Book of Mormon, when examined closely, turns out to be full of plagiarisms, unannotated changes, un-Biblical doctrines and misinformation about the American Indian's past. It cannot be the Word of God.

A Mormon anthropologist at BYU admitted: "The statement that the Book of Mormon has already been proved by archeology is misleading."

ENDNOTES

1.E. D. Howe, MORMONISM UNVAILED (1834; photomechanical reprint, Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, n.d.), 89.
2.M. T. Lamb, THE GOLDEN BIBLE OR "THE BOOK OF MORMON." IS IT FROM GOD? (1887; photomechanical reprint, Salt Lake: Utah Lighthouse Ministry) 1-4.
3 Bruce R. McConkie, MORMON DOCTRINE, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake : Bookcraft, 1979) 33.
4 McConkie, 33.
5 Howe, 145-146.
6 Doctrine and Covenants. LDS, 84:2-3. RLDS, 83:1.
7 Jerald and Sandra Tanner, MORMONISM: SHADOW OR REALITY? (Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1982), 72.
8 Lamb, 236-237.
9 William Shakespeare, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, (London: William Collins & Sons, 1899), 1145.
10 Shakespeare, 1134-1135.
11 Lamb, 227.
12 Howe, 288.
13 Jerald & Sandra Tanner, DID SPAULDING WRITE THE BOOK OF MORMON? (Salt Lake: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1977), 16.
14 Wayne L. Cowdery, Howard A. Davis and Donald R. Scales, WHO REALLY WROTE THE BOOK OF MORMON? (Santa Ana, CA: Vision House, 1977).
15 Tanner, SPAULDING, 17.
16 Vernal Holley, BOOK OF MORMON AUTHORSHIP: A CLOSER LOOK, (Ogden: Zenos, 1983).
17 Solomon Spaulding, THE "MANUSCRIPT FOUND" MANUSCRIPT STORY (1910; reprinted as Part 2 of DID SPAULDING WRITE THE BOOK OF MORMON?, Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1977).
18 Holley, 10.
19 Holley, 11.
20 Holley, 12.
21 Holley, 14.
22 Holley, 16.
23 Holley, 17.
24 Holley, 18.
25 Holley, 20-24.
26 Holley, 28-30.
27 Holley, 31-32.
28 Holley, 35.
29 Holley, 34.
30 Holley, 39-42.
31 Holley, 33.
32 Vernal Holley, "A Study of the Similarities Between the Works of Flavius Josephus and the Book of Mormon: 1981" Photocopy, 3800 S. 1900 W. 188, Roy, Utah 84067, 41.
33 Holley, "Josephus," 33.
34.Holley, AUTHOR..,41-42.
35 Wesley P. Walters, THE HUMAN ORIGINS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON (Safety Harbor, FL: Ex-Mormons for Jesus, 1979), 4.
36 Brigham H. Roberts, ROBERTS' MANUSCRIPT REVEAL. A PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION OF MORMON HISTORIAN B.H. ROBERTS' SECRET STUDIES ON THE BOOK OF MORMON.(Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1980), 123, 155.
37 Ethan Smith, VIEW OF THE HEBREWS, 2nd ed. (1825: Photomechanical Reprint., Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, n.d.).
38 Roberts, 156.
39 Roberts, 156-157.
40 Roberts, 159-161.
41 Walters, 12.
42 Roberts, 203-204.
43 Roberts, 207.
44 Roberts, 220.
45 Roberts, 229-230.
46 Roberts, 232.
47 Roberts, 237.
48 Roberts, 276.
49 Roberts, 275-276.
50 Roberts, 175.
51 Roberts, 177.
52 Sidney B. Sperry, BOOK OF MORMON COMPENDIUM (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968), 507.
53 Jerald and Sandra Tanner, 3,913 CHANGES IN THE BOOK OF MORMON, (Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, n.d.), Intro., 3.
54 H. Michael Marquardt, THE USE OF THE BIBLE IN THE BOOK OF MORMON, (1979: reprint, Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, n.d.), 96.
55 Marquardt, 96-97.
56 Marquardt, 97.
58 Marquardt, 100.
59 Marquardt, 102-104.
60 Marquardt, 105.
61 Marquardt, 106.
62 Marquardt, 111.
63 Marquardt, 107-108.
64 Joseph Smith, Jr., HISTORY OF THE CHURCH (Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1978), 4:461.
65 Tanner, 3.913 g, Intro., 1.
66 Lamb, 59.
67 LaMar Petersen, PROBLEMS IN THE MORMON TEXT (Concord, CA: Pacific Publishing, n.d.), 13.
68 Tanner, 3,913 CHANGES, Intro., 5.
69 ibid.
70 Ed Decker, SAINTS ALIVE IN JESUS NEWSLETTER. (Issaquah, WA: Ex-Mormons for Jesus, June 1985), n.p.
71 Lamb, 56.
72 Tanner, 3,913 CHANGES, Intro., 5.
73 Lamb, 149-151.
74 Matthew Henry, MATTHEW HENRY'S COMMENTARY (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1961) 21st Amer. printing, 1934.
75 James M. Tolle, IS THE BOOK OF MORMON FROM GOD? (San Fernando, CA: Tolle Pub., 1957) 27.
76 Howe, 29.
77 Walters, 4.
78 John W. Rich, compiler, THE BOOK OF MORMON ON TRIAL (Salt Lake City: Sounds of Zion, 1971), 169-245.
79. Wally Tope, ON THE FRONTLINES WITNESSING TO MORMONS (La Cañada Flintridge, CA: Wally Tope Frontlines Ministries, 1984), 65.
80 Roberts, 31-33.
81 Wesley, 4.
82 Stuart Struever and Felicia Antonelli Holton, KOSTER'AMERICANS IN SEARCH OF THEIR PREHISTORIC PAST, (Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1979), 192.
83 Struever, 189-192.
84 Struever, 185.
85 Struever, 163.
86 Lamb, 272.
87 Lamb, 260-269.
88 Lamb, 294.
89 Walters, 6.
90 Tope, 65.
91 Lamb, 285-288.
92 McConkie, 98.
93 Walters, 3.
94 Tope, 65.
95 Tope, 65.
96 Lamb, 294.
97 Roberts, 77-78.
98 Jerald and Sandra Tanner, ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BOOK OF MORMON, (Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1969), 2.
99 Lamb, 265.
100 Howe, 35.
101 Tope, 64-65.
102 Lamb, 294.
103 Walters, 22.
104 Lamb, 295.
105 Walters, 6-7.
106 Tanner, SHADOW, 98.
107 Tope, 65.

Dean Helland is a former member of the RLDS Church. This article was originally a research paper presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry at the School of Theology and Missions, Oral Roberts University, September 28, 1987.

All the views expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by the New Covenant Church of God. New Covenant Christians do not regard the Book of Mormon as an historical document and do not accept the religious claims of its author.

The maps in this article are adaptions of originals © 1983 and 1989 by Vernal Holley