What are the differences in the book of mormons and the holy bible.
2007-05-01 17:11:48 · 27 answers · asked by elevenrecords 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (a.k.a. "The Mormons"), the Book of Mormon was written c. 400 AD by, among others, a prophet named Mormon and finished by his son, an angel named Moroni. Supposedly, it was originally recorded in reformed Egyptian on several gold plates which were discovered in the back woods of New York state by Joseph Smith, a young farm boy at the time.
It was the angel Nephi who was said to have appeared to Smith up to the printing of the 1851 Pearl of Great Price. It is now accepted as the Angel Moroni who appeared to Smith in 1823 and told him that he would be able to find these golden plates at a hill near his home four years later, in 1827. Smith spent the next three years translating the plates into what is now known as the Book of Mormon, published in 1830. Interestingly, Mormon literature records a story of Joseph Smith running through the woods while carrying these golden tablets to avoid being discovered by those he'd heard in the distance. This seems rather impossible in light of the fact that the total weight of the gold has been calculated to be 276 pounds. It is alleged that Smith ran about 5 miles while carrying the golden tablets.
The claims of the Book of Mormon depend on verifiable truth and the veracity of its sources.
The people described in the text, the Nephites and the Lamanites, have no other historical documents or texts from their era (c.600 BC) making mention of them - these people groups are literally unheard-of in history outside the writings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
According to official church position, all one would need to do in order to verify its truthfulness is to read the book, pray about it, and ask God if it is true and indeed from His hand. This is obviously an exercise in subjectivism and has serious implications if the same practice were applied to such historical documents as "Mein Kampf," "The Kama Sutra," or "Alice in Wonderland," for that matter.
Who was Joseph Smith?
Joseph Smith was born on December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont to Joseph Smith, Sr., a struggling farmer and sometime treasure hunter who descended from an early American family of more than average means and influence. Lucy Mark Smith, Joseph's mother, was a highly mystical woman who was given to unimaginable tales of exaggeration. Lucy's father claimed experiences of divine visions from God.
At the age of 14, Joseph Smith, Jr. claimed he was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ. In 1823, according to his account, he was visited by an angel who told him of thin golden plates containing an ancient record of God's dealings with the early American inhabitants. During this same time, Smith was enamored of the "seer stones" used in occult practices and gained some small reputation as a clairvoyant able to locate lost objects.
In 1827, Joseph Smith began translating the golden plates using what he claimed as the "gift of God." Three years later, the Book of Mormon was published. In that same year (1830), Smith organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and became its first president. He continued to claim receipt of various prophecies and revelations, earning him the title "The Prophet" until his death in 1844 when he was arrested for treason and murdered by a mob.
Joseph Smith's writings are the foundation of Mormonism (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The influences from the occult, Shakers, Quakers, Seekers, teachings of William Miller which formed the basis of the Seventh Day Adventist church, as well as Jewish cabalistic traditions and the Masonic order can all be found throughout Smith's writings. Most of these came out of the nineteenth century religious environment of western New York during his lifetime.
In 1833, ten years before Joseph Smith's death and three years after the publication of the Book of Mormon, the Smith family men were described in an affidavit signed by several prominent citizens of Manchester, New York, as "lazy, indolent, intemperate, destitute of moral character and addicted to vicious habits."
What Do Mormons Believe: Divine Authority
The Mormon church uses two sources as its primary authorities: the Book of Mormon and the Bible. The Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price are also viewed as divinely authoritative. The Christian church uses the Holy Bible alone as its authority from God. Joseph Smith is not recognized as a prophet.
What Do Mormons Believe: The Nature of God
The Mormon church sees God as the Supreme Being of the universe. However, He gradually acquired that position over a long period of time by living a perfect and righteous life. God the Father has a body (flesh and bones). The Christian church proclaims God as eternally and infinitely supreme. He is the same today as always. He is a spirit Being.
What Do Mormons Believe: The Nature of Man
The Mormon church teaches that humans exist as spirit beings before their birth. At physical birth, bodies are given to these spirits. They are also given an opportunity for free-will choice. The physical world represents a period of probation. The status of a person in the afterlife is determined by the way that person lived their life on Earth. If the person lived by a satisfactory standard, (including the fulfillment of Mormon temple obligations) that person has the potential to become a god in the after-life. They can also produce "spirit children" to populate a world of his own (like God did with the earth). The Christian church holds that humans do not exist as spirits prior to being born into the world. Humans cannot attain godhood or populate other worlds with "spirit children."
What Do Mormons Believe: The Nature of Jesus Christ
The Mormon church views Jesus and Satan as spirit brothers and sons of God. God put forth His plan of salvation for the world, and Satan proposed his own plan. Jesus accepted the Father's plan and offered to implement it as the Savior. The Father chose Jesus, and the spirit of Jesus was given a body through the virgin Mary. He was crucified on a Roman cross, and rose from the dead three days later to establish His deity. The character and life of Jesus is attainable by anyone who performs at such a righteous level. The Christian church teaches that Jesus Christ has existed eternally as the Son of God, the second "person" of the Trinity. Jesus took on human flesh about 2000 years ago and was born into the world through the virgin Mary. He was crucified on a Roman cross for our sins, and rose from the dead three days later to establish His deity.
What Do Mormons Believe: How do we Achieve Salvation
The Mormon church holds that Jesus Christ overcame physical death and guaranteed physical resurrection to all mankind. However, spiritual death can only be avoided through personal obedience of God's commandments. Forgiveness of sins requires faith, repentance and baptism by an approved Mormon priest. The practice of baptism for the dead is an extension of this belief, in which Mormons are baptized in proxy for those who have died without proper baptism. The Christian church teaches that we are unable to live a life righteous enough to meet God's perfectly holy standard. Therefore, we establish a relationship with God by faith in the work of Christ on the cross, not by our own works. Baptism and good deeds are acts of obedience to God, but not the means for gaining eternal salvation.
What Do Mormons Believe: Life After Death
The Mormon church maintains that although there is temporary punishment for those that are most wicked, Jesus Christ will establish a new kingdom that will consist of three levels: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom. The Christian church holds that there are only two possible fates after death, heaven or hell. These locations are final, both physically and spiritually.
2007-05-01 17:17:00 · answer #1 · answered by Martin S 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I'll tell you what is similar. The first prophet in the Book of Mormon was "commanded" by god to come to the americas. Before he left though, he was commanded to get some scriptures from some guy in Jerusalem. These "scriptures" can also be found in the Bible. What is funny is that the Book of Mormon was supposedly written about 600 years AD. The scripture in the book of mormon that is in the Bible is from the King James version which was written WAY after the Book of Mormon (supposedly) was.
2007-05-01 17:29:19 · answer #2 · answered by Her 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Old testament New Testament Another Testament The Book of Mormon settles every question Christianity is divided on - for example: The role of baptism. Who does it. How. What is to be said. Who is to be baptized. When are they supposed to be baptized. The relationship of Jesus to God and the Holy Ghost in the Godhead The relationship between faith, works, mercy, grace, justice, repentance Covenants regarding the house of israel in the last days How the sacrament/eucharist/communion is to be administered - how, by who, when, what is to be said - things that have been lost for centuries with the death of the apostles - and that are hinted in the bible, but aren't answered therein. Its translation of the book of Isaiah differs from the bible, but is the same as the Dead Sea Scrolls translations of the same. It makes known the covenants of God regarding Christianity on the American Continent, or the covenants regarding the land its self, as well as contains prophesies regarding the American Revolution, the discovery of the Americas, the Savior's birth, and the building up of the Lord's Kingdom in the last days, and various warnings regarding the corruptions of governments before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ - it is an amazing book! This and many more things are what are in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. This is why the book is so valuable to Christianity.
2016-05-18 07:50:52 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The greatest difference between the two are that the bible is give to us by mighty men and woman of God. In the new testiment those people walked with Jesus the Christ. First hand accounts and the words of the apostles.
The book of mormon came from some falled flunkies that fall away from the main methodist and luthern ministries in the late 1860. And created a new faith which is not of God period. The mormons are a look alike cult they look like christians but are indeed not. Which is indeed sad. And i hope all there people will seek Jesus and get real with the issues of the mormon church.
2007-05-01 17:30:04 · answer #4 · answered by the light exposes the darkenss 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
the book of Mormons are far more detailed than the holy bible but remember it was written AFTER THE FACT! The bible tells of the things that are to happen through the centuries and book of Mormons tells of these things from today looking back into the past. Make any sense?
2007-05-01 17:27:09 · answer #5 · answered by S.O.S. 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I had some guys come up to me the other day and try to tell me about that book of mormons......they could NOT give me any scripture from the Bible that said there was such a book from God....because there is not......only from man.
They explained the book to me as Jesus coming back to earth on the American continent after God called him up. They said he had some prophet write that book and they could not give any kind of scriptural answers from the Bible to support this book.
They told me this is an "ADD ON" to the Bible.
NO IT IS NOT!!!!!!
And the next time anyone sees Jesus is when we are all taken up and judged!!!
P.S. At the end of the Bible it says do not add or take away anything from the Bible. Duh, if that morman book were true it would be "adding to" the Bible. That should be common sense right there.
2007-05-01 17:20:10 · answer #6 · answered by sweetheart 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It's the Book of Mormon, not the book of mormons. Mormon was an ancient prophet living in the americas about 400 years after the birth of Christ. The Book of Mormon is his abridgement of the records of his ancestors. It is inspired by God, just like the Bible. It is another testament of JEsus Christ.
2007-05-01 19:12:37 · answer #7 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
12,868,606 people (as of December 31, 2006) believe that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, a companion to, but not an addition to nor a replacement of the Holy Bible, which is also recognized as the Word of God by ALL Mormons/Latter-day Saints.
I would suggest reading the Book of Mormon alongside the Bible to find differences, or you could try going to http://www.mormon.org, or speaking to a Mormon about what they believe, then go to a Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, or another Protestant religion and talk to them about their complaints with Mormonism. If you want the best answers, though, talk to ministers in Utah who have to deal with Mormons and Mormon-related questions daily. These ministers will have less anti-Mormon bias and more evidence to back up their answers. Any LDS Bishop, member of the bishopric, or, quite frankly, member of the LDS Church would be happy to talk to you about the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Please don't just listen to the large amounts of anti-Mormon junk out there - try to get both sides of the story before making any judgment.
Essentially, members of the LDS Church claim that the Bible predicts, confirms, and is a companion to the Book of Mormon (I don't remember the scriptural references off-hand), and that the Book of Mormon clarifies, confirms, and is a companion to the Bible. Non-Mormons claim that the Bible has absolutely nothing to do with the Book of Mormon, and that the Book of Mormon is a piece of crap. The differences depend on who you talk to, so once again I say talk to both sides.
My personal opinion: No contradictions, no doctrinal differences, the Church is true, the Book of Mormon is the Word of God alongside and with the Bible. Any guesses as to my religion?
2007-05-01 17:29:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The book of mormon was based on these golden tablets that Joseph Smith found in the ground in the 1800's. It is not really a bible, more an explanation of how the religion began, so to speak. It discusses Mormon values and whatnot. That is what I remember, anyway.
2007-05-01 17:16:37 · answer #9 · answered by HachiMachi 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The Bible is the inspired word of God. The book of Mormon is a made up version twisting the original bible to fit the Mormons beliefs. It also talks about the churches beginnings...I'd rather read a comic book...closer to reality.
2007-05-01 17:17:39 · answer #10 · answered by † H20andspirit 5 · 4⤊ 3⤋
The book of mormon is supposedly the next few books of the bible. I personally think there is a huge difference. The book of mormon isn't the truth, the Bible is.
To answer your question in a purely educational way, the book of mormon is like a sequel, the differences don't matter with a continuation.
2007-05-01 17:18:07 · answer #11 · answered by Klaatu verata nichto 3 · 3⤊ 4⤋