What is the Best External Evidence for the Book of Mormon?

Рет қаралды 4,374

7 ай бұрын

Aside from the text of the Book of Mormon itself, and a personal witness from God’s Spirit, what is the best evidence for the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon? Different people might answer this question in different ways, but in today’s episode of Church History Matters, Casey and I propose that the very best external evidence for the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is the collective testimony of the three and eight witnesses. Their experiences appear to have been premeditated, anticipated, and orchestrated by God in order to help the rest of us have reason to pause and take seriously both Joseph Smith’s testimony and, most importantly, the primary evidence of the text of the Book of Mormon itself. In every copy of the Book of Mormon every published, the written witnesses of these three and eight men have been printed for all to consider. Now, it’s true that several of these eleven men either left the church because of difficulties with Joseph Smith or were excommunicated from it. Yet none of them ever denied the reality of their experience as a Book of Mormon witness. Today we discuss why this matters.
This is the fifth episode of our 6-part podcast series on the translation of the Book of Mormon. For a full transcript of this episode, as well as show notes and additional resources, visit our website at doctrineandcovenantscentral.o...
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Originally published May 9, 2023
DISCLAIMER: While we try very hard to be historically and doctrinally accurate in what we say on this podcast, please remember that all views expressed in this and every episode are our views alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Scripture Central or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Пікірлер: 16

@ensignj3242 6 ай бұрын

I read the book about the witnesses. It was incredible and faith promoting. But my testimony of The Book of Mormon comes from the Holy Ghost, therefore, I do not doubt it’s truth or the prophet Joseph Smith.

@bradfordwhitney3661 6 ай бұрын

I don't think heavenly father left the plates as there's a sealed portion that maybe the saints and the world at large are not ready to receive.

@jwf8781 3 ай бұрын

Excellent job explaining the power of the 13 Witnesses

@MsEva9470 6 ай бұрын

Thank you this is wonderful information l believe with all heart 😮😊

@AnaliliB 6 ай бұрын

Awesome! Thanks! ❤

@PBott-mvmuse 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this fascinating conversation about the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. I'm curious about the story of Martin Harris with the boys in Clarkston. I have family ties there and wonder if the names of those boys are known since it's a story I'd never heard.

@davidbenkert1062 6 ай бұрын

The Mentinah Archive - not published by the Church - is also a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and it corroborates the people, the story, and the doctrine of Christ found in the Book of Mormon. In the end, though, it is the witness of the Holy Ghost to our spirit that confirms its truth to us.

@f50koenigg 6 ай бұрын

Man I would really like to joind LDS but them not drinking coffee and tea is holding me back, is that really a requirement for salvation?

@Aaronjames2023 5 ай бұрын

It’s more of a health guideline than a commandment, but it’s not required for salvation don’t worry haha!

@EthPilot 6 ай бұрын

Love David Whitmer stuff!

@forzion1894 5 ай бұрын

The two witnesses who also served as scribes, John Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery, both stated that the means of translation was the Jaredite/Nephite interpreters which came with the plates and were provided by God to carry out the translation (JS-H 1:35). This translation came from the plates and these ancient interpreters, not a scrying stone in a hat. If you are going to use the Witnesses as proof of the Book of Mormon, may I suggest that you use artwork and narrative which conforms to rather than contradicts their testimonies?