Evidences of the Book of Mormon: Complexity

***Correction: The use of Harold Bloom’s description of Joseph Smith as a “religious genius” in this video may mislead viewers into thinking Bloom was referring directly to the Book of Mormon. Instead, Bloom’s praise was for Joseph Smith’s theological ideas from the Nauvoo period. Bloom actually found the Book of Mormon to be tedious and admitted that he hadn’t seriously read it. However, the essence of the video’s claim is still valid. Over the years, many critics of the Book of Mormon have acknowledged its merits. For instance, Dan Vogel and Brent Lee Metcalfe have described it as possessing “impressive literary, theological, psychological, and spiritual qualities,” and they remarked upon the “beauty and brilliance of [its] sermons, visions, and other imagery.” Also, it should be understood that the video isn’t claiming these or any specific individuals changed their minds concerning the merits of the Book of Mormon, but rather that critics generally have changed their perspective over the years.

Source: Dan Vogel and Brent Lee Metcalfe, eds., “Editors’ Introduction,” in American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 2002), ix.

For further information on the evolution of the critical reception of the Book of Mormon, see Daniel C. Peterson, “Editor’s Introduction: ‘In the Hope That Something Will Stick’: Changing Explanations for the Book of Mormon,” FARMS Review 16, no. 2 (2004): xi–xxxv; Book of Mormon Central, “Why is the Book of Mormon a Classic? (Ether 12:25),” KnoWhy 63 (March 26, 2016).***
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Some early critics of the Book of Mormon ridiculed its literary qualities. Over time, however, it’s become clear that the Book of Mormon is actually a remarkably complex and sophisticated text. This can be demonstrated on dozens of different levels, and when looked at together, its impressive literary features offer excellent evidence that Joseph Smith truly translated it by the gift and power of God.

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[adamv]

I was an atheist know-it-all college student and the Book of Mormon converted me to Jesus Christ brought this prideful boy on his knees in repentance and tasted and knew of the true God and I became born again, a new creature in Christ. I served a mission after that as I wanted to proclaim what I found out to everyone. All my friends turned their backs on me. My own mother threw my scriptures across the room slamming me in the head with them. But I knew it was true. The Spirit of God changed me forever. I'll never be the same and I'll deserve hell should I ever deny it, God as my witness.

[briancrismonpetersen]

The Book of Mormon, is famously said to be one of those books people have an opinion of even without having read it.

[The_K-Dude]

An 18 year old un-educated boy wouldn’t be able to “make up” the Book of Mormon. He was able to translate it solely because of God

[ChanelleDeVore]

I’ve been an inactive church member for almost 5 years because I’ve questioned so much about the church and I have been searching for evidence like this for a very long time! I want to believe so badly that The Church is true, and these videos have got me leaning more towards the possibility that it is! They make so much sense! Thank you so much for making these! Please continue making them because the world needs this kind of education more than ever! God Bless!💜

[PaultheCanadian]

37 years ago when I was 15 I read and prayed to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. I felt the Holy Ghost testify to me with great power that this record is true and that I should live this gospel. The Spirit I felt at that you age was the most amazing and wonderful event of my life. It is super cool to see this video and these evidences but I know from God that this record is true. I challenge all to read the Book of Mormon and let God testify to them of its truthfulness.

[kolbybrown]

I recently finished the Book of Mormon again this year. But this time I was studying it more thoroughly. I read and marked a lot of fascinating things that I never saw before.
I was nearing the end when I followed a footnote that led me to John 10:20-21
(Think of Joseph Smith in these verses.) "And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?"
The "EYES OF THE BLIND." Does the Book of Mormon open one's eyes? Yes! Plainly.
I was not expecting the Bible to tell me the Book of Mormon was true.
So now I'm in the middle of reading the New Testament and may I add, I'm surprised on how Mormon this book is!

[BehavingBradly]

There's so much covered in this short video. Very well done, The Book of Mormon is so rich and beautiful. It makes me really grateful for everything all these prophets have done and what God has done for us to have this scripture to stand beside the Bible exactly in the times when the world would need it as another witness

[DrTerminus]

"The intricate structure and detailed complexity of The Book of Mormon seem far better explained as the work of several ancient writers using various written sources over the space of centuries than exploding suddenly from the mind of a barely educated manual laborer on the American frontier." -- Daniel Peterson

[thoughtcriminal]

Mark Twain described the Book of Mormon as such: "The book seems to be merely a prosy detail of imaginary history, with the Old Testament for a model; followed by a tedious plagiarism of the New Testament."
I can see what he meant. Nephi is clearly a reboot of Joseph from the Old testament. Sam is Benjamin. The 10 murmuring older brothers are consolidated into 2. His father is a prophet. He receives visions in dreams. His older bros resent him for it.
Twain said a lot more about the book. Most of it wasn't positive.

We now know that Chiasmus occur completely by accident. You can find them in books like A Tale of Two Cities and Sense & Sensability. The Book of Mormon doesn't have the most or even the longest Chiasmus. You can find a 40-line one in The First Book of Napoleon.

"...exploding suddenly from the mind of [Smith]" Except we know for a fact that it didn't. According to the journal of Joseph's mother, Smith was telling his family stories about these ancient people for years before he ever began dictating anything. Also, we know that much of the book was plagiarized from existing books of the time.


The Book of Mormon also says that people with dark skin are cursed by god. 2nd Nephi 5:20-25, Jacob 3:8, and Enos 1:20. That's why the church didn't grant equal rights to black mormons until 1978 Care to comment on that?

[KevlarX]

It always gets me how these so called evangelicals are the most rude, vile, twisted commenters on all these type articles. They claim if you don't believe what they believe you are going to hell. Yet, hell seems to be exactly what I get from there comments about their religion. Jesus Christ never preached in the manner these people do. They say do not trust in the Holy Ghost, only the bible. Yet, they all have different interpretations of what the Bible says. The Latter-Day Saints say to read The Book of Mormon yourself and pray about it, and ask God if it's true. In contrast, these vile so called Christian commenters say, you don't need to pray, just believe us. If people like Robert Swenson and others like him are representative of what they think a Christian is, I don't want to be one.

[wendyfoster]

I agree with everything here but I would like to add that it has the power to change peoples lives for the better. On my mission I saw people that gave up drugs, drinking, immorality, and turn from their former life to turn towards Christ and that is truly amazing.

[allzeenamesaretaken]

You show an image of Joseph Smith dictating the book from the seer stone in his hat. Why did God and his prophets go through all the effort of creating and protecting the plates if Joseph didn’t even need them?

[canadianmikepotter]

You guys are awesome!! Thank you for taking the time out of your life to defend such miraculous work. I wish I was as articulate as you guys when defending this gospel. Great job!!!

[rickraybourn]

Words of the Apostle Paul are nearly or exactly quoted supposedly
long before St. Paul’s birth in the Old Testament portion of the Book of
Mormon: “steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works” (Mosiah
5:15; 3:21/I Cor. 15:58); “mortal shall put on immortality” (Enos 27;46;
I Cor.15:53); “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Enos 1; l/Eph.
6:4).55

[helorumtheknightsofmambrin]

Is Kwaku El, like Jor-El and Kal-El, from Krypton?

[momf]

This is very well done. I really like the fact that critics were also addressed, as this is just what is needed in this day and age. Those critical of the Boof of Mormon really need to analyze why. More often it is their own rejection of Mormonism rather than the Book of Mormon itself. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, just as Joseph Smith claimed it was.

[zICkstep]

It'd be great to have spanish subtitles (and other languages) to share this with my family in South America. Keep doing stuff like this please! 🔥🔥🔥

[Elmorr]

Even in New Testament times, people didn’t believe the divinity of Jesus as the Messiah. Some people thought the things he said were very strange (or complete blasphemy). In John 6 He said that He was the bread from heaven, “the bread that I give is my flesh… whoso eateth of my flesh and drinketh of my blood hath eternal life” and many stopped following him afterward. He even asked them “doth this offend you?” Reasoning only in your mind and not with your heart and spirit will not allow truth to enter. It takes an open mind and heart.

[NeilYoungHorne]

Great job on the video! I still think it's crazy people refuse to read the book for themselves and instead resort to trying to find faults with it or those that were involved in the translation. Love this book, love the whole Bible, and love the continuing revelation that Christ bestows upon all of his followers who are of an open heart and a willing mind.

[bkgoulding]

Oops, I forgot to mention how much I LOVED this video. Thank you so much for making it. It is amazing, the best yet, and I look forward to more.