The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 7 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 7 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything written in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints brigham young.
___________________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it.
The Book of Mormon mentions the use of silk six times.[65] “Silk” is commonly understood to mean the material that is created from the cocoon of the Asian moth Bombyx mori. It is a foregone conclusion that this material was unknown to the Americas before their discovery.
“So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.”. [2 Kings 19. 36,37]
The same event was recorded for the library at Nineveh and the clay tablet of the record is now in the British Museum.
‘On the twentieth day of the month Tebet Sennacherib king of Assyria his son slew him in rebellion… Esarhaddon his son sat on the throne of Assyria.’
This is one of the many independent confirmations of details in the Biblical records.
OTHER KINGS
The Assyrian period of history can provide many similar examples of confirmation. The British Museum publication, ‘Illustrations of Old Testament History’ by Barnett gives many examples. The soldier-prince Pul (11 Kings 15.19) or Tiglath-pileser, his general Rabshakeh (11 Kings 18.17) or Rab-shaqu, have left their names in monuments and inscriptions. A limestone relief from Nimrud portrays the surrender of Ashtoreth in Gilead with the name clearly labelled in cuneiform script.
Shalmaneser, too, left a wealth of monuments and inscriptions, a number of which mention the monarchs of other nations.
A study of the period gives us a very great confidence in the accuracy of the Biblical records. We can look at carvings and statues of monarchs mentioned in the Bible. Scholars have translated accounts of the campaigns and treaties and details of the private lives of the great men of the period – and these confirm the Bible narrative.
Because archaeology has shown that the Bible records are accurate in some of the smallest details, we can have confidence in the reliability of the writers. We should be prepared to consider carefully the writings of the Bible as a whole.
The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 8 conclusion
I know that the liberals in Arkansas like John Brummett, Gene Lyons, Ernie Dumas and Max Brantley love to ridicule the Republicans, but when the Republicans are right then you need to be big enough to just say so.
Mark Darr has gone out and worked hard to raise money and I am sure he would like to have someone give him 18 million without him having to raise it. However, the way his potential 2014 Democratic opponent is going to use the tax payer’s money is just shameful.
Maybe the Democrats have forgotten that they no longer have 90% of the power like they did for 150 years.
You may have seen the latest commercial from Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on his new “Got Your Back, Arkansas” campaign. This is a new consumer education and awareness initiative “to equip Arkansans with the information they need to navigate the consumer marketplace and avoid scams and fraud” according to their press release.
But the $350,000 advertising campaign for the initiative – much of it to Stone Ward Advertising – has drawn criticism from some Republicans, including Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr.
“I wish my office had millions at its disposal to run my campaign ads,” tweeted Darr after the announcement. “It’s nice to know that Government official ‘got your back’ but unfortunately they really ‘got your back pocket.’”
Darr’s criticism reflects an ongoing criticism – particularly from those in the state legislature – of McDaniel using settlement funds, not necessarily improperly, but in a way he chooses with little legislative oversight. He has also been criticized for promoting projects that also promote him personally.
McDaniel’s office tells me the $350,000 initiative has $250,040 budgeted for “paid media, production and focus groups” and $99,960 for “personnel.”
The vendor for the project is Stone Ward Advertising, where chief of staff Blake Rutherford worked prior to being hired by McDaniel. A division of Stone Ward Advertising was also the vendor that produced a $6,000 video for McDaniel to announce settlement funds for an Arkansas State Police training facilities while he was out of town in Hawaii.
“Last fall, our office issued a request for proposals. A five-member team (including three employees from our Consumer Protection Division and two from the Communications Division) evaluated the proposals that were submitted and selected that agency,” said AG spokesman Aaron Sadler.
Recently Peyton Hillis got on the Ron Paul bandwagon. (According to the Arkansas Times earlier this year Hillis was named the cover star of Madden NFL ’12, the latest edition of the most enduringly popular sports video game on the market which has indicated that his stardom has risen in the last few years.) Take a look at the video below:
The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 6 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 6 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything writte in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints.
_______________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it.
“Barley” is mentioned three times in the Book of Mormon narrative dating to the 1st and 2nd century BC.[59] “Wheat” is mentioned once in the Book of Mormon narrative dating to the same time period.[60] The introduction of domesticated modern barley and wheat to the New World was made by Europeans after 1492, many centuries after the time in which the Book of Mormon is set.
THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS: Early in 1947 a young Bedouin shepherd was searching for a lost goat among the rocky ravines of the north shore of the Dead Sea at Wadi-Qumran in Israel. He found in the course of his search a cave, which contained what has been for Bible students great treasure indeed – the Dead Sea Scrolls. The careless handling of these valuable documents as they were ‘hawked’ around the Arab ‘black markets’ makes agonizing reading [The Bible as History - Keller] but in the course of time they became available for the careful scrutiny of experts.
Probably the most valuable of these documents is the ‘Isaiah Scroll’. Some 23 feet long and made of leather, it is a remarkable testimony to the textual accuracy of the Bible as we know it today. Modern methods of estimating the age of the scroll and its flax, or linen cover, reveal the fact that it is a transcription of the complete text of the book of Isaiah made in about 100 B.C. The value of this ‘find’ lies in the fact that it pre-dates the oldest manuscripts available in Hebrew The Masoretic Text 9th – 10th Century A.D.] by some 1,000 years, and comparisons made between our modern translation of the book of the prophet Isaiah and this ancient scroll, show that the book we have in our hands today accurately reflects what was originally written.
This scroll, made of seventeen sheets of leather sewn together, reminds us of the scene in the synagogue at Galilee depicted in the Gospel record through Luke:
“And there was delivered unto him (Jesus) the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor…” [Luke 4.17,18]
About 1991, the Institute for Mittelnergiephysick in Zurich conducted Carbon 14 tests on eight scrolls from Qumran caves and six scrolls from nearby sites. These were Masada, Wadi Dayiyeh, Khirbet Mird, Wadi Murrabba’at and Wadi Seyal where manuscripts found are considered to be part of the Dead Sea Scroll collection. Ten of the scrolls had already been dated by a method known as ‘Palaeographic’ which is based upon the style of script used, when the script is known and proved from other sources. In addition was the dating of pottery which was found in the vicinity of the scrolls as well as coins. Eight of the ten scrolls were from Qumran with the other two from Masada and as a result of the tests, it was confirmed that seven of the eight Qumran scrolls matched the Palaeographic dates allocated to them. One of them was the Isaiah scroll which is now confirmed as being no later than 100 BC, with the other scrolls being a `Paraphrase of the Pentateuch’, the `Testament of Levi’, `Samuel’, the `Temple Scroll’, the `Genesis Apocryphon’ and the `Thanksgiving Scroll’. The results from this renowned Institute is a further example that the continual advance of science never conflicts with, but establishes the truth of the Scriptural record. The word of God has since been preached in almost every language in the world. It is reassuring to know that the Bible we have today is accurate and reliable – a book to be trusted.
[Light on the Dead Sea Scrolls is another special issue of Light which gives more detailed information on this subject.]
The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 5 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 5 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything writte in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints
___________________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, wheels and chariots did not exist in North America when they said they did.
Goats are mentioned three times in the Book of Mormon[54] placing them among the Nephites and the Jaredites (i.e. between 2500 BC and 400 AD). In two of the verses, “goats” are distinguished from “wild goats” indicating that there were at least two varieties, one of them possibly domesticated or tamed.
Domestic goats are known to have been introduced on the American continent by Europeans in the 15th century,[citation needed] 1000 years after the conclusion of the Book of Mormon, and nearly 2000 years after goats are last mentioned in the Book of Mormon. The aggressive mountain goat is indigenous to North America. There is no evidence that it was ever domesticated.
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Over the years there have been many criticisms leveled against the Bible concerning its historical reliability. These criticisms are usually based on a lack of evidence from outside sources to confirm the Biblical record. Since the Bible is a religious book, many scholars take the position that it is biased and cannot be trusted unless we have corroborating evidence from extra-Biblical sources. In other words, the Bible is guilty until proven innocent, and a lack of outside evidence places the Biblical account in doubt.
This standard is far different from that applied to other ancient documents, even though many, if not most, have a religious element. They are considered to be accurate, unless there is evidence to show that they are not. Although it is not possible to verify every incident in the Bible, the discoveries of archaeology since the mid-1800s have demonstrated the reliability and plausibility of the Bible narrative.
Here are some examples:
The discovery of the Ebla archive in northern Syria in the 1970s has shown the Biblical writings concerning the Patriarchs to be viable. Documents written on claytablets from around 2300 B.C. demonstrate that personal and place names in the Patriarchal accounts are genuine. The name “Canaan” was in use in Ebla, a name critics once said was not used at that time and was used incorrectly in the early chapters of the Bible. The word tehom (“the deep”) in Genesis 1:2 was said to be a late word demonstrating the late writing of the creation story. “Tehom” was part of the vocabulary at Ebla, in use some 800 years before Moses. Ancient customs reflected in the stories of the Patriarchs have also been found in claytablets from Nuzi and Mari.
The Hittites were once thought to be a Biblical legend, until their capital and records were discovered at Bogazkoy, Turkey.
How does archaeology conclusively demonstrate the Bible to be reliable and unique among all the holy books of world religions? Answer
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The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 3 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 1 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything writte in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints archeology.
___________________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, wheels and chariots did not exist in North America when they said they did.
The Book of Mormon claims to be a record of the inhabitants of the Americas during the period from 2000 B.C. to 400 A.D. It makes many claims about the history and anthropology of pre-Columbian American cultures. Unfortunately, the author of the book, Joseph Smith, had little or no knowledge of pre-Columbian American civilizations. Borrowing and adapting many stories from the Old and New Testaments, Joseph Smith was unaware that the earlier Native American peoples were part of stone-age civilizations that were significantly less advanced than Hebrew and other Middle Eastern cultures of biblical times.
The Book of Mormon claims that the Native American populations are descended from the Lamanites, who originated from ancient Israel 2,600 years ago. This concept is stated several times throughout the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants (both of which are part of the “standard works”).23 Modern molecular genetics have proven that Native Americans are descended from Siberian and Asian ancestors. No evidence of Hebrew ancestry has been found in living Native Americans or in the remains of ancient Native Americans.24 However, other claims of Hebrew ancestry have been verified genetically in the African Lemba tribe, who left the Middle east during the same time frame found in the Book of Mormon account. In addition, no evidence for the “white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome” Nephites has ever been found in ancient American artwork.
The Old and New Testaments present a rich description of biblical peoples, places and cultures. Archeology of the Middle East has revealed the cities, weapons, crops, animals, coins, writings, and references to biblical characters found in the Bible. However, none of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon have ever been identified by qualified archeologists. In addition, many Book of Mormon references to metals, weapons, crops, animals, articles of clothing are known to have not been present in the Americas during the time period claimed in the Book of Mormon.
There is very little doubt in anyone’s mind about the reality of so many of the Old and New Testament cities mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, it is hardly necessary to document their existence. Nevertheless, following is a partial list of some of the cities mentioned in the Bible that have been found and excavated by archaeologists. This is simply more evidence that the Bible describes actual locations that can be verified. This means that at the very least, the Bible accurately reflects the locations and cities of ancient times.
Remember, this is only a partial list. There are hundreds of biblical cities that have been verified in archaeological digs.
Joppa
Acts 9:38,”And since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, entreating him, “Do not delay to come to us.”
“During excavations of the site of ancient Joppa a thirteenth-century b.c. citadel gate was uncovered….”17
Nineveh
2 Kings 19:36, “So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh.”
Jonah 1:1-2, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”
Excavated in from 1845 to 1857 by Austen H. Layard.18
Shechem
Gen. 12:6, “And Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land.”
Gen. 33:18, “Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city.”
“Excavations were carried out at Shechem, first by Austrian-German expeditions in 1913 and 1914, and again from 1926 to 1934, under several directors, and then by an American expedition from 1956 to 1972….Excavation of the sacred area revealed a courtyard sanctuary and a later fortress temple dedicated to El-berith “the god of the covenant.” This temple, which was destroyed by Abimelech, the son of the judge Gideon (Judges 9) has provided us with a date of the judges period.”19
Most recently a structure identified as an Israelite altar has been excavated on the northeastern slope of Mt. Ebal. Dating to the 13th to 12th centuries B.C., considered to be the time of Joshua, the altar suggest the possibility that it may be the altar built by Joshua and described in Deuteronomy 27, 28.”20
Susa
Neh. 1:1, “The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol,
Esther 1:1-2, “Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital,
Escavations were conducted by Marcel Dieulafoy from 1884 to 1886.21
There is very little doubt in anyone’s mind about the reality of so many of the Old and New Testament cities mentioned in the Bible. Therefore it is hardly necessary to document their existence. Nevertheless, following is a partial list of some of the cities mentioned in the Bible that have been found and excavated by archaeologists. This is simply more evidence that the Bible describes actual locations that can be verified. This means that at the very least, the Bible accurately reflects the locations and cities of ancient times.
The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 2 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 2 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything writte in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints archeology
__________________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, wheels and chariots did not exist in North America when they said they did.
The Book of Mormon claims to be a record of the inhabitants of the Americas during the period from 2000 B.C. to 400 A.D. It makes many claims about the history and anthropology of pre-Columbian American cultures. Unfortunately, the author of the book, Joseph Smith, had little or no knowledge of pre-Columbian American civilizations. Borrowing and adapting many stories from the Old and New Testaments, Joseph Smith was unaware that the earlier Native American peoples were part of stone-age civilizations that were significantly less advanced than Hebrew and other Middle Eastern cultures of biblical times.
Crops and Agriculture
The Book of Mormon describes the agriculture of the Americas as being similar to that found during biblical times in the Middle East. However, most Native American cultures were hunter-gatherers. The kind of crops grown in the Americas did not utilize plow agriculture that is required for crops such as wheat12 and barley13 that are described in the Book of Mormon. Foods known to have been used in ancient America, such as chocolate, lima beans, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, etc. are not included in the Book of Mormon.
The Old and New Testaments present a rich description of biblical peoples, places and cultures. Archeology of the Middle East has revealed the cities, weapons, crops, animals, coins, writings, and references to biblical characters found in the Bible. However, none of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon have ever been identified by qualified archeologists. In addition, many Book of Mormon references to metals, weapons, crops, animals, articles of clothing are known to have not been present in the Americas during the time period claimed in the Book of Mormon.
There is very little doubt in anyone’s mind about the reality of so many of the Old and New Testament cities mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, it is hardly necessary to document their existence. Nevertheless, following is a partial list of some of the cities mentioned in the Bible that have been found and excavated by archaeologists. This is simply more evidence that the Bible describes actual locations that can be verified. This means that at the very least, the Bible accurately reflects the locations and cities of ancient times.
Remember, this is only a partial list. There are hundreds of biblical cities that have been verified in archaeological digs.
Gaza
Acts 8:26, “But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Arise and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
Gaza was was excavated by W. J. Phythian-Adams in 1922.10
Gezer
Joshua 16:10, “But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer…”
R.A.S. MacAlister “directed the Palestine Exploration Fund for many years and conducted extensive excavations at Gezer (1902–1909).”11
Hazor
Joshua 11:1, “Then it came about, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph.”
Jer. 49:28, “Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the Lord, “Arise, go up to Kedar and devastate the men of the east.”
“This large Canaanite and Israelite city in upper Galilee was excavated under Yigael Yadin’s direction from 1955 to 1958 and from 1968 to 1970.”12
Hesbon
Josh. 12:2, “Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon…”
Excavations were undertaken by Andrews University from 1968 to 1976.13
Jericho
Num. 22:1, “Then the sons of Israel journeyed, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.”
“Jericho was the oldest inhabited and fortified city ever excavated.”14
“The city of OT times is represented today by a mound 70 feet high and 10 acres in area…The ancient city was excavated by C. Warren (1867), E. Sellin and C. Watzinger (1907-09), J. Garstang (1930-36), and K. Kenyon (1952-58).”15
“The first scientific excavation there (1907-9) was by Sellin and Watzinger (Jericho, 1913).”16
The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 1 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 1 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything writte in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints archeology
__________________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, wheels and chariots did not exist in North America when they said they did.
The Book of Mormon claims to be a record of the inhabitants of the Americas during the period from 2000 B.C. to 400 A.D. It makes many claims about the history and anthropology of pre-Columbian American cultures. Unfortunately, the author of the book, Joseph Smith, had little or no knowledge of pre-Columbian American civilizations. Borrowing and adapting many stories from the Old and New Testaments, Joseph Smith was unaware that the earlier Native American peoples were part of stone-age civilizations that were significantly less advanced than Hebrew and other Middle Eastern cultures of biblical times.
Weapons of war
The Book of Mormon describes the presence of chariots in the New World.However, archeologists have found neither evidence of chariots or even evidence of wheeled vehicle usage during the period described in the Book of Mormon. Scimitar (“cimiter”) – not found in the New World Scimitars (spelled “cimeters” by Joseph Smith), were Old-World weapons of war that were mentioned throughout the Book of Mormon.However, they have not been found to have existed in the New World. LDS apologists cite the Mesoamerican maccuahuitl as a possible “cimiter”.However, the maccuahuitl was a hardwood club with obsidian blades, which is quite different from the heavy, two-handed curved steel blade of the “cimeter.” The Book of Mormon expressly states that the American peoples of the period used weapons of war made of metals,although none of these weapons have ever been found. The Hill Cumorah in New York is described as the location of two major wars that involved the deaths of millions of people. However, no remains or even weapons of war have been found there.
The Old and New Testaments present a rich description of biblical peoples, places and cultures. Archeology of the Middle East has revealed the cities, weapons, crops, animals, coins, writings, and references to biblical characters found in the Bible. However, none of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon have ever been identified by qualified archeologists. In addition, many Book of Mormon references to metals, weapons, crops, animals, articles of clothing are known to have not been present in the Americas during the time period claimed in the Book of Mormon.
There is very little doubt in anyone’s mind about the reality of so many of the Old and New Testament cities mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, it is hardly necessary to document their existence. Nevertheless, following is a partial list of some of the cities mentioned in the Bible that have been found and excavated by archaeologists. This is simply more evidence that the Bible describes actual locations that can be verified. This means that at the very least, the Bible accurately reflects the locations and cities of ancient times.
Remember, this is only a partial list. There are hundreds of biblical cities that have been verified in archaeological digs.
Chorazin
Matt. 11:21, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
“Excavations of the now deserted town indicate that it once covered an area of twelve acres and was built on a series of terraces with the basalt stone local to this mountainous region.”6
Dan
Judges 18:29, “And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born in Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish.”
“The excavation of Dan began in 1966 under the direction fo Avraham Biran.”7
“Formerly called Laish, it is mentioned in the execration texts, the eighteenth-century b.c. Mari tablets, and the records of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III. It is identified with Tel Dan (modern Tell el-Qadi) covering about 50 acres in the center of a fertile valley near one of the principal springs feeding the Jordan River…Tel Dan has been excavated by A. Biran since 1966. The earliest occupation, probably the full extent of the tell, goes back to about the middle of the third millennium B.C.”8
Ephesus
Eph. 1:1, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and who are faithful in Christ Jesus.”
“Austrian archaeologists in this century [2oth] have excavated the 24,000-seat theater and the commercial agora, as well as many other public buildings and streets of the first and second centuries a.d., so that the modern visitor can gain some impression of the city as known by Paul.9
The Book of Mormon vs The Bible, Part 4 of an indepth study of Latter Day Saints Archeology
The Book of Mormon verses The Bible, Part 4 of an indepth study
With the great vast amounts of evidence we find in the Bible through archeology, why is there no evidence for anything writte in the Book of Mormon?
Tags: church false mormon christian bible book of mormon joseph smith cult LDS latter day saints
_____________________________________
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, wheels and chariots did not exist in North America when they said they did.
The Book of Mormon claims to be a record of the inhabitants of the Americas during the period from 2000 B.C. to 400 A.D. It makes many claims about the history and anthropology of pre-Columbian American cultures. Unfortunately, the author of the book, Joseph Smith, had little or no knowledge of pre-Columbian American civilizations. Borrowing and adapting many stories from the Old and New Testaments, Joseph Smith was unaware that the earlier Native American peoples were part of stone-age civilizations that were significantly less advanced than Hebrew and other Middle Eastern cultures of biblical times.
The Book of Mormon describes the following animals as living in the pre-Columbian Americas: donkey, cattle, oxen, horse, pig, and elephants. Although horses and mammoths and mastodons (related to elephants) had existed tens of thousands of years ago in the Americas, they had all disappeared by 10,000 years ago. Horses did not reappear on the American continents until the Spanish brought them after the voyage of Columbus. None of these animals existed in North, Central or South America during Book of Mormon times.
The Old and New Testaments present a rich description of biblical peoples, places and cultures. Archeology of the Middle East has revealed the cities, weapons, crops, animals, coins, writings, and references to biblical characters found in the Bible. However, none of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon have ever been identified by qualified archeologists. In addition, many Book of Mormon references to metals, weapons, crops, animals, articles of clothing are known to have not been present in the Americas during the time period claimed in the Book of Mormon.
___________________________________
Over the years there have been many criticisms leveled against the Bible concerning its historical reliability. These criticisms are usually based on a lack of evidence from outside sources to confirm the Biblical record. Since the Bible is a religious book, many scholars take the position that it is biased and cannot be trusted unless we have corroborating evidence from extra-Biblical sources. In other words, the Bible is guilty until proven innocent, and a lack of outside evidence places the Biblical account in doubt.
This standard is far different from that applied to other ancient documents, even though many, if not most, have a religious element. They are considered to be accurate, unless there is evidence to show that they are not. Although it is not possible to verify every incident in the Bible, the discoveries of archaeology since the mid-1800s have demonstrated the reliability and plausibility of the Bible narrative.
Here are some examples:
Many thought the Biblical references to Solomon’s wealth were greatly exaggerated. Recovered records from the past show that wealth in antiquity was concentrated with the king and Solomon’s prosperity was entirely feasible.
It was once claimed there was no Assyrianking named Sargon as recorded in Isaiah 20:1, because this name was not known in any other record. Then, Sargon’s palace was discovered in Khorsabad, Iraq. The very event mentioned in Isaiah 20, his capture of Ashdod, was recorded on the palace walls. What is more, fragments of a stela memorializing the victory were found at Ashdod itself.
Another king who was in doubt was Belshazzar, king of Babylon, named in Daniel 5. The last king of Babylon was Nabonidus according to recorded history. Tablets were found showing that Belshazzar was Nabonidus’ son who served as coregent in Babylon. Thus, Belshazzar could offer to make Daniel “third highest ruler in the kingdom” (Dan. 5:16) for reading the handwriting on the wall, the highest available position. Here we see the “eye-witness” nature of the Biblical record, as is so often brought out by the discoveries of archaeology.
How does archaeology conclusively demonstrate the Bible to be reliable and unique among all the holy books of world religions? Answer
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Several names of Bible characters are verified by secular documents in this video clip below.
From time to time you will read articles in the Arkansas press by such writers as John Brummett, Max Brantley and Gene Lyons that poke fun at those that actually believe the Bible is historically accurate when in fact the Bible is backed up by many archaeological facts. The Book of Mormon is blindly accepted even though archaeology has disproven many of the facts that are claimed by it. For instance, wheels and chariots did not exist in North America when they said they did.
Critics argue that there is no archaeological evidence to support the use of wheeled vehicles in Mesoamerica, especially since many parts of ancient Mesoamerica were not suitable for wheeled transport. Clark Wissler, the Curator of Ethnography at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, noted:
“…we see that the prevailing mode of land transport in the New World was by human carrier. The wheel was unknown in pre-Columbian times.”[69]
A comparison of the South American Inca civilization to Mesoamerican civilizations shows the same lack of wheeled vehicles. Although the Incas used a vast network of paved roads (see Inca road system), these roads are so rough, steep, and narrow that they appear to be unsuitable for wheeled use. Bridges that the Inca people built, and even continue to use and maintain today in some remote areas, are straw-rope bridges so narrow (about 2–3 feet wide) that no wheeled vehicle can fit (see image and technology at Inca rope bridges). Inca roads were used mainly by chaski message runners and llama caravans.
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Lachish Letters Did the Lachish letters reveal the turmoil in Judah just before the Babylonian captivity?
The discovery of the Lachish Letters in 1935 of eighteen ostraca (clay tablets with writing in ink) written in an ancient Hebrew script, from the 7th century BC reveal important information concerning the last days of the southern kingdom of Judah.
They were discovered at Lachish (Tell ed-Duweir) among the ruins of an ancient guard room just outside the Lachish city gate.
Then a few years later three inscribed potsherds were also found at the site, and like the others, they contained names and lists from the period just before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Most of the letters were dispatches from a Jewish commander named Hoshaiah who was stationed at an outpost north of Lachish, who apparently was responsible for interpreting the signals from Azekah and Lachish during the time when the Babylonians came against Jerusalem:
Jer 34:7 “when the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and Azekah; for only these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.”
The ostraca read: “To my lord Ya’osh. May Yahweh cause my lord to hear the news of peace, even now, even now. Who is your servant but a dog that my lord should remember his servant?’”
These final communications which mentioned the political and religious turmoil of the last days of Judah reveal the intensity of this time period and confirm that which was written in the Bible by the prophet Jeremiah.
The Lachish Letters are an important discovery in the study of Biblical Archaeology and shed much light on the last days of Judah.
British Museum Excerpt
Lachish Letter II
Israelite, 586 BC
From Lachish (modern Tell ed-Duweir), Israel
A letter written on a piece of pottery
This is one of a group of letters written on ostraka (pot sherds) found near the main gate of ancient Lachish in a burnt layer which archaeologists have associated with the destruction of the city by the Babylonians in 586 BC. It is written in ink in alphabetic Hebrew. The letters are a poignant record of the city’s last days.
In 598 BC Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, invaded Judah after it had rebelled against him. He captured Jerusalem and took the royal family captive. He installed Zedekiah, the former king’s uncle, as his choice of ruler. However, rebellion broke out again. Nebuchadnezzar showed no mercy this time and in 587 BC he beseiged and then destroyed Jerusalem.
This was the period at which this letter was written. It came from an officer named Hosha’yahu who was in charge of a military outpost. He was writing to Ya’osh, military commander at Lachish, as the situation worsened.
‘To my lord Ya’osh. May Yahweh cause my lord to hear the news of peace, even now, even now. Who is your servant but a dog that my lord should remember his servant?’
Peace was not to be. Nebuchadnezzar moved on to Lachish and nearby Azekah, the last two major cities of Judah to be subdued by the Babylonians. There followed a large-scale deportation of a part of Judah’s population. Thus began the exile, a period of great significance for the Jews spiritually, and one which would profoundly influence later religious ideology and teaching.
Height: 9 cm
Width: 10 cm
Excavated by J. L. Starkey, Wellcome-Marston Research Expedition.
ANE 125702
Room 57, The Ancient Levant
The British Museum
The Kings of Israel (all wicked)
Jeroboam I (933-911 BC) twenty-two years
Nadab (911-910) two years
Baasha (910-887) twenty-four years
Elah (887-886) two years
Zimri (886) seven days
Omri (886-875) twelve years
Ahab (875-854) twenty-two years
Ahaziah (855-854) two years
Jehoram (Joram) (854-843) twelve years
Jehu (843-816) twenty-eight years
Jehoahaz (820-804) seventeen years
Jehoash (Joash) (806-790) sixteen years
Jeroboam II (790-749) forty-one years
Zechariah’ (748) six months
Shallum (748) one month
Menahem (748-738) ten years
Pekahiah (738-736) two years
Pekah (748-730) twenty years
Hoshea (730-721) nine years
The Kings of Judah (8 were good)
Rehoboam (933-916 BC) seventeen years
Abijam (915-913) three years
Asa (Good) (912-872) forty-one years
Jehoshaphat (Good) (874-850) twenty-five years
Jehoram (850-843) eight years
Ahaziah (843) one year
Athaliah (843-837) six years
Joash (Good) (843-803) forty years
Amaziah (Good) (803-775) 29 years
Azariah (Uzziah) (Good) (787-735) fifty-two years
Jotham (Good) (749-734) sixteen years
Ahaz (741-726) sixteen years
Hezekiah (Good) (726-697) 29 years
Manasseh (697-642) fifty-five years
Amon (641-640) two years
Josiah (Good) (639-608) thirty-one years
Jehoahaz (608) three months
Jehoiachim (608-597) eleven years
Jehoiachin (597) three months
Zedekiah (597-586) eleven years
Television footage of the tsunami striking from Japanese channel NHK. Cars can be seen washing up on a road under a flyover.
I grew up as a member of Bellevue Church where Adrian Rogers was pastor. Here is a clip from a fine message of his on salvation (part 1):
The discovery of the Ebla archive in northern 
