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
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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.
Rick Deem wrote the article, “Archaeology/Anthropolocical Problems in the Book of Mormon,” and in it he asserted:
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
- 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
- Joshua 16:10, “But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer…”
- 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
- 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…”
- Jericho
- Num. 22:1, “Then the sons of Israel journeyed, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.”
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- “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 Daily Hatch 