Metallurgy book of mormon

Yet many nonlds scholars have concluded that metallurgy was unknown. It is ridiculous for the book of mormon to say that metal was used among the. A temperate, dry climate greatly reduces the corrosion rate of. One of his purposes was to show the current strong evidence for the history of metallurgy and metal artifacts in ancient america, including late classic mayan gold. Mar 19, 2020 but none of the witnesses was expert in ancient metallurgy, and, thus, their testimony on this point isnt decisive. I couldnt possibly cover every book of mormon correlation in one sitting. We should not claim more for the book than what it. The challenge of the book of mormon religious studies center. Translating the book of mormon, both published through greg kofford books. The book of mormon mentions brass, steel, gold, silver, copper, and other metals. Thoughtful insights from 32 top scholars continue the journey into the book of mormons thousandyear span, aiding understanding of this sacred text. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. Over 500 stunningly beautiful photographs combine with quotes, stories, charts, commentary, maps and scripture to introduce the reader to the rapidly mounting body of evidence that presents the very real possibility that the book of mormon. During the 19th century, critics of the book of mormon claimed that steel was not known in the near east or ancient america during the appropriate book of mormon times.

Exploring the book of mormon in americas heartland book. It is ridiculous for the book of mormon to say that metal was used among the nephites and jaredites helaman 6. None of the foregoing technical demands are met by the archaeology of the region proposed as bookofmormon lands and places. Even if we could prove that american indians had the general genetic ancestry required by the book of mormon and even if we could prove that prehistoric americans had all the metallurgy, machines, chariots, domesticated animals, weapons, and language that the book of mormon text indicates, this would all still be circumstantial. Countercult ministriesthe interactive bibledifficult. Essays on the book of mormon essays on mormonism series metcalfe, brent, vogel, dan on. Metals and the book of mormon book of mormon archaeological. There are books that are not in the bible that are as powerful and authoritative as anything in the canon. State university of new york albany is the author of second witness.

The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. If the book of mormon does not truly describe a culture that had access to advanced metallurgy, and all the references therein are translation artifacts or errors, then the nineteenth century witnesses who testified to seeing and handling actual metallic objects from the book of mormon era, including the gold plates, cannot be accepted as. The book of mormon does not claim to be primarily a history book, neither primarily an archaeological textbook nor a treatise on geography, economics, or political science. This discovery means that steel was used well before the oldest book of mormon people lived. Despite the translation of egyptian and numerous american indian languages, reformed egyptian remains unknown. Letter exchanges between tom phillips and apostle jeffrey holland. The book of mormon is probably the least read and most criticized of all books. Notwithstanding the fact i disagree with sorenson about his views on quetzecoatl, this book is a must for book of mormon students as it presents an extremely plausible geographical and cultural setting for the events related in the text of the book of mormon. Apologetics press the book of mormon and the ancient.

As seen by science, the book of mormon is stronger today than it was in 1830, 1844, 1950, or even 2000, so i expect it will continue to become stronger in the future. Well, the book of mormon is a migration story, similar to the idea of the book of exodus in the old testament, except there are three migrations involved in this. Many also are unaware of some rather surprising new discoveries supporting the book of mormon which have been brought about by the advanced methods of science. Nov 04, 2015 metallurgy was first utilized in the americas in andean peru around 2100 b. As the modern lds church tries to shore up belief in the prophet joseph smith and his special powers of translation, it continues to try to argue for something more than a fictional narrative for the book of mormon. Metallurgy in ancient america was completely unknown in america before 900 a. But for those interested in understanding the text, there are some answers that should be considered. Supporting evidences of the book of mormon are broadly identifiable. Visible angelic involvement in the recovery of the book of mormon far. Countercult ministriesthe interactive bibledifficult questions for mormons book of mormon metallurgy. Although there is one intriguing archaeological discovery of some significant metallurgy in the area of the baja peninsula before european contact, that discovery on its own is not sufficient to prove that metallurgy was practiced in our model areas as described in the book of. The book of mormon clearly states that the jaredite and nephite civilizations had advanced metallurgical technologies ether 10. My letter to elder holland re book of mormon very long by tom phillips anointed one taken from rfm post from may 2012.

Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answers. This paper also discusses writings on metal plates and. Exploring book of mormon in americas heartland photobook. Countercult ministriesthe interactive bibledifficult questions for mormonsbook of mormon metallurgy apocrypha. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. Book of mormon artifacts and metallurgy life after. The book of mormon describes that the jaredite people were familiar with the concept of windows near the time of the biblical tower of babel, and that they specifically avoided crafting windows for lighting in their covered seagoing vessels, because of fears that they would be dashed in.

Metals in the book of mormon book of mormon research. None of the foregoing technical demands are met by the archaeology. Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answersldsfaq. I explain in my story that metallurgy in the book of mormon was one of the reasons i no longer believe the book of mormon to be a story of real people. It was such a huge undertaking in my mind that quite frankly, it scared me. A fine line divides scripture from nonscripture, writes robert m. Metal and metallurgy the mines of timna book of mormon.

Leading experts of the early americas disavow the historicity of the book of mormon narrative. The book of mormon contains several textual references about metallurgy being practiced by the cultures it describes. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. It gets a little hard to follow in 2nd nephi where nephi quotes from isiah quite a bit. The book of mormon, like the bible, contains a record of gods dealings with a part of the house of israel. Archaeology itself can be divided and subdivided into numerous disciplines. Analytical and contextual commentary on the book of mormon and the gift and power. However, in more recent decades, proof that mesopotamian peoples used steel has been revealed. Here is a copy of letter i sent with specific questions regarding his proclamation of the truthfulness of the book.

Many latterday saints have not had access to sources which communicate how recent research has changed our understanding of the book of mormon as an ancient document. The old world that lehi and his family came from was certainly familiar with metal working. The book of mormon text refers to the language it is written in as reformed egyptian. Book of mormon, history of warfare in the encyclopedia. Exploring book of mormon in americas heartland photobook rod l. Metal and metallurgy the mines of timna book of mormon evidence. In an annotated bibliography by john sorenson of sources relating to metals and metallurgy mentioned in the book of mormon, he notes that according to warwick bray, estimates are given for the spanish take of 350 kg. Serious errors in the book of mormon, by dean brown the tapir whisperer humor from due to inappropriate material found elsewhere on this site, we recommend using caution if browsing off this particular page the book of mormon and the lack of precolumbian wheels mormon. Is the book of mormon like other ancient metal documents. Dan levene and beno rothenberg wrote about tin and tinlead alloys in hebrew and jewish aramaic, 1 which may have some indirect relevance to the plates of the book of mormon.

Book of mormon artifacts and metallurgy life after ministries. They write that tin, in its metallic, unalloyed form was traded as early as the middle of the third millennium bce. In many cases, the biblical quotations in the englishlanguage book of mormon, are close, or identical to the equivalent sections of the kjv. This assertion, if true, would discredit the authenticity of the book of mormon. Mormon, the compiler and abridger of the book of mormon, was himself a. Among the critics list of supposed book of mormon anachronisms are various metals and metallurgy the process of altering ores into useful metals.

He has also written a book titled prophecies and promises. The overall trend in the date over the past 175 years fits the expectations for the book of mormon as history rather than hoax. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and defensible to the entire world. Wheres the evidence for ancient american steel mills. This has about 10 excellent essays on various studies of book of mormon subjects. Critics have complained about book of mormon references to metals and weapons, arguing that they are out of place and evidence of a sloppy fraud. But it is worth plowing through it to the rest of this amazing book. Some studies have shown that metallurgy did exist in a primitive state in mesoamerica during the preclassicformative and classic periods. In the introduction of the book of mormon, smith states that it is the record of gods dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the americas, which also. This is the one subject about mormonism that ive put off the longest. Book of mormon artifacts and metallurgy life after ministry. This paper also discusses writings on metal plates and the possible composition of the book of mormon plates. The volume has long invited scrutiny from all branches of science. First and foremost, then, the book of mormon claims to be a witness for the divinity of jesus christ.

The book of mormon is a religious record, and for the people of the book of mormon, as in nearly all ancient cultures, warfare was fundamentally sacral. Metallurgy does not appear in the region under discussion until about the 9th century a. Sorenson, himself an archaeologist and head of the anthropology and archaeology department at byu for many years and author of numerous books and works on the subject, makes it quite clear that this. An awesome book detailing the spiritual, political and social events that took place in the americas. Critics consider several book of mormon anachronisms to originate in the kjv. Vikings, iron, and the book of mormon wherefore, he came to the hill ephraim, and he did molten out of the hill, and made swords of steel for those whom he had drawn away with him. And they did raise many flocks and herds, yea, many fatlings hel. It was carried out in a complex mixture of religious ritual and ideology.

Smith once called the book of mormon the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion smith, 1902, 4. This paper also discusses writings on metal plates and the possible composition of the book of. The anachronistic use of advanced metallurgy in the book of mormon, combined with the frequent mention of gold and silver as important items in the nephite world, present one of the greatest challenges to book of mormon scholars. Vikings, iron, and the book of mormon book of mormon central. There are a number of words and phrases in the book of mormon that are anachronistictheir. In october 2010, daniel johnson, principal author of an lds guide to mesoamerica, gave this presentation at the book of mormon archaeological forums annual conference one of his purposes was to show the current strong evidence for the history of metallurgy and metal artifacts in ancient america, including late classic mayan gold plates with hieroglyphic writ. Among the critics list of supposed book of mormon anachronisms are various metals and metallurgy the process of altering ores into useful. Metallurgy in ancient america was completely unknown before 900 ad. Sorenson discusses the terminology used for animals in the book of mormon and notes that some labels are unclear. None of the foregoing technical demands are met by the archaeology of the region proposed as book of mormon lands and places.

The title page of the book of mormon claims that the book was written. If one is to believe that the book of mormon took place in mesoamerica, it is challenging to explain how iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver and. But no entity outside of the mormon church refers to reformed egyptian as a real, written language. The book of mormon by church of jesus christ of latterday. Thoughtful insights from 32 top scholars continue the journey into the book of mormon s thousandyear span, aiding understanding of this sacred text. In this 600page volume is the entire text of the book of mormon 1920 version and interspersed throughout are evidences, artifacts, pictures, maps and prophetic statements about the most correct book, even the book of mormon. Let me spend a little time talking about the relationship between iron and corrosion or rust as many of us call it. Here is an article about a portion of the book of mormon metallurgy. He mentions the frequent references to flocks and herds such as the following. The overwhelming consensus of the authors is the book of mormon is still true, but must be regarded as a fictional story as it does not in anyway fit archeologically, culturally or in any other way with what life was like in central or south america. The mainstay of mesoamerica land of promise models and support, john l. Neither is it a scientific paper on engineering or metallurgy or agriculture or warfare. As far as the book of mormon civilizations consisting of many large cities, fortifications, and huge battles, there is.