RICHARD ABANES:
And when it comes to the Book of Mormon, which is their main selling point if you will of Mormonism, we have to understand there is absolutely – let me make this very clear – there is absolutely no archaeological or historical evidence that anything in the Book of Mormon is true.
HANK HANEGRAAF:
Now, just a minute, you’re saying that the Lamanites were made up out of whole cloth?
RICHARD ABANES:
Absolutely. Absolutely. All of the stories that we see found in the Book of Mormon are made up out of, I believe from my research, the mind of Joseph Smith pulling from and sometimes plagiarizing works and beliefs of his own day. Absolutely.
HANK HANEGRAAF:
So, you cannot find any archaeological verification for the people and places that are discussed in the Book of Mormon.
RICHARD ABANES:
Absolutely not. In fact, Hank, I’m going to hold up to you right here this is called a quad published by the Mormon Church it has the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price and it you look over here right after the Bible there are all kinds of maps showing where these places are. If you look after the Book of Mormon there is nothing. Why, because not a single place, not a single coin, not a single reference in history, not a single document has ever been found that proves or even suggests that the Book of Mormon might be true and in fact what I documented show is that Joseph Smith did indeed plagiarize and take from beliefs of his own day and incorporate them into a great story. That’s another thing I found out, Joseph Smith as a young man was a great storyteller. He really was and when he wrote down this story he pulled from all these sources and that’s where you get the Book of Mormon from…That’s what I want to say to people, look don’t take my word for it, study, go to the Book of Mormon, test it, see if there’s anything in there that can be found archaeologically.
The Truth about Evidence for the Book of Mormon:
- Archaeology—Critics charge that what is known about ancient American archaeology is not consistent with the Book of Mormon account. Sectarian critics often add the claim that the Bible has been “proven” true by archaeology, unlike the Book of Mormon. (Link)
