The turning point...

Things are about to pick up pace, it’s almost gardening season and frankly, if I went into detail about each individual discovery I made about the church it will take the better part of the summer to get through everything. So if you have questions or would like me to expand on any of these please let me know. You can also research any of these things at BYU’s Maxwell Institute (FARMS) or FAIR LDS both of which are dedicated to defending the LDS faith to critics. Once again, these were some major deal breakers for me so be advised before you read on.

First, there have been many professors, scientists, and well educated people who have decided to “prove” that the church was correct through DNA, archaeological evidence, etc. Many of which have found the opposite – there was nothing to link the BOM to history and in trying to seek answers these faithful men and women eventually “studied” their way out of Mormondom. Upon publishing their findings many professors have been fired from BYU and excommunicated. A story I found interesting was that of Simon Southerton a former bishop and microbiologist from Australia. I could really relate with many of his experiences and questions. The biggest difference was he had the science to back him up.

I learned there was DNA evidence that refuted the claim that Native Americans were the descendants of Israelites. That many items in the BOM were not in the America’s (or used) at the time it was supposed to have been written; including horses, elephants, lions, steel, iron, cattle, sheep, silk, wool, … trust me the list is quite extensive! I learned that there is no archeological evidence to support a war of the scale that is described by Moroni. Nor have any breastplates, swords, or other metal objects described in those scenes been unearthed from the time period given. How is it the Romans left so much evidence and yet a civilization as grand as that of the Nephites and Lamanites have none?

With each answer a hundred new questions arose. It was quite literally a Pandora ’s Box. So many things I had never heard of were suddenly brought to my attention. The Salamander letters, the Kinderhook plates, the rise of Brigham Young, Joseph shooting back at the mob at Carthage, Joseph giving the priesthood to black men (starting with Elijah Abel) then the church with holding it later from other black saints, the information just kept flooding in. Then I learned a little more about Joseph Smith that helped solidify the conclusion I was already coming to.

I was always taught that the Book of Mormon was translated by use of the Urim and Thummim while Joseph was looking at the plates. That behind a sheet Oliver Cowdry was acting as a scribe and writing what Joseph dictated. I then read these accounts:

"Smith's wife, Emma Smith Bidamon, was interviewed late in her life by her son Joseph Smith III about her knowledge of the early church. This interview took place in February 1879 in the presence of Lewis C. Bidamon, her husband. At one point Emma stated the following: ‘In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us... .'" (The Word of God, Dan Vogel)

"I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man." (An Address to All Believers in Christ, David Whitmer)

So much for the Urim and Thummim! After reading some more I learned that the Book of Mormon was translated while Joseph had a stone he found (while digging a well) and his face in a hat. The gold plates were often in another area of the house. What was the point of the plates being given (then taken away) if they weren’t needed in the first place?

I then learned that there were varied accounts of the first vision: Joseph at different ages, some with only one being, some with no beings, some with a wrestle with Satan, some without, and some with the Lord only telling him he’d been forgiven of his sins. I have had a number of spiritual experiences in my life and I can tell you that although I’m sure the little details have “evolved” the big stuff has not. To me seeing God and/or Christ is pretty big stuff, wrestling with Satan – big, being told that you will start a new religion by God – huge! If they really happened how could these revelations have been so confused?

So after much prayer and soul searching I finally came to the conclusion that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was not the one true church I had always been taught it was. I then began to view the current church and the early church in two different lights. I still had a love for the current church and knew it had evolved since the early prophets but could I accept a church that was not true but that I felt was still good? Was there enough good in the current church to overlook the sins of it’s past?

I realized I needed to learn more about the church I had devoted my life to: the current LDS church.