Gilbert, the printer who set up the type for the book of mormon. The earliest documented statement of the three witnessesoliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harrisis their statement in the handwriting of oliver cowdery subsequently published in the 1830 edition of the book of mormon. Church releases a new series of book of mormon video. Book of mormon central evidences of the book of mormon.
The statement of the 3 witnesses for the book of mormon was a single statement signed by all three men. Cult shock is an apologetic resource that teaches christians how to defend their faith and evangelize jehovahs witnesses and mormons. Thats a problem, says byu adlab faculty advisor jeffrey a. This video focuses on providing evidence the gold plates actually existed. Each of these specific menoliver cowdery, martin harris, and david whitmersacrificed much to help with the translation and publication of the book of mormon, and its likely this is a significant part of why they were chosen as witnesses. The book of mormon is an additional set of sacred prophetic writings adopted by the the church of jesus christ of latterday saints as well as it many offshoots, collectively referred to as the mormonism as both holy scripture and another witness of the divinity of jesus christ. Writers of the bible were inspired to write gods thoughts. It is very interesting how the lord decided to have those special witnesses of his work of the last days. It uses biblical quotes to disprove the book of mormon and the nwt of the jws bible. Within in the book are qr codes that take readers to short. This page links to subpages which discuss various attacks. What is the difference between jehovahs witnesses and. Sep, 2012 the book of mormon is a book of scripture similar to the bible.
Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon. The eight witnesses were one of the two groups of witnesses who made statements stating that they had seen the golden plates which joseph smith jr. Book of mormon central has released a new video in their series evidences. As church membership mushroomed, and it became clear the book of mormon is pretty. Part of the vhs collection called a voice from the dust, this production of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints is from 1982. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon. Together, the testimony of both the three and the eight witnesses are difficult to explain away. May 06, 2019 we should and do worship god the father and pray to him in the name of jesus christ. The author, richard lloyd anderson, gives many historical details about the statements of such critics and the sources and background of their statements. A new look at how the 3 witnesses leaving the church. Doniphan on an affidavit attesting to his honesty and integrity, with plans to have it published in the local paper richmond, missouri with a statement refuting that he had denied his witness that an angel had shown him the gold plates from. Three witnesses oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris declared an angel of god appeared to them and showed them the book of mormon plates and they heard the voice of the lord pronounce that joseph smiths translation had been accomplished. The three witnesses, martin harris, oliver cowdery, and david. For many, the book of mormon is a broadway musicalnot another testament of jesus christ.
With duane ryan, sherwood keith, ron frederickson, zan winn. The three witnesses is the collective name for three men connected with the early latter day saint movement who stated that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which joseph smith, jr. The first edition of the book of mormon featured two testimonials. With a single draft completed in 65 days, joseph smith, an unschooled man of 23, produced a book of over 500 pages with hundreds of unique names and complex story lines. Critics began by labeling the book bungling and stupid, joe smith a perfect ignoramus, and they claimed any blunderhead, with the bible at his side, might have written it. That being said we can and do worship jesus christ. Stories from the book of mormon are coming to life in a new liveaction video series being produced by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Grants funeral is held in the tabernacle in salt lake city. Statements clearly traced to the witnesses verify the testimonies printed in the book of mormon. Readers will gain confidence witnessing to these groups based on the stenglers recommended engagement techniques from their years of experience. Mormons follow the teachings of joseph smith, brigham young and the book of mormon in addition to the king james bible.
Did the book of mormon witnesses really see what they claimed. We talk at length about our assumptions that the three witnesses has a spiritual event, that the eight witnesses had a physical event, whether their experience was consistent, and how the institutional church may have expressed certainty about the boundaries and constructs of their. Apr 14, 2020 the gold plates came to us by the power of god and written on these plates was another testament of jesus christ. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. Many critics of the book of mormon witnesses say that the witnesses of the book of mormon denied their written testimonies in statements to different people over the years. The printer, john gilbert, asked him if he had seen the plates with his naked eye. Critics have long tried to dismiss or destroy the witnesses witness. Today chris and clay join me again for a roundtable discussion about the eleven witnesses to the book of mormon. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. Holland testify of the book of mormon in a short video at go43e. To read more from larry, visit lds365 the church video compelling witness depicts a mock trial that witnesses of the truthfulness of the book of mormon. This segment depicts the coming forth of the book of mormon and the testimony to its veracity by the three witnesses. Read the testimony of the three witnesses and the testimony of the eight witnesses located in the front of the book of mormon. Martin harris, later one of the three witnesses of the book of mormon, is born in easttown, new york.
He explained that he retrieved the plates from a hillside in upstate new york in 1827 and. It explains the beliefs of these groups and how biblical christianity refutes their worldview. Evaluating the book of mormon witnesses book of mormon central. It is inconclusive if the witnesses actually saw plates or if they only claimed to see them. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Noodling over ways to change the associations people have with the scripture, sheets found that a simple interaction had a greater. Soon after josephs arrival at fayette from pennsylvania the summer of 1829, peter became a zealous friend of the prophet and an able assistant in the translation of. We can compare the witnesses for the book of mormon to the witnesses of manuscript found. The evidence left by the book of mormon witnesses is rich, varied, and uneven, including the following. The book of mormon provided multiple official and unofficial witnesses who corroborated aspects of josephs account. In this carefully researched, thoughtprovoking book, dr. The video is the third in book of mormon centrals evidence video series, the two previous videos being one on the archaeological evidence for the place called nahom, mentioned by nephi 1 nephi 16. An earlier group of witnesses who said they had seen the plates were called the three witnesses.
Witnesses film an interpreter foundation production. Why were three key witnesses chosen to testify of the book. The three are part of twelve book of mormon witnesses. To their dying days, these witnesses defended their testimonies even in the face of cruel mobs, the ridicule of society, and betrayal by. New video on evidence for book of mormon plates book of. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses were published in the first edition of the book of mormon and every edition since.
He gave joseph like first witness, but one according to the scriptures is not enough so god provided three new witnesses. David whitmer, one of the book of mormon s three witnesses, said if you believe my testimony to the book of mormon. In fact, faith is magical, so i have no problem with. Witness to the book of mormon 18 may 2018 lds daily. New video from lds youth compelling witnesses feat.
New church video explains the significance of the gold. The bloggernacle is a collection of blogs discussing mormonism, primarily from believing perspectives. Giving away the new jenny phillips cd check out the detailsthis year one of our goals with the young women is to all read the book of mormon. New church video explains the significance of the gold plates. Here are some critics thoughts on that thanks to gary porter and craig criddle for these. Book of mormon witnesses, seer stones, and a hat eve out. Ive always been fascinated with the seer stones maybe i just want to believe in magic.
Which is basically like using a spiderman comic book to prove that batman is wrong. Book of mormon central has released a new video in their series evidences of the book of mormon. Spiritual wifery and the doctrine of christ second edition, addresses why there is a faith crisis today in the lds church. Heres your first look at the new book of mormon videos lds. Book of mormon witness and scribe oliver cowdery, and his family, had attended. Witnesses held and saw these plates and testified of their truth for the rest of their lives. Because the groups have always been separate, they have many differences. Tim ballard explains how a copy of the book of mormon signed by joseph smith ended up in the john adams house library emily abel tim ballard, author and ceo of operation underground railroad recently released a new book, the pilgrim hypothesis, which explores the connection between united states history and the restoration. Harper, the eleven witnesses, in the coming forth of the book of mormon.
For further discussion on the book of mormon and the translation process, see the. The book of mormon tells the story of a group of people who lived in jerusalem near the time of the old testament prophet jeremiah. The only thing this book continuously stressed is that jesus is god, the holy spirit is god, and the trinity is one being. Both the new testament and the book of mormon were claiming to be the new revelation of a widely held belief system prominent in the culture of their origin at the time of their writing. Why were three key witnesses chosen to testify of the book of. Jul 3, 2015 witnesses of the book of mormon new era apr. Smith claimed the angel moroni, a prophet in the book of mormon, directed him in the 1820s to a hill near his home in palmyra, new york. Hedges, john hilton iii, and kerry hull salt lake city and provo, ut. It is a lack of faith in jesus christ, our savior and knowledge of how to be not only redeemed, but sanctified in our lord jesus. There are several theories as to the origin of the book of mormon. The case for the book of mormon wont likely be won in a courtroom or a cafeteria. This video explores the history behind the witnesses to the book of mormon and explains why their combined testimony strongly indicates that joseph smith did in fact possess plates which he translated by the gift and power of god.
Apr 26, 2010 the book of mormon has 12 official witnesses. Videos photographs illustrations charts maps podcast. Aug 18, 2009 theres a new youtube music web player for desktop. Holland testify of the book of mormon in a short video at lds. The bible prescribe at least two or three witnesses for everything. What is different about what the three witnesses saw and what the eight witnesses saw. Encyclopedia of mormonism book of mormon witnesses. Seven witnesses seven heavenly witnesses of the coming.
Jan 27, 2017 the solemn testimony of the three witnesses has appeared in every edition of the book of mormon since 1830. The evidence left by the book of mormon witnesses is rich, varied, and. Book of mormon witnesses, seer stones, and a hat eve out of. One of the eight witnesses to the book of mormon was the fifth son of peter whitmer, sen. Witnesses, produced by the interpreter foundation, consists of three main segments working together as a comprehensive project. The gold plates came to us by the power of god and written on these plates was another testament of jesus christ. Read the new era article the last witness of the three witnesses. Both had the effect on their adherents of changing the way that system of beliefs was understood and practiced at that time. The witnesses of the book of mormon by preston nibley. For nearly 200 years, skeptics and critics have been trying to explain away what many book of mormon witnesses statedthat they had seen angels and hefted golden metal plates containing ancient inscriptions. As explained in the video, the book of mormon is the keystone of our religion and by reading it we can draw closer to jesus christ. Each will reconnect us with the history, the claims and counterclaims, and ultimately the stalwart consistency of each witness testimony. The book of mormon contains two sets of joint statements written by joseph smith for those who claimed to have seen the gold plates. The official youtube channel of the book of mormon musical.
Jehovahs witnesses follow the new world translation of the bible. The solemn testimony of the three witnesses has appeared in every edition of the book of mormon since 1830. Witnesses of the book of mormon church of jesus christ. Three witnesses oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris declared an angel of god appeared to them and showed them the book of mormon plates and they heard the voice of the lord pronounce that. Please note there is a new rule regarding the posting of videos. Sheets ba 98, if you want people to take missionaries seriously and actually read the book of mormon.
Book of mormon spiritual and temporal witnesses presentation. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats available. How facts about the translation of the book of mormon are evidence of its truthfulness. Testimony of the book of mormon eyewitnesses come reason. Investigating the book of mormon witnesses deseret book. Heres your first look at the new book of mormon videos. Deseret book and religious studies center, brigham young university, 2015, 1172.
You can find the proof through a real desire to know and a. Bofm witnesses presentation provides a spiritual and temporal witness of the realities of the book of mormon. At the beginning of the book of mormon, we have the testimony of joseph smith, the testimony of three witnesses, and the testimony of eight witnesses. The testimony of the eight witnesses was first published at the end of the 1830 edition of the book of mormon and has been printed in nearly every edition since, although most subsequent editions moved the statement to the front of the book and included minor grammatical corrections. The question of the book of mormon witnesses is extremely significant. New jerusalem, earthly, to be built by men in missouri, u. The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon.
We talk at length about our assumptions that the three witnesses has a spiritual event, that the eight witnesses had a physical event, whether their experience was consistent, and how the institutional church may have. This video explores the history behind the witnesses to the book of mormon and explains why their combined testimony strongly indicates that joseph smith did in fact possess plates with the appearance of gold which he translated by the gift and power of god. The world was not left with joseph smiths testimony alone. Because of the book of mormon, many people inadvertently call us the mormons. I want to address joseph smiths seer stone, his hat, the three witnesses, emma smiths witness and elizabeth ann whitmer cowderys witness. The book of mormon is an additional set of sacred prophetic writings adopted by the the church of jesus christ of latterday saints as well as it many offshoots, collectively referred to as the mormonism as both holy scripture and another witness of the divinity of jesus christ an important element to proving the divine authenticity of this scripture is the testimony of latterday witnesses. As the director of the church history library, where we hold the churchs official archival. During the printing of the first edition of the book of mormon, harris was in the print shop while the type was being set for the testimony of the three witnesses. Throughout their lives, none of the witnesses of the book of mormon ever denied their testimonies. Richard lloyd anderson presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses and concludes. All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
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