Vol. 8, No. 9, 1991

Articles on Mormonism

Rick Branch

Actually, it must be admitted at the outset, that there may only be a 1,001 cases of archaeological evidence for the Bible. However, for the Book of Mormon, the precise number is still Zero!

In Time magazine, under the heading "Score One for the Bible," the following extremely fascinating information was given:

"It is one of the most dramatic events chronicled in the Old Testament, but for generations scholars have debated whether the Israelites' assault on Jericho was fact or myth. Over the past three decades, the consensus has gone against the biblical version."

"But archaeologist Bryant Wood says that the city's walls could have come tumbling down at just the right time to match the biblical account. While that does not prove that the event happened, it does give plausibility to the Old Testament version."

Time magazine continues by explaining, Wood, an ancient-pottery expert now at the University of Toronto, dates the pottery found at Jericho to 1400 B.C., which is the same time some scholars date Joshua's battle.

In addition to the new pottery findings, "A thick layer of soot at the site, which according to radioactive carbon-14 dating was laid down about 1400 B.C., supports the biblical idea that the city was burned, not simply conquered."

"Finally, Egyptian amulets found in Jericho graves can be dated to around 1400 B.C. as well. Says Wood: `It looks to me as though the biblical stories are correct,'" (March 5, 1990, p. 59).

While there continues to be mounting evidence for the historicity of the biblical record, the Book of Mormon is still seeking that first authenticated scrap of evidence.

The Bible contains numes of cities, rivers, nations, etc. - nearly all of which have been proven archaeologically to have existed.

However, while the Book of Mormon contains names of cities, rivers and nations, none have ever been found.

Ambiguous statements and grandiose claims have appeared in numerous LDS and RLDS journals, but, to date, not a single claim has been substantiated. The following is but one such example.

"The massive fortification of the site dating around AD 825 surpass anything found in Maya archaeology to date. The Book of Mormon description in Mormon 4:10 is being confirmed," (Zarahemla Record, August 1989 p. 7).

However, the Mormon 4:10 passage is dated, by the LDS Church itself, to be AD 364-375! A difference of 450 years.

While 450 years may not sound like much, it must be remembered that neither New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or even Arlington, Texas was here 450 years ago. Because something is in existence 450 years after the fact, does not necessitate that it was also there 450 years earlier.

Does it not seem strange that if, as Mormonism claims, the Bible is the scripture for the Old World, and the Book of Mormon is the scripture for the New World; and the same God inspired both, again as Mormonism claims, that the score would be, Bible 1,002 and Book of Mormon, Zero?