The Whole Truth

The Whole Truth
and Nothing but the Truth

How do we know that the Book of Mormon (BOM) is true? Or the LDS Church is true? Mormon missionaries and LDS Church members will ask you to pray about it to receive a confirmation through the Holy Ghost. This is based on BOM Moroni 10:3-5:

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things [The Book of Mormon], if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

How Do We Know the Bible is True?

Some Christians may balk at praying and receiving an answer but it’s consistent with the Bible and with the answer to “How do I know the Bible in true?” from Christians or Christian websites. Here’s what Christians have to say about how to know if the Bible is true:

Christianity Today

"…the Bible is factual. It successfully and accurately records historical events."

"Proving that the Bible is inspired—"God-breathed" is literally what it says in 2 Timothy 3:16—is more difficult. I believe the Bible is inspired...But non-believers may not find that to be true. A skeptic whose heart isn't in the right place probably won't be receptive to the words of the Bible."

Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family webpage discusses:

1. Manuscript evidence

2. Archeological evidence

3. Internal consistency and coherence

gotquestions.org

“Beyond the evidence for the Bible's correctness (manuscript evidence) and its historicity (archeological evidence), the most important evidence is that of its inspiration. The real determination of the Bible's claim to absolute inspired truth is in its supernatural evidence, including prophecy. God used prophets to speak and write down His Word and God uses miracles like fulfilled prophecy to authenticate His messengers.”

“In the Bible we find prophets of God whose messages are ratified by miracles or prophecy that comes true, and whose message is immediately accepted by the people (Deut 31:26; Josh. 24:26; 1 Samuel 10:25; Daniel 9:2; Col. 4:16; 2 Peter 3:15-16).”

Yahoo Answers

“We obviously cannot go into a laboratory and test for "God residue" on the text, so to ask for scientific proof is impossible. (Likewise, asking for scientific proof that one loves his spouse is absurd. True science is limited to making claims on that which it can disprove through experimentation. Since science does not have any objective standards for measuring "God-ness", it cannot be asked to make a determination on His existence.)”

The sources support that knowing that the Bible is true is a matter of faith and can not be proven by science.  However, as supporting evidence to the truthfulness of the Bible they cite:

1. Archeological evidence

2. Manuscript evidence

3. Fulfilled prophecy.

4. Internal consistency and coherence.

I concur and recommend using/showing/finding this supporting evidence for the Book of Mormon.

Knowing Spiritual Truth

The Bible teaches that spiritual truth like the Bible is the Word of God is only revealed through the Spirit of God.

"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."(1 Cor 2:11-14, KJV) 

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Cor 2:11-14, NIV)

Correct, Plausible, Incorrect

When I research or write about the issues in the CES Letter, the natural reaction is to immediately determine if something is RIGHT or WRONG.  However, there is another conclusion: PLAUSIBLE (or NOT PLAUSIBLE).  Why?  Some issues might be a matter of opinion or interpretation.  Or given all the available information, there may be different possibilities.  Given this fact, a conclusion can be:

1. Correct

2. Plausible / Not Plausible

3. Incorrect

For “Correct,” I mean “Clear and Convincing Proof” which is evidence that establishes a high probability that the fact sought to be proved is true. For "Plausible," I mean the greater weight of the evidence (or the more convincing evidence) shows something to be true.