A brief history of Mormonism

I read with great interest your article “Mormon missionaries target Iqaluit.” As a former Mormon convert for 20 years who has left the Mormon church, I feel compelled to write concerning Mormonism.

I would like to share some facts about the Mormon Church and its history that the missionaries will probably not tell you. I am not suggesting that they are intentionally deceiving you — most of the young Mormons serving missions for the church are not well-educated in the history of the church or in modern critical studies of the church. They probably do not know all the facts themselves.

They have been trained, however, to give investigators “milk before meat,” that is, to postpone revealing anything at all that might make an investigator hesitant, even if it is true. But you should be aware of these facts before you commit yourself.

The Book of Mormon is a religious and secular history of the inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere from about 2200 BC to about 421 AD. It tells the reader that North American aboriginal peoples are descended from three groups of immigrants, who were led by God from their original homes in the Near East to America.

One group came from the Tower of Babel, and two other groups came from Jerusalem just before the Babylonian Captivity, about 600 BC. They were led by prophets of God who had the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is thus preserved in their history, the Book of Mormon. The most important event during this long history was the visit Jesus Christ is said to have made to America, after his crucifixion, when he ministered to (and converted) all the inhabitants.

The modern Mormon Church claims that it is the only true church on the face of the Earth, as restored by God through Joseph Smith. They say that other churches, derived from the early Christian church, are in apostasy because their leaders corrupted the scriptures, changed the ordinances of the original church, and often led corrupt lives, thus losing their authority.

The facts are, however, that the detailed history and civilization described in the Book of Mormon does not correspond to anything found by archaeologists anywhere in the Americas. The Book of Mormon describes a civilization lasting for a thousand years, covering both North and South America, which was familiar with horses, elephants, cattle, sheep, wheat, barley, steel, wheeled vehicles, shipbuilding, sails, coins, and other elements of Old World culture.

But no trace of any of these supposedly very common things has ever been found in the Americas of that period. Nor does the Book of Mormon mention many of the features of the civilizations that really did exist at that time in the Americas.

The Mormon missionaries are often charming and enthusiastic. They have an attractive story to tell. At first it sounds wonderful. But remember the old saying: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!”

Examine carefully both sides of the Mormon story. Listen to the stories of those who have been through an unhappy Mormon experience, not just those Mormons who may speak glowingly of life in the church.

Paul Brault
Winnipeg