Twenty Questions for Mormon Missionaries

Former LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “Each of us has to face the matter - either the Church is true, or it is a fraud. There is no middle ground. It is the Church and Kingdom of God or it is nothing.”

We are captivated by the cleanliness, disposition, and dedication of LDS missionaries. As such, we feel an inclination to listen to your message and learn about your belief system. Many times we are charmed beyond explanation by the apparent concern for the well-being of our souls.

To join the LDS Church requires an eternal commitment. We understand that you would have us primarily follow our ‘feelings’ in making this decision to join the religion, yet since you hope to see us truly converted we also feel it’s essential to investigate all aspects of the religion in order to accomplish this.

Please provide answers or explanations to the following questions to further my quest for understanding:

1.  Joseph Smith is said to have translated the Book of Mormon from ‘Reformed Egyptian’ into English by the “Gift and power of God.” He said it was the ‘Most Correct’ book ever written. Since it was first published in 1830 there have been more than 3,900 changes made to it. Why would the ‘Most Correct’ book ever written need to be modified, particularly if the translation was overseen by God himself?

2.  Please direct me to archeological evidence of the original ‘Reformed Egyptian’ language from the Book of Mormon.

3.  Is there any physical evidence of the existence of the golden plates delivered to Joseph Smith? Were there other artifacts with them we can see?

4.  For centuries we’ve known that Native Americans traveled across the Bering Strait from Asia to inhabit this continent. DNA evidence verifies this fact. The Book of Mormon and LDS Authorities claim that the Native American people were originally of Middle Eastern descent and not from Asia. How do you explain this conflict?

5.  The Book of Mormon states that in less than 30 years from Lehi arriving in America, the population multiplied so rapidly that they had to be divided into 2 great nations. Even the most rapid human reproduction would only yield a few dozen people in this amount of time, and most of them would still be infants or children, and about 1/3 of them would be elderly. How were these people able to multiply faster than what we know is ‘humanly possible?’

6.  According to the Book of Mormon, when Lehi left the ‘old world’ his group consisted of less than 20 people. Yet, nineteen years later the people had so prospered in the land that they built a temple which “manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.” Solomon’s Temple required 30,000 Israelites, 150,000 hewers of stone & carriers, 3,300 supervisors and about 7 yrs. of construction. Can you please explain how they accomplished this seemingly impossible feat?

7.  Horses are mentioned several times in the Book of Mormon, yet they did not exist on the American continent during the Book of Mormon period. Since they seemed to play a vital role in the book, can you please direct me to an archeological publication which identifies a variety of American locations where horse bones have been found from that era?

8.  Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon condemn David and Solomon for polygamy. Doctrine and Covenants 132:37-39 contradicts this edict. Which is correct: The Book of Mormon or the Doctrine and Covenants?

9.  Mormons would have us believe that they repudiate the actions of fundamentalist polygamist groups and seem quite embarrassed of their history regarding polygamy. Isn’t it true that living men are still being sealed to more than one deceased woman each day in every temple around the world, and that these polygamist unions will be valid in heaven? Conversely, I understand that that the Church will not allow women to be sealed to more than one man in the eternities. Is this truly your doctrine?

10.  Why are LDS women denied the same right as men to hold the priesthood?

11.  Mormonism claims it is not possible for a woman to become a God. Why can’t a valiant woman inherit the highest degree of heaven without being married to a man?

12.  Both the “Book of Mormon” and the “Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible” make reference to the requirement of baptism prior to the days of John the Baptist; claiming that even Adam was baptized. If this was so essential, can you please explain why baptism is never mentioned in the Old Testament?

13.  LDS authorities have published numerous works stating that the African American race is inferior to the white man. Can you please provide me with any recent statements by LDS authorities apologizing to the black race and admitting their past racist attitudes were wrong?

14.  The papyrus Joseph Smith claimed to translate into what is now known as the “Book of Abraham” is nothing more than the fairly common Egyptian funeral rites of “The Books of Breathing.” Similar varieties of this artifact have been discovered and scholars have accurately translated the language. Dr. W.M. F. Petrie explains: “To any one with knowledge of the large class of [Egyptian] funeral documents to which these belong, the attempts to guess a meaning are too absurd to be noticed. It may be safely said that there is not one single word that is true in these [i.e., Smith’s] explanations.” (Quoted in F.S. Spalding, Joseph Smith, Jr., As A Translator, page 24) How is it possible that Joseph Smith’s translation of the Book of Abraham can be so (scientifically) incredibly wrong, yet still be accepted by the religion as canonized scripture?

15.  Both Brigham Young and Joseph Smith taught that the sun and/or the moon were inhabited by people. Can you please show me evidence these spheres were ever populated?

16.  In order to be considered worthy to enter the temple (and remain in overall good standing) each person is required to contribute 10% of their money to the Church. Why is one’s personal worthiness dependent in any way on money?

17.  Is it true that Adolf Hitler was posthumously baptized into the Mormon Church in the London LDS Temple on 10 December 1993?

18.  Upon my first visit to the temple I will be required to consecrate everything I own to the LDS Church. This seems akin to a ‘commune’ or a ‘theocratic’ environment. Is this a likely event for me if I faithfully unite with the religion?

19.  Upon entering the temple I understand I will be required to wear a special undergarment between my body and my clothing, which will serve both as a reminder of my dedication and a form of magical protection for me. I must wear this day and night. Doesn’t this seem ‘cult-like’ to you, and is there any documented evidence that this garment has protected anyone from harm?

20.  Prior to 1990 the LDS Temple ceremony plainly taught (with physical representations) that your life could be taken by throat slitting, chest evisceration, vivisection, or disembowelment by revealing the secrets of the temple. How is it possible that such graphic displays of violence ever had a place in a building which Mormons would have us think of as ‘sacred?’