John Dee

In the mid 1500s John Dee, a Rosicrucian and "glass-looker" and an advisor to Queen Elizabeth of England, wrote a fictional novel about Madoc: a Welsh prince who sailed to America in the 8th century A.D. Madoc was a true Welsh prince, who sailed toward the West and was never heard of again. John Dee decided to write a book about what happened to Madoc; writing it in the first person (as if Madoc wrote it himself). England and Spain were both laying claim to North America at the time, and John Dee wanted to strengthen England's claim; by claiming that Madoc (a Welsh prince) had discovered North America long before Columbus.

The Book of Madoc was published in the late 1500s, and was a very rare book. A copy was once the property of Lord Dartmouth, who willed his entire library to Dartmouth College (later Dartmouth University) in New Hampshire.

Lord Dartmouth donates his fortune and library to Dartmouth College

The Gold Plates were purported translated by Joseph Smith mostly on a farm owned by the Whitmer family, in Harmony Pennsylvania. But, because of poverty, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery asked the Whitmers to let them return to New York State. So, in late 1827, David Whitmer took a wagon to pick up Joseph and Oliver, and the Gold Plates, and bring all back to New York. The translation of the Book of Mormon was completed at the Whitmer farm in Fayette, New York. This is where the Church of Christ was legally established in 1930.

According to written statements of David Whitmer, and his John Whitmer, "Moroni" was an old gray-haired man who appeared to them in their barn and showed them the gold plates in 1827.

Eight of the 11 Witnesses to the Book of Mormon were Whitmers by blood or marriage

David Whitmer

In an interview with Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith (later Church President) in 1878, David Whitmer told the following story:

STORY "Soon after our [Joseph, Oliver, and David] arrival home [in Fayette], I saw something which led me to the belief that the plates were placed or concealed in my father's barn. I frankly asked Joseph if my supposition was right, and he told me it was. Sometime after this, my mother was going to milk the cows, when she was met out near the yard by the same old man (judging by her description of him) who said to her: ‘You have been very faithful and diligent in your labors, but you are tired because of the increase of your toil; it is proper therefore that you should receive a witness that your faith may be strengthened.’ Thereupon he showed her the plates. My father and mother had a large family of their own, the addition to it therefore of Joseph, his wife Emma and Oliver very greatly increased the toil and anxiety of my mother. And although she had never complained she had sometimes felt that her labor was too much, or at least she was perhaps beginning to feel so. This circumstance, however, completely removed all such feelings and nerved her up for her increased responsibilities.” (“Report of Elders Orson Pratt and Joseph F. Smith,” Millennial Star 40 (9 Dec 1878):772-73 as taken from Testimony of the Book of Mormon Witnesses by Preston Nibley)

"I have heard my grandmother (Mary Musselman Whitmer) say on several occasions that she was shown the plates of the Book of Mormon by a holy angel, whom she always called Brother Nephi. (She undoubtedly refers to Moroni, the angel who had the plates in charge.) It was at the time, she said, when the translation was going on at the house of the elder Peter Whitmer, her husband. Joseph Smith with his wife and Oliver Cowdery, whom David Whitmer a short time previous had brought up from Harmony, Pennsylvania, were all boarding with the Whitmers, and my grandmother in having so many extra persons to care for, besides her own large household, was often overloaded with work to such an extent that she felt it to be quite a burden. One evening, when (after having done her usual day's work in the house) she went to the barn to milk the cows, she met a stranger carrying something on his back that looked like a knapsack. At first she was a little afraid of him, but when he spoke to her in a kind, friendly tone and began to explain to her the nature of the work which was going on in her house, she was filled with inexpressible joy and satisfaction. He then untied his knapsack and showed her a bundle of plates, which in size and appearance corresponded with the description subsequently given by the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. This strange person turned the leaves of the book of plates over, leaf after leaf, and also showed her the engravings upon them; after which he told her to be patient and faithful in bearing her burden a little longer, promising that if she would do so, she should be blessed; and her reward would be sure, if she proved faithful to the end. The personage then suddenly vanished with the plates, and where he went, she could not tell. From that moment my grandmother was enabled to perform her household duties with comparative ease, and she felt no more inclination to murmur because her lot was hard. I knew my grandmother to be a good, noble and truthful woman, and I have not the least doubt of her statement in regard to seeing the plates being strictly true. She was a strong believer in the Book of Mormon until the day of her death."

B.H. Roberts

Brigham H. Roberts, a Mormon Seventy and intellectual, did a comparison of Views of the Hebrews with The Book of Mormon:

Book of Mormon	View of the Hebrews
Gives an Israelitish origin of the American Indian.	Pleads for an Israelitish origin of the American Indian on every page.
Deals with the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of Israel.	Deals with the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of Israel.
Deals with the future gathering of Israel and the restoration of the ten tribes.	Deals with the future gathering of Israel and the restoration of the ten tribes.
Emphasizes and uses much of the material from the prophecies of Isaiah, including whole chapters.	Emphasizes and uses much of the material from the prophecies of Isaiah, including whole chapters.
Makes a special appeal to the Gentiles of the New World--esp. the people of the United States to become nursing fathers and mothers unto Israel in the New World, holding out great promises to the great Gentile nation that shall occupy America, if it acquiesces in the divine program.	Makes a special appeal to the Gentiles of the New World--esp. the people of the United States to become nursing fathers and mothers unto Israel in the New World, holding out great promises to the great Gentile nation that shall occupy America, if it acquiesces in the divine program.
The peopling of the New World was by migrations from the Old World.	The peopling of the New World was by migrations from the Old World.
Migrating Jaredites are taken into "that quarter where there never had man been".	Its migrating people are taken into a country where "never man dwelt".
The colony enters into a valley of a great river. Peoples journeyed northward and encountered "seas" of "many waters" in the course of their long journey. The motive of their journey was religious. Ether is prominently connected with recording the matter.	The colony enters into a valley of a great river. Peoples journeyed northward and encountered "seas of many waters" in the course of their long journey. The motive of their journey was religious. Ethan is prominently connected with recording the matter.
Nephites divide into two classes, the one civilized, the other followed a wild hunting and indolent lifestyle that ultimately led to barbarism.	The lost tribes divide into two classes, the one fostering the arts that make for civilization, the other followed a wild hunting and indolent lifestyle that ultimately led to barbarism.
Long and dismal wars break out between the Nephites and Lamanites.	Long and dismal wars break out between the civilized and barbarous divisions of people.
The Lamanites utterly exterminate the Nephites. (The same thing occurs with the Jaredite peoples in the exact place the Nephites would later be exterminated).	The savage division utterly exterminates the civilized one.
Civilized people develop a culture of mechanic arts; of written language; of the knowledge and use of iron and other metals; and of navigation.	Civilized people develop a culture of mechanic arts; of written language; of the knowledge and use of iron and other metals; and of navigation.
Unity of race--the Hebrew race and no other is assumed for the inhabitants of ancient America.	Unity of race--the Hebrew race, and no other is assumed for the inhabitants of ancient America.
Book of Mormon peoples are assumed to occupy the whole extent of the American continents.	With the possible exception of the Eskimos of the extreme north, this race of Hebrew peoples occupied the whole extent of the American continents.
The original language of the people was Hebrew.	The Indian tongue had one source--the Hebrew.
Joseph Smith used an instrument in translating the Book of Mormon called Urim and Thummim which he described as two stones and a breastplate.	View of the Hebrews describes an instrument among the mound finds comprising a breast plate with two white buckhorn buttons attached, "in imitation of the precious stones of the Urim."
Admits the existence of idolatry and human sacrifice.	Admits the existence of idolatry and human sacrifice.
Prophets extol generosity to the poor and denounce pride as a trait of the people. Polygamy is denounced under certain conditions as in the practices of David and Solomon.	Generosity to the poor is extolled and pride is denounced as a trait of the American Indian. Polygamy is denounced
Lost sacred records would be restored to the Lamanites along with the return of their lost favor with God in the last days.	Indian traditions of a "Lost Book of God" and the promise of its restoration to the Indians, with a return of their lost favor with the Great Spirit are quoted.
Sacred records were hidden or buried by Moroni, a character that corresponds to this Indian tradition in the Hill Cumorah.	Ethan Smith's sacred book was buried with some "high priest," "keeper of the sacred tradition."
Reports of extensive military fortifications erected throughout large areas with military "watch towers" here and there overlooking them.	Reports of extensive military fortifications linking cities together over wide areas of Ohio and Mississippi valleys, with military "watch towers" overlooking them.
Reports of prayer or sacred towers.	Describes sacred towers or "high places," in some instances devoted to true worship, in other cases to idolatrous practices.
Some Book of Mormon people effect a change from monarchial governments to republican forms of government.	Part of Ethan Smith's ancient inhabitants effect a change from monarchial governments to republican forms of government.
Civil and ecclesiastical powers are united in the same person in Book of Mormon republican people.	Civil and ecclesiastical powers are united in the same person in Ethan Smith's republics.
Lehi, first of Nephite prophets taught the existence of a necessary opposition in all things--righteousness opposed to wickedness--good to bad; life to death, and so following.	Some of Ethan Smith's peoples believed in the constant struggle between the good and the bad principle by which the world is governed.
The gospel was clearly preached among the ancient inhabitants of Americas.	Ethan Smith's book speaks of the gospel having been preached in the ancient America.
The Book of Mormon brings the risen Messiah to the New World, gives him a ministry, disciples and a church	Ethan Smith's book gives, in considerable detail, the story of the Mexican culture-hero Quetzalcoatl--who in so many things is reminiscent of the Christ.

Elder Roberts closes these parallels with this imposing question:

"Can such numerous and startling points of resemblance and suggestive contact be merely coincidence?" (B. H. Roberts, Studies of the Book of Mormon, (University of Illinois Press, 1985), p. 242)

While a student of Latin at Dartmouth College, Ethan Smith was taught how to write in shorthand Latin (called Torinian Latin). Joseph Smith wrote down the "Reformed Egyptian Charactors" and gave them to Martin Harris to show "learned men" (Dr. Mitchell and Charles Anthon) in New York City:

Charactors from the Gold Plates copied down by Joseph Smith for Martin Harris to show "learned men" (Prof. Mitchell and Prof. Anthon)

One may compare Tironian Latin (shorthand Latin) with the Reformed Egyptian charactors:

Left: Reformed Egyptian|Right: Tironian Latin

I spend tens of thousands of hours looking for evidence for The Book of Mormon, because I wanted to PROVE that is was TRUE!

But TRUTH is not like that. Truth goes it own way; regardless of our wants, like, or dislikes. I will know compare what Mormons believe is truth with what I discovered the real TRUTH to be.

What Mormons Believe is Truth	What the Truth actually is!
American Indians are descendants of the Hebrews or partially descendants of the Hebrews	American Indians are Asians with absolutely no Semitic/Hebrew DNA in their ancestry. Over 10,000 tribes tested from the Eskimos to the natives of Terra del Fuego. No Hebrew ancestry whatever. American Indian languages has no affinity to Hebrew but to Sino-Altaic languages of Siberia.
The Book of Mormon is a history of the ancestors of the American Indians	The Book of Mormon is not a history of anyone, and especially not the American Indians.
The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ and we can become better people by reading it and adhereing to its principles	Perhaps so, but it does not make the book historical. All archaeological and ethnological and linguistic evidence to date is against The Book of Mormon being historical, but rather the evidence points to the book being written in the early 19th century.
Joseph Smith had only a third grade education and could not have written the Book of Mormon; especially not in the time-period it was translated in.	Joseph Smith did not write The Book of Mormon. The person who wrote the book was highly educated in the classics (such as Shakespeare--whom Nephi quotes), and in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
Joseph Smith claimed that Moroni appeared to him in his bedroom in 1823, and was beardless; so the old man with the knapsack could not have been the Angel Moroni	Joseph Smith never gave any description of the Angel Moroni until 1838. According to David Whitmer and John Whitmer, in 1827 Moroni was an old portly (fat) man with gray hair and a beard, wearing a brown suit comtemporary with those worn by gentlemen in the 1820s; with a knapsack. At that time, Ethan Smith, and portly old man with gray beard, was walking around upstate New York (presumably with a way to carry his essentials) promoting his book.
The ancient cities of central and south America show that the Nephites really existed.	the Mayan and Aztec and Incan cities have nothing to do with the Nephites and were built many hundreds of years after 415 A.D.
Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God because I have prayed about it, and God told me that he was a true Prophet of God!	Over 20 million people have "prayed about" Ellen G. White (founding "prophetess" of the Seventh-day Adventist Church), and received a similar affirmation from God that she is a true prophetess and the SDA Church is the "only true remnant" (i.e. Only True Church)
But the 11 Witnesses all claimed they saw and handled the gold plates, and 3 of them claimed the Angel showed them the plates!	The plates existed, but they were not gold but "had the appearance of gold". Polished brass has the appearance of gold. Also, the Angel stood at a distance from the 3 Witnesses and Joseph forbade them to get too close.
Joseph Smith had to be a true Prophet of God because of all his prophecies have come to pass!	The LDS Church admits today that only Joseph Smith's Civil War prophecy came to pass. The Church admits that his 1832 Temple in Zion prophecy failed, as well as his two prophecies concerning the coming of the Son of Man in 1891.
The Church is true because if you act upon the principles you receive blessings, and we have received many blessings from God!	About one billion people in India and 150 million in Japan, for example, will testify to you of all the "blessings" that such and such a "god" or "gods" have bestowed upon them in exchange for temple offerings. Polygamists in Utah will testify to you of "all the blessings" they have received after becoming polygamists and following such-and-such polygamist "prophet".
The Church must be true because it is the fastest growing religion on Earth! Does this not prove that God is behind it?	The Church has not now and has NEVER been "the fastest growing religion on Earth" nor anything close to that. Islaam is the fastest growing religion on Earth. Many American religions, such as the Baha'is, Seventh-day Adventists, Assemblies of God, have grown much much faster than the Church, and with many fewer missionaries.
The Book of Mormon teaches the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ	The Book of Mormon teaches there is one God only, that God is a Spirit, that we cannot serve God after death, an eternal Hell where misery has no end (no salvation after death), that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost and was born of a literal virgin, and that the Lamanites were cursed with a skin or darkness. All of these doctrines contradict what later Mormon prophets have taught. The Book of Mormon does not teach the existence of many gods, nor a Heavenly Mother, nor Baptism for the Dead, nor secret temple rites to attain Godhood, nor Godhood itself. The doctrines of the Book of Mormon are consistent with early 19th century Congregationalist doctrine, but NOT with modern Mormon teachings and beliefs. Ethan Smith was a Congregationalist minister.
There is much evidence for The Book of Mormon from archaeology and other sources!	Only the most UNinformed Mormosn believe that! In fact, all (100%) of the evidence clearly shows that Book of Mormon animals (oxen, sheep, asses, horses, domesticated goats) did NOT exist in the Americas before Columbus), that glass and steel did not exist in America before Columbus, and that Nephite civilization never had any existence ever! All of the evidence, external and internal, shows conclusively that The Book of Mormon is a creation of an educated 19th century Yankee American Christian trained in theology, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and the works of Shakespeare (as was Ethan Smith). The names from the Book of Mormon such as "Moroni" and "Camora" and many of the names used for Nephite cities can be found on maps available at Dartmouth College in the late 18th century when Ethan Smith was a student there.

The evidence that The Book of Mormon is NOT ancient history, but rather is creation of the early 19th century is absolutely overwhelming and would take several books of more than 500 pages each to document in full. But, take this for example: Lehi quoting Shakespeare:

Joseph Smith probably never heard of Shakespeare! Ethan Smith, on the other hand, read Shakespeare at Dartmouth.

Finally, I will present the most compelling evidence of all.As said at the beginning of this article, Ethan Smith was a graduate of Dartmouth, and very interested in the origins of the American Indians, and the discovery of America. At that time, there were perhaps no more than a thousand books at the Darmouth College; perhaps a dozen or less on the discovery of America, perhaps 1 or 2 on the history of pre-Columbian America. One of the books on the discovery of America was the book by John Dee; donated to Dartmouth by Lord Dartmouth. Let us compare a passage from the Book of Madoc with that of the Book of Mormon.

Where did Ethan Smith get the names "Moroni" and "Cumorah"?

He got them from a book he read at Dartmouth called The Trial of Captain William Kidd and Others (published in 1701).

Moroni is the captial of the Comoros Islands (called "Camora Islands" in the time of Joseph Smith) Dartmouth College library in the 1780s (when Ethan Smith was a student) included maps and a book (The Trial of Captain William Kidd and Others published in 1701) about Captain William Kidd (a British pirate) who was thought to have buried his treasure secretly on the island of "Camora" near a small settlemen called "Moroni". Those islands are now called the "Comoros". The name "Comoro" means Co (Land) Moro (Fire) or "Land of Fire" in Swahili and "Moroni" in Swahili means Moro (fire) Ni (Place) or "Place of Fire" because the islands are very volcanic.

The original 1830 edition of The Book of Mormon consistently spelled the Hill Cumorah as "Camorah". Before 1870 the Comoro Island were called the "Camora" islands because that was the Portuguese pronunciation of "Comoro" and the British sailors and map-makers followed the Portuguese pronunciation because they used Portuguese maps to create their own English maps. "...the land of Camorah." "...a hill which was called Camorah." "...unto the land Camorah."

Ethan Smith preached against "secret combinations"; which was an early 19th century Yankee American nickname for Freemasonry. Hundreds of newspapers around the country, including the Wayne Sentinel and Palmyra Freeman warned people: "Beward of Secret Combinations!" (i.e. Freemasonry).

The Book of Mormon links "secret combinations" to being led about the neck "with a flaxen cord". In the Entered Apprentice Degree of the Blue Lodge of Freemasonry (the first degree), a candidate is led about the neck with a flaxen cord:

"And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever." (2 Nephi 26:22) The secret combinations in the Book of Mormon have "secret signs and oaths" and the Gadianton Robbers wear "a lambskin about their loins" (3 Nephi 4:7)

In the first degree of the blue lodge the candidate is led around blind-folded with a flaxen cord (called a "cable-tow") around his neck (as a symbol that a man is "blind" and a slave to his own passions before he is initiated into the "light" of Freemasonry). The Candidate is taught certain secret handshakes and gestures, and is given oaths not to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry. At the end of the first degree, the Candidate is given a white lambskin apron to wear. All Freemasons whear lampskin aprons about their loin area.

Finally, we come to the true orgin of the word "MORMON" itself:

Do you need MORE proof?

How much more FACTS do you need?

The true author of The Book of Mormon is Ethan Smith. He was "the Angel Moroni" that gave Joseph Smith the plates in 1827. He made a set of brass plates, and composed The Record of the Nephites in Tironian Latin script. Later, additional materials were added, probably by Sidney Rigdon as well as Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and the name of the work became The Book of Mormon in honor of William MORgan and Timothy MONroe; two anti-Masonic martyrs.

When The Book of Mormon was first released in 1829, it was nicknamed "The Anti-Masonick Bible"; because readers could "obviously" then see that the "secret combinations" and Gadianton Robbers with white aprons referred to Freemasonry.

Why did Ethan Smith write The Book of Mormon?

In 1823 he asked the Christian Americans to convert the Indians; using his book Views of the Hebrews as a guide. Christian America did not listen. Therefore, his desire to convert the Indians to Christ was so strong, that he had to come up with a different way.

Ethan Smith wanted to do two things before he died:

1) Convert the American Indians to Christ by showing them their Hebrew ancestry.

2) Convince the American people of the evils of "secret combinations" (Freemasonry).

The Book of Mormon was a "way" to accomplish both of his goals.

Being the minister of the Cowdery family, Ethan Smith had known Oliver Cowdery from birth, and was the man who probably convinced Oliver to help William Morgan produce his exposé of Freemasony. After Morgan was killed, or disappeared, Oliver sought refuge (he was in hiding against the Masons) with the Smith family of Palmyra. When Oliver learned that his cousin Joseph claimed to be able to see "buried treasure" he no doubt would have shared this information with his mentor Ethan Smith. The three of them formed a "secret combination" (conspiracy) for the purpose of thawrting what Ethan Smith believed to be a devil-inspired "secret combination" (Freemasonry) that--in the view of Ethan Smith-- threatened to destroy Christian America.

But Ethan Smith died in 1832, and therefore could no longer direct his understudies (Joseph and Oliver). Mormonism would be on its own from then on; to go it's own way. When Joseph Smith became a Freemason in 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois, Ethan Smith must have rolled over in his grave!

Many of the rites of Freemasonry Joseph Smith borrowed when he formed the Endowment Ceremony in late 1843; which Brigham Young greatly expanded on, and which the Church has watered-down here and there since the 1920s.

For example, the rites of Freemasonry include a Square and Compass on top of a Bible on top of an altar. In the Mormon Endowment, Mormon scriptures are placed on top of an altar which Mormons kneel and pray around, and the four symbols of Freemasonry (Square/Compass/Level/Tow-line) are placed on the veils that Mormons must pass through, and even on the undergarments that Mormons must wear much of the day and at night.

Also, before 1990, all Mormons had to "meet the Lord on the five points of fellowship at the veil" before they could enter the Celestial Room:

This comes directly from Freemasonry where Masons are taught to greet each other "on the five points of fellowship":

The "Signs and Tokens" (secret handshakes and jestures) that Mormons must learn in the Mormon Endowment Ceremony, come directly from Freemasonry:

The "Penalties" that existed in the Mormon Endowment Ceremony (removed in 1990) also come directly from Freemasonry.

Ironically, Ethan Smith was not sucessful in his endeavor. He did not destroy Freemasonry, but it grew and thrived, and many American Presidents have been Freemasons. Nor did The Book of Mormon convert the American Indians. Mormons made a few converts from the native Americans, but far far more converts were made by Catholic and Protestant missionaries; using the Bible alone.

But Ethan Smith did, indirectly, create a new religion with its own culture and doctrines and beliefs. He did not set out to do that, but that is what happened. History is sometimes stranger than fiction.

Would Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery be involved in "Pious Fraud"?

When someone tells a lie, or invents a story, for a "pious" reason it is called a "Pious Fraud". A good example of a "Pious Fraud" is the Donation of Constantine. It was created in the 11th century as a way to help the Popes of Rome justify the new belief that Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, and the Popes of Rome are therefore the successors of Peter, and therefore have "universal dominion" over all of Christendom.

History shows that before the 11th century, the Bishop of Rome was seen as one bishop among many; with no greater authority than any other bishop. No mention is made by any Christian historian of Peter being a bishop of Rome! None! But, in the 11th century, a Pope wanted to have unquestioning authority over the entire Church; so a document was created. It was a "Pious Fraud" (a fraud for a "pious" or noble reason).

Perhaps over 2 BILLION people have been taught, and they believed what they were told, since the 12th century that Peter was the first Bishop of Rome.

But...he wasn't!

The entire Roman Catholic Church, and its claims, is based upon a "Pious Fraud".

If 800 million people today (Roman Catholics) can believe a LIE (i.e. that Peter was the first Pope of Rome), can 14 million Mormons also believe in a different LIE?

Of course they can.

In like manner, Ethan Smith created a "Pious Fraud" in order to accomplish what he believed to be good, and righteous, even "divine" goals:

1] To convert the Indians to Christ by revealing to them their Hebrew ancestry.

2] To warn the American people against "Secret Combinations" (Freemasonry).

He used Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith to accomplish this goal.

Would Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery be involved in fraud?

The evidence is overwhelming, and it is ABSOLUTELY THEY WOULD!

The evidence is ABSOLUTE that both Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery lied on many occassions. Joseph Smith lied about being a polygamist all during the time he had many wives; including the wives of other men, and even his own foster daughters (the Lawrence sisters). Joseph Smith invented the story of the first vision about 1838 (none of the Three Witnesses of the 8 Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, nor Joseph Smith's own mother and brothers ever heard of the First Vision Story until 1838).

Oliver Cowdery, after he left the Church in 1838, was involved in counterfeiting in Michigan with a bogus "Bank of Monroe". Cowdery was a counterfeiter and thief. That cannot be denied.

Oliver Cowdery's signature on a $3 note from the Bank of Monroe; a counterfeiting scheme that failed.

While Ethan Smith's motives may have been "Pious" the evidence shows that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were "two for the money". Real Mormon history shows that time and time again they tried to make money from the Book of Mormon; first by trying to sell it for $3 per copy (failed), then by trying to sell the copyright in Canada (failed), then by establishing a the Kirkland Bank (failed), then by selling land to Mormon immigrants in Missouri (failed). When the last venture failed, Oliver Cowdery left the Church and became a counterfeiter in Michigan with the phoney "Bank of Monroe" and that sceme failed as well.

However, Joseph Smith did succeed in becoming financially successful in Nauvoo, Illinois. With borrowed money he bought much of the land, and sold the land to new Church members at great profit. He owned much land in and around the town as well as a store, a large boarding house (which had a bar which sold liquor before Emma demanded it be removed), and a print shop.

Joseph Smith also made sure that his family was taken care of. Joseph's father made a good living giving patriarchal blessings (one dollar per blessing--the equivolent of $50 in today's money), and his mother Lucy made a good living showing people old Egyptian mummies and papyrus which she claimed was king Pharoah (the one drowned in the Exodus) and Joseph of Egypt. The money to buy the mummies and Egyptian papyrus came from Church funds. Joseph Smith claimed to translate some of the papyrus into The Book of Abraham; which Egyptologists say is a "bogus" translation of the pagan Book of Breathings; a document placed under the head of the dead to aid them in into the Afterlife. There is no mention of Abraham in the Book of Breathings.

Lucy Smith

One of the boyhood friends of Joseph Smith, a man named Peter Ingersoll, later swore on the Bible the following in an affidavit:

"In the month of August, 1827, I was hired by Joseph Smith, Jr. to go to Pennsylvania, to move his wife's household furniture up to Manchester, where his wife then was. When we arrived at Mr. Hale's, in Harmony, Pa. from which place he had taken his wife, a scene presented itself, truly affecting. His father-in-law (Mr. Hale) addressed Joseph, in a flood of tears: "You have stolen my daughter and married her. I had much rather have followed her to her grave. You spend your time in digging for money -- pretend to see in a stone, and thus try to deceive people." Joseph wept, and acknowledged he could not see in a stone now, nor never could; and that his former pretensions in that respect, were all false. He then promised to give up his old habits of digging for money and looking into stones. Joseph told me on his return, that he intended to keep the promise which he had made to his father-in-law; "but," said he, "it will be hard for me, for they will all oppose, as they want me to look in the stone for them to dig money." And in fact it was as he predicted. They urged him, day after day, to resume his old practice of looking in the stone." (Affidavit of Peter Ingersoll, sworn before a Justice of the Peace, 9th of December 1833)

Joseph Smith was able to become a semi-wealthy land and business owner in Nauvoo Illinois, and provide for his father and mother and brothers and unmarried sisters.

But, all was not to last! Joseph's success in wives (33 in total) and finances was cut short by his murder at Carthage, Illinois, in June of 1844. Joseph Smith was arrested because he ordered the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor destroyed in the street because the newspaper had exposed him as a secret polygamist.

Olivery Cowdery was less fortunate, having failed in a counterfeiting scheme in Michigan (Bank of Monroe), then turned to being lawyer in Ohio, but was not successful at it. Finally, totally broke, he returned to the Church after Brigham Young promised to support him finally and make him a special "Apostle to the Gentiles". But Oliver, always having bad luck, died in Missouri (in the home of David Whitmer) on his way to Utah, of pneumonia.

But I have a Testimony that The Book of Mormon is TRUE!

The Book of Mormon teaches "truth" in that it takes those truths directly from the Bible.

But...The Book of Mormon itself is NOT "historical". Everything is against it being history:

1] The animals mentioned in the BOM (asses, oxen, cattle, goats, and rideable horses) did not exist in the Americas before the Spanish arrived. Ancient America had a very small (the size of a deer) unrideable horse that was used by food and went extinct about 10,000 years ago.

2] American Indians have NO (zero) Semitic DNA in them; none going back tens of thousands of years. Their DNA is Asian, from Siberia; as is their languge, culture and religion. It is IMPOSSIBLE for them to even be "patially" descended from Lehi and Ishmael!

3] Over 100 years of archaeology in North and Central and South America has not provided "one" item to support the Book of Mormon; rather 100% of all evidence gathered is against the BOM being historical.

4] The author of The Book of Mormon had some knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, but evidence shows that the Book of Mormon reproduces translation errors found in the King James Bible (first published in 1611); something a Nephite prophet could __NOT__ have done.

5] After 100 years of searching, absolutely NO evidence for the Nephite civilization has been found---NOTHING!!!

How Mormons Will Respond To The Evidence

Mormons have and will continue to respond to the evidence in the following ways:

1) Attack me! Make false accusations such as "you're a liar" or "You were excommunciated for adultery and that's why you're fighting against the Church!" Over the years some Mormons have called me a "faggot" (I am not gay), a "liar" (the Mormons I knew lied much more than I ever did), a "child-molestor" (totally false!), and, of course, an "adulterer" who was excommunicated for adultery (false again!). Some Mormons are ALOT like Lucifer--the accuser of his brethren.

2) Ignore the facts! Most will simply "ignore" all the facts, or not read this in the first place. I've had Mormons literally "plug their ears" when I tried to share with them these and other truths. They would literally plug their ears!

3) Mental Gymnastics! A few Mormon intellectuals will try to come up with "explain-aways" to explain-away all these facts, and do it quite lamely but will convince themselves with their totally illogical and contradictory mental gymnastics.

But...about 1 in 1000 Mormons are Seekers of Truth, and, they will read this, and it will eventually convince them. But they must go through the steps (as I did):

*Denial
*Anger
*Depression
*Acceptance

When they finally come to "Acceptance" they'll find happiness! As I did. But the road there will be a long and very painful one. It need not be long and painful. The sooner they accept the facts the sooner they will find acceptance and happiness!

For many years I was HORRIBLY DEPRESSED because of the facts that I had found. I tried for decades to refute these facts, but I could not! I went through years of denial, then anger, then depression. But, finally, I ACCEPTED THE TRUTH, and it felt as if a moutain was taken off my shoulders, and I finally found happiness!

You can find that happiness too.

Is it not time.....to open your eyes?

CONCLUSION

You do not need temple rites and tithing and offerings and garments and priesthoods and prophets and apostles and priesthood-leaders in order to follow Him! All of those things were invented by sinful men who work no miracles!

These sinful little men have no divine authority from God to do anything! They are not prophets, nor seers, nor revelators! They do not prophesy~see~revelate! They CANNOT save you! They CANNOT exalt you!

It is my unfortunate task to inform you that "The Brethren" are NOT the men you think they are! Some of them have done things "for the good of the Church" that would have gotten you or I excommunicated! If you wish to know their true character then I suggest you read a book titled The Mormon Murders; a book that can be bought in most bookstores and is also available in most public libraries in the United States.

Read that book, and you'll know the true UNinspired and hypocritical nature of these men.

My suggestion to you is that you give up believing in those men! They are not prophets. They are no seers. They are not revelators. They can perform no miracles. They cannot see the future. They make no prophecies. They perform no supernatural miracles. Some of them have done things in the past that were worse than hypocrisy.

They cannot save you.

They cannot exalt you.

They have "no" divine authority from God!

To be saved or exalted you DO NOT NEED....

*Secret Temple rites
*Sealing rituals
*Tithing payments
*Sunday meetings
*Priesthoods
*"Prophets~Seers~Revelators" who do not "Prophesy-See-Revelate"
*Garments
*Word of Wisdom
*The Book of Mormon
*The Pearl of Great Price
*The D&C
*Bishops and other Priesthood-leaders
*Genealogical work

You don't NEED any of that to be saved, or exalted!

All you need is JESUS, and He has come again!

My testimony to YOU is that JESUS has come again, with a NEW NAME!

And that new name is DAHESH

Go in Peace!

Darrick Evenson
darrick_evenson@yahoo.com

The Supernatural Miracles of Doctor Dahesh~
The Prophet of Lebanon

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