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That is a very interesting, but very misleading statement that you say was made by the Smithsonian Institute Bureau of American Ethnology.
The first and greatest evidence of the Book of Mormon is the book itself of which many millions of copies have been distributed in over a hundred
languages. There are numerous archeological evidences and many Biblical
references that will validate it's truthfulness, but the greatest, and only
real convincing evidence is spiritual. I believe that if anyone reads this
book with an honest and open mind and especially if they will read it
prayerfully, they can learn from the book itself of its authenticity. Many millions have gained powerful convictions by reading it and asking God of its truth.
The Bible itself can only really be understood spiritually as Peter
explained, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:20-21) This is similar to the promise in the Book of Mormon which
states, "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. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the
truth of all things." (Moroni 10:4 - 5)
I realize that the National Geographic Society would have some difficulty taking the spiritual approach as suggested by Paul who wrote: "But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things 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
Corinthians 2:9-14)
I have narrated a presentation on the Book of Mormon which discusses some of
the Biblical scriptures that refer to the Book of Mormon. You can see and
hear this presentation by going to my website, www.donny.com and clicking on
My Beliefs and then on Multimedia and Book of Mormon.
There are books written on the many archeological evidences of the Book of
Mormon, only a few of which I will mention.
First, something historical; Most of us learned in school of the arrival of the Spanish conqueror, Cortez as he arrived in court of Montezuma, King of
the Aztecs in Mexico. He was accepted as deity because of their legend of
the Bearded White God who had once visited this land and had promised to
return. This corresponds with the Book of Mormon account of the appearance
of Christ to the ancient inhabitance of America.
The Mayan ruins in southern Mexico are replete with stone representations of
the feathered head of a serpent. One scholar reports that he found legends
among some native tribes describing a new star appearing at the time
corresponding with with Christ's birth and the star came into orbit on this
side of the globe at night and was visible with a glow (represented by the
feathers) and a tale of a serpent. The legend of the Aztec god
Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent has evolved and changed over the nearly
2000 years, but I believe it connects to the signs given at the birth of
Christ which were seen by the inhabitants of Ancient America as recorded in
the Book of Mormon.
There are many other physical evidences such as:
Egyptian like pyramids. The Book of Mormon people came from Jerusalem and
were descendants of Israelites who helped build the pyramids in Egypt before
Moses led them back to the Holy Land.
Egyptian Hieroglyphic like inscriptions on walls. The Book of Mormon was
translated from plates engraved with a reformed Egyptian Hieroglyphics
language.
Ancient inscriptions showing people with light and dark skins as described
in the Book of Mormon.
A stone displaying the "Tree of Life" which was initiated in a vision
outlined in the first part of the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 8).
There are many others, but like I have said many times, I have read and
studied the Book of Mormon, myself and I have prayed sincerely concerning
its truthfulness. I have come to a firm conviction of its truth, a
spiritual conviction independent of the scriptural and archeological
evidences. I would challenge the Smithsonian and the National Geographic folks to look into this a little more carefully and if they could, put it to
the test of reading it and praying about it.
If they did this honestly, I'm sure they would change their statement.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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