“And what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be found just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:12-13
Discussions surrounding the truth (or lack thereof) of Mormonism often focus on the veracity of The Book of Mormon, OR whether Mormons believe in the same God as Christians, OR [insert any number of other arguments for or against Mormonism]. The problem with many of those discussions in the context of apologetics is that they skip the most fundamental question—in science this is called the “proof of concept.” In other words, to justify conducting further experiments (conversations in this case), there NEEDS to be a foundation of evidence to suggest that the concept could be true. The “proof of concept” needed to justify continuing conversations about Mormonism involves the authenticity of Joseph Smith as its founder and “prophet.”
The difficulty in deciding whether to accept Mormonism can be approached “scientifically” by testing the initial “proof of concept” and asking questions. 1) How can you know the difference between a false and true prophet, and 2) did Joseph Smith satisfy those criteria? If Joseph Smith (by all known measures) met the Biblical criteria for being a prophet, then “proof of concept” is met, and further study is merited. Conversely, if he did not, then any further conversation would be fruitless. In this way, “scientific” methods can be used to examine the validity of Mormonism.
There are numerous clues in the Bible for discerning whether someone is a false prophet, and many theologians have written on this topic:
1. False prophets lie.
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.’” Jeremiah 14:14
2. The “prophecies” of false prophets do not always come true.
“You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.” Deuteronomy 18:21-22
3. The message of false prophets fails to align with Christ.
“If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (gods you have not known) ‘and let us worship them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.” Deuteronomy 13:1-4
While a false prophet only needs to fall short in one area as outlined in the Bible, Joseph Smith fails in all three. There are documented cases in which he has lied, numerous prophecies that did not come true, and teachings that do not align with the God of the Bible. Therefore, the “proof of concept” needed to justify further study of Mormonism, fails. Additional study may be interesting and solidify what Biblical truths have already demonstrated, but it shouldn’t be necessary. In fact, arguments beyond the status of Joseph Smith as a false prophet distract us from this fundamental truth and allow leeway, and therefore uncertainty, to sneak in regarding Mormon claims.
Demonstrating that Joseph Smith is a true prophet is the “proof of concept” needed to continue any further examination of Mormonism itself. Based on Biblical teachings of false teachers, Joseph Smith clearly fails by any serious metric. Consequently, further discussions of The Book of Mormon or any other teachings of The Church of Latter-Day Saints, though they may be interesting, are irrelevant for anyone truly seeking the truth. In this way, we can apply the tools used for scientific discovery toward evaluating not only Mormon claims, but for additional apologetic arguments.
A Testimony Melisa Schelvan