The Book of Mormon, Part 3

The Book of Mormon, while containing some Christian truths and having the potential to lead individuals to Jesus, is fundamentally a work of deception due to its fraudulent origins, as presented by Joseph Smith. Shawn McCraney argues that if the Book of Mormon were categorized as Christian fiction similar to works like "The Screwtape Letters" or "Pilgrim's Progress," it could be more widely accepted, rather than being associated with perpetuating misleading beliefs within Mormonism.

Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon is portrayed as a protest against early American fears of anarchy and tyranny, embodied by characters like the lawless Lamanites and tyrannical King Noah, who symbolize threats to freedom and virtue. The book criticizes organized religion, particularly Catholicism, suggesting it strayed from Christ's original teachings and contributed to spiritual corruption by removing essential truths from the Bible.

Joseph Smith is prophesied in the Book of Mormon as a "choice seer" who would restore lost biblical truths, but the text reveals little not already in the Bible, lacking core Mormon doctrines like temple endowments and eternal marriage. Shawn critiques the Book of Mormon as a 19th-century creation influenced by contemporary theological themes, serving as a literary bait that omits distinctive Mormon beliefs, and characterizes its figures simplistically, reflecting an immature narrative style.

The teaching by Shawn discusses how the Bible indicates that while the Church faced challenges after being established by Jesus, it was never completely lost or corrupted, as there always remained a remnant of true believers in every era. He critiques Mormonism's adaptation of restorationist themes by highlighting Joseph Smith's claim of a divine role in restoring lost truths through the Book of Mormon, which Shawn suggests was an embellishment of prevalent early American beliefs about religious freedom and divine destiny.