Category: Evidence
Alma Son of Judah: The Ancient Bar Kokhba Letters from Israel Refute a Popular Argument Against the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon
One of the more popular “easy” arguments to dismiss the Book of Mormon is that the name Alma is a woman’s name. Many critics have pointed out that it’s a…
The Curiously Unique Book of Mormon
Latter-day Saints often say that the Book of Mormon is obviously highly unusual since this complex text was generated in such a short period of time by a relatively uneducated…
Souls that Expand and Swell: An Intriguing But Not Unique Book of Mormon Concept
One of the Book of Mormon’s many concepts not found in the King James Bible is the notion of a soul that expands. This is found in some sermons of…
Wordplays on the Name Malachi in the Book of Mormon
Matthew Bowen’s latest contribution regarding the Book of Mormon’s frequent use of wordplays involving personal names is found in a new publication at The Interpreter. See Matthew L. Bowen, “Messengers…
If It Sounds Like a Duck: A Possible Egyptian Linguistic Component in Book of Mormon Names
A 2018 BYU Studies article, “An Egyptian Linguistic Component in Book of Mormon Names,” represents another significant contribution regarding the apparent influence of the Egyptian language on Book of Mormon…
Further Notes on One of the Earliest Hebrew Texts, the Silver Amulets of Ketef Hinnom
Last year I discussed an intriguing archaeological find near Jerusalem: two inscriptions on silver amulets which appear to be the oldest Hebrew inscriptions found so far. See “The Oldest Hebrew…
Mary at the Tomb: How We Can Easily Misjudge Evidence of a Miracle
Last month I had the pleasure of speaking at the FAIRMormon Conference in Provo, where I spoke about the ancient biblical theme of “dust” that is so artfully woven into…
The Word of Wisdom is Coming Back into Style: Conspiring Men and the Myth of Healthy Alcohol Consumption
Did you catch the recent reports in the New York Times of a major National Institutes of Health study on the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption? It’s a great story…
“Artifact or Artifice?” Orson Scott Card’s Brilliant 1993 Essay Still Rings True
Twenty-five years ago a famous name among fiction writers, Orson Scott Card, gave a speech at BYU that provided a novel way of evaluating Book of Mormon claims. The speech…
The Oldest Hebrew Inscription and the Psalms in the Book of Mormon
Tiny silver amulets engraved with Hebrew from the era of King Josiah, found at Ketef Hinnon, Israel. From the Biblical Archaeology Society. My recent publication on David and the Psalms…
