70 Account from book of Judges
To judge truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day based upon admittedly controversial verses from the Old Testament would be inadequate.
- It is unrealistic to expect that scriptures that have been transmitted through many generations would be pristine and perfect in their forms today. Many "plain and precious" parts have been lost from the Bible. Click here
- Paul explained that we walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7) and God told Mormon: "I will try the faith of my people" (3 Nephi 26:11). Gratefully, worrying about the actual details of the story from Judges 19 should not be too problematic for most believers.
- Similar verses ostensibly describing Lot's behavior with his daughters and the men of Sodom was changed by Joseph Smith.
- The Prophet never finished his revision of the Bible and no changes were made in Judges 19.
- The CES Letter seems to lack accusations with substance and resorts to allegations over issues of minuscule importance.
Additional resources:
The Image of the Hand of God in the Book of Mormon and the Old Testament by David Rolph Seely
The Plain and Precious Parts by John W. Welch
Nephi’s Convincing of Christ through Chiasmus: Plain and Precious Persuading from a Prophet of God – by David E. Sloan
Jesus: Lord of the Old Testament by David Ferguson
Simile Curses in the Ancient Near East, Old Testament, and Book of Mormon – by Mark J. Morrise
The Deuteronomist De-Christianizing of the Old Testament – by Kevin Christensen
The Literary Structure and Doctrinal Significance of Alma 13:1–9 – by James T. Duke
The Lord Will Redeem His People: Adoptive Covenant and Redemption in the Old Testament and Book of Mormon – by Jennifer Clark Lane
The Old Testament as Reliable History – by John Gee
The Use of the Old Testament in the Book of Mormon – by John A. Tvedtnes