Why Mormonism Doesn’t Hold Up When You Actually Investigate It


“Test everything; hold fast what is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Let’s be honest—faith is a deeply personal thing. But if someone’s asking us to believe that God gave a new set of scriptures on golden plates, that ancient Israelites sailed to America, and that humans can become gods, we’re allowed—actually, we’re commanded—to stop and ask: Is this true?
That’s what cold-case detective and Christian apologist J. Warner Wallace did in his article “Investigating the Evidence for Mormonism in Six Steps.” He approached Mormonism not with anger or emotion, but with the same method he used to solve decades-old murder cases: looking at motive, evidence, and credibility. And guess what? The evidence doesn’t hold up. Not even close.
Wallace starts by asking what any good detective asks first: Who stands to gain? Joseph Smith—the founder of the LDS Church—gained a lot. He rose from a poor treasure-hunting farm boy to the head of a growing religion, had dozens of wives (including teenage girls and already-married women), and even tried to start a bank and run for U.S. President. That’s not a slam dunk for guilt, but it’s enough to raise some eyebrows.
Smith started Mormonism in the 1820s, smack in the middle of America’s Second Great Awakening, when people were having visions and founding religions all over the place. It was a spiritually wild time—and Mormonism fits right in. Nothing about its origins stands out as supernatural. In fact, it looks very man-made.
Here’s where things get serious. The Book of Mormon talks about horses, steel, and compasses in the ancient Americas—long before any of those things existed here. That’s not just bad history—it’s impossible history. Archaeologists haven’t found a single coin, city, or artifact mentioned in the Book of Mormon, despite decades of searching.
Even worse, Joseph Smith’s so-called translation of the Book of Abraham (from an Egyptian papyrus) has been proven false by modern Egyptologists. It’s just a funeral scroll—nothing like what Smith claimed. Egyptologist Dr. Robert Ritner called it "a clear case of misrepresentation."
The Book of Mormon claims Native Americans descended from Israelites, but DNA says otherwise. Genetic studies show zero Middle Eastern ancestry among Indigenous American populations. Also, if millions of people came from one Hebrew-speaking family, you'd expect their languages to reflect that. They don't. There's no trace of Hebrew influence.
Sure, there were witnesses to the golden plates—but all of them were friends or relatives of Smith. Many later left the church, changed their stories, or believed in other supernatural visions, including treasure-seeking and magic rocks. That’s not the kind of credible eyewitness testimony we’d trust in court—or in Scripture.
At the end of the day, Mormon theology doesn’t line up with the Bible. It teaches that God was once a man, that we can become gods, and that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers. These aren’t minor issues. They're deep contradictions of core Christian doctrine (Isaiah 43:10; Psalm 90:2; John 1:1–3).
If Mormonism is just one option among many religions, and if its core claims can’t be verified—and many can be proven false—then Christians have every reason (and responsibility) to reject it. We aren’t being mean; we’re being honest. As Christians, we’re told to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Faith isn’t blind—it’s based on truth. And truth doesn't fear investigation.
So if you’re talking with Mormon friends or missionaries, be kind, but be bold. Ask questions. Press for evidence. Because the truth of the gospel doesn’t need golden plates or secret translations—it stands on the solid ground of history, Scripture, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Sources:
Wallace, J. Warner. “Investigating the Evidence for Mormonism in Six Steps.” Cold Case Christianity, 13 Aug. 2020. https://coldcasechristianity.com/.../investigating-the.../
“Criticism of the Book of Abraham.” Wikipedia, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Criticism_of_the_Book_of...
“Genetics and the Book of Mormon.” Wikipedia, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Genetics_and_the_Book_of_Mormon
“Linguistics and the Book of Mormon.” Wikipedia, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Linguistics_and_the_Book_of...
“Archaeology and the Book of Mormon.” Wikipedia, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Archaeology_and_the_Book_of...

Comments

  1. Joshua PrattJuly 12, 2025 at 11:11 AM

    Excellent Detective Wallace smart guy, I like watching his stuff on YouTube. Love his approach

    ReplyDelete

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