The Bible/Completeness

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Completeness of the Bible

Jump to Subtopic:

• Question: Does the Bible alone contain all necessary or essential knowledge to assure salvation, thus making the Book of Mormon and modern prophets unnecessary?
• Question: What does the Book of Mormon mean when it says that "plain and precious" things have been taken out of the bible?

If these new revelations contain only what has been already made known, where is the necessity for them? and if they reveal what is not to be found in the Bible, how are we to know that they are from God, and not from Satan, who is transforming himself into an angel of light, imposing upon men by his lies?

—Samuel Haining, Mormonism Weighed in the Balances of the Sanctuary, and Found Wanting: The Substance of Four Lectures (Douglas: Robert Fargher, 1840), 56. off-site

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Doctrinal completeness of the Bible

Jump to Subtopic:

• Question: Does the Bible alone contain all necessary or essential knowledge to assure salvation, thus making the Book of Mormon and modern prophets unnecessary?
• Question: What does the Book of Mormon mean when it says that "plain and precious" things have been taken out of the bible?
• Question: Do Latter-day Saints consider the Bible "insufficient?"

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Source(s) of the criticism:

Critical sources

A Little Talk, Between John Robinson and his Master about Mormonism, Shewing its Origin, Absurdity, and Impiety (Bedford: W. White, 1840), 1–8. off-site Doctrine of the Mormonites (London: J. Wertheimer & Company, 1842.), 1-4. off-site “Blasphemy–‘Book of Mormon,’ alias The Golden Bible,” Rochester Daily Advertiser (New York) (2 April 1830). off-site “An Extract,” The Reflector (Palmyra, New York) 1, no. 5 (30 September 1829): 18. off-site “The Book of Mormon, or Golden Bible,” Village Chronicle (Dansville, New York) (27 April 1830). off-site A.W.B., “Mormonites,” Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate (Utica, New York) 2, no. 15 (9 April 1831): 120. off-site Alexander Campbell, “Signs of the Times,” Millennial Harbinger 5, no. 4 (April 1834): 148, note. off-site Thomas Campbell, “The Mormon Challenge,” Painesville Telegraph (Painesville, Ohio) 2, no. 35 (15 February 1831): 2. off-site John A. Clark, “Gleanings by the way. No. VIII,” Episcopal Recorder (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (26 September 1840): 106–07. off-site John A. Clark, “Gleanings by the Way No. X,” Episcopal Recorder (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (10 October 1840): 114-115. off-site Samuel Haining, Mormonism Weighed in the Balances of the Sanctuary, and Found Wanting: The Substance of Four Lectures (Douglas: Robert Fargher, 1840), 4, 7-9, 14, 19, 56, 64. off-site Eber D. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed (Painesville, OH, 1834), 50. (Affidavits examined) off-site W. J. Morrish, The Latter-day Saints and the Book of Mormon. A Second Warning from a Minister to his Flock (Ledbury: J. Gibbs, 1840), 1-4 off-site Philanthropist of Chester County, Mormonism Unmasked, Showed to be an Impious Imposture, and Mr. Bennett’s Reply Answered and Refuted (Philadelphia: T. K. & P. G. Collins, 1840), 6. off-site Response Contender Ministries, Questions All Mormons Should Ask Themselves. Answers La Roy Sunderland, “Mormonism,” Zion’s Watchman (New York) 3, no. 6 (10 February 1838), 22. off-site Tower to Truth Ministries, "50 Questions to Ask Mormons," towertotruth.net (accessed 15 November 2007). 50 Answers Benjamin Winchester, “The Object of a Continuation of Revelation,” The Gospel Reflector (Philadelphia) 1, no. 5 (1 March 1841): 89-96. off-site LDS missionary discusses the charge

Past responses

Parley P. Pratt, Plain Facts (Manchester: W. R. Thomas, 1840), 1. off-site Full title John Taylor, An Answer to Some False Statements and Misrepresentations Made by the Rev. Robert Heys... (Douglas: Penrice and Wallace, 1840), 1–12. Full title John Taylor, "Elder J. Taylor’s Closing Reply to Mr. Curran [reprinted from Manx Sun (Isle of Man) (30 October 1840)]," Millennial Star 1 no. 8 (December 1840), 197-202. off-site