Solomon Spalding-Book of Mormon parallels
Mormons often insist that there are no similarities. Judge for yourself here.
Believing Mormons often state that Solomon Spalding's "Manuscript Story" (If you are unfamiliar with the Spalding-Rigdon theory, click here for a brief background) has absolutely nothing in common with the Book of Mormon. However, almost none of these people have actually read "Manuscript Story" for themselves. I have read every word of both it and the Book of Mormon, and I compiled a list of what I thought were the most noteworthy similarities between the two books. This list is in no way meant to prove or disprove the Spalding-Rigdon theory, nor should it be considered exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination. I am putting it here merely so people may be more informed when discussing this issue:
LIST OF PARALLELS
- The discoverers of both books claim to have discovered the records by using a lever to remove a rock under which the records were deposited
- Both books depict the goings-on of ancient settlers to the New World
- While making their initial oceanic crossing, the settlers in both books are blown by a fierce storm which makes them fear capsizement
- The civilized segments of the societies in both books are given strict charges to avoid intermarriage with the less civilized segments
- Both books mention horses
- Both books discuss the division of the people into two major civilizations
- Forts in both books are identical in their manner of consruction
- The narrators of both books suddenly and inexplicably go out of their way to explain that the earth revolves around the sun
- Both books describe a messiah-like figure who appears suddenly, teaches the people, and ushers in an era of great peace
- Both books describe the settlers as having all goods in common at one point
- Both books, respectively, show the two major civilizations entering into a war of mutual destruction
- Both books at one point describe the populace as making use of elephants
It should be noted, however, that the differences between the two books vastly outnumber the similarities, most notably in their sequencing of the items listed above. Yet keep in mind, also, that the lack of differences is not what, in part, persuades believers in the Spalding-Ridgon theory. It is the amount of similarities which persuades them.
(For the record, I neither advocate nor disavow the Spalding-Rigdon theory. I have not yet done enough research on this convoluted and controversial issue to form an opinion either way. I simply include this list so that people may knowledgeably counter the false allegation that "there are no similarities between the Spalding Manuscript and the Book of Mormon.")
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