Warfare in the Book of Mormon

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Articles about the Book of Mormon

Authorship	Book of Mormon Joseph Smith listed as author and proprietor Spalding theory View of the Hebrews theory Late War theory Golden Pot theory Sidney Rigdon theory Mushrooms and entheogenics theory Creative fiction theories Possible 19th Century influences on Book of Mormon Theory of Book of Mormon place names from area around Joseph Smith's home Theory of Book of Mormon place names from Comoros Islands Understanding accusations of plagiarism
Translation process	Seer stones and the Urim and Thummim Gold plates and the translation process Artistic depictions of the translation Joseph Smith and the translation process
Gold plates	Weight and size Plates too heavy to run? Engravings and sealed portion Stone box where the gold plates were deposited Attempts to steal the gold plates from Joseph Smith Gold plates and the translation process Metal plates in ancient Israel
Witnesses	Eleven official witnesses Statement of the Three Witnesses Oliver Cowdery David Whitmer Martin Harris Statement of the Eight Witnesses Christian Whitmer Jacob Whitmer Peter Whitmer Jr. John Whitmer Hiram Page Joseph Smith Sr. Hyrum Smith Samuel Smith Other witnesses to the Book of Mormon
The Bible and the Book of Mormon	Bible passages in the Book of Mormon The New Testament and the Book of Mormon KJV italicized text in the Book of Mormon KJV translation errors in the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith Translation and the Book of Mormon The Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon Isaiah and the Book of Mormon The documentary hypothesis and the Book of Mormon
Language and the Book of Mormon	Hebraisms Chiasmus Names in the Book of Mormon Hebrew and Native American languages Reformed Egyptian and the Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon as an ancient text
Geography	Church statements on Book of Mormon geography Evaluating Book of Mormon geography theories Old world geography in the Book of Mormon Lehi's journey in the Old World Possible locations for the Valley of Lemuel Possible locations for Shazer Possible locations for Nahom Possible locations for Nephi's Bountiful The Hill Cumorah Mesoamerican Model Hemispheric Geography Model Great Lakes Model Heartland Model Hoaxes related to Book of Mormon geography claims Geographical issues related to DNA and the Book of Mormon
DNA	DNA and the Book of Mormon Identifying ancient DNA related to Book of Mormon people Geographical issues related to DNA and the Book of Mormon
Anachronisms	Anachronism overview Biblical texts Horses Elephants Other animals Synagogues and churches Climate Metals and materials Metal plates in ancient Israel Plants Objects and artifacts
Doctrine and teachings	Moroni's promise The fulness of the gospel The Book of Mormon as the most correct book The nature of God Name of Jesus Christ Virgin birth of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ bled from every pore The Holy Ghost Baptism Priesthood authority Temples The Book of Mormon as the Stick of Ephraim Plural marriage Freemasonry Nephite burnt offerings The great and abominable church The tree of life Baptism before or after remission of sins One versus multiple creators
Lamanites	Identity of the Lamanites Native Americans and the Lamanites Relationship of the Maya and the Olmec to the Lamanites and the Jaredites Polynesians and the Lamanites The Lamanite curse Wrath of God on the Lamanites
Other	Population and demographics The Nephite calendar Biblical archaeology compared to the Book of Mormon Thomas Stuart Ferguson and Mormon archaeology Attempt to sell the Book of Mormon copyright in Canada Textual changes The Book of Mormon as history Legal codes in the Book of Mormon Lehi's ancestry and place of residence Three days of darkness The killing of Laban Human sacrifice Warfare in the Book of Mormon Events in Ether The death of Shiz

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Jump to details:

• Book of Mormon/Warfare/Defense
• Book of Mormon/Warfare/Oaths taken by warriors
• Book of Mormon/Warfare/Seasonality
• Book of Mormon/Warfare/Tactics
• Book of Mormon/Warfare/Secret combinations
• Book of Mormon/Warfare/Weapons

Warfare in the Book of Mormon: Defense

Jump to details:

• Question: Is the armor described in the Book of Mormon consistent with armor used in ancient Mesoamerica?
• Question: Are the fortifications described in the Book of Mormon consistent with those built in ancient Mesoamerica?
• Question: Are gunpowder, pistols or firearms mentioned in the Book of Mormon?

Warfare in the Book of Mormon: Oaths taken by warriors

Jump to details:

• Terrence L. Szink: "An oath of allegiance is administered...The well-known title­ of-liberty episode in Alma 46 of the Book of Mormon includes an interesting example of just such an oath"
• Mark J. Morrise: "The simile curse is a type of curse that appears in ancient Near Eastern, Old Testament, and Book of Mormon texts"
• John W. Welch: "people of Ammon...the grant of this exceptional privilege was consistent with ancient Israelite law"
• Stephen D. Ricks: "every conflict...was considered to be prosecuted under the divine direction of the gods or of God"
• Donald W. Parry: "This prophetic symbolic action by Isaiah represented a prophetic curse that destruction and ruin would come upon the Egyptians"

Warfare in the Book of Mormon: Seasonality of Warfare

Summary: A fascinating issue on climate is the seasons of war and agriculture described in the Book of Mormon, mostly between Alma 9 and Alma 47. Several examples provide specific months and days of the battle (e.g., Alma 16:1). A comparison of the seasons of war and agriculture between the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerica shows a high correlation.

Jump to details:

• John L. Sorenson: "war was normally carried on by the pre-Columbian inhabitants during a short annual period"
• Question: Why do most of the battles in the Book of Mormon occur between the 11th and 3rd months of the year, and none in the 6th through 9th months?

Warfare in the Book of Mormon: Tactics and strategy

Jump to details:

• Question: What is known about battle tactics in Book of Mormon?
• Question: What is known about strategy in Book of Mormon warfare?
• John W. Welch: "Alma effectively showed in the record that this fate befell them in accordance with divine law"
• John W. Welch: "On closer examination, however, even war cannot be conducted successfully in a total state of anarchy or chaos"

Warfare in the Book of Mormon: Secret combinations

Jump to details:

• Bruce W. Warren: "The source of secret combinations in the Book of Mormon"

Weapons in the Book of Mormon

Jump to details:

• Bows and arrows in the Book of Mormon
• Book of Mormon anachronisms: Cimeters/Scimeters
• Slings in the Book of Mormon
• Book of Mormon warfare: Swords

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Source(s) of the criticism

Critical sources

John Dehlin, "Why People Leave the LDS Church," (2008).

Notes