How is the LDS church different from the church of Christ?

Source Question: How is the LDS church different from the church of Christ?

The church described in the New Testament differs and contrasts with that described by Joseph Smith and promoted by the “church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”, or LDS church in at least 5 areas:

The Establishment & Permanency of the Church
The Bible’s teaching on continuing revelation
Joseph Smith’s claim to be a true prophet of God
The originality of the Book of Mormon
Archaeological evidence for claims made in the Book of Mormon

Establishment & Permanency

“the church” was established by Jesus (Matthew 16.18) after His death and resurrection, upon the basis of His being the Messiah, or the Christ. Following His resurrection, Jesus promised His disciples that not many days following His ascension into Heaven they would be given power from on high (i.e. the Holy Spirit) (Luke 24.49; Acts 1.8) This happened on the day of Pentecost, as described in Acts 2. At the end of Peter’s sermon, “those who recieved his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2.41). These newly-baptized believers were “added”, but to what? Acts 2.47 tells us: “the Lord added to their number those who were being saved”. This marks the beginning of a group of people whom Acts 5.11; 8.1, and other passages later would call “the church”.

LDS doctrine holds that this original church was corrupted, and that Joseph Smith was told by an angel that no existing group of Christians was correct or valid:
“18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith - History 1:18-19)

According to the LDS church website:
“Early Christians faced those kinds of situations after Jesus Christ’s death. Fewer than 400 years after the death of the Savior, the Church as Jesus organized it was nowhere to be found in the whole world. This began the period known as the Great Apostasy. The New Testament Apostles and Book of Mormon disciples were gone. And gone with them was the authority to run the Church and to hold the priesthood.”(“What Happened to Christ’s Church?”, February 2005, Accessed on www.churchofjesuschrist.org)

This runs counter to Jesus’ claim about the church: Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Question: If the “Church as Jesus organized it was nowhere to be found in the whole world...”

Would that not count as “the gates of hell” prevailing against it?
What proof can Mormons offer apart from the claims of Joseph Smith that within 400 years there were no Christians anywhere in the world practicing the faith that Jesus and His apostles taught?
In the above quote, a reference is made to “the Church as Jesus organized it”: If true restoration is the goal, wouldn’t the clearest path be to return to the teachings of Jesus and His apostles, and organize, structure, and teach according to those writings?
If Mormonism is indeed the return of the church to the way Jesus organized it, why then does it contain, teach, and practice so many things that are foreign to Jesus’ teachings and those of His apostles?

2. The Bible’s Teaching on Continuing Revelation

The Bible maintains that the complete and final word of God was revealed in the 1st century to the authors of the New Testament books. To my knowledge Mormonism claims that the Bible (i.e. the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments) is true, as far as it has been correctly translated. This obviously is an easy way out for Mormon apologists. Any Biblical position that runs counter to that which is stated in Mormon texts (Book of Mormon, Doctrines & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, etc.) can immediately be countered by “Well, that text was corrupted...”

One approach is to attempt to defend the truth from the Mormon translation of the Scriptures (the LDS version of the King James Bible, published in 1979). This proves as fruitless as attempting to argue with Jehovah’s Witnesses using their own corrupted version (the NWT) of the text. We must press on, nonetheless. Quotations that follow will come from the English Standard Version.

Consider first Jesus’ words in John 16:12–13 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Question: Which truth was left unspoken or uncommunicated to the apostles of Jesus?

If there was something left unspoken or hidden to Jesus’ apostles, which later “revelations” (such as the Book of Mormon) claim to be, then Jesus lied to these men!
If indeed Jesus was truthful, then other revelations beyond what was revealed to the inspired authors of the New Testament fall outside the truth of the gospel, and should be rejected.

Next, Jude 3 “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Question: What part of “the faith” hadn’t yet been delivered to “the saints” in Jude’s time?

If these Christians had access to “the faith” in its entirety, that had been “once for all delivered to the saints”, then what could be offered by further revelation?

Next, 2 Peter 1:3–4 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

Peter, an apostle of Jesus, said that His (i.e. Jesus’) power had granted “all things that pertain to life and godliness”. Those “things” enabled Peter’s readers (i.e. 1st century Christians) to “become partakers of the divine nature” and escape from the corruption of sin. In short, the Gospel had its complete effect on them.

Question: In Peter’s time, which things that “pertain to life and godliness” had not yet been revealed?

If there were more things to be revealed, Peter was lying.
If there were no more things to be revealed, as Peter states, then further revelation cannot add to that which pertains to “life and godliness”.

Finally, Paul’s warning in Galatians 1.6-9: “6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”

Paul is rebuking the Galatian Christians for accepting the teachings of Judaizing teachers (i.e. those teaching that Christians should return to various aspects of the Law of Moses, cf. Gal. 2.15; 3.28) Note some specific details: This teaching, which was in addition to what Paul taught them, would “distort” the gospel and “trouble” them in so doing. To this Paul adds a devastating rebuke. If EVEN PAUL, ANOTHER APOSTLE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN preached to them a contrary or different gospel, that entity was “accursed”.

Question: How is Galatians 1.6–9 not a precise description of what Joseph Smith claims happened to him?

If Smith indeed saw an angel (as he claimed), and if Smith truly believed the Bible to be true (as he claimed), then why didn’t Smith reject the angel’s message immediately, based on Gal. 1.6–9?

The Book of Mormon says specifically that God’s revelation continues even now.
“9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.
11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.” (2 Nephi 29.9-11)

Which is true: The Bible, or the Book of Mormon?

3. Mormonism stands or falls on Joseph Smith, and Smith fails the test of a true prophet of God.

Brigham Young, 2nd Mormon President on Joseph Smith:
“Joseph Smith’s consent is required for anyone wishing to enter the celestial kingdom of heaven. He is now reigning there like God. … every spirit that does not believe that God sent Joseph Smith and revealed the everlasting gospel through him, is of the anti-Christ.” (Journal of Discourses, VII, VIII)

Question: What about faithful Christians who died prior to Joseph Smith’s birth: Do they need his approval?

“Mormonism...stands or falls on Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, or he is one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Smith was a deceiver, then he should be exposed; his claims refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Prophet & Pres. of the LDS church, 1970-1972)

Deuteronomy 18.21-22 describes the test of a true prophet:
“21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’—22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.”

Question: What is the verdict we must reach about a prophet who claims to speak on God’s behalf when what he or she says does not come to pass?

According to Doctrines & Covenants 114.1, David W. Patten was to be sent on a mission according to the mandate of Jesus Christ.

“Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Far West, Missouri, April 11, 1838.

1–2, Church positions held by those who are not faithful will be given to others.

1 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world.”

David W. Patten was supposed to go on a mission with 12 other men spreading LDS teachings, according to Joseph Smith’s prophecy. However, David W. Patten died in October of 1838 and thus never went on a mission the following spring. Apparently, Joseph Smith’s ability to “prophecy” didn’t account for Patten’s demise.

Again, according to D&C 111.1-5, the church was in deep debt and it was “revealed” to Joseph Smith that “much treasure” was in the city, treasure that would empower them to pay their debts. Furthermore, Smith predicted that the city would be given into the hands of the Mormons:

(Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Salem, Massachusetts, August 6, 1836. At this time, the Church and its leaders were heavily in debt due to the construction of the Kirtland Temple and persecutions in Missouri. Hearing that a large amount of money might be available to them in Salem, the Prophet, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery traveled there from Kirtland, Ohio, to investigate this claim, along with preaching the gospel. The brethren transacted several items of Church business and did some preaching. When it became apparent that no money was to be forthcoming, they returned to Kirtland.)

1 I, the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies.

2 I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality.

3 Therefore, it is expedient that you should form acquaintance with men in this city, as you shall be led, and as it shall be given you.

4 And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours.

5 Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them.”

No treasure was ever discovered, nor was Salem ever under the control of the Mormons. Even in the above “explanation” offered by the LDS church (“Revelation given...they returned to Kirtland”), there is no reasoning given for why Joseph Smith, Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, and Cowdery did not find any treasure.

One more instance of failed prophecy should suffice to make this point plain. Smith prophesied in 1832 that the “New Jerusalem” and its Temple would be constructed in western Missouri in D&C 84.1-5:

“1 A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high.

2 Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.

3 Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.

4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.

5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.”

The Mormons were forced to flee Missouri due to persecution and said temple/city were never constructed in Missouri.

In short, Joseph Smith has made a multitude of claims in the name of God and as a “prophet” which never came to pass. His claims to speak on behalf of God as a true prophet cannot be trusted, and therefore we cannot heed any of his words or writings.

4. "Sacred" Text: The Book of Mormon plagiarizes from various source materials available to Joseph Smith in the 1840’s.

It is beyond reasonable doubt that a major source used in the Book of Mormon is the King James Version of the Bible. Various complete chapters and numerous shorter statements either directly parallel or allude to statements in the Bible. Even in the quotations already cited in this document, many of the phrases from the Mormon “Quad” (The Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrines & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price) have their origin in the KJV of the Bible. Here are a couple of examples:

“they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith - History 1:18-19) (See Matthew 15.7-8; Isa. 29.13; also 2 Tim. 3.5)
“I am the same yesterday, today, and forever” (2 Nephi 29.9) (See Heb 13.8

Of the 239 chapters in the Book of Mormon, 27 are duplicates of most or all of 27 chapters in the Bible. Examples include

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) (Mosiah 12-13)
21 chapters from Isaiah (Isa. 2-14, 29, 48-54) (scattered among 1-3 Nephi
and Mosiah)
Malachi 3-4 (3 Nephi 24.1-25)
Matthew 5-7 (3 Nephi 12-14)

Question: If the Bible was corrupted as the Book of Mormon claims (1 Nephi 13.28)...

Why did Smith quote so heavily from it as a trustworthy source? How does he know that only the sections he included in the Book of Mormon are valid?
Why wasn’t the Bible corrupted before the early church was established?
Wouldn’t a corrupted Bible prior to the birth of Jesus nullify Jesus’ claims to fulfill the ancient prophecies regarding Himself? (After all, if scripture was corrupted, and scripture says Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem… you get the picture)
What evidence does Smith provide apart from his writings that such corruption occurred? What manuscript or fragments of documents have been found that support his claims?
Smith claims that he read from James 1.5 KJV: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him.” and then determined to pray to know what church he should join and to ask forgiveness of his sins. If the scripture was corrupted, how do we know this one single solitary verse is truthful, and Smith was wise to trust it? If this is true, it is the blindest of luck that Smith just so happened to read one of the “uncorrupted” verses, isn’t it?

In 1823 View of the Hebrews was published by Ethan Smith, a congregationalist minister in Poultney, Vermont, which argues that Native Americans are descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel. This book predates the Book of Mormon by at least 7 years, and contains too many “parallels” to ignore:

Hebrew origin for Native Americans (both)
The destruction of Jerusalem (both)
A hidden Indian Parchment & Lost Indian Records (Gold plates hidden in the Hill Cumorah)
Inspired prophets among the Native Americans (among the Nephites)
Indian shamans possessing objects similar to Urim and Thummim (Smith uses these to translate book of Mormon)
Barbarous and civilized tribes of Native Americans (Barbarous Lamanites and civilized Nephites)
About 1/3 of the chapters of Isaiah quoted in the Book of Mormon were also quoted in View of the Hebrews
Reference to a great Gentile nation (both)
Polygamy, riches, and pride denounced (both, although Mormonism later espouses polygamy)
Prophecies about the “stick of Joseph” and the “stick of Judah” (both)
Quetzacoatl as a type of Christ (Christ’s appearance to the Nephites in the New World)
Indians expected to be restored (Remnant of Levi’s seed expected to be restored)
A great nation became extinct (both)
America a choice land (both)
Idolatry and human sacrifice (both)
Extensive wars and military fortifications
The name “Ethan Smith” (The name “Ether”)

The compelling evidence of these parallels was even recognized by Elder B.H. Roberts, an LDS church historian:
“Did Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews furnish structural material for Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon? It has been pointed out in these pages that there are many things in the former book that might well have suggested many major things in the other. Not a few things merely, one or two, or half dozen, but many; and it is this fact of many things of similarity and the cumulative force of them that makes them so serious a menace to Joseph Smith’s story of the Book of Mormon’s origin.”

The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain
There was also a textbook written in 1819 in King James language entitled, The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain; used in New York state schools where Joseph Smith would have studied. Parallels include:

Devices of “curious workmanship” (Ether 10.27; 1 Nephi 16.10; 18.1)
“Stripling soldiers“ (Alma 53.22)
“fine workmanship” of material such as iron, copper, brass and steel (Jarom 1.8)
References to fortifications
“[men] were prepared ... and they let loose their weapons of war ...and smote ... with great slaughter. And the deep ditch that surrounded the fort was strewed with their slain and their wounded. (29.20-23)

“[men] were prepared, with their swords and their slings,to smite ... with an immense slaughter ... ditches ...filled up in a measure with their dead and wounded.” (Alma 49.20-25)
The Fourth of July:
“the fourth day of the seventh month, which is the birth day of Columbian Liberty and Independence” (“Late War”, 26:1)

“the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges” (Alma 10.6)
References to Tecumseh/Teancum
“... near Moravian Town ... And it came to pass ... the army ... were under ... a chief warrior, whom they called Tecumseh [...] smote their chief warrior [Tecumseh], and slew him ... he fell to the earth.” (27-28)

“... people of Morianton ... And it came to pass ... the army ... was led by a man whose name was Teancum [...] they did pursue Teancum, and slew him ... he was dead, and had gone the way of all the earth.” (Alma 50.33, 35; 62.36-37)
Surrender Language
“And the chief warriors gave up their instruments of destruction, and laid them at the feet of Jackson.. (35.34)

“And ... their chief captains, ... threw down their weapons of war at the feet of Moroni… (Alma 52.38)
Laihona
“Now these wonderful torpedoes were made partly of brass and partly ofiron, and were cunningly contrived with curious works, like unto a clock;and as it were a large ball.” (50.24)

“And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.” (1 Nephi 16.10)
Conversion of Indians
“Now there were some amongst the tribes of the savages who had been instructed in the ways of God” (26.18-21)

“yea, having been instructed in the same knowledge of the Lord” (Alma47.36)
Engraving Plates as a Storage Medium (golden plates of Book of Mormon, anyone?)
“But the imaginary evils which the children of men commit are oftentimes graven in brass, whilst their actual good deeds are written in sand… Likewise, the people gave him [Oliver Perry] much silver plate, with gravings thereon, mentioning his deeds. (36.26; 31.33)
“And these things which testify of us, are they not written upon the plates of brass which our father Lehi brought out of Jerusalem? (3 Nephi 10.17)

And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them. (1 Nephi 19.1)

And they brought a record with them, even a record of the people whose bones they had found; and it was engraven on plates of ore. (Mosiah 21.27)
Worthiness of Christopher Columbus (Mormons hold that Columbus fulfills 1 Nephi 13.12)
A cataclysmic earthquake followed by great darkness
“...thunders: ... as the mighty earthquake, which overturneth cities. And the whole face of the earth ... overshadowed with black smoke; so that, for a time, one man saw not another: ... sharp rocks had fallen upon them” (19.37-44)

“...thunder, ... did shake the whole earth ... cities were sunk, and ... the face of the whole earth... could feel the vapor of darkness ... so that ... for the space of three days, that there was no light seen; ... great destruction had come upon them.” (3 Nephi 8)
Elephants in America
“... the land ... most plentiful ... yielding gold and silver, and ... all manner of creatures which are used for food, And ... the huge mammoth that once moved on the borders ... It is more wonderful than the elephant; (20.11-16)

“... the land, ... exceeding rich, ... of gold, and of silver, and ... all manner of ... animals which were useful for the food of man. And ... cureloms and cumoms; ... and more especially the elephants … (Ether 9.17-19)
The mind-numbing overuse of “it came to pass”

Simply put, it is plain by comparison of the Book of Mormon with sources available to Joseph Smith that this book was not the inspired message of God, but merely a clumsy “Frankenstein” of various sources compiled and composed into a single text.

5. Archaeological Evidence Points to the Validity of the Bible, and the Falsity of Smith’s Writings

To date, there has never been an archaeological discovery which contradicts anything written in the Bible. On the other hand, the claims of the Book of Mormon, nor of any of the rest of Smith’s writings, have never been verified by archaeological evidence.

Example: The Book of Abraham

In the summer of 1835, Joseph Smith recieved a visitor in Kirtland, OH. This visitor was a traveling showman who possessed four Egyptian mummies and some hieroglyphic texts. The church bought these mummies and texts, and Smith claimed to have translated the text, resulting in the Book of Abraham (included in the Pearl of Great Price). These texts and mummies were sold by the Smith family some time later, but rediscovered in 1966 by a University of Utah professor examining artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC). He came across 11 Egyptian papyri with an 1856 certificate of sale signed by Smith’s widow, Emma.

Thomas Ferguson, an American lawyer, Mormon, and amateur archaeologist, learned of the news from the Mormon newspaper Deseret News on Nov. 27th, 1967. Within days, he wrote to a friend in LDS church leadership, asking to know whether these would be studied. He eventually recieved photographs of the documents and hired Egyptologists at University of California Berkeley to translate them.

6 weeks later, the results came back. The texts were authentic ancient Egyptian, but represented one of the most common documents in that culture: The Book of the Dead.In short, the source documents for “The Book of Abraham” had not the slightest connection or reference to what Joseph Smith claimed they actually recorded.

Writing to a fellow Mormon, in 1971 Ferguson stated: “I must conclude that Joseph Smith had not the remotest skill in things Egyptian-hieroglyphics.”

Ferguson’s Fruitless Mesoamerican Research

From 1946 to 1961, Ferguson conducted extensive research in Mexico at the supposed locations for the events that transpired in the Book of Mormon. In 1951, remarking to the non-Mormon Alfred V. Kidder of the Carnegie Institution of Washington DC, Ferguson made this comment: “Let the evidence from the ground speak for itself and let the chips fall where they may.” To this, we agree.

Writing to the First Presidency in 1955, Ferguson wrote:“To find the city of Zarahelma is to confirm a point of history but it is also to confirm, through tangible physical evidence, divine revelation to the modern world through Joseph Smith, Moroni, and the Urim and Thummim. Thus, Book of Mormon history is revelation that can be tested by archaeology.”

He also wrote in 1958:“One cannot fake over 3000 years ... of history and have the fake hold water under the scrutiny given the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is either fake or fact. If fake, the cities described in it are non-existent. If fact—as we know it to be—the cities will be there. If the cities exist, and they do, they constitute tangible, physical, enduring, unimpeachable evidence that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and that Jesus Christ lives.”

In February 1956 Ferguson published an article in Millennial Star, wherein he pointed out that evidence of metallurgy and writing in the preclassic period was “lacking”.

Eventually, Ferguson’s archaeological organization (New World Archaeological Foundation) was absorbed by the Mormon church under a new heading and Ferguson demoted to mere secretary of that group. Scattered comments in Ferguson’s letters in the 1960’s show him wondering why the eagerly expected evidence of Mormon archaeology had not been uncovered.

Anthropologist Michael D. Coe:
“nothing, absolutely nothing, has ever shown up in any New World excavation which would suggest to a dispassionate observer” that the Book of Mormon was a genuine historical document providing information about the early peoples of America. (1973)

In 1975, Ferguson submitted a paper to a symposium about Book of Mormon geography outlining the failure archaeologists to find Old World plants, animals, metals, and scripts in Mesoamerica. “The real implication of the paper,” he wrote in a letter the following year, “is that you can’t set Book of Mormon geography down anywhere - because it is fictional.”

Let's come back to our original question:
What is the difference between the LDS church and the church Jesus established?

Simple:
The church Jesus established is the church.
The church Joseph Smith established is not.

How is the LDS church different from the church of Christ?

Kyle Sanders