SELF-REFERENCING IN THE BOOK OF MORMON

“Self-referentiality” is defined as making reference to itself or oneself, especially in the context of a literary work making reference to itself, its author or creator, or their other work. It appears rarely in the Bible such as in Luke's brief opening words to his two-volume work Luke-Acts and in the epistles where the author states briefly who he is and to whom he is writing. Also, there are the Psalms, many of which have a short note at the beginning stating the author and the circumstances of the writing.

But the only type of self-referentiality with accompanying self-authentication that even comes close to that found throughout the Book of Mormon is at the end of John's Gospel, and even there it is written by someone other than the author himself.

    “This is the disciples who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.” (John 21:24, and see a similar statement in 19:35)

Perhaps taking a cue from this verse, Joseph Smith has loaded his creation with one verse after another describing in detail how each subsequent “author” was given divine revelation on where to find various metal plates and then he in turn took care to write a “true” account of what happened next. And scattered in between these “true” testimonies are potshots taken at the Bible, which was left in the hands of the “Gentiles” who rewrote it to the point that it can't be trusted anymore.

I had planned to go through the text of the Book of Mormon quoting every such self-serving statement, but I ran out of patience after wading though I Nephi. So below are only some selections from that book since all of the first chapters are actually devoted to the long account of how the hero managed to get the first metal plates. It is interesting that of all the ancient documents relating to the Bible or the Jews in general, you can count on the fingers of one hand the number engraved on metal. And since metals of any kind were so valuable, those inscriptions were exceedingly brief and even contained abbreviated words to save space. By contrast, according to the “true” record of the Book of Mormon, pounds and pounds of metal would have to have been utilized to write the rather rambling accounts we find there in which the usually redundant phrase “and it came to pass” appears over and over again.

The hyperlinks below will take you to the Church of Latter Day Saints site in case you are interested in learning more.

    I Nephi 1:3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

    3:2-3 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem. For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.

    3:19 And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers.

    5:17-19 And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy...That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed. Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time.

    6:3-6 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates. Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

    9:2-5 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi. Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people. Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

    10:22 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.

    13:35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.

    14:21-26 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been. And he shall also write concerning the end of the world. Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men. And behold, the things which this postle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see. But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them. And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.

    14:29 And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.

My own rather jaundiced view on the whole situation is expressed best by Shakespeare in Macbeth: “The lady [or man] doth protest too much, methinks.” Or, for an even more pertinent quotation: “Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No;' anything more than this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37; RSV) The real shame comes from people who are willing to believe any kind of nonsense that has absolutely no basis in fact simply because someone has stated it forcefully over and over again. That particular technique is well known under the label “The Big Lie.”