Robert F. Bennett (1) (1933–2016)

A wonderful, in-depth look at the origins of the Book of Mormon. Bennett, who has some experience dealing with forgeries, does a deep dive into the different possibilities of the Book of Mormon's historicity--including whether it was a forgery or copy. Bennett isn't afraid to discuss the different arguments head on. At the end, he acknowledges that the ultimate conclusion is left to the individual reader. Thus, to believe the Book of Mormon requires a leap of faith, while rejecting it show more requires a rejection of evidence to support it. Like Bennett, I take the leap of faith and believe the Book of Mormon to be true, and I very much appreciate his perspective on this. show less

Many believe the Book of Mormon to be a forgery of one kind or another--not an ancient record kept by prophets, engraved on plates, and brought forth and translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Bennett tackles the many objections to the Book of Mormon--all revolving around the Book's authenticity (or lack of it). Bennett begins by providing some background on a couple of real forgeries: the Howard Hughes diaries and the the Howard Hughes will. He develops some concepts to be used in testing show more forgeries and then applies these to the Book of Mormon.

The objections and their refutations are woven through a fairly detailed overview of the Book of Mormon and the three main stories it contains: The Nephite and Lamanites story, the Mulekite's story, and lastly that of the Jaredites. Each of these represents a separate migration from the near east to the new world. While Bennett does a nice job of handling each of the objections, I do wonder who his audience really is. Is it mainstream Christians, non-believers, or Mormons? I think this book addresses all three audiences. show less

Substance: An examination of the claims of the Book of Mormon using the same tests applicable to any possibly forged document. Incorporates findings I am already familiar with, but could be new material to other investigators.
Style: Straightforward and clear.
Bob Bennett is a US Senator from Utah since 1992. He has worked for Howard Hughes's holding company and for Franklin Institute, and has serious experience dealing with frauds and politics.