“Proof that the Book of Mormon is True”, Excerpt from keepright.net
So you want proof that the Book of Mormon is true. Many a learned person has asked the same thing About the bible or even the existence of God. Indeed, I have asked these questions.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one of the keys to the foundation of our faith is the concept of free agency. Mormons believe we are here on earth to grow spiritually and to reveal our true selves. But we must have the choice to choose how good or worthy we will be. Some of us may prefer to live sinful lives, others very righteous lives and many somewhere in between. But we must be free to choose. Thus many people ask “Give me a sign.” (In other words: “give me proof.)
Consider a moment if I handed you proof. Or perhaps Jesus himself appeared to you and eliminated any doubt in your mind about his existence and the Book of Mormon. What would you do after this sign? Would you go to church occasionally, would you maybe read the scriptures if you feel in the mood, or maybe just be a little more righteous. No, I think if you saw God, you’d be on your knees. You’d be extremely righteous. Can you imagine the fear and magnanimity of such an experience. But if you were suddenly good because of fear of the Lord, what would this prove. Nothing. You would be a slave to your fears or to your ambitions. There is a saying that says “faith proceeds the sign”. In other words, our faith, which is based on hope, must proceed any signs or reinforcement of our faith. Only after we have made the commitment to Christ and his teachings, can we hope for signs from him. Thus when I or others say “I bear testimony that our Church is true and that the Book of Mormon is true”, we are saying that our faith has been enhanced so much that it is no longer based just on hope.
We are saying that we are trying to follow Christ’s teachings not from fear but from faith and love. We actually believe this “stuff’ is true. And our faith has become a testimony, not from fear, but from the love of his teachings and from the signs which are given to us. These signs may not be angels in our bedrooms. They may be such seemingly vague things as revelations or even experiences. But they are powerful things to us which we cannot explain to others and which have no meaning to others who have not tested the waters.
We are thus inviting you to test the waters: to read these scriptures and hope. Hope with all your heart, for what do you have to loose. For some of you nothing may change, for others everything changes. Now can you see that you must give yourself your own proof. If anyone else does, then your choice, your free agency would be denied you. You must keep your free agency. For this is how you will be judged today and for ever more. This is how you will grow spiritually.. So when we testify of the truth, we can only invite you to test our words. But test them seriously. How many people who claim to be Christians or atheists have even read the bible. And how many people who deny the Book of Mormon, have even read it, much less studied its truths. The test of the truth of the Book of Mormon is simple. Read it , study it, perhaps even speak with missionaries of the Church. It is true for us. If you must deny its truths, then do so based on sound understanding of what it says. The test of the truth of the Book of Mormon must be answered by you, the critic. The burden of proof rests on he who does not believe this scripture. I can only say that the more I study this scripture, the more interesting and amazing it becomes. It is not a simple book. It is a book that offers new answers and thoughts each time it is read, studied and pondered.