Hello, I’m Danny. I was an active Latter-day Saint for 60 years. In a recent video, I spoke about the true meaning of the temple. I compared and, contrasted the biblical temple with modern LDS temples.
Today, I want to talk about Book of Mormon temples. Did they really exist? And if they did, what purpose did they serve?
But first, let’s read a quote by a past LDS prophet that is extremely important concerning this matter.
Former prophet and president of the LDS Church, Ezra Taft Benson draws a line in the sand. “…the Book of Mormon is the keystone of [our] testimony. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.” In other words, if the Book of Mormon is true – the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. But if the Book of Mormon isn’t true – then the LDS Church isn’t true either. You see, it ALL hinges on that book.
We find in reading the Bible, when God commanded a temple to be built - there was always only ONE temple. Do you know why there was only one? Because it represented and symbolized the only One True Living God. And that one and only temple HAD to reside in Jerusalem – nowhere else!
If that’s the case - why then, are there additional temples mentioned in the Book of Mormon narrative?
Let’s find out!
After Lehi’s family left Jerusalem, Nephi built a large ship that sailed half-way around the world to the Americas. Upon arrival, the Book of Mormon tells us that Nephi, became industrious once again. 2 Nephi 5:15-16 “And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.” Nephi emphasizes that it was an “exceedingly fine” temple. Likewise, modern Latter-day Saint temples (350 of them at the cost of $65 million each) are also “exceedingly fine,” opulent, luxurious, and very expensive.
I wonder where Nephi got the knowledge and experience to construct buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver, and precious ores. Iron and steel were anachronistic items at that time in the Western Hemisphere. Besides, where did Nephi find the manpower to build a temple like Solomon’s?
We can read in the Bible, the specific dimensions of Solomon’s temple given by God. It took around 150,000 men - and seven years to build Solomon’s temple. 1 Kings 6-9 describes the construction and dedication of the temple. The Ark of the Covenant with the 10 Commandments was housed in Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem, and animal sacrifice was the predominant mode of divine service in that temple. Solomon tells us in 2 Chronicles 2:6 “But who is able, to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him.”
Everything that happened in Solomon’s temple was public knowledge. Every ritual, and ordinance is written and explained in great, detail in the Book of Leviticus. Nothing was kept secret.
But of, course it only took a couple dozen Nephites to build their temple with the same design as Solomon’s temple – forged out of non-existent materials for that age. Interestingly, after you read this passage in 2 Nephi 5 – you find that Nephi never mentions that temple again – never! His brother Jacob used this temple to preach a sermon. But after that - we find no mention of any temple for hundreds of years in the Book of Mormon. Why is that? For the Jews in Israel – everything revolved around temple worship. But, not for the Nephites.
In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites would eventually build 3 temples – this one in the Land of Nephi, another in the Land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 1:18), and one in the Land of Bountiful (3 Nephi 11:1). Of course, there was no Ark of the covenant in these temples. Nor were there animal sacrifices being performed in these Nephite temples. It seems these buildings were used solely for open assembly or a gathering place to hear from their leaders. Neither was there, mention of the temple being used for sacred ordinances - like in the LDS temples - such as endowments, marriage sealings, second anointings, or ordinances for the dead. Of course, none of those ordinances were found in Solomon’s temple, either. That later became a modern invention of Joseph Smith.
Since there were no Levite priests among the Nephites - none of the Jewish rituals, ceremonies, nor ordinances of the Nephite temple as described in Leviticus could be performed. There was no annual Day of Atonement observed. So, what was the purpose for building temples in the lands of the Book of Mormon in the first place? The author of the Book of Mormon – namely Joseph Smith - didn’t know how to make that connection.
In Mosiah chapter 2, King Benjamin summoned all his people to the temple in Zarahemla to receive instruction – and to receive a new “name.” I’m sure King Benjamin was referring to a single corporate name for his people. This new name for Benjamin’s people would set them apart from other people in the land – and the new name was not “Mormons.”
However, it does seem more than a coincidence - that as part of the modern LDS temple endowment ceremony - each temple attendee receives a “new name” which they are told, “should always remember and which they must keep sacred and never reveal, except at a certain place.” That “certain place” is at the temple veil - before the person enters the presence of God in the Celestial room.
Honestly, it both surprised and disappointed me - as an active member of the LDS Church to learn – that on any given day of the year - the exact same “new name” is given to every male and female - regardless of which temple it is around the world. You can see a list of “new names” associated with a schedule of dates by going online at - Temple Name Oracle. I’m convinced that the “new name” I was given in the Idaho Falls temple was not so special after all.
Getting back to the temples in the Book of Mormon - I’m convinced those temples did not really exist. There have been no archaeological findings of buildings dating back to the pre-Columbian era matching that kind of grand construction. There was no Levitical priesthood among the fictional Nephites to perform Jewish ordinances in those temples, anyway.
I’m going to conclude with another quote – this time from a living apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who doubled down on the fact that, “…everything in the Church – everything – rises or falls on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and, by implication, the Prophet Joseph Smith’s account of how it came forth… It sounds like a ‘sudden death’ proposition to me. Either the Book of Mormon is what the Prophet Joseph said it is or this Church and its founder are false, fraudulent, a deception from the first instance onward.”
I couldn’t agree with Jeffrey more. And I’m convinced the weight of evidence is not in favor of either Joseph Smith or the LDS Church. Something to seriously consider.
Thanks for watching. Check out more videos like this one on You tube and at talkingtomormons.com. Please share with family and friends.
Until next time, God Bless!