Hello, my name is Danny. I was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ for 60 years.
Today, I want to compare how women are viewed in the Bible compared to how women are viewed in the Book of Mormon.
In the entirety of the Bible - some women are identified as healers, warriors, business leaders, diplomats, judges, musicians, disciples, and even prophets. Two of the books in the Old Testament were named after women – Esther and Ruth. And the men who wrote the other books of the Bible, certainly felt free to mention women by name – and to write concerning their achievements.
In the New Testament, it becomes obvious how Jesus treated women with SO much respect AND – often as equals to men. Some of the most poignant interactions in the Four Gospels are with Jesus and women.
In fact, Yeshua’s longest recorded conversation with was with the Samaritan woman at the well - recorded in John 4. The story is a rich example of love, truth, redemption, and acceptance.
Yeshua crossed the cultural boundaries between men and women - by His acceptance of many women as His disciples. Some of them traveled with Him and ministered to Him – like Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susana, Salome, and sisters like – Mary and Martha, as well as His mother - Mary.
Women were present at Yeshua’s crucifixion, and they were the last to leave the foot of the cross. And they were the first witnesses to the Lord’s Resurrection, and the first to tell others about it.
Even the apostle Paul regularly ministered in the gospel alongside devoted women. He often applauded their dedication and faithfulness to the cause of the gospel.
It is clear, that God elevates the status of womanhood - especially in the Apostolic Record of the New Testament.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now let’s consider the women in the Book of Mormon - which has over 500 pages, spanning over 3,000 years of Nephite, Lamanite, and Jaredite history and millions of people. Considering all that time and history and population – how many women in the Book of Mormon are mentioned by name? Astonishingly, only 6.
It was very, noticeable to me when reading the Book of Mormon - the lack of personal names for women. Three of those 6 women were simply mentioned by name and taken directly as a reference from the Bible: Sarah – the wife of Abraham; Eve – the wife of Adam; and Mary – the mother of Jesus.
The remaining 3 women originating from the Book of Mormon who played a minimal role were: Sariah – the wife of Lehi; Abish - a Lamanite convert; and Isabel - the harlot.
As you can see, there’s almost complete silence on women in the Book of Mormon and they basically play, unimportant roles. There ARE references to other females in the narrative - but none of them have proper names. While Nephi uses his own name in the phrase “I, Nephi” 86 times. He never mentions his wife’s name once.
Unlike the Bible – there is virtually nothing mentioned about marriage or family life in the Book of Mormon. It seems that women were primarily accessories to men – dependent upon them, not only for survival but also for identity.
All of this - is strong evidence that the Book of Mormon was written NOT by many different authors as the LDS apologist like to argue, but by ONE man – who obviously wasn’t interested in the matters or needs of women. When I read the Book of Mormon, the pattern that strikes me again and again are the ways in which female characters are portrayed and objectified.
Here are some examples of what I mean:
First – Women in the Book of Mormon are treated as instruments for men’s own purposes. They seem to primarily exist to bear children; to provide food; and to provide sexual pleasure.
For instance: 1 Nephi 7:1 “…it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.” Plainly stated, the purpose of bringing the women out of Jerusalem, across the ocean, to a new land was so they could reproduce and perpetuate Lehi’s lineage.
1 Nephi 16:7 “I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife.” These daughters have no identity or choice in the matter. They aren’t distinct from one another and don’t even rate enough to have proper names.
Second – Women are treated as if they had no autonomy and are used as pawns to save the lives of cowardly men.
Mosiah 23:33 “…Amulon did plead with the Lamanites; and he also sent forth their wives, who were the daughters of the Lamanites, to plead with their brethren, that they should not destroy their husbands.”
Mosiah 19:13 “…those who tarried with their wives and their children caused that their fair daughters should stand forth and plead with the Lamanites that they would not slay them.” Fathers were willing to exchange for their freedom - the sexual availability of their daughters to their enemies.
Three – Treating women as sex objects.
Mosiah 20:3-5 “And now the priests of king Noah, being ashamed to return to the city of Nephi, yea, and also fearing that the people would slay them, therefore they durst not return to their wives and their children. And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them; And when there were but few of them gathered together to dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them and carried them into the wilderness; yea, twenty and four of the daughters of the Lamanites they carried into the wilderness.” These wicked priests decide to abduct the Lamanite young women because they needed their sexual services and their female labor. And they quickly replaced their former wives with these new wives.
Four – Treating women as if they had no voice in a matter or feelings about their future.
For instance: Alma 17:24 “…King Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.”
Finally, there is an ugly scene at the end of the Book of Mormon where women were tortured, raped, murdered, and cannibalized. Moroni 9:9 “…many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue.” Kind of disgusting!
It is obvious the author of the Book of Mormon didn’t think the experience or value of women had any particular importance.
To be fair, this critique does not mean that certain portrayals of women in the Book of Mormon are universally negative. There are a few positive examples: Nephi’s unnamed wife pleads on his behalf of safety. Abish was a heroine. The unnamed wife of Lamoni was loyal and faithful. The unnamed mothers of the armies of Helaman had powerful faith. The book gives limited credit to these few women.
But overall - the Book of Mormon consistently shows that women are not real people at all. Instead, they are objects to be used - with varying degrees - by men.
Honestly, if I was a Latter-Day Saint woman - reading the Book of Mormon – I would be put off by the irrelevancy of the female characters. The whole story reeks of patriarchy, which was pervasive in the 19th century when the Book of Mormon was written by Joseph Smith Jr. who himself had dozens of wives. Many who were married to other men at the time, and others who were teenagers.
The god of the Book of Mormon does not appear to be the God of the Bible. Which is yet another proof that the Book of Mormon was the fabrication of one man’s misogynistic imagination. And we KNOW who that was! Yes, Joseph Smith Jr.
Something to consider! Check out other videos like this at Talking to Mormons. com. or You Tube. Please share with family and friends.
And, until next time,
God Bless!