The Book of Mormon: 19th-Century Fanfiction or Divine Bestseller?
Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), published the Book of Mormon in 1830—a text hailed by believers as divinely inspired scripture and scrutinized by critics as a product of 19th-century storytelling. Smith’s limited formal education, combined with his charisma, narrative skills, and exposure to the cultural ideas of his time, raises the question: Could he have created such a work independently? Let’s explore the evidence.