John and Gregory Welch note that Neal A. Maxwell once quoted philosopher Austin Farrer in an article entitled “Discipleship and Scholarship.” The quote is as follows:
Though argument does not create conviction, the lack of it destroys belief. What seems to be proved may not be embraced; but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish. (Quoted by Neal A. Maxwell in “Discipleship and Scholarship,” BYU Studies 32/3 (1992): 5. The statement also appears in Austin Farrer, “The Christian Apologist,” in Light on C. S. Lewis, ed. Jocelyn Gibb (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1965).
[John W. Welch & J. Gregory Welch, Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching, F.A.R.M.S., Chart 8]
“Ponder It in Your Hearts”
According to Warren and Ferguson, the very high ancient culture of Mesoamerica in the second millennium before Christ appeared full blown, with agriculture, cities, ceramics, and textiles. There is nothing primitive underlying this culture from which it developed step by step. If there were Near Eastern people and Israelites in Mesoamerica centuries before Christ was born, they should have left things behind. A list of religious and cultural traits common to both Mesoamerica and the Near East has been prepared (see Appendix B). Many of the elements are uniquely shared by only those two cultures, while other elements are common to other societies also… . Study the list carefully. The more complex the element, the less likely the chance of its being invented independently in Mesoamerica. The fewer elements found in Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and the United States, the less likely the probability of transfer by land. [Bruce W. Warren and Thomas Stuart Ferguson, The Messiah in Ancient America, p. 214]
Moroni 10:3 When ye shall read these things … ponder it in your hearts (Illustration): A Comparative List of Cultural Traits between Mesoamerica and the Near East (See Appendix B). [Bruce W. Warren and Thomas Stuart Ferguson, The Messiah in Ancient America, pp. 215-228]
“When Ye Shall Read These Things Ponder It in Your Hearts”
For the Book of Mormon student who has pondered the multiple facets of culture, history, geography, doctrine, covenant relationships, language, etc. that are an integral part of the Book of Mormon story, the following bit of information has been adapted from an article on the internet entitled, "Is the Book of Mormon Really an Ancient Book?
If I offered you literally “a billion to one odds - in your favor” would you take it? Some of the cultural commentary which you have just finished is so obscure and so exact that 50/50 odds that anyone could spontaneously come up with it are laughable. But just for fun, let’s assume first that Joseph Smith authored the Book of Mormon, and second that on each of the hundreds of cultural items contained in the text of the Book of Mormon Joseph had a 50/50 chance of guessing what to write from a correct historical, covenantal, cultural, geographical, chronological, and editorial perspective (to say nothing of the huge task of correlating doctrinal messages). What then are the odds against such guesses? Well … . .
1 consecutive guess at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 2
2 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 4
3 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 8
4 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 16
5 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 32
6 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 64
7 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 128
8 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 256
9 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 512
10 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 1,024
11 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 2,048
12 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 4,096
13 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 8,192
14 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 16,000+
15 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 32,000+
16 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 64,000+
17 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 128,000+
18 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 256,000+
19 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 512,000+
20 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 1 million+
21 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 2 million+
22 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 4 million+
23 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 8 million+
24 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 16 million+
25 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 32 million+
26 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 64 million+
27 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 128 million+
28 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 256 million+
29 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 512 million+
30 consecutive guesses at 50/50 odds has a probability of 1 out of 1 billion+
We might as well stop here. The odds against even 100 good guesses would strain your credulity.
If you love truth, if you respect evidence, won’t you ask God in honest prayer to manifest to you by the Holy Spirit whether the Book of Mormon is His Holy Word or not?
[“Is the Book of Mormon Really an Ancient Book,” pp. 18-19, [http://www.comevisit.com/lds/bom-evid.htm], 2/15/99]