Expert: Michael Kelley - 9/22/2009

Question
The Book of Mormon mentions several animals, plants, and technologies that did not existed in pre-Columbian America. These include asses, cattle, milk, horses, oxen, sheep, swine, goats, elephants, wheat, barley,figs, grapes, silk,steel,bellows, brass, breast plates, chains, copper working, iron working, plows, swords, scimitars, and chariots. However,the Smithsonian Institution has stated that "none of the principal food plants and domestic animals of the Old World (except the dog) were present in the New World before Columbus."

How do you answer this problem in the B.O.M.?

Answer
Hi S.
 I will be happy to answer your questions. Please note that I am ex-LDS and belong to the Church of Christ that believes in the Bible and Book of Mormon.
 In answer to your question the simple truth is that the Smithsonian (assuming they actually made them) is wrong in their claims about ancient Americans. I have seen in library books of photos taken in Mexico and Central America of ruins with stone carvings of elephants and horses, toy chariots and the wheel, etc. etc.. I also know of folks who went to these ruins themselves and taken photos and I have copies of them. Shucks there is even an archaeological site near where I live here in Idaho of the Hagerman horse... a pre-Columbian fossil about the size of an Arabian horse. I lived in Phoenix, Arizona when they were building I-10 and during the excavation they found Hohokam ruins that had barley... of which even grew when planted. The find can be found in the Arizona Republic newspaper. I also know of stone writings found in New Mexico of the 10 commandments written in 600 BC Hebrew which was authenticated by the Hebrew University.
 You see what has happened is an anti-Mormon might ask somebody at the Smithsonian about these things, and whoever he talked to was either indoctrinated in outdated teachings, or was ignorant, or the contact never really happened. Even when antis are confronted with undeniable truths they still continue to spread these falsehoods thinking they are doing God's service... pardon me but God is not the author of lies. Now there are some criticisms about mainstream Mormonism that may be valid, and I might agree with those criticisms, but answering these same old lies over and over again does little to convince me that I am on the wrong path. In reality many of these criticisms end of being evidences for the divinity of the Book of Mormon.
 I hope this answers your questions, feel free to ask other questions if you like.

God Bless,
Mike