Having said that, one needs to study enough about the Book of Mormon’s origin and/or sample its contents to create the desire to want to know whether it has truth from a least a purely neutral intent. (As the book itself tells you.) If you bring with you an agenda to disprove it, that will likely be the result.

As for the God to whom you pray, that which you study should lead you (along with your true search as to what kind of entity you should worship as your God)to a point where you feel you have found the one an only true God. So, if your study of the Quran leads you to believe that Allah is the one true God, then pray to that entity and see if you can say that you have received confirmation that you are in the right place. But, if you cannot say that after your search, then it seems to me you would want to search elsewhere.

I think one should always ask themselves, “Does my religion answer my deepest questions to my satisfaction?” Does the doctrine, the more I study and observe, build on my faith and “fit” my ever changing world view. Is it internally consistent, and does it lead me to a life I believe with all my heart will lead me to the happiest life I can lead on this earth and to the highest eternal reward with my family that is possible hereafter? AND do I feel a deep and abiding spiritual conviction that cannot be impeached.

This is the conviction that I have.

I would pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to find the truth of such books, because this is the name I have come to trust to lead me into all truth.

For those of other faiths reading the Book of Mormon, I would suggest they pray about the book in the name of Jesus Christ also. This could be to them a large enough ‘leap of faith’ for the Father to send His Spirit and provide an answer.

You say you received the answer ‘false,’ but can you honestly say you would have dropped your own ministry and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS if He had told you it was ‘true?’ I know that’s a big leap. I don’t want you to answer me on that question; answer the question quietly to yourself in your heart. That way you can be completely honest.

I should clarify… you would not be expected to pray to your deity, but rather to the deity of the book you are reading. Hence my question, “Would you read the Quran and ask Allah if it is true?” or read the Satanic Bible and ask Satan if it were true?

Do you see the disconnect?

I have prayed about the Book of Mormon, whether it is true or false and I get a big ‘False’. So, we have one of two options for discussion – end the discussion or offer up some objective reason why something is true, or rather – how it is not false (ie. refute substantial evidence that it is: no genetic link between native americans and semitic people, no language link, mention of things that did not exist in the Americas before the Europeans, and the fact that no non-Mormon archaeologist affirms the validity of the geography or anthropology set forth in the BOM).

For me it is like this, I know that one plus one equals two. If you come and say, “no it really equals three… I prayed about it,” then I really can’t argue with you. And when I look at all the things the BOM affirms I keep seeing ‘one plus one equals three… ‘

I really don’t mean to be pretentious with this, but I believe I have a legitimate issue that FAIR doesn’t give a solid answer to.

I, myself, bought a Qu’ran not too long ago and I hope to read and gather as much truth from it as I can so I can apply it in my life. The Bhagavad Gita and Curious George assuredly also contain lessons on their respective levels. From my brief research on the Satanic Bible, it supports selfishness and fulfilling one’s desires. I clearly see that this idea has led to untold suffering the world over. So in this example, I quickly assess what the source professes to contain and then I investigate more deeply. Should I fail to act to find the truth, it can be only to my detriment.

There is, however, only one true answer for every question, something I very much believe. Truth is not affected by perception or circumstance. Avoidance of truth or disregard of it never leads to anything good in the end.

So I suppose the real question is: Was Joseph Smith a true prophet? If the Book of Mormon is an accurate book of history and scripture, then he must be. That is what every LDS missionary seeks to prove, not by wit, sheer logic or any other earthly means, but by faith and a simple prayer. Those people who join the church are not completely immersed in the Book of Mormon at the time of conversion in terms of knowledge. On the contrary, they know little about it. But when they read with a willing mind and heart, the sureness comes piece by piece.

I know that God does not lie. I would encourage everyone to read all of the books you listed with prayerful attention. If there is truth in it, I want it.

Joseph F. Smith, 6th Prophet of the Church once declared: “We believe in all truth, no matter to what subject it may refer. No sect or religious denomination [or, I may say, no searcher of truth] in the world possesses a single principle of truth that we do not accept or that we will reject. We are willing to receive all truth, from whatever source it may come; for truth will stand, truth will endure.”

And if God has already shown someone through reason and His Spirit that another way is true why would he/she even think about asking about the Book of Mormon? Feeling the way that you do about your faith, would you read the Quran and ask “Allah” if it were true?