The Daily DeseretDivine or Demonic? Luke Hanson and Ethan Muse Debate the Book of Mormon’s Source
A Catholic argues that the Book of Mormon is more likely inspired by demons than by God. A Latter-day Saint apologist answers.
Video: “FULL DEBATE: Is the Book of Mormon Demonically Inspired? | Luke Hanson v Ethan Muse (Repost)” — Ward Radio, published June 12, 2026 (about 2h 36m). The debate was originally hosted by Cameron Bertuzzi on Capturing Christianity.
The proposition was unusually blunt: it is more likely that the Book of Mormon was inspired by demons than by God. Moderator Cameron Bertuzzi noted that it was probably the first debate on that exact question, and that it compares only those two hypotheses without ruling out natural explanations. Ethan Muse, a Catholic, argued for the proposition. Luke Hanson, a Latter-day Saint apologist who appears on Ward Radio, argued against it.
The case for the proposition
Muse built his opening largely on Joseph Smith’s own words, especially his 1842 Times and Seasons article on trying the spirits. He argued that Joseph taught that false spirits had deceived many nations, that demons can teach things close to the truth in order to deceive, and that only properly constituted priesthood authorities can tell true spirits from false ones. On that basis, Muse said, the goodness of the book’s content cannot settle its source. He then turned to episodes from early church history, including accounts of apparent demonic manifestations in Kirtland, Sidney Rigdon’s 1832 episode, Hiram Page’s seer-stone revelations (addressed in Doctrine and Covenants 28), the Canadian copyright revelation, and testimony about Joseph’s treasure-digging, drawing heavily on historian Dan Vogel. For the sake of argument, he granted that the book may be a remarkable literary feat, and said that would not affect his thesis.
The response
Hanson argued that Muse’s conclusion falls outside even the non-Latter-day Saint scholarly mainstream. He cited historians and biographers, among them Dan Vogel, John Turner, Robert Remini and Don Bradley, who, whatever they think of the Restoration, describe Joseph as sincere or resist calling him a charlatan. He argued that folk-magic practices were part of Joseph’s environment and that Joseph saw them as compatible with Christianity, not as seeking demons. He also challenged the reliability of the Hurlbut affidavits, saying they were solicited to gather negative testimony, contradict one another, and describe the Smiths as lazy even though land records suggest their farm was valued above many of their accusers’. In Q&A he pointed to the Three Witnesses, who never denied their testimony even after leaving the Church.
Where it landed
Much of the debate turned on method. Muse argued that Latter-day Saints should be judged by the standard Joseph Smith himself set for discerning spirits. Hanson argued that Muse was setting Joseph against himself instead of applying an objective standard, and that Muse’s reading of the history requires interpreting the sources in only one way. In Q&A, the two clashed again over whether personal prayer can discern spirits under Joseph’s teaching. Viewers on both sides will find plenty to dispute. Watch the full exchange before deciding.
How we wrote this: this recap paraphrases the video’s description and its YouTube auto-generated transcript. We avoid direct quotes because auto-captions can be inaccurate. Please watch the full debate before relying on any summary of a speaker’s position. The views summarized here belong to the participants.