If Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon himself, why make it so long? Excluding Bible quotes it has 258,000 words (compared to 184,000 words in the New Testament). Why wouldn’t Joseph just write a much shorter book and take fewer chances of being exposed?

The Book of Mormon is 531 pages, and about one and a half times the size of the New Testament. It is unusually long for a first-time author. Why would Joseph as a first-time author feel the need to produce such a long book if it was a fraud? 

Why would he include so many details about the Near East and Mesoamerica if each one is just one more reason to be exposed? The longer the Book of Mormon, the more chances of being exposed. 

In addition to all the details which would need to be factually correct, Joseph would also need to maintain internal consistency. The longer the Book of Mormon, the more chances of being exposed. 

If the Book of Mormon was a fraud, Joseph could have made it a lot easier for himself by shortening the book or avoiding so many factual details which could be proved wrong. What reason would Joseph have for needing to produce over a quarter of a million words?  

See: 

• Dan Peterson – Book of Mormon’s consistency, complexity still amaze

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