Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was originally an ancient nativeamerican record written on golden plates, and that god gave him the power to translate it into english. Their signed statements are in the front of all copies of the book of mormon. Book of mormon witnesses all later denied its truthfulness. Stan larsons quest for the gold plates aims to describe the fascinating journey of thomas stuart ferguson, who was instrumental in developing contemporary lds apologetics but came to disbelieve in mormon truthclaims near the end of his life. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. Desperate mopologists claim ancient bulgarian goldplate find. The reason why moroni took the plates back from joseph is surprisingly apparent right within the book of mormon.
The book of mormon itself refers to a long tradition of writing historical records on plates, of which the golden plates are a culmination see list of plates latter day saint movement. But, what never seems to go away for book of mormon critics are those pesky witnesses. Smith apparently collected these plates, took them home, and subsequently translated them into the book of mormon which he then published in 1830. Oct 11, 2011 so allred started adapting the book of mormon into a multipart graphic novel. Book of mormon prophesy reveals why moroni took the golden. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi palmyra, ny. Angelic handoff of mormon golden plates to joseph smith took.
After the translation was completed, however, joseph reported. She grew up in harmony, pennsylvania, along the banks of the susquehanna river on a acre farm. The scriptures suggest two reasons the book of mormon gold plates were not made available to the public. Faithful members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints believe that the prophet joseph smith received a set of metal plates which had the appearance of gold. The remaining plates are of a paper composite material colored gold but with no inscriptions. I lived right in the country where the plates were found from which the book of mormon was translated, and i know a great many things pertaining to that country. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. Emma hale smith bidamon was born on july 10, 1804, to isaac and elizabeth hale.
Nearly two dozen individuals had some sort of sensory encounter with the golden plates that joseph. This graphic novelcomic book adaptation was first illustrated in 2005 by award winning artist michael allred. Eight men, called the eight witnesses, saw and touched the plates. A longer version of this article was originally published by the neal a.
The plates were written in a language called reformed egyptian. Original broadway cast recording joseph smith american moses performed by nikki m james and the company. There is no evidence that joseph smith ever translated anything, including the golden plates into the book of mormon. The prophet joseph smith translates them by the gift and power of god. The etymology of zyf and a metallurgical analysis of the book of mormon plates online pdf, accessed november, 2015, 79. Two top plates are made of brass and imprinted with reformed egyptian characters. According to smiths account and the books narrative, the book of mormon was originally written in otherwise unknown characters referred to as reformed egyptian engraved on golden plates. The traditional version of church history is that moroni buried the golden plates in the hill cumorah in a stoneandcement box he built in the hillside. Mormon is allegedly a prophethistorian who was the native american believed by mormons to have written the book of mormon the main religious text of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints mormonism. He claimed that an angel named moroni had directed him to a buried stone box, containing a set of gold plates, covered with strange symbols.
Packer, in his article cumorahs cave, printed in the journal of book of mormon studies v. A true testimony of the book of mormon comes from reading it and, as counseled by moroni in a promise he left to us in moroni 10. Golden plates to book of mormon the angel moroni showed joseph smith where to find the golden plates. According to joseph smith, the founder of mormonism, in 1823 the angel moroni guided him to some golden plates buried on a hill near to where he lived. Oliver cowdery went with the prophet joseph when he deposited these plates. The gold plates that the prophet joseph smith received and translated were the plates of mormon on which mormon and his son moroni 2 made. Known as the book of mormon, he said i told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book of earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book. Brigham young gave a somewhat similar, secondhand account on june 17, 1877. In 2004 and 2005 he selfpublished the golden plates, an actiongospelpacked story starring nephi, omni, jacob, and.
Golden plates to book of mormon more about the plates the pages were thin sheets of metal. When told that several witnesses did see and handle them, they ask, what did they look like. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon christian. Top 10 embarrassments of the mormon religion listverse. We have the full text of what joseph smith was instructed to translate. The reported weight, dimensions, and composition of the gold plates are believable.
Premium edition six issue collection, contains all 6 issues of an adaptation of the fifth best selling book of all time, the book of mormon, which has sold over 120 million copies. The video is the third in book of mormon centrals evidence video series, the two previous videos being one on the archaeological evidence for the place called nahom, mentioned by nephi 1 nephi 16. Based on these parameters, modern researchers have estimated plates of pure gold would weigh at least 45 kilograms 100 pounds and might be too soft for engraved characters. The depository in the hill cumorah in new york was the site of all the nephite records. Brigham young, on june 17, 1877, related the following. Mar 02, 2018 whether joseph was an ignoramus, madman, or an evil religious genius, critics maintain that the book of mormon cannot be a historical record taken from golden plates. Jun 17, 2014 the story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a. You can read the testimonies of the witnesses at the beginning of the book of mormon. According to joseph smiths later accounts, three years after he experienced his first vision of deity. Emma smith bidamon a witness of the book of mormon.
Smith translated the text of the book of mormon over the next several. Scholars reject smiths explanation of the origin of the book of mormon. Children will happily learn book of mormon stories and principles in a way they can understand and remember. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon. Apr 22, 2016 skeptics have put forth several theories of book of mormon authorship that do not require believing in golden plates delivered by angels and translated by a miracle. When it first appeared, the book of mormon was attacked for the alleged absurdity of having been written on golden plates and its claim of the existence of an early sixth century b. Some claim that since the original plates of the book of mormon are unavailable for scholarly inspection, it cant reasonably be studied as an. Mormonism is a religion less than two centuries old, but in this short time it has managed to accrue a long list of embarrassments which the church leaders would prefer were kept. The angel moroni showed joseph smith where to find the golden plates. There are numerous examples of ancient writing on metal plates.
The gold plates that the prophet joseph smith received and translated were the plates of mormon on which mormon and his son moroni 2 made their abridgment. Emma smith witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon. Maxwell institute for religious scholarship as how witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book of mormon studies, vol. Mormon, a prophet and military leader who lived at the end of the nephite era c. Modern mormon spin doctors write all kinds of articles claiming that the witnesses may have denied the mormon church but they never the book of mormon. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. How corrections in the book of mormon prov see more like this dramatized the golden plates book of mormon living scriptures 24 cd set preowned. Mar 02, 2019 the book explains that joseph translated two sets of plates, that mormons repository was in new york, and that the plates are still not far from cumorah. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon.
Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. Joseph smith translated two sets of plates book of mormon. Four years later, joseph and his wife, emma, went in a wagon to get the plates. Joseph smith was careful to obey the command from the lord that he not show the plates to others. A companion for family scripture study is an engaging and clever book of over 300 short, catchy rhymes for family scripture study to learn and love the book of mormon. The story of their discovery is supported by a large number. Some mormons will agree that all three witnesses denied the book of mormon but came back to deny their denial. After joseph smith completed the translation of the book of mormon, the three witnesses and the eight witnesses were allowed to see and handle the plates. Why were the book of mormon gold plates not placed in a. The etymology of zyf and a metallurgical analysis of the book of mormon plates provo, ut. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421.
Joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a great apostasy. Jan 30, 2018 see book of mormon central, what kind of ore did nephi use to make the plates. The golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold the golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold, new era, july. The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon. The last known location of the golden plates is given to us from brigham young in the journal of discourses. Sep, 2019 two sets of plates i mormon made this record out of the plates of nephi, and hid up in the hill cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the lord, save it were these few plates which i gave unto my son moroni mormon 6. When some people interested in the book of mormon ask to see the golden plates, they are disappointed to learn that joseph returned them to moroni.
Once joseph hid them under the bricks of the fireplace. The book of mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two precolumbian prophethistorians from around the year ad 400. The sealed portion of the plates contained extremely sacred and important content that the lord has promised to reveal in the future. The teachings were etched on gold plates in an ancient reformed egyptian language and later translated by joseph smith into english as the. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of mormonism. Joseph smiths golden plate story debunked reasons for jesus. Music, lyrics and book by trey parker, matt stone and robert lopez. As he translated the book of mormon, joseph learned that special witnesses would be called to bear testimony of the ancient record written on metal plates. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates. Attacks against the book of mormon have experienced a kind of mission creep since its publication in 1830.
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