Book of mormon gold plates

One might look for gold plates from the earlier period with religious texts inscribed upon them to help establish historical compatibility for the book of mormon. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon. Critics began by labeling the book bungling and stupid, joe smith a perfect ignoramus, and they claimed any blunderhead, with the bible at his side, might have written it. The golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold the golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold, new era, july. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of mormonism. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of an ancient book written on gold plates that he found buried in a hill. Is the book of mormon and gold plates just a huge fraud, just. I dont know that the plausibility for the gold plates ideas in this blog really prove or disprove anything. The gold plates are records of gods dealing with ancient inhabitants of the americas and contain the fullness of the everlasting gospel of jesus christ. Mormon, a prophet and military leader who lived at the end of the nephite era c.

In this article they state that the archelogist believe that the plates that were found could be linked to joseph smith and were in fact the original gold plates from. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Joseph smith translated two sets of plates book of. Check out book of mormon centrals new video, detailing the historical evidence for the existence of the book of mormon golden plates. The book is made of a set of twelve metal plates, each measuring six inches 15 cm in width, eight inches 20 cm in length approximately half an inch 1. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. The gold plates and the translation of the book of mormon. The precious metal that the world will go for even to the extent of penning the rivers and streams to find its course of origin whether that gold plate was really gold. Putnam made that point in mathematical detail and concluded that the total weight of the plates in joseph smiths charge would have been near the 60pound figure reported by several witnesses. According to latter day saint belief, the golden plates also called the gold plates or in some 19thcentury literature, the golden bible are the source from which joseph smith said he translated the book of mormon, a sacred text of the faith. The plates were first described as gold, and beginning about 1827, the plates were widely called the gold bible. The plates were written in a language called reformed egyptian. The book of mormon describes the plates as being made of ore.

If mormon s book of mormon plates were made of tumbaga, their weight would have been much less than had they been made of pure gold. You cant just eat around it, you have to get rid of it in a way that still makes the salad palatable to the dinner guests. 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 book of mormon plates religious studies center. The plates are made of a copper gold alloy and are held together by three dshaped rings, forming a sort of book. Unfortunately the supposed gold plates joseph smith used to channel the book of mormon from have never been found since he returned them to the angel moroni.

Book of mormon the idea of an ancient record on gold plates was one of the most mocked claims of joseph smith. Jun 19, 2014 the gold plates were a combination of records my intent in writing a blog is to introduce sincere investigators to the book of mormon. Thus, the plates are foundational to the mormon religion. Eight men, called the eight witnesses, saw and touched the plates. The book of mormon is a translation of ancient gold plates, which is not easily understood by our young kids.

Joseph smith translated two sets of plates book of mormon. Book of mormon gold plates mormonism research ministry. One thing i found a little amusing was this statement about the gold plates. As church membership mushroomed, and it became clear the book of mormon is pretty. Who besides joseph smith actually saw the gold plates. Golden plates to book of mormon more about the plates the pages were thin sheets of metal. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. These distinctions appear to reflect the three witnesses who saw the plates and the angels, the eight witnesses who saw and handled the plates. How to make the golden plates with kids eve out of the. Watch the video how we got the book of mormon created from the book of mormon scripture reader. The prophet joseph smith translates them by the gift and power of god.

According to wikipedia after translation was complete, smith said he returned the plates to the angel, but he did not elaborate about this experience. The book of mormon plates are the fly in the critics potato salad. 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. Gold plates, book of mormon, joseph smith, lds, missionary. The plates from which joseph translated the book of mormon are called the gold plates and the golden plates interchangeably because it is unknown exactly what they were composed of.

The individual book of mormon within the book of mormon, is the the third to last book, preceeding moroni and ether. Smith apparently collected these plates, took them home, and subsequently translated them into the book of mormon which he then published in 1830. Joseph showed the plates to christian whitmer, hiram page, jacob whitmer, joseph smith sr. 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. First, he specifically mention 3 witnesses, then a few, and also as many witnesses as seemeth the lord good. Moroni showed the plates to oliver cowdery, david whitmer, and martin harris see the testimony of three witnesses, book of mormon. Reports of gold plates being found stem from a fake news. Joseph smith translating the book of mormon by looking at a seer stone in a hat. The plates he held referred to several other sets of plates and records, an understanding of which is necessary to understand the book of mormon. Where are the book of mormon gold plates at now answers. Attacks against the book of mormon have experienced a kind of mission creep since its publication in 1830. Replica gold plates book of mormon book of mormon, book of.

The remaining plates are of a paper composite material colored gold but with no inscriptions. When the book of mormon was published in 1830, the eight witnesses described the plates as having the appearance of gold. The term golden bible is also used with a negative connotation. In 1827 when joseph smith received the gold plates, he found that much of the record was an abridgment of many other records written by ancient kings and prophets living in the americas. The metal would have to be soft enough to use a stylus so they can understand the difficult process. Sep, 2019 although i do offer an answer to the question in this book, most of the book explains the new paradigm about the plates themselves. In this article they state that the archelogist believe that the plates that were found could. Dimensions according to joseph, the book was 6 x 8 x 6 and each plate was thinner than common tin. 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. Hiram page, whom married catherine whitmer in 1825. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. I hope my readers will begin to read the book of mormon on their own and use this blog to. Read the story from gold plates to the book of mormon having your child help trace the path.

Problems with the gold plates in the book of mormon. The book of mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of indians. The plates are made of a coppergold alloy and are held together by three dshaped rings, forming a sort of book. The famous orphic gold plates provide perhaps the best examples of such early religious texts written upon tablets of gold and buried in the ground. 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. But, what never seems to go away for book of mormon critics are those pesky witnesses. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of an ancient book written on gold plates. The gold plates were a combination of records my intent in writing a blog is to introduce sincere investigators to the book of mormon. 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. The content of the gold plates of the book of mormon.

Over the past several days there has been an article circulating by many members and non members a like of a team of archaeologists finding the gold plates while excavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah. 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. Mary whitmer witnesses of the golden plates and book of mormon. Book of mormon title page markings i like this method of enhancing your study.

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. Two top plates are made of brass and imprinted with reformed egyptian characters. What i do know is that i found out the book of mormon is true because as i read it i felt the spirit of god testify to my soul that it is true, that jesus is. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Replica gold plates book of mormon book of mormon, book. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon paperback december 1, 1997 by stan larson author visit amazons stan larson page. Supposedly, it was originally recorded in reformed egyptian on several gold plates which were discovered in the back woods of new york state by joseph smith, a young farm boy at the time. Mormons accept the king james version of the bible as their bible. Mary whitmer witnesses of the golden plates and book of. Mar 15, 2016 nephi prophesied that there would be multiple groups of people who would see the plates upon which the book of mormon was written. Josephs preface and a testimonial written by a group of eight witnesses described the plates as having an appearance of gold. These include the large plates of nephi abridged by mormon, the 24 gold plates abridged by moroni, and the plates of brass quoted from in the book of mormon. 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.

Although i do offer an answer to the question in this book, most of the book explains the new paradigm about the plates themselves. Criticism is aimed at joseph smiths claims because of what appear to be historical contradictions. I want to help others learn about the book of mormon. My husband wants to get some sheets of ore to help the kids understand this ancient way of writing. Five of her sons would become witnesses for the gold plates, along with her sonsinlaw. Nephi prophesied that there would be multiple groups of people who would see the plates upon which the book of mormon was written. Language the language on the plates is called reformed egyptian. Testimony of the prophet joseph smith, front of 20 edition of the book of mormon. 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. Despite mormons holding to a number of religious texts, the book of mormon stands in as the word of god, includes many details and truths missing from the bible, and is deemed the keystone of mormonism 1. If mormons book of mormon plates were made of tumbaga, their weight would have been much less than had they been made of pure gold. According to the prophet joseph smith, the titlepage of the book of mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the.

Some witnesses described the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds 14 to 27 kg, golden in color, and composed of thin metallic pages engraved with. Since then, researchers have found several examples of ancient metal plates, gold plates, and plates with rings. Did the eleven witnesses actually see the gold plates. To make sure the record would not deteriorate over time, the record keepers used gold or an alloy of gold to engrave their writings upon. Packer, in his article cumorahs cave, printed in the journal of book of mormon studies v. Is the book of mormon and gold plates just a huge fraud. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon fooling the prophet with the kinderhook plates how heavy were those gold plates. You can read the testimonies of the witnesses at the beginning of the book of mormon.