Difference between revisions of "Mormonism and Wikipedia/Golden plates/Translating"

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=={{WikipediaUpdate|9/21/2011}}==
  
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=An analysis of the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" (Version December 10, 2009)=
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==Section review==
 
===Translating the plates===  
 
===Translating the plates===  
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{{seealso|Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1827 to 1830}}  
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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Joseph Smith said that the plates were engraved in an unknown language, and Smith told associates that he was capable of reading and translating them. This translation took place mainly in [[Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Harmony, Pennsylvania]] (now [[Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Oakland Township]]), Emma's hometown, where Smith and his wife had moved in October 1827 with financial assistance from a prominent, though superstitious, Palmyra landowner [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]].
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|authorsources=<br>
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#The local Presbyterian minister, Jesse Townsend, described Harris as a "visionary fanatic". An acquaintance, Lorenzo Saunders, said, "There can't anybody say word against Martin Harris...a man that would do just as he agreed with you. But he was a great man for seeing spooks." {{Harv|Walker|1986|p=35}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaNPOV|editor=John Foxe|wikipedialink=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Golden_plates&diff=93442455&oldid=93354902}} The paragraph only mentions Martin Harris a single time in the context of providing financial assistance, and even then the word "superstitious" is used. For what possible reason, other than to smear Harris' character as a later witness, would this warrant a footnote in which Harris is called a "visionary fanatic" and a "great man for seeing spooks?"
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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The translation occurred in two phases: the first, from December 1827 to June 1828, during which Smith [[Anthon transcript|transcribed some of the characters]] and then dictated [[Lost 116 pages|116 manuscript pages]] to Harris, which were lost. The second phase began sporadically in early 1829 and then in earnest in April 1829 with the arrival of [[Oliver Cowdery]], a schoolteacher who volunteered to serve as Smith's full-time scribe. In June 1829, Smith and Cowdery moved to [[Fayette, New York]], completing the translation early the following month. Smith used scribes to write the words he said were a translation of the golden plates, dictating these words while peering into [[Seer stone (Latter Day Saints)|seer stones]], which he said allowed him to see the translation. Smith's translation ability evolved naturally out of his earlier treasure seeking,
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=73}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Chronology}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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and he used a process that was "strikingly similar" to the way Smith used seer stones for treasure hunting.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=171}}
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{Detail_old|Joseph Smith/Seer stones}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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For the earliest phase of translation, Smith said that he translated using what he called the "[[Urim and Thummim]]"—a set of large spectacles with stones where the eye-pieces should be.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Smith|Mulholland|Thompson|Phelps|1838a|p=5}}. Early followers of Smith used the term ''Urim and Thummim'' to refer both to these large spectacles and Smith's other seer stones, most notably one commonly called the "Chase stone" that Smith had found in a Palmyra well during the early 1820s{{Harv|Van Wagoner|Walker|1982|pp=59–62}}; {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=171}}. {{Harvtxt|Tucker|1867|p=35}} (referring to the Urim and Thummim as "mammoth spectacles").
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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There is no eye-witness testimony that Smith ever wore the large spectacles, although some witnesses understood that he placed them in his hat while translating.
 +
|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|pp=169–70}}. [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]], one of Smith's scribes, is reported to have said that the spectacles were made for a giant, and would not have been wearable by Joseph Smith {{Harv|Anton|1834}}. [[David Whitmer]], another scribe, also said that the spectacles were larger than normal spectacles, and indicated that Smith placed them in his hat while translating, rather than wearing them {{Harv|Whitmer|1875}}. However, a man who interviewed Smith's father in 1830 said that Smith did at least some of the translation while wearing the spectacles {{Harv|Lapham|1870}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCITE|editor=John Foxe|wikipedialink=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Golden_plates&diff=199364345&oldid=199363124}} David Whitmer ''did'' state in one interview that Joseph was "affixing the magical spectacles to his eyes."
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<blockquote>
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Each time before resuming the work all present would kneel in prayer and invoke the Divine blessing on the proceeding. After prayer Smith would sit on one side of a table and the amanuenses, in turn as they became tired, on the other. Those present and not actively engaged in the work seated themselves around the room and then the work began. After affixing the magical spectacles to his eyes, Smith would take the plates and translate the characters one at a time. The graven characters would appear in succession to the seer, and directly under the character, when viewed through the glasses, would be the translation in English. ("The Book of Mormon;' Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1885, 3· The Tribune correspondent visited and interviewed Whitmer on December 15, 1885, at Whitmer's home in Richmond, Missouri. )
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</blockquote>
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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Witnesses did observe Smith using a single seer stone (not part of a set of spectacles) in the translation,
 +
|authorsources=<br>
 +
#{{Harvtxt|Hale|1834|p=265}}; {{Harvtxt|Smith|1879|pp=536–40}}; {{Harv|Van Wagoner|Walker|1982|pp=59–62}} (containing an overview of witnesses to the translation process).
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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the same brown stone Smith had earlier used for treasure seeking.
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|authorsources=<br>
 +
#{{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=172}}. Smith's father-in-law, Isaac Hale, said that the "manner in which he pretended to read and interpret was the same as when he looked for the money-diggers, with the stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, while the Book of Plates were at the same time hid in the woods!" {{Harv|Hale|1834|p=265}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
  
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{{BeginWikipediaTable|link=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_plates|section=|article=Golden plates}}
 
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*Joseph Smith said that the plates were engraved in an unknown language, and Smith told associates that he was capable of reading and translating them. This translation took place mainly in [[Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Harmony, Pennsylvania]] (now [[Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania|Oakland Township]]), Emma's hometown, where Smith and his wife had moved in October 1827 with financial assistance from a prominent, though superstitious, Palmyra landowner [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]].
 
−
||
 
−
*The local Presbyterian minister, Jesse Townsend, described Harris as a "visionary fanatic". A acquaintance, Lorenzo Saunders, said, "There can't anybody say word against Martin Harris...a man that would do just as he agreed with you. But he was a great man for seeing spooks." {{Harv|Walker|1986|p=35}}.
 
−
|-
 
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|
 
 
===== =====
 
===== =====
−
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*The translation occurred in two phases: the first, from December 1827 to June 1828, during which Smith [[Anthon transcript|transcribed some of the characters]] and then dictated [[Lost 116 pages|116 manuscript pages]] to Harris, which were lost. The second phase began sporadically in early 1829 and then in earnest in April 1829 with the arrival of [[Oliver Cowdery]], a schoolteacher who volunteered to serve as Smith's full-time scribe. In June 1829, Smith and Cowdery moved to [[Fayette, New York]], completing the translation early the following month. [[Image:JosephSmithTranslating.jpg|225px|thumb|left| Joseph Smith translating the golden plates.]] Smith used scribes to write the words he said were a translation of the golden plates, dictating these words while peering into [[Seer stone (Latter Day Saints)|seer stones]], which he said allowed him to see the translation. Smith said that he translated using what he called the "[[Urim and Thummim]]"—a set of large spectacles with stones where the eye-pieces should be.
+
|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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||
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|claim=
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*{{Harvtxt|Smith|Mulholland|Thompson|Phelps|1838a|p=5}}. Early followers of Smith used the term ''Urim and Thummim'' to refer both to these large spectacles and Smith's other seer stones, most notably one commonly called the "Chase stone" that Smith had found in a Palmyra well during the early 1820s{{Harv|Wagoner|1982|pp=59–62}}.
+
Smith seems to have used a single stone during the second phase of translation.
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|-
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|authorsources=<br>
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|
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#{{Harvtxt|Van Wagoner|1982|p=53}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
 +
Smith placed the stone in a hat, buried his face in it to eliminate all outside light, and peered into the stone to see the words of the translation.
 +
|authorsources=<br>
 +
#{{Harvtxt|Whitmer|1875}} ("Having placed the Urim and Thummim in his hat, Joseph placed the hat over his face, and with prophetic eyes read the invisible symbols syllable by syllable and word by word."). Michael Morse, Smith's brother-in-law, stating that he watched Smith on several occasions: "The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face." ({{Harvnb|Van Wagoner|Walker|1982|52–53}}, quoting W.W. Blair, ''Latter Day Saints' Herald'' 26 (15 Nov. 1879): 341, who was quoting Michael Morse). Smith's wife Emma stated that she took dictation from her husband as she sat next to him, and that he would put his face into a hat with the stone in it, dictating for hours at a time. {{Harv|Smith|1879|pp=536–40}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
 +
A few times during the translation, a curtain or blanket was raised between Smith and his scribe or between the living area and the area where Smith and his scribe worked.
 +
|authorsources=<br>
 +
#{{Harvtxt|Cook|1991|p=173}}. However, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, later to be the wife of scribe [[Oliver Cowdery]], said she had never seen a curtain raised between Smith and Cowdery or her brothers while translation took place in the Whitmer home {{Harv|Van Wagoner|Walker|1982|p=51}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
 +
Sometimes Smith dictated to [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]] from upstairs or from a different room.
 +
|authorsources=<br>
 +
#{{Harvtxt|Howe|1834|p=14}}.
 +
|authorsources=<br>
 +
#
 +
}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
 +
*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Translation/Method}}
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}}
 
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===== =====
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||
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*There is no eye-witness testimony that Smith ever wore the large spectacles, although some witnesses suggest he placed them in his hat while translating.
+
|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
−
||
+
|claim=
−
*[[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]], one of Smith's scribes, is reported to have said that the spectacles were made for a giant, and would not have been wearable by Joseph Smith {{Harv|Anton|1834}}. [[David Whitmer]], another scribe, also said that the spectacles were larger than normal spectacles, and indicated that Smith placed them in his hat while translating, rather than wearing them {{Harv|Whitmer|1875}}. However, a man who interviewed Smith's father in 1830 said that Smith did at least some of the translation while wearing the spectacles {{Harv|Lapham|1870}}.
+
Smith's "[[translation]]" did not require any use of the plates themselves.
−
|-
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|authorsources=<br>
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|
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#{{Harvtxt|Marquardt|2005|p=97}}; {{Harv|Van Wagoner|Walker|1982|pp=53}}.
 +
}}
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===== =====
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||
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*Witnesses did observe Smith using a single seer stone (not part of a set of spectacles) in the translation,
+
|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
−
||
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|claim=
−
*{{Harvtxt|Hale|1834|p=265}}; {{Harvtxt|Smith|1879|pp=536-40}}; {{Harv|Wagoner|1982|pp=59–62}} (containing an overview of witnesses to the translation process).
+
As he looked into the stone, Smith told his friends and family that the written translation of the ancient script appeared to him in English.
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|-
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|authorsources=<br>
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|
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#{{Harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=72}}; {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=170}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCITE}} Joseph Smith himself ''never'' stated that "the ancient script appeared to him in English." This description was provided only by second-hand sources&mdash;most notably David Whitmer:
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<blockquote>
 +
“Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.” (David Whitmer, ''An Address to All Believers in Christ'', Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12. quoted by Russell M. Nelson, “A Treasured Testament,” ''Ensign'', Jul 1993, 61) {{link|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=05169209df38b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD}}
 +
</blockquote>
 +
}}
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*and some said that this stone was one of those Smith had earlier used for treasure seeking.
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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||
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|claim=
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*Smith's father-in-law, Isaac Hale, said that the "manner in which he pretended to read and interpret was the same as when he looked for the money-diggers, with the stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, while the Book of Plates were at the same time hid in the woods!" {{Harv|Hale|1834|p=265}}.
+
There are several proposed explanations for how Smith composed his translation. In the 19th century, the most common explanation was that he [[Spalding–Rigdon theory of Book of Mormon authorship|plagiarized the work]] from a manuscript written by [[Solomon Spaulding]].
−
|-
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=455 n.273}} (most common 19th century theory); {{Harvtxt|Brodie|1971|p=68}}.
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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*{{Detail_old|Book of Mormon/Authorship theories/Spalding manuscript}}
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}}
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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This theory is deemed to be repudiated by Smith's preeminent modern biographers.
 +
|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Brodie|1971|pp=143–44}}; {{Harvtxt|Bushman|2005|pp=90–91}}; {{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998|p=455 n.273}} (arguing that the theory has been repudiated).
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|authorsources=<br>
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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}}
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*Smith placed the stone (or the spectacles) in a hat, buried his face in it to eliminate all outside light, and peered into the stone to see the words of the translation.
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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||
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|claim=
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*{{Harvtxt|Whitmer|1875}} ("Having placed the Urim and Thummim in his hat, Joseph placed the hat over his face, and with prophetic eyes read the invisible symbols syllable by syllable and word by word."). Michael Morse, Smith's brother-in-law, stating that he watched Smith on several occasions: "The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face." ({{Harvnb|Wagoner|1982|52–53}}, quoting W.W. Blair, ''Latter Day Saints' Herald'' 26 (15 Nov. 1879): 341, who was quoting Michael Morse). Smith's wife Emma stated that she took dictation from her husband as she sat next to him, and that he would put his face into a hat with the stone in it, dictating for hours at a time. {{Harv|Smith|1879|pp=536-40}}.
+
The most prominent modern theory is that Smith composed the translation in response to the provincial opinions of his time,
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Brodie|1971|p=69}}; {{Harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=72}}).
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#
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}}
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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}}
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*A few times during the translation, a curtain or blanket was raised between Smith and his scribe or between the living area and the area where Smith and his scribe worked.
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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||
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|claim=
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*{{Harvtxt|Cook|1991|p=173}}. However, Elizabeth Ann Whitmer, later to be the wife of scribe [[Oliver Cowdery]], said she had never seen a curtain raised between Smith and Cowdery or her brothers while translation took place in the Whitmer home {{Harv|Wagoner|1982|p=51}}.
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perhaps while in a magical trance-like state.
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|authorsources=<br>
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|
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#{{Harvtxt|Bloom|1992|p=86}}; {{Harvtxt|Riley|1902|pp=84, 195}}.
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}}
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*Sometimes Smith dictated to [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]] from upstairs or from a different room.
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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*{{Harvtxt|Howe|1834|p=14}}.
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As a matter of faith, [[Latter Day Saint]]s generally view the translation process as either an automatic process of transcribing text written within the stone,
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|-
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=72}} (arguing that this transcription method is the only one consistent with the historical record).
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}}
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*Smith's "[[translation]]" did not require his understanding of the [[source text]]. As he looked into the seer stone, Smith said that the words of the ancient script appeared to him in English. His dictations were then written down by a number of assistants including [[Emma Hale Smith|Emma Smith]], [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]], and notably, [[Oliver Cowdery]].
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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*{{Harvtxt|Clark|1842}} ("Although in the same room, a thick curtain or blanket was suspended between them, and Smith concealed behind the blanket, pretended to look through his spectacles, or transparent stones, and would then write down or repeat what he saw, which when repeated aloud, was written down by Harris."); {{Harvtxt|Benton|1831}} ("Oliver Cowdery, one of the three witnesses to the book, testified under oath, that said Smith...translated his book [with] two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates.").
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or an intuitive translation by Smith assisted by a [[Christian mysticism|mystical]] connection with God through the stone.
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|authorsources=<br>
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|
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#{{Harvtxt|Quinn|1998}pp=479 n.302, 482 n.335}} (expressing his personal view shared by several other [[Mormon apologetics|Mormon apologists]], and noting that while this view might pose problems vis-à-vis the historical record, it helps explain the origin of the Book of Mormon's grammatical mistakes).
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}}
  
 
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*In May 1829, after Smith had lent [[lost 116 pages|116 un-duplicated manuscript pages]] to Martin Harris, and Harris had lost them, Smith dictated a revelation explaining that Smith could not simply re-translate the lost pages because his opponents would attempt to see if he could "bring forth the same words again."
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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*{{Harvtxt|Phelps|1833|p=24}}.
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Smith's dictations were written down by a number of assistants including [[Emma Hale Smith|Emma Smith]], [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]], and notably, [[Oliver Cowdery]].
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|-
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|authorsources=<br>
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#{{Harvtxt|Clark|1842}} ("Although in the same room, a thick curtain or blanket was suspended between them, and Smith concealed behind the blanket, pretended to look through his spectacles, or transparent stones, and would then write down or repeat what he saw, which when repeated aloud, was written down by Harris."); {{Harvtxt|Benton|1831}} ("Oliver Cowdery, one of the three witnesses to the book, testified under oath, that said Smith...translated his book [with] two transparent stones, resembling glass, set in silver bows. That by looking through these, he was able to read in English, the reformed Egyptian characters, which were engraved on the plates.").
 +
|authorsources=<br>
 +
#
 +
}}
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}}
 
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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*According to [[Grant Palmer]], Smith believed "a second transcription would be identical to the first. This confirms the view that the English text existed in some kind of unalterable, spiritual form rather than that someone had to think through difficult conceptual issues and idioms, always resulting in variants in any translation."
+
|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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*{{Harvtxt|Palmer|2002|p=7}}.>  
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In May 1829, after Smith had lent [[lost 116 pages|116 un-duplicated manuscript pages]] to Martin Harris, and Harris had lost them, Smith dictated a revelation explaining that Smith could not simply re-translate the lost pages because his opponents would attempt to see if he could "bring forth the same words again."
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{{EndTable}}
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#{{Harvtxt|Phelps|1833|p=24}}.
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*{{WikipediaCorrect}}
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===== =====
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{{IndexClaimItemShort
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|title=Wikipedia article "Golden plates"
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|claim=
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According to [[Grant Palmer]], Smith believed "a second transcription would be identical to the first. This confirms the view that the English text existed in some kind of unalterable, spiritual form rather than that someone had to think through difficult conceptual issues and idioms, always resulting in variants in any translation."
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#{{Harvtxt|Palmer|2002|p=7}}.
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*This is, of course, Grant Palmer's own opinion.
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*{{SeeCriticalWork|author=Grant Palmer|work=An Insider's View of Mormon Origins}}
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==References==
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{{WikipediaRefList:Golden Plates}}
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=={{Further reading label}}==
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{{MormonismAndWikipedia}}
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{{suggestions}}

Latest revision as of 00:05, 31 May 2024

Contents

An analysis of claims made in the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" - Translating the plates



Receiving the plates
A FAIR Analysis of: Wikipedia article "Golden plates", a work by author: Various
 		Reputed location of the plates during translation

An analysis of claims made in the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" - Translating the plates



 Updated 9/21/2011

Section review

Translating the plates

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Joseph Smith said that the plates were engraved in an unknown language, and Smith told associates that he was capable of reading and translating them. This translation took place mainly in Harmony, Pennsylvania (now Oakland Township), Emma's hometown, where Smith and his wife had moved in October 1827 with financial assistance from a prominent, though superstitious, Palmyra landowner Martin Harris.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

  •  Violates Wikipedia: Neutral Point-of-View off-site— All Wikipedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a neutral point of view, representing fairly, and as far as possible without bias, all significant views that have been published by reliable sources.
    Violated by John Foxe —Diff: off-site
    The paragraph only mentions Martin Harris a single time in the context of providing financial assistance, and even then the word "superstitious" is used. For what possible reason, other than to smear Harris' character as a later witness, would this warrant a footnote in which Harris is called a "visionary fanatic" and a "great man for seeing spooks?"

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

The translation occurred in two phases: the first, from December 1827 to June 1828, during which Smith transcribed some of the characters and then dictated 116 manuscript pages to Harris, which were lost. The second phase began sporadically in early 1829 and then in earnest in April 1829 with the arrival of Oliver Cowdery, a schoolteacher who volunteered to serve as Smith's full-time scribe. In June 1829, Smith and Cowdery moved to Fayette, New York, completing the translation early the following month. Smith used scribes to write the words he said were a translation of the golden plates, dictating these words while peering into seer stones, which he said allowed him to see the translation. Smith's translation ability evolved naturally out of his earlier treasure seeking,

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

and he used a process that was "strikingly similar" to the way Smith used seer stones for treasure hunting.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

For the earliest phase of translation, Smith said that he translated using what he called the "Urim and Thummim"—a set of large spectacles with stones where the eye-pieces should be.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

There is no eye-witness testimony that Smith ever wore the large spectacles, although some witnesses understood that he placed them in his hat while translating.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

  •  Violates Wikipedia: Citing sources off-site— There is either no citation to support the statement or the citation given is incorrect.
    Violated by John Foxe —Diff: off-site
    David Whitmer did state in one interview that Joseph was "affixing the magical spectacles to his eyes."

Each time before resuming the work all present would kneel in prayer and invoke the Divine blessing on the proceeding. After prayer Smith would sit on one side of a table and the amanuenses, in turn as they became tired, on the other. Those present and not actively engaged in the work seated themselves around the room and then the work began. After affixing the magical spectacles to his eyes, Smith would take the plates and translate the characters one at a time. The graven characters would appear in succession to the seer, and directly under the character, when viewed through the glasses, would be the translation in English. ("The Book of Mormon;' Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1885, 3· The Tribune correspondent visited and interviewed Whitmer on December 15, 1885, at Whitmer's home in Richmond, Missouri. )

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Witnesses did observe Smith using a single seer stone (not part of a set of spectacles) in the translation,

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

the same brown stone Smith had earlier used for treasure seeking.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Smith seems to have used a single stone during the second phase of translation.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Smith placed the stone in a hat, buried his face in it to eliminate all outside light, and peered into the stone to see the words of the translation.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

A few times during the translation, a curtain or blanket was raised between Smith and his scribe or between the living area and the area where Smith and his scribe worked.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Sometimes Smith dictated to Martin Harris from upstairs or from a different room.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Smith's "translation" did not require any use of the plates themselves.

Author's sources:
  1. Marquardt (2005) , p. 97; Van Wagoner (Walker) , pp. 53.

FAIR's Response

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

As he looked into the stone, Smith told his friends and family that the written translation of the ancient script appeared to him in English.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

  •  Violates Wikipedia: Citing sources off-site— There is either no citation to support the statement or the citation given is incorrect.

    Joseph Smith himself never stated that "the ancient script appeared to him in English." This description was provided only by second-hand sources—most notably David Whitmer:

“Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man.” (David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12. quoted by Russell M. Nelson, “A Treasured Testament,” Ensign, Jul 1993, 61) off-site

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

There are several proposed explanations for how Smith composed his translation. In the 19th century, the most common explanation was that he plagiarized the work from a manuscript written by Solomon Spaulding.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

This theory is deemed to be repudiated by Smith's preeminent modern biographers.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

  •  Correct, per cited sources

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

The most prominent modern theory is that Smith composed the translation in response to the provincial opinions of his time,

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

  •  Correct, per cited sources

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

perhaps while in a magical trance-like state.

Author's sources:
  1. Bloom (1992) , p. 86; Riley (1902) , pp. 84, 195.

FAIR's Response

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

As a matter of faith, Latter Day Saints generally view the translation process as either an automatic process of transcribing text written within the stone,

Author's sources:
  1. Bushman (2005) , p. 72 (arguing that this transcription method is the only one consistent with the historical record).

FAIR's Response

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

or an intuitive translation by Smith assisted by a mystical connection with God through the stone.

Author's sources:
  1. Quinn (expressing his personal view shared by several other Mormon apologists, and noting that while this view might pose problems vis-à-vis the historical record, it helps explain the origin of the Book of Mormon's grammatical mistakes).

FAIR's Response

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

Smith's dictations were written down by a number of assistants including Emma Smith, Martin Harris, and notably, Oliver Cowdery.

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

In May 1829, after Smith had lent 116 un-duplicated manuscript pages to Martin Harris, and Harris had lost them, Smith dictated a revelation explaining that Smith could not simply re-translate the lost pages because his opponents would attempt to see if he could "bring forth the same words again."

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

  •  Correct, per cited sources

}}

The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:

According to Grant Palmer, Smith believed "a second transcription would be identical to the first. This confirms the view that the English text existed in some kind of unalterable, spiritual form rather than that someone had to think through difficult conceptual issues and idioms, always resulting in variants in any translation."

Author's sources:

FAIR's Response

}}

References

Wikipedia references for "Golden Plates"

Further reading

Mormonism and Wikipedia



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FairMormon's approach to Wikipedia articles

FairMormon regularly receives queries about specific LDS-themed Wikipedia articles with requests that we somehow "fix" them. Although some individual members of FAIR may choose to edit Wikipedia articles, FairMormon as an organization does not. Controversial Wikipedia articles require constant maintenance and a significant amount of time. We prefer instead to respond to claims in the FAIR Wiki rather than fight the ongoing battle that LDS Wikipedia articles sometimes invite. From FAIR’s perspective, assertions made in LDS-themed Wikipedia articles are therefore treated just like any other critical (or, if one prefers, "anti-Mormon") work. As those articles are revised and updated, we will periodically update our reviews to match.

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Editors who wish to participate in editing LDS-themed Wikipedia articles can access the project page here: Wikipedia:WikiProject Latter Day Saint movement. You are not required to be LDS in order to participate—there are a number of good non-LDS editors who have made valuable contributions to these articles.

Recommendations when editing Wikipedia articles

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Do "anti-Mormons" control Wikipedia?

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Why do certain LDS articles seem to be so negative?

Although some LDS-related Wikipedia articles may appear to have a negative tone, they are in reality quite a bit more balanced than certain critical works such as One Nation Under Gods. Although many critical editors often accuse LDS-related Wikipedia articles of being "faith promoting" or claim that they are just an extension of the Sunday School manual, this is rarely the case. Few, if any, Latter-day Saints would find Wikipedia articles to be "faith promoting." Generally, the believers think that the articles are too negative and the critics believe that the articles are too positive. LDS Wikipedia articles should be informative without being overtly faith promoting. However, most of the primary sources, including the words of Joseph Smith himself, are "faith promoting." This presents a dilemma for Wikipedia editors who want to remain neutral. The unfortunate consequence is that Joseph's words are rewritten and intermixed with contradictory sources, resulting in boring and confusing prose.

FairMormon's analysis of LDS-related Wikipedia articles

We examine selected Wikipedia articles and examine them on a "claim-by-claim" basis, with links to responses in the FairMormon Answers Wiki. Wikipedia articles are constantly evolving. As a result, the analysis of each article will be updated periodically in order to bring it more into line with the current version of the article. The latest revision date may be viewed at the top of each individual section. The process by which Wikipedia articles are reviewed is the following:

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Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, "Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That “Anyone Can Edit”"

Roger Nicholson,  Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, (2012)
The ability to quickly and easily access literature critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been made significantly easier through the advent of the Internet. One of the primary sites that dominates search engine results is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that “anyone can edit.” Wikipedia contains a large number of articles related to Mormonism that are edited by believers, critics, and neutral parties. The reliability of information regarding the Church and its history is subject to the biases of the editors who choose to modify those articles. Even if a wiki article is thoroughly sourced, editors sometimes employ source material in a manner that supports their bias. This essay explores the dynamics behind the creation of Wikipedia articles about the Church, the role that believers and critics play in that process, and the reliability of the information produced in the resulting wiki articles.

Click here to view the complete article

Wikipedia and anti-Mormon literature
Key sources
  • Roger Nicholson, "Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That 'Anyone Can Edit'," Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 1/8 (14 September 2012). [151–190] link
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