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I inquired of Joseph Smith Jr., who was to be the first who would be allowed to see the Book of Plates? He said it was a young child." | I inquired of Joseph Smith Jr., who was to be the first who would be allowed to see the Book of Plates? He said it was a young child." | ||
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The Book of Mormon is no fake. I know what I know. I have seen what I have seen and I have heard what I have heard. I have seen the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon is written. An angel appeared to me and others and testified to the truthfulness of the record, and had I been willing to have perjured myself and sworn falsely to the testimony I now bear I could have been a rich man, but I could not have testified other than I have done and am now doing for these things are true. (George Godfrey, “Testimony of Martin Harris,” from an unpublished manuscript copy in the possession of his daughter, Florence (Godfrey) Munson of Fielding, Utah; quoted in Eldin Ricks, The Case of the Book of Mormon Witnesses (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1971), 65–66.) | The Book of Mormon is no fake. I know what I know. I have seen what I have seen and I have heard what I have heard. I have seen the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon is written. An angel appeared to me and others and testified to the truthfulness of the record, and had I been willing to have perjured myself and sworn falsely to the testimony I now bear I could have been a rich man, but I could not have testified other than I have done and am now doing for these things are true. (George Godfrey, “Testimony of Martin Harris,” from an unpublished manuscript copy in the possession of his daughter, Florence (Godfrey) Munson of Fielding, Utah; quoted in Eldin Ricks, The Case of the Book of Mormon Witnesses (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1971), 65–66.) | ||
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Latest revision as of 00:05, 31 May 2024
An analysis of claims made in the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" - Witness accounts
| Returning the plates | A FAIR Analysis of: Wikipedia article "Golden plates", a work by author: Various
|
Described format, binding, and dimensions |
An analysis of claims made in the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" - Witness accounts
Updated 9/21/2011
Section review
Descriptions of the plates
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
Smith said the angel Moroni had commanded him not to show the plates to any unauthorized person.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
However, Smith eventually obtained the written statement of several witnesses. It is unclear whether the witnesses believed they saw the plates with their physical eyes, or they "saw" the plates in a vision. For instance, although Martin Harris continued to testify to the truth of the Book of Mormon even when he was estranged from the church, at least during the early years of the movement, he "seems to have repeatedly admitted the internal, subjective nature of his visionary experience."Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Mormon/Witnesses/"Eye of Faith" and "Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
According to some sources, Smith initially intended that the first authorized witness be his firstborn son;Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Violates Wikipedia: No Original Research off-site— Do not use unpublished facts, arguments, speculation, and ideas; and any unpublished analysis or synthesis of published material that serves to advance a position.
Violated by COgden —Diff: off-site
The wiki editors have conflated two sources to conclude that Joseph's firstborn son would be "an authorized witness." The sources state no such thing. These two statements have been conflated by the wiki editor to draw the conclusion given in the main text. - The first hostile source, Willard Chase, says the following:
He said that would not do, as he was commanded to keep it two years, without letting it come to the eye of any one but himself. This commandment, however, he did not keep, for in less than two years, twelve men said they had seen it.
...
Harris went to Pennsylvania, and on his return to Palmyra, reported that the Prophet's wife, in the month of June following would be delivered of a male child that would be able when two years old to translate the Gold Bible. Then, said he, you will see Joseph Smith, Jr. walking through the streets of Palmyra, with a Gold Bible under his arm, and having a gold breast-plate on, and a gold sword hanging by his side. This, however, by the by, proved false.
- The second source, also hostile, is Isaac Hale, who states:
I inquired of Joseph Smith Jr., who was to be the first who would be allowed to see the Book of Plates? He said it was a young child."
- For a detailed response, see: The Hurlbut affidavits: Willard Chase
- For a detailed response, see: The Hurlbut affidavits: Isaac Hale
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
but this child was stillborn in 1828.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 COgden —Diff: off-site
Note that this statement is in deliberate contrast to the preceding statement. The wiki editor wishes to subtly demonstrate Joseph's lack of prophetic ability by synthesizing the previous conclusion—Joseph's firstborn would be a witness—with the fact that the firstborn child was stillborn.
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
In March 1829, Martin Harris came to Harmony to see the plates, but was unable to find them in the woods where Smith said they could be found.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.
Note that this is the second time that this statement from Isaac Hale about Martin attempting to find the plates in the woods has been employed. There is no objective reason for doing so. The real reason, of course, is that the wiki editor wishes to demonstrate for a second time that Joseph told Martin something that did not come to pass.
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
The next day,Author's sources:
- Hale (1834) , p. 265.
FAIR's Response
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
Smith dictated a revelation stating that Harris could eventually qualify himselfAuthor's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
to be one of three witnesses with the exclusive right to "view [the plates] as they are".Author's sources:
- Phelps (1833) , pp. 11–12. Smith’s dictated text of the Book of Ether (chapter 2) also made reference to three witnesses, stating that the plates would be shown to them "by the power of God" Smith (1830) , p. 548.
FAIR's Response
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
By June 1829, Smith determined that there would be eight additional witnesses, a total of twelve including Smith.Author's sources:
- In June 1829, around the time these eleven additional witnesses were selected, Smith dictated a revelation commanding Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer (two of the eventual Three Witnesses) to seek out twelve "disciples", who desired to serve, and who would "go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature", and who would be ordained to baptize and to ordain priests and teachers Phelps (1833) , p. 37. According to D. Michael Quinn, this was a reference to selecting the witnesses of the Book of Mormon, who would be a leading body of Smith's Church of Christ.[Citation needed}. Mormon religious and apologetic commentators understand this revelation as referring to the eventual (in 1835, six years later) formation of the first Quorum of the Twelve.[Citation needed}
FAIR's Response
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
During the second half of June 1829,Author's sources:
- Van Horn (1881) .
FAIR's Response
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
Smith took Harris, Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer (known collectively as the Three Witnesses),Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
into woods in Fayette, New York, where they said they saw an angel holding the golden plates and turning the leaves.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
The four also said they heard "the voice of the Lord" telling them that the translation of the plates was correct, and commanding them to testify of what they saw and heard.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
A few days later, Smith took a different group of Eight WitnessesAuthor's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
to a location near Smith's parents' home in PalmyraAuthor's sources:
FAIR's Response
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
where they said Smith showed them the golden plates.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
Statements over the names of these men, apparently drafted by Joseph Smith,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
Grant Palmer was a former Church Educational System instructor. He is not a linguist, and is certainly not a qualified source, as required per Wikipedia rules, to serve as an authority on the authorship of the witness statements.
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
were published in 1830 as an appendix to the Book of Mormon.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 later statements ascribed to Martin Harris, the witnesses viewed the plates in a vision and not with their "natural eyes."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.
Note that this is the second time the "spiritual eye" statements and Gilbert's statement have been included in the wiki article. - References not included in the Wikipedia article
The wiki article omits Harris' many statements in which he confirms the physical reality of the plates. For example, at his death, Harris reported:
The Book of Mormon is no fake. I know what I know. I have seen what I have seen and I have heard what I have heard. I have seen the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon is written. An angel appeared to me and others and testified to the truthfulness of the record, and had I been willing to have perjured myself and sworn falsely to the testimony I now bear I could have been a rich man, but I could not have testified other than I have done and am now doing for these things are true. (George Godfrey, “Testimony of Martin Harris,” from an unpublished manuscript copy in the possession of his daughter, Florence (Godfrey) Munson of Fielding, Utah; quoted in Eldin Ricks, The Case of the Book of Mormon Witnesses (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1971), 65–66.)
- For a detailed response, see: Book of Mormon/Witnesses/"Eye of Faith" and "Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris and Book of Mormon/Witnesses/Spiritual or literal
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
In addition to Smith and the other eleven who claimed to be witnesses, a few other early Mormons said they saw the plates. For instance, Smith's mother Lucy Mack Smith said she had "seen and handled" the plates.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
Smith's wife Emma and his younger brother William also said they had examined the plates while they were wrapped in fabric.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- Correct, per cited sources
}}
The author(s) of Wikipedia article "Golden plates" make(s) the following claim:
Others said they had visions of the plates or had been shown the plates by an angel, in some cases years after Smith said he had returned the plates.Author's sources:
FAIR's Response
- (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:164.) (emphasis added)
}}
References
| Wikipedia references for "Golden Plates" |
- Anthon, Charles, Howe, Eber Dudley (editor) Mormonism Unvailed: or, A Faithful Account of That Singular Imposition and Delusion, from Its Rise to the Present Time , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Bennett, James Gordon, Jr., Mormon Leaders at Their Mecca off-site .
- Bennett, James Gordon, Sr., Arrington, Leonard J. (editor) (1831), James Gordon Bennett's 1831 Report on 'The Mormonites' off-site .
- Benton, Abram W., Vogel, Dan (editor) Early Mormon Documents Signature Books .
- Bidamon, Emma Smith, Early Mormon Documents Signature Books .
- Burnett, David S., Something New.—Golden Bible off-site .
- Burnett, Stephen, Vogel, Dan (editor) (1838), Early Mormon Documents Signature Books .
- Bushman, Richard Lyman, (2005), Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling , New York: Knopf .
- Chase, Willard, Howe, Eber Dudley (editor) (1833), Mormonism Unvailed , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Clark, John A., (1842), Gleanings by the Way , Philadelphia: W.J. & J.K. Simmon off-site .
- Cobb, James T., The Hill Cumorah, And The Book Of Mormon. The Smith Family, Cowdery, Harris, and Other Old Neighbors—What They Know off-site .
- Cole, Abner, Gold Bible, No. 6 off-site .
- Cook, Lyndon W., (1991), David Whitmer Interviews: A Restoration Witness Grandin .
- Cowdery, Oliver, (1834), Letter [I] off-site .
- Cowdery, Oliver, (1834b), Letter III off-site .
- Cowdery, Oliver, (1835a), Letter IV off-site .
- Cowdery, Oliver, (1835b), Letter VIII off-site .
- Crystal, David, (1997), The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language Cambridge University Press .
- (1996), The World's Writing Systems Oxford University Press .
- Gilbert, John H., (1892), Recollections of John H. Gilbert , Palmyra, New York: typescript located in Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University off-site .
- Givens, Terryl L., (2003), By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion Oxford University Press .
- Grandin, E.B., Editor's note off-site .
- Hadley, Jonathan A., Golden Bible off-site .
- Hale, Isaac, Howe, Eber Dudley (editor) (1834), Mormonism Unvailed , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Hamblin, William J., (2007), Sacred Writing on Metal Plates in the Ancient Mediterranean off-site .
- Harris, Abigail, Howe, Eber Dudley (editor) (1833), Mormonism Unvailed , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Harris, Henry, Howe, Eber Dudley (editor) (1833), Mormonism Unvailed , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Harris, Martin, (1859), Mormonism, No. II off-site .
- Howe, Eber Dudley, (1834), Mormonism Unvailed Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Knight, Joseph, Sr., Jessee, Dean (editor) (1833), Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History off-site .
- Lapham, [La]Fayette, (1870), Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates off-site .
- Mormon History off-site .
- Mather, Frederic G., (1880), Early Days of Mormonism off-site .
- Metcalfe, Brent Lee, (1993), Apologetic and Critical Assumptions about Book of Mormon Historicity off-site .
- Packer, J. Cameron, (2004), Cumorah's Cave Maxwell Institute off-site .
- Palmer, Grant H., (2002), An Insider's View of Mormon Origins Signature Books .
- Parrish, Warren, (1838), Letter from W. Parrish, Kirtland The Evangelist off-site , republished in Vogel, Dan (editor) (1999), Early Mormon Documents , Salt Lake City: Signature Books .
- Phelps, , (1833), A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ Zion: William Wines Phelps & Co. off-site .
- Poulson, P. Wilhelm, Letter to the editor. .
- Pratt, Orson, (1856), The Faith and Visions of the Ancient Saints—The Same Great Blessing to be Enjoyed by the Latter-day Saints off-site .
- Pratt, Orson, (1859), Evidences of the Bible and Book of Mormon Compared off-site .
- Pratt, Orson, (1877), King Limhi's Enquiry, from the Book of Mormon' off-site .
- Putnam, Read H., Were the Golden Plates Made of Tumbaga? off-site .
- Quinn, D. Michael, (1998), Early Mormonism and the Magic World View , Salt Lake City: Signature Books .
- Riley, I. Woodbridge, (1903), The Founder of Mormonism: A Psychological Study of Joseph Smith, Jr. , New York: Dodd, Mead & Co. off-site
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1902), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1905), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1908), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Robinson, Andrew, (2002), Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts McGraw Hill .
- Salisbury, Katharine Smith, Walker, Kyle R. (editor) Katharine Smith Salisbury's Recollections of Joseph's Meetings with Moroni off-site .
- Saunders, Benjamin, Vogel, Dan (editor) (1884a), Early Mormon Documents , Salt Lake City: Signature Books .
- Saunders, Lorenzo, Vogel, Dan (editor) (1884b), Early Mormon Documents , Salt Lake City: Signature Books .
- Saunders, Orson, Bennett, James Gordon, Jr. (editor) Mormon Leaders at Their Mecca off-site .
- Smith, Joseph III, last Testimony of Sister Emma off-site .
- Smith, Joseph, Jr., (1830), The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi , Palmyra, New York: E. B. Grandin off-site .
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Further reading
Mormonism and Wikipedia
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.
Who can edit Wikipedia articles?
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
FAIR does not advocate removing any references from Wikipedia articles. The best approach to editing Wikipedia is to locate solid references to back up your position and add them rather than attempting to remove information. Individuals who intend to edit should be aware that posting information related to the real-world identities of Wikipedia editors will result in their being banned from editing Wikipedia. Attacking editors and attempting to "out" them on Wikipedia is considered very bad form. The best approach is to treat all Wikipedia editors, whether or not you agree or disagree with their approach, with respect and civility. An argumentative approach is not constructive to achieving a positive result, and will simply result in what is called an "edit war." Unfortunately, not all Wikipedia editors exhibit good faith toward other editors (see, for example, the comment above from "Duke53" or comments within these reviews made by John Foxe's sockpuppet "Hi540," both of whom repeatedly mocked LDS beliefs and LDS editors prior to their being banned.)
Do LDS editors control Wikipedia?
Although there exist editors on Wikipedia who openly declare their affiliation with the Church, they do not control Wikipedia. Ironically, some critics of the Church periodically falsely accuse Wikipedia editors of being LDS simply because they do not accept the critics' desired spin on a particular article.
Do "anti-Mormons" control Wikipedia?
Again, the answer is no. The truth is that Wikipedia is generally self-policing. Highly contentious articles do tend to draw the most passionate supporters and critics.
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.
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:
- Update each Wikipedia passage and its associated footnotes.
- Examine the use of sources and determine whether or not the passage accurately represents the source used.
- Provide links to response articles within the FairMormon Answers Wiki.
- If violation of Wikipedia rules is discovered, identify which Wikipedia editor (by pseudonym) made the edit, provide a description of the rule violated and a link to the Wikipedia "diff" showing the actual edit.
- If a violated rule is later corrected in a subsequent revision, the violation is removed and a notation is added that the passage is correct per cited sources. This doesn't mean that FAIR necessarily agrees with the passage—only that it is correct based upon the source used.
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
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