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A FAIR Analysis of Wikipedia: Mormonism and Wikipedia/Golden plates/Claimed engravings
A work by a collaboration of authors (Link to Wikipedia article here)

Golden plates, Claimed engravings

Significance

Note:

This page serves as either an index for or a review of claims and/or responses to attacks on LDS Church made by this online work. The work reviewed is the product of an online collaboration of various authors of varying degrees of faith or skepticism. FAIR has noted particularly bad scholarship related to the research contained in this particular work and/or considers significant elements of this work to be "anti-Mormon" in tone or content.

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An analysis of the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" (Version December 10, 2009)

Claimed engravings

Main article: Reformed Egyptian

From the Wikipedia article:

The Golden Plates were said to contain engravings in an ancient language that the Book of Mormon describes as Reformed Egyptian.

Wikipedia footnotes:

Smith (1830) .

FAIR's analysis:

Citation abuse— The meaning of a source quotation has been altered, or the source used does not support the author's conclusion.

This is incorrect. The Book of Mormon describes the language as "reformed Egyptian," not "Reformed Egyptian."
For a detailed response, see: "Reformed" Egyptian

From the Wikipedia article:

Smith described the writing as "Egyptian characters...small, and beautifully engraved," exhibiting "much skill in the art of engraving."

Wikipedia footnotes:

Smith 1842

FAIR's analysis:

Correct, per cited sources
For a detailed response, see: "Reformed" Egyptian

From the Wikipedia article:

John Whitmer, one of the Eight Witnesses, said the plates had "fine engravings on both sides,"

Wikipedia footnotes:

Roberts (1906) , p. 307.

FAIR's analysis:

Correct, per cited sources

From the Wikipedia article:

and Orson Pratt, who did not see the plates himself but who had spoken with witnesses, understood that there were engravings on both sides of the plates, "stained with a black, hard stain, so as to make the letters more legible and easier to be read."

Wikipedia footnotes:

Pratt (1859) , pp. 30-31.

FAIR's analysis:

Correct, per cited sources

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Mormonism and Wikipedia/Golden plates/Claimed engravings/December 2009

An analysis of the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" (Version December 10, 2009)

Claimed engravings

From the Wikipedia article:

The Golden Plates were said to contain engravings in an ancient language that the Book of Mormon describes as Reformed Egyptian.

From the Wikipedia article:

Smith described the writing as "Egyptian characters...small, and beautifully engraved," exhibiting "much skill in the art of engraving."

From the Wikipedia article:

John Whitmer, one of the Eight Witnesses, said the plates had "fine engravings on both sides,"

From the Wikipedia article:

and Orson Pratt, who did not see the plates himself but who had spoken with witnesses, understood that there were engravings on both sides of the plates, "stained with a black, hard stain, so as to make the letters more legible and easier to be read."

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Mormonism and Wikipedia/Golden plates/Claimed engravings/December 2009

An analysis of the Wikipedia article "Golden plates" (Version December 10, 2009)

Claimed engravings

From the Wikipedia article: The Golden Plates were said to contain engravings in an ancient language that the Book of Mormon describes as Reformed Egyptian.

From the Wikipedia article: Smith described the writing as "Egyptian characters...small, and beautifully engraved," exhibiting "much skill in the art of engraving."

From the Wikipedia article: John Whitmer, one of the Eight Witnesses, said the plates had "fine engravings on both sides,"

From the Wikipedia article: and Orson Pratt, who did not see the plates himself but who had spoken with witnesses, understood that there were engravings on both sides of the plates, "stained with a black, hard stain, so as to make the letters more legible and easier to be read."

Views

Personal tools

FAIR Wiki

FAIR Website

Search

Toolbox

In other languages

From the Wikipedia article:

The Golden Plates were said to contain engravings in an ancient language that the Book of Mormon describes as Reformed Egyptian.

From the Wikipedia article:

Smith described the writing as "Egyptian characters...small, and beautifully engraved," exhibiting "much skill in the art of engraving."

From the Wikipedia article:

John Whitmer, one of the Eight Witnesses, said the plates had "fine engravings on both sides,"

From the Wikipedia article:

and Orson Pratt, who did not see the plates himself but who had spoken with witnesses, understood that there were engravings on both sides of the plates, "stained with a black, hard stain, so as to make the letters more legible and easier to be read."