|
|
| (113 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| ==Index to claims made in ''An Insider's View of Mormon Origins''==
| | #REDIRECT [[Criticism of Mormonism/Books/An Insider's View of Mormon Origins]] |
| This is an index of claims made in this work with links to corresponding responses within the FAIRwiki.
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 1: Joseph Smith as Translator/Revelator===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| | style="width:5%"|1||Joseph claimed to translate the Kinderhook plates||[[Kinderhook Plates]]||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |1||Illustrations show Joseph Smith translating the plates directly||[[Church art and historical accuracy]]||
| |
| *''Ensign'', Dec. 1983, inside cover, 25; Jan. 1988, 4, 9; Nov. 1988, 35, 46; July 1993, 62; Jan. 1997, 38; Aug. 1997, 11; July 1999, 41.
| |
| |-
| |
| |2||Joseph Smith used a seer stone that he placed in his hat||[[Joseph Smith and seer stones]]||
| |
| *Van Wagoner and Walker, "Joseph Smith: 'The Gift of Seeing,'" ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'' 15 (Summer 1982): 50-53.
| |
| |-
| |
| |2-3||The plates were often not nearby while Joseph translated them||[[Book of Mormon translation method]]||
| |
| *Joseph Smith III, "Last Testimony of Sister Emma," ''Saints' Herald'', 1 Oct. 1879, 290; Howe, "Affidavit of Isaac Hale", ''Mormonism Unvailed'', 265;
| |
| *Martin Harris, interview by John A. Clark, 1828, in The Episcopal Recorder (Philadelphia), 5 Sept. 1840, 94; quoted in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', 2:266;
| |
| *Joseph Smith Sr., interview by Fayette Lapham quoted in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', 1:464.
| |
| |-
| |
| |6||Oliver attempted to translate using a divining rod||[[Joseph Smith and the occult#Working with the rod|Joseph Smith and the occult—Working with the rod]]||
| |
| *D&C 8:6-8; Book of Commandments 7:3.
| |
| |-
| |
| |6||Oliver would ask questions of his divining rod in faith and it would move.||[[Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature"]]||
| |
| *"Barnes Frisbie account" quoted in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', 1:603-05, 619-20.
| |
| |-
| |
| |7||Alterations in a different handwriting on the 116 pages would have been readily apparent.||[[The lost 116 pages of The Book of Lehi]]||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |8||Joseph was brought to court three times for stone gazing||[[Joseph Smith's 1826 glasslooking trial]]||
| |
| *Marquardt and Walters, ''Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record'', 70-75, 174-78.
| |
| |-
| |
| |9||Peter Ingersoll reported that he heard Joseph acknowledge to Isaac Hale that he was never able to see anything in his seer stone.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Peter Ingersoll|The Hurlbut affidavits—Peter Ingersoll]]||
| |
| *"Affidavit of Peter Ingersoll", Howe, Mormonism Unvailed.
| |
| |-
| |
| |9||After he lost the manuscript, Joseph became more vague regarding the method of translation.||[[Book of Mormon translation method]]||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |9||Joseph altered the Book of Mormon to modify the description of God and Jesus to be separate beings.||[[Joseph Smith's early conception of God]]||
| |
| *1 Nephi 11:16, 18, 21, 32; 13:40
| |
| |-
| |
| |10||Scholars have determined that Joseph consulted an open Bible during translation||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |10||Joseph copied errors from the King James Bible||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms/Translation Errors from the KJV|Translation Errors from the KJV]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |11||None of Joseph's changes to the Bible have been supported by manuscript finds||[[Joseph Smith Translation as a restoration of the original Bible text]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |11||Some of Joseph's changes to the Bible contradict LDS beliefs
| |
| |-
| |
| |12||Joseph evolved his concept of the Father and Son||[[Joseph Smith's early conception of God]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |12||The hieroglyphics next to facsimile 1 state that Hor is the deceased man lying on the altar||[[Book of Abraham papyri]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |12||Joseph used this papyrus as his source for Abraham 1 through 2:18||[[Book of Abraham papyri]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |13||Near facsimile 3, Hor's name appears at the top and bottom||[[Book of Abraham papyri]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |17||Joseph expanded Abraham's curse to include denial of priesthood ordination to blacks||[[Blacks and the priesthood]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |17||Joseph got the story for the Book of Abraham from Josephus.||[[Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |19||Joseph's interpretations have been shown by Egyptologists as a mis-reading of the papyri||[[Book of Abraham papyri]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |19||A primary source for much of Abraham is Genesis.||[[Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |21||From 1820 to 1834 Joseph believed in one God||[[Joseph Smith's early conception of God]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |21||The astronomical concepts in Abraham were common in Joseph Smith's environment
| |
| |-
| |
| |22-24||Joseph's theology was influenced by Thomas Dick's ''Philosophy of a Future State''||[[Was Joseph Smith's theology influenced by the writings of Thomas Dick?]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |29||It is easy to identify the Book of Joseph from the papyrus fragments||[[Book of Abraham papyri]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |31||Kinderhook plates||[[Kinderhook Plates]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |34-35||Joseph translated a Greek psalter.||[[Joseph Smith and Greek psalter]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |36||Joseph mistranslated a number of documents.||[[Joseph Smith as a translator]]
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 2: Authorship of the Book of Mormon===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| | style="width:5%"|39||"...the church has encouraged a 'thorough and impartial examination' of the Book of Mormon, including questions regarding its authorship."||[[Book of Mormon authorship theories]]||
| |
| *Talmage, ''The Articles of Faith'', 273.
| |
| *Widtsoe, ''In Search of Truth: Comments on the Gospel and Modern Thought'', 80.
| |
| *Quinn, ''J. Reuben Clark: The Church Years'', 24.
| |
| |-
| |
| |40||Joseph Smith was intellectually capable of writing the Book of Mormon himself.||[[Book of Mormon authorship theories]]||
| |
| *B. H. Roberts, ''Studies of the Book of Mormon'', 10, 243, 247.
| |
| 6. Ibid., 262-63.
| |
| |-
| |
| |40||B.H. Roberts wondered if the Book of Mormon stories were just inspirational tales, and questioned whether it was history or the product of a "pious but immature" mind.||[[B.H. Roberts' testimony of the Book of Mormon]]||
| |
| *B. H. Roberts, ''Studies of the Book of Mormon'', 272-273.
| |
| |-
| |
| |41-42||The story of Zelph||[[Zelph]]||
| |
| *''History of the Church'', ed. B. H. Roberts, 2:79-80.
| |
| |-
| |
| |42||Joseph reported that the Kinderhook Plates contained a genealogy back to Ham.||[[Kinderhook Plates]]||
| |
| *Roberts, ''Studies of the Book of Mormon'', 243-50.
| |
| |-
| |
| |42||Joseph gave many descriptions of heroes and their treasures hidden in the New York hills.||[[Joseph Smith and money digging]]||
| |
| *Roberts, ''Studies of the Book of Mormon'', 243-50.
| |
| |-
| |
| |42||B.H. Roberts concluded that Joseph Smith was capable of writing the Book of Mormon.||[[B.H. Roberts' testimony of the Book of Mormon]]||
| |
| *Roberts, ''Studies of the Book of Mormon'', 243-50.
| |
| |-
| |
| |46||The Book of Mormon reflects evangelical Protestantism.||[[Book of Mormon authorship theories]]||
| |
| *Alexander Campbell, ''Delusions: An Analysis of the Book of Mormon'', 19.
| |
| |-
| |
| |48||The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is the source of Alma 19.||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]||
| |
| *None cited, however, this section almost precisely matches the analysis shown in Tanner, [[The Changing World of Mormonism|''The Changing World of Mormonism'']], p. 117.
| |
| |-
| |
| |48||Alma 19 is derived from evangelical conversion experiences common in the 19th century.||[[Book of Mormon authorship theories]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |49||Alma 32 is derived from Jesus's parable of the sower||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |49||The Book of Mormon was an amalgamation of ideas from Joseph Smith's own environment.||[[Book of Mormon authorship theories]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |50-53||Many Book of Mormon stories are derived from the New Testament||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |55||The decapitation of Laban parallels the story of Judith in the Apocrypha||[[Book of Mormon plagiarism accusations/Apocrypha|Book of Mormon plagiarism accusations—Apocrypha]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |57||LDS position is that the Lamanites are the principal ancestors of the American Indians||[[Search for the Truth DVD:DNA]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |57||No Hebrew or Egyptian writing has been discovered in the New World.||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms/Reformed Egyptian|Book of Mormon anachronisms—Reformed Egyptian]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |57||The Book of Mormon provides too short a time for the disappearance of the Nephite/Lamanite language.||[[Hebrew and Native American languages]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |57||No indigenous American language has a Hebraic or Egyptian origin||[[Hebrew and Native American languages]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |58||B.H. Roberts thought that View of the Hebrews could be a basis for the Book of Mormon||[[Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |58||Roberts investigated the possible connection between the two books because he recognized the utility of having a ground plan to work from to contextualize theological issues||[[Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |58||Roberts concluded that there was a great probability that the Smith family read View of the Hebrews||[[Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |60||Roberts concluded that a copy of View of the Hebrews could have been supplied by Oliver Cowdery||[[Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |60-64||B.H. Roberts' parallels between View of the Hebrews and the Book of Mormon||[[Book of Mormon and View of the Hebrews]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |65-66||Joseph Smith received a revelation to send people to Canada to sell the Book of Mormon copyright for $8000. After expenses, the money was to go to the Smith family||[[Did Joseph Smith attempt to sell the Book of Mormon copyright?]]||
| |
| *Hiram Page to William E. McLellin, 2 Feb. 1848, in RLDS Library Archives.
| |
| *Whitmer, ''An Address to All Believers in Christ'', 30-31.
| |
| |-
| |
| |66||The writing of the 116 pages served as an "apprenticeship" to learning to write the Book of Mormon.||[[The lost 116 pages of The Book of Lehi]]||
| |
| *Author's opinion
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 3: The Bible in the Book of Mormon===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| | style="width:5%"|70-71||Joseph Smith Sr.'s 1811 dreams are similar to Lehi's "first" vision and his "tree of life" dream||[[Joseph Smith, Sr.'s dream and Lehi's vision]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |82||There are no original motifs in 3 Nephi that are not found in the Gospels||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |82||Joseph had the words of Christ available to him, but "curiously chose not to use them" for at least half the verses in 3 Nephi 11-28.||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |82||Joseph may have used a blanket to screen his use of the Bible from his scribe.||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |83||Oliver "neglected to mention" the use of a Bible in the translation.||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |83||The Book of Mormon contains twenty-six full chapters from a 1769 edition of the KJV||[[Book of Mormon plagiarized from the Bible]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |83||The Sermon at the Temple includes modern errors found in the KJV||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms:Translation Errors from the KJV|Translation Errors from the KJV]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |90||The Aramaic word "raca" would not have been intelligible to a Nephite.||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms/Aramaic word "raca"|Book of Mormon anachronisms—Aramaic word "raca"]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |90||The three days of sunlight is not mentioned in the Bible even though North America and Israel are both in the Northern hemisphere.||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms/Three days of darkness|Three days of darkness]]
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 4: Evangelical Protestantism in the Book of Mormon===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| | style="width:5%"|95||Elements from Joseph Smith's own life form the basis for a portion of the Book of Mormon.||[[Joseph Smith's environment and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |96||One would not expect to find "camp meeting" elements among ancient Americans.||[[Kingship and coronation in Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |97||King Benjamin's farewell speech parallels that of Methodist leader Bishop M'Kendree.||[[Kingship and coronation in Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |100||King Benjamin's speech includes elements of typical "revival" meetings.||[[Kingship and coronation in Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |106||Alma's conversion parallels that of Darius Williams and Abel Thornton.||[[Joseph Smith's environment and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |107||Alma's missions are similar to those of traveling preachers.||[[Joseph Smith's environment and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |114||The Book of Mormon includes hundreds of popular phrases from frontier preaching.||[[Joseph Smith's environment and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |116||There are "recognizable evangelical phrases" contained in Amulek's and Alma's preaching.||[[Joseph Smith's environment and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |118||The Book of Mormon is simply "revival literature" cast in a different setting..||[[Joseph Smith's environment and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |120||The Book of Mormon teaches that all men are evil as a result of the Fall.||[[Plain and precious Book of Mormon doctrines#The purpose of life|Plain and precious Book of Mormon doctrines—The purpose of life]]
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |121||Joseph changed his view from human nature being evil to it being "inherently good"
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |121-122||Joseph evolved his view of the Godhead over time||[[Joseph Smith's early conception of God]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |122||The Book of Mormon "vividly" portrays the Father and Son as the same God.||[[Book of Mormon portrays Father and Son as the same God]]{{nw}}
| |
| <!--
| |
| |-
| |
| |123||The Book of Mormon is closer to Evangelical Protestantism than ancient Jewish or modern LDS beliefs
| |
| |-
| |
| |123||Most of the Book of Mormon's theological issues are of little or no interest to Americans today
| |
| -->
| |
| |-
| |
| |124||The Book of Mormon contains no information about temple ordinances, exaltation or baptism for the dead.||[[Book of Mormon and the fulness of the gospel]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |129-130||B.H. Roberts concluded that Joseph Smith created the anti-Christs Sherem, Nehor and Korihor.||[[B.H. Roberts' testimony of the Book of Mormon]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |131||Feelings attributed to the Holy Ghost are simply edifying feelings||[[Burning in the bosom]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |131||Edifying feelings are not sufficient to determine truth||[[Burning in the bosom]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |131||Many people believe in the truthfulness of their own religion because of similar confirming experiences.||[[Burning in the bosom]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |132||It is possible to feel "the sprit" even when listening to a hoax.||[[Burning in the bosom]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |132||The LDS church claims exclusive receipt of the Holy Ghost as a gift.||[[Exclusivity of the gift of the Holy Ghost]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |133||The Holy Ghost is an unreliable means of proving truth||[[Burning in the bosom]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |133||The Spirit does not confirm the historical reality of the Book of Mormon||[[Burning in the bosom]]
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 5: Moroni and "The Golden Pot"===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |138||The story involves the copying and translation of ancestral records||[[Book of Mormon and the Golden Pot]]||
| |
| *The story mentions ''copying'' records. The author has extrapolated this to also mean ''translated'', despite the fact that the story itself does not mention "translation."
| |
| |-
| |
| |139-142||Luman Walters likely informed Joseph Smith about story of "The Golden Pot"||[[Book of Mormon and the Golden Pot]]||
| |
| *Author's speculation
| |
| |-
| |
| |157||Joseph is told to bring Emma to the hill Cumorah on "the next fall equinox."||[[The autumnal equinox and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |157||Joseph's father said that Joseph married Emma in order to ensure success in obtaining the plates.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Henry Harris|The Hurlbut affidavits—Henry Harris]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |163||Joseph regarded the autumnal equinox as a special day.||[[The autumnal equinox and the Book of Mormon]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |172||Variants of the Moroni story were told and then standardized after 1830.||[[Moroni story variants]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |172||Joseph's later narratives talk about a more biblical-type angel.||[[Moroni story variants]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| |173||Many of the magical elements of the Moroni story began disappearing around 1830.||[[Moroni story variants]]{{nw}}
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 6: Witnesses to the Golden Plates===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |175||The witnesses had a "magical mindset" and believed in "second sight"||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Character|Book of Mormon witnesses—Character]]||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |175-176||The witnesses believed in the ability to see spirits and their dwelling places within the local hills||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Character|Book of Mormon witnesses—Character]]||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |178||Martin Harris participated in his own "treasure adventures" after meeting Joseph Smith||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Character|Book of Mormon witnesses—Character]]||
| |
| *Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958),92, 104.
| |
| *Ezra Booth to Presiding Elder, 8 Nov. 1831, in E. D. Howe, Mormonism Unvailed (Painesville, OH: by the Author, 1834), 186; D&C 110:1.
| |
| |-
| |
| |178||Martin Harris said that he could "see things" in the Hill Cumorah.||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Character|Book of Mormon witnesses—Character]]||
| |
| *Martin Harris, interview by Joel Tiffany, Jan. 1859, in "Mormonism," ''Tiffany's Monthly'' (New York City) 5 (Aug. 1859): 166; quoted in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, 2:306.
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |178||Martin Harris informed Joseph Smith about the gold plates.|| ||
| |
| *Martin Harris, interview by Joel Tiffany, Jan. 1859, in "Mormonism," ''Tiffany's Monthly'' (New York City) 5 (Aug. 1859): 166; quoted in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, 2:306.
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |179||The Whitmers all believed that they could see things with stones and dowsing sticks||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Character|Book of Mormon witnesses—Character]]||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |179||Oliver Cowdery was a treasure hunter and "rodsman" before he met Joseph Smith.||[[Joseph Smith and the occult#Working with the rod|Joseph Smith and the occult—Working with the rod]]||
| |
| *Vogel, "Barnes Frisbie Account," ''Early Mormon Documents'', 1:599-621.
| |
| |-
| |
| |179||William Cowdery (Oliver's father) was associated with a treasure seeking group in Vermont.||[[Joseph Smith and the occult#Working with the rod|Joseph Smith and the occult—Working with the rod]]||
| |
| *Vogel, "Barnes Frisbie Account," ''Early Mormon Documents'', 1:599-621.
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |179||Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris saw the plates in a vision before meeting Joseph Smith.|| ||
| |
| *Martin Harris, interview by Joel Tiffany, Jan. 1859, in "Mormonism," ''Tiffany's Monthly'' (New York City) 5 (Aug. 1859): 166; quoted in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', 2:306.
| |
| *Dean C. Jessee, ed., ''The Papers of Joseph Smith: Autobiographical and Historical Writings'' (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989), 1: 10.
| |
| |-
| |
| |181||David and possibly John Whitmer owned seer stones.|| ||
| |
| *Quinn, ''Early Mormonism and the Magic World View'', (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1998), 239-40, 247-48.
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |186||The Smith's often told neighbors stories about treasures Joseph found in the earth||[[Joseph Smith and money digging]]||
| |
| *Jesse Smith to Hyrum Smith, 17 June 1829, Joseph Smith Letterbook, 2:59-61, LDS archives; quoted in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', 1:552.
| |
| |-
| |
| |188||Joseph claimed to know the location of Captain Kidd's treasure.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits]]||
| |
| *Statement of W. R. Hine in Deming, ''Naked Truths'' 1 Jan. 1888): 2.
| |
| |-
| |
| |191||A number of witnesses saw a cave in the Hill Cumorah when the plates were returned to the angel||[[Archaeology and the Hill Cumorah#Is there a cave in the Hill Cumorah containing the Nephite records?|Archaeology and the Hill Cumorah—Is there a cave in the Hill Cumorah containing the Nephite records?]]||
| |
| *Brigham Young, 17 June 1877, ''Journal of Discourses'' 19:38.
| |
| *Wilford Woodruff's journal, 1833-98, typescript, ed. Scott G. Kenny, 9 vols. (Midvale, UT: Signature Books, 1984), 11 Dec. 1869, 6:508-9.
| |
| |-
| |
| |194||Martin Harris said that marvelous things appeared to Hyrum, Joseph Sr. and Joseph Jr. while they were treasure hunting.||[[Joseph Smith and money digging]] ||
| |
| *Martin Harris, ''Tiffany's Monthly'' 5 (Aug. 1859): 165; quoted in Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, 2:305.
| |
| |-
| |
| |194-195||The gold plates that the witnesses saw disappeared when placed on the ground at the hill Cumorah||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Willard Chase|The Hurlbut affidavits—Willard Chase]] ||
| |
| *Howe, "Affidavit of Willard Chase," ''Mormonism Unvailed'', 242.
| |
| |-
| |
| |195||The witnesses believed that there was a toad the turned into something else hiding in the box that held the plates.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Willard Chase|The Hurlbut affidavits—Willard Chase]] ||
| |
| *Howe, "Affidavit of Willard Chase," ''Mormonism Unvailed''.
| |
| |-
| |
| |197||The testimony of the Three Witnesses was a vision rather than an actual visit by an angel||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Spiritual or literal|Book of Mormon witnesses—Spiritual or literal]]||
| |
| *Jessee, ''Papers of Joseph Smith'' 1:296.
| |
| |-
| |
| |197||David Whitmer indicated that the visit of the angel was spiritual rather than real.||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Spiritual or literal|Book of Mormon witnesses—Spiritual or literal]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |198||Martin Harris claimed to see the plates with "the eye of faith."||[["Eye of Faith"/"Spiritual Eye" statements by Martin Harris]]
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |198||Some of the three witnesses claimed that they handled the plates during the angel's visit
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |200||David Whitmer claimed that he handled the plates in vision, but not physically||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Spiritual or literal|Book of Mormon witnesses—Spiritual or literal]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |204||The testimony of the Eight Witnesses does not describe a physical incident||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Spiritual or literal|Book of Mormon witnesses—Spiritual or literal]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |204-205||Martin Harris claimed that none of the witnesses saw or handled the plates.||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Recant|Book of Mormon witnesses—Recant]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |205||Martin Harris claimed that he never saw or handled the plates.||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Recant#Martin Harris|Book of Mormon witnesses—Recant—Martin Harris]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |206||The Eight Witnesses hesitated to sign their testimony because their experience was not physical.||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Spiritual or literal|Book of Mormon witnesses—Spiritual or literal]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |206||The gold plates belong to another world rather than this one.||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms/Gold plates|Book of Mormon anachronisms—Gold plates]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |206||The plates were able to sink and glide through the ground and made noise as they were "rumbling" through the hill.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Willard Chase|The Hurlbut affidavits—Willard Chase]] ||
| |
| *Martin Harris, quoted in John A. Clark, "Modern Superstition-The Mormonites," 63; quoted in Vogel, ''Early Mormon Documents'', 2:265.
| |
| *Affidavit of Willard Chase, 11 Dec. 1833, in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed''.
| |
| *Lucy Smith, History of Joseph Smith, 83-84.
| |
| |-
| |
| |206-207||Viewing the gold plates "too soon" would cause physical death.||[[The Hurlbut affidavits#Sophia Lewis|The Hurlbut affidavits—Sophia Lewis]]||
| |
| *Joseph Smith-History 1:42.
| |
| *Affidavit of Sophia Lewis, 20 Mar. 1834, Susquehanna Register, 1 May 1834, 1.
| |
| *Charles Anthon to E. D. Howe, 17 Feb. 1834, in Howe, ''Mormonism Unvailed'', 272.
| |
| |-
| |
| |207||The declarations of the witnesses "sounded more physical than was intended."||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Spiritual or literal|Book of Mormon witnesses—Spiritual or literal]]||
| |
| *Moses 6:36.
| |
| *D&C 67:10; 131:7.
| |
| *Lucy Smith, ''History of Joseph Smith'', 92.
| |
| |-
| |
| |207||Joseph may have fabricated a "plate-like" object to sustain belief in the plates.||[[Book of Mormon anachronisms/Gold plates#Descriptions of the plates|Book of Mormon anachronisms—Gold plates—Descriptions of the plates]] ||
| |
| *None
| |
| |-
| |
| |208||James Strang also produced witnesses to metal plates.||[[Book of Mormon witnesses/Strangite parallels|Book of Mormon witnesses—Strangite parallels]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |211||Joseph appointed James Strang as his successor||[[James Strang]]||
| |
| *James J. Strang, "Letter from Joseph Smith to James J. Strang," 18 June 1844, in Voree [WI] Herald 1 (Jan. 1846).
| |
| |-
| |
| |213||All the living witnesses except Oliver Cowdery accepted James Strang's leadership.||[[James Strang]]
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 7: Priesthood Restoration===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |216||The "original" view was that the revelation received through the Urim and Thummin gave Joseph and Oliver the authority to baptize
| |
| |-
| |
| |217||David Whitmer never believed that an angel had given Joseph and Oliver the authority to baptize
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |219||An angelic ordination to the higher priesthood is not mentioned by Joseph at the time the church was organized||[[Date of the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood]]
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |219||The term "elder" and "apostle" meant the same thing originally
| |
| |-
| |
| |220||Anyone who was ordained an elder was considered an apostle
| |
| |-
| |
| |221||Alma received authority to baptize through the "Spirit" - not by laying on of hands
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |222||Authority is received through the "Spirit of the Lord" rather than by laying on of hands.||[[Priesthood restoration#The apostles transferred authority by the laying on of hands|The apostles transferred authority by the laying on of hands]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |223||The Bible and Book of Commandments do not mention the laying on of hands||[[Doctrine and Covenants textual changes]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |223||Early missionaries did not claim that their authority originated with heavenly messengers.||[[Priesthood restoration]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |225||The Whitmer family and Oliver Cowdery accepted Hiram Pages revelations as authoritative.||[[Hiram Page's revelations and seer stone]]{{nw}}
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |225-226||D&C 84 does not refer to the physical laying on of hands by an angel
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |227||The restoration of priesthood from an angel was a spiritual vision rather than a physical event.||[[Priesthood restoration]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |228||Joseph invented the story of the angel restoring the priesthood to counter Hurlbut's accusations||[[The Hurlbut affidavits]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |232||The events surrounding the priesthood ordination were reinterpreted to bolster Joseph's status.||[[Priesthood restoration]]
| |
| <!--
| |
| |-
| |
| |232-233||Oliver Cowdery may have added the story about the angel to an 1833 patriarchal blessing.
| |
| -->
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ===Chapter 8: The First Vision===
| |
| {| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
| |
| !width="5%"|Page
| |
| !width="40%"|Claim
| |
| !width="30%"|Response
| |
| !width="25%"|[[Use of sources]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |235||Joseph Smith's First Vision account was "simplified" and "retrofitted" to make it more authoritative||[[First Vision story became more detailed and colorful after 1832?]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |239||The Book of Commandments states that it was the Book of Mormon that constituted Joseph's call to the work||[[1832 account doesn't mention new dispensation]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |239||Oliver Cowdery claimed that it was Moroni that called Joseph to the work rather than Jesus in the First Vision||[[Oliver Cowdery not aware of First Vision in 1834-35]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |239||Joseph viewed his First Vision in "evangelical Protestant fashion" until 1838||[[Motivation in 1832 account is different]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |240||Joseph rewrote his personal conversion experience in 1838 to satisfy institutional needs||[[1838 account modified to offset leadership crisis?]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |240||The 1820 revival described by Joseph better fits the 1824-25 revival||[[Conflation of 1824-25 revival?]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |242||Oliver Cowdery said that the revival that affected Joseph came in 1823||[[Oliver Cowdery not aware of First Vision in 1834-35]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |245||Joseph was persecuted not for his vision, but because of his treasure digging||[[1832 account doesn't mention persecution]]
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |245||Joseph's vision was similar to other's experiences and no one took notice of it||
| |
| |-
| |
| -->
| |
| |245||In 1838, Joseph shifted his calling from 1823 to 1820 because of apostasy in the Church||[[1838 account modified to offset leadership crisis?]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |248||Joseph wrote his 1838 narrative to secure his position and authority within the church||[[First Vision fabricated to give "Godly authority"]]
| |
| |-
| |
| <!--
| |
| |251||Joseph moved his calling from 1823 to 1820 in order to disassociate himself from the Book of Mormon witnesses, who had left the Church.
| |
| -->
| |
| |-
| |
| |251-252||Joseph's motive for praying was different in the 1832 account than in the 1838 account||[[Motivation in 1832 account is different]]
| |
| |}
| |
| | |
| ==Further reading==
| |
| {{SpecificAuthorsAndWorks}}
| |