New Era Casts Some Doubt On The Bom Plates

[theplains]

Page 30 of the July 2007 New Era magazine says, "Neither Joseph nor any of the 

witnesses said that the ancient record was made from solid gold. Nor did they use 

the term “gold plates” or “plates of gold.” All Joseph said is that they had "the 

appearance of gold ... It is more appropriate to refer to the ancient metal record 

as the Golden Plates, referring to their color, not the material they were made of".

 

This would confirm the testimony of the eight witnesses, that the plates had the 

appearance of gold.

 

I had several questions about this.

 

Why isn't the testimony of the eight witnesses more in agreement with Joseph's 

testimony that is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Mormon (where he said 

they were gold plates)?

 

Does the Mosiah 8:9 reference to 24 plates of pure gold mean they were not included 

in the plates Joseph supposedly found?

 

With so many references in General Conference about "gold plates" and "plates of 

gold", should people reject the testimony of the eight witnesses and the New Era 

article? (see attached)

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

 

general_conference_gold_plates.txt

[The Nehor]

Newsflash: Gold can be combined with other metals!!!!!!

[JLHPROF]

Total semantic quibbling.

The plates were golden in color.  Just because somebody referred to that as "gold" on occasion doesn't change anything.

[theplains]

Newsflash: Gold can be combined with other metals!!!!!!

 

Why would the article say it it is more appropriate for the plates to be gold in color instead

gold in substance?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[The Nehor]

Why would the article say it it is more appropriate for the plates to be gold in color instead

gold in substance?

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

Because it was almost certainly gold mixed with some other metals.

[Coreyb]

The term gold can refer both to a color and a precious metal, as well as other things. Not sure why that's hard to understand

[UtahTexan]

Much ado about nothing.....

[longview]

Because it was almost certainly gold mixed with some other metals.

What if it was fools gold? Iron pyrate?

[Scott Lloyd]

Much ado about nothing.....

Or, alluding to another common anti-Mormon quibble about the Book of Mormon, much adieu about nothing.

[ERayR]

What if it was fools gold? Iron pyrate?

 

What if ___________?  (Insert favorite what if) An inane question.

[Calm]

I have gold drapes in my house. When the windows are open they wave back and forth with the breeze.

My gold wedding ring is at best 75% gold metal.

I have a plate that is covered in gold leaf as well as some thin sheets of gold in a craft box waiting for a project.

It is pretty simple to understand. "Gold" can refer to a variety of things.

[Kenngo1969]

Much ado about nothing.....

 

Or, alluding to another common anti-Mormon quibble about the Book of Mormon, much adieu about nothing.

Shhhhh!  Don't encourage Jim!!!!

[strappinglad]

Tumbaga has as little as 5 % gold in it. It is still quite ' golden ' .

[JAHS]

There was no reason for the 24 gold plates mentioned in Mosiah to be with the plates Joseph Smith was given. Moroni had already added those records to the plates that were given to him by his father Mormon, which had the record of the Jaredites (Book of Ether).

[The Nehor]

What if it was fools gold? Iron pyrate?

Have you ever messed around with fool's gold? It is very brittle. Trying to inscribe characters in it would be very amusing. On top of that I am guessing the Witnesses would have noticed. They were more familiar with Gold and pyrite than we are.

[Stargazer]

What if it was fools gold? Iron pyrate?

You really ought to think before posting nonsense.

 

Iron pyrite is a crystalline compound of iron and sulfur (FeS₂) that cannot flattened by pounding, and "is unstable in the natural environment: in nature it is always being created or being destroyed. Iron pyrite exposed to air and water decomposes into iron oxides and sulfate. This process is hastened by the action of Acidithiobacillus bacteria which oxidize the pyrite to produce ferrous iron and sulfate. These reactions occur more rapidly when the pyrite is in fine crystals and dust, which is the form it takes in most mining operations."

[Robert F. Smith]

Why would the article say it it is more appropriate for the plates to be gold in color instead

gold in substance?

 

Thanks,

Jim

Probably because the guy or gal who wrote the article thought that.  Anyone looking at the plates would have a hard time deciding whether it was pure gold or an alloy.

[Robert F. Smith]

There was no reason for the 24 gold plates mentioned in Mosiah to be with the plates Joseph Smith was given. Moroni had already added those records to the plates that were given to him by his father Mormon, which had the record of the Jaredites (Book of Ether).

Correct.  The 24 Jaredite gold plates are still together with the original cache of records as deposited by Mormon.  The Plates of Mormon are his abridgement of all the other records, put together with Moroni's own editing of the translation into Nephite of the 24 gold plates of Ether, and with his own record and title page appended.

[Storm Rider]

 

Page 30 of the July 2007 New Era magazine says, "Neither Joseph nor any of the 

witnesses said that the ancient record was made from solid gold. Nor did they use 

the term “gold plates” or “plates of gold.” All Joseph said is that they had "the 

appearance of gold ... It is more appropriate to refer to the ancient metal record 

as the Golden Plates, referring to their color, not the material they were made of".

 

This would confirm the testimony of the eight witnesses, that the plates had the 

appearance of gold.

 

I had several questions about this.

 

Why isn't the testimony of the eight witnesses more in agreement with Joseph's 

testimony that is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Mormon (where he said 

they were gold plates)?

 

Does the Mosiah 8:9 reference to 24 plates of pure gold mean they were not included 

in the plates Joseph supposedly found?

 

With so many references in General Conference about "gold plates" and "plates of 

gold", should people reject the testimony of the eight witnesses and the New Era 

article? (see attached)

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

 

I think you are choking on gnats, Jim.  I am not seeing the conflict that you are.  You are demanding a narrow definition in one area and and a wider definition in another.  

[Sevenbak]

 

Page 30 of the July 2007 New Era magazine says, "Neither Joseph nor any of the 

witnesses said that the ancient record was made from solid gold. Nor did they use 

the term “gold plates” or “plates of gold.” All Joseph said is that they had "the 

appearance of gold ... It is more appropriate to refer to the ancient metal record 

as the Golden Plates, referring to their color, not the material they were made of".

 

This would confirm the testimony of the eight witnesses, that the plates had the 

appearance of gold.

 

I had several questions about this.

 

Why isn't the testimony of the eight witnesses more in agreement with Joseph's 

testimony that is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Mormon (where he said 

they were gold plates)?

 

Does the Mosiah 8:9 reference to 24 plates of pure gold mean they were not included 

in the plates Joseph supposedly found?

 

With so many references in General Conference about "gold plates" and "plates of 

gold", should people reject the testimony of the eight witnesses and the New Era 

article? (see attached)

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

I think it might do you good to look at the references given in the New Era article you snipped.  There is plenty there to answer your question/criticism.  The very first reference gives the whole article from which the New Era condensement was taken.  You really should read it.  How Witnesses Described the "Gold Plates", 16-21 - Journals

Edited April 7, 2015 by Sevenbak

[longview]

Thank you, Stargazer.  That was interesting.

 

However, I was just joshing with Nehor (famous for his outrageous quips).  I guess I am not good at making jokes.

[Pahoran]

Page 30 of the July 2007 New Era magazine says, "Neither Joseph nor any of the 

witnesses said that the ancient record was made from solid gold. Nor did they use 

the term “gold plates” or “plates of gold.” All Joseph said is that they had "the 

appearance of gold ... It is more appropriate to refer to the ancient metal record 

as the Golden Plates, referring to their color, not the material they were made of".

 

This would confirm the testimony of the eight witnesses, that the plates had the 

appearance of gold.

 

I had several questions about this.

 

Why isn't the testimony of the eight witnesses more in agreement with Joseph's 

testimony that is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Mormon (where he said 

they were gold plates)?

 

Does the Mosiah 8:9 reference to 24 plates of pure gold mean they were not included 

in the plates Joseph supposedly found?

 

With so many references in General Conference about "gold plates" and "plates of 

gold", should people reject the testimony of the eight witnesses and the New Era 

article? (see attached)

 

Thanks,

Jim

The content of your post does not support the assertion contained in the title of the thread.

Is that because that assertion is false?

Regards,

Pahoran

[Stargazer]

Thank you, Stargazer.  That was interesting.

 

However, I was just joshing with Nehor (famous for his outrageous quips).  I guess I am not good at making jokes.

 

Ooops, sorry!  I really should just take that vacation I mentioned in another thread. 

 

But I can't sleep and on top of everything else I feel a bad cold coming on. 

[Gray]

I confess I don't understand what the OP is getting at. 

[ERayR]

I confess I don't understand what the OP is getting at. 

 

Spin to fit his agenda.

Edited April 7, 2015 by ERayR