HomoSapien

One September night, in 1827, seventeen year old Joseph Smith recieved a vision from the Angel Moroni to uncover two gold plates, placed there in the 5th Century B.C. They were originally delivered to the ancient North Americans who were actually Jewish Settlers from Jerusalem from the 6th Century B.C.

Joseph also received two Seer Stones or special lens which would magically allow him to translate the Plates.

The Stones or Lens even had names Urim and Thummim.

Joseph began translating the plates. When asked by his father if he could see the plates. Joseph flatly refused.

However the publisher of what one day would be the Book of Mormon, wanted to see them. He was allowed to hold the box that contained the plates and given a hand written recreation of some of the opening text.

Harris, thats the publisher, went to a Professor in ancient languages to confirm what Smith had written.

The Professor informed him no such language existed, and that probably the whole thing was a hoax.

Smith countered, and said that the text was "Reformed Eygptian"....cough..

Each book of Mormon contains the Three Witnesses who saw the Plates. All three were excommunicated from the Mormon church later. One joined the Methodists, the other said that Smith was a fallen prophet and the last Publisher Harris, Smith called "an evil man"..

There is also The Statement of the Eight Witnesses included in the book of M. Three of those left the Mormon Church and it is largely agreed upon that no one has actually seen the Plates and special lens except poor Joseph.
The Plates and lens were of course taken back by the angel.

Smith himself was murdered by a lynch mob, when he was 38 after his treatment of Mormon dissenters.

Well...its a strange story for sure.
Questions arise...how did Smith carry those gold plates down from there by himself.

Why would the greek name Jesus Christ appear in a book left for Jewish Settlers several hundred years before Jesus would actually arrive.

Well, its a mystery..yes...a mystery..

Grizzly

Hi HomoSapien,

Welcome to the II discussion forums! The points you raised about early "Mormaninity" are interesting. I think your thread would get better play in Miscellaneous Religious Discussions. I think that the Mormon religion is still considered "Abrahamic".

Cheers

Grizzly
NARP moderator