[T]here is strong evidence that Joseph Smith was highly unlikely to have been able to write the Book of Mormon on his own.
No, there absolutely is not: not at all, not in the slightest. That Smith wrote it on his own is the obviously most likely case.
It's hard to rule out that he took a bit of help from some others, but there is no reason at all, whatsoever, to think that he might have needed to do that. Nothing at all about the Book of Mormon seems at all like anything that Joseph Smith could not have made.
I question the validity of an all or nothing statement in this case. Not when there are multiple ways of viewing things from various reasonable perspectives.
If I did believe that God could be involved, that wouldn't mean that I'd buy the whole restoration story. There are a hundred thousand things that could go wrong along the road from the golden book to the presidency of Russell M. Nelson.
That’s where we differ. I think that once God would have set things in motion He might be more than likely to see things through rather than leaving everything on the cutting room floor.
That’s where we differ. I think that once God would have set things in motion He might be more than likely to see things through rather than leaving everything on the cutting room floor.
Regards,
MG
Like he did with the flood?
Can’t say. I don’t have as close a view of the whole flood thing as I do the restoration thing. And that’s even hard to get a complete handle on as you well know.
Can’t say. I don’t have as close a view of the whole flood thing as I do the restoration thing. And that’s even hard to get a complete handle on as you well know.
10 - Joseph Smith didn't write the Book of Mormon on his own. He struggled at it with Martin Harris' helping which we don't actually have to compare with the Book of Mormon, failed at a restart after the 116 pages debacle, but suddenly became very productive once Oliver Cowdery showed up and the Whitmer family let them work at their farm. Descriptions of the performance of translation are just that - a show. Most narratives describe the processes displayed when the lost pages were penned so we have no idea what that even reads like. Outside of the chapters in Mosiah, what we have is from Cowdery and Smith spinning the story out without props or gimmicks.
Importance? Not at all if you aren't Mormon nor have Mormon family. It's very subjective which means it isn't that important overall.
So we’re at a majority on this board in those that say Joseph pretty much wrote the Book of Mormon on his own, maybe with a little help.
I guess that shouldn’t come as any great surprise, but it’s good to get it out there.
Regards,
MG
Since when is a plurality representing 1% a majority?
he/him we all just have to live through it,
holding each other’s hands.
That’s where we differ. I think that once God would have set things in motion He might be more than likely to see things through rather than leaving everything on the cutting room floor.
Regards,
MG
Like he did with the flood?
But you are fully aware of the fact that there was no flood. It is a story to illustrate the question.
So we’re at a majority on this board in those that say Joseph pretty much wrote the Book of Mormon on his own, maybe with a little help.
I guess that shouldn’t come as any great surprise, but it’s good to get it out there.
Regards,
MG
Since when is a plurality representing 1% a majority?
You’re right. I should say of those who responded.
It would be interesting to find out if there are folks that hang out at times around these parts who might still subscribe to the channeling theory or the automatic writing theory.
Either one of these is only a step or two away from God, angels, and plates.
10 - Joseph Smith didn't write the Book of Mormon on his own. He struggled at it with Martin Harris' helping which we don't actually have to compare with the Book of Mormon, failed at a restart after the 116 pages debacle, but suddenly became very productive once Oliver Cowdery showed up and the Whitmer family let them work at their farm. Descriptions of the performance of translation are just that - a show. Most narratives describe the processes displayed when the lost pages were penned so we have no idea what that even reads like. Outside of the chapters in Mosiah, what we have is from Cowdery and Smith spinning the story out without props or gimmicks.
Importance? Not at all if you aren't Mormon nor have Mormon family. It's very subjective which means it isn't that important overall.
So we’re at a majority on this board in those that say Joseph pretty much wrote the Book of Mormon on his own, maybe with a little help.
I guess that shouldn’t come as any great surprise, but it’s good to get it out there.
Regards,
MG
I don't think Joseph wrote the book on his own. He needed Oliver Cowdery to produce what we have. If he could have produced it on his own he would have before Cowdery arrived.
If you believe it was produced through divine involvement, why did it take Oliver Cowdery to show up for the book to be produced?
No, there absolutely is not: not at all, not in the slightest. That Smith wrote it on his own is the obviously most likely case.
It's hard to rule out that he took a bit of help from some others, but there is no reason at all, whatsoever, to think that he might have needed to do that. Nothing at all about the Book of Mormon seems at all like anything that Joseph Smith could not have made.
I question the validity of an all or nothing statement in this case. Not when there are multiple ways of viewing things from various reasonable perspectives...
