The Dude wrote:But maybe, after Joseph Smith was punished for giving the ms to Harris, he learned how to do really cool "loose" translations and that's how he did the rest of the Book of Mormon.
Yeah, that's true. It's a possibility.
The other possibility is that Joseph Smith thought he was giving a tight translation, when in actuality he was giving a loose one. (thought i'd keep with the 'rain-man / calendar-idiot' theme).
WK: "Joseph Smith asserted that the Book of Mormon peoples were the original inhabitants of the americas"
Will Schryver: "No, he didn’t." 3/19/08
Still waiting for Will to back this up...
Who is the biggest-name proponent of loose translation? Is in Brant Gardner?
Brant is the most consistent proponent of the loose translation theory, although he may have once mentioned the ultra-weasely "sometimes loose, sometimes tight (depending on the argument)", but I can't remember for sure. He's the most consistent with this theory because he knows enough about ancient Mesoamerica to know that a tight translation model kills any chance of Book of Mormon historicity.
It's usually believers who don't understand what a terrible fit the Book of Mormon is with ancient Mesoamerica who adhere to the tight model. (just my informal observations)
I would really like to see this topic discussed on MAD.
edit on: If I recall correctly, Sorenson adheres to some loose translation theory as well, so he'd be the biggest name.
We hate to seem like we don’t trust every nut with a story, but there’s evidence we can point to, and dance while shouting taunting phrases.
Why doesn't someone here (Celestial Kingdom, CKS, The Dude, etc.) start a thread on MAD on the various evidences for and against loose and tight translations?
I'd like to see that. I don't believe I've ever seen all the evidences/arguments laid out like that before.
Any takers?
WK: "Joseph Smith asserted that the Book of Mormon peoples were the original inhabitants of the americas"
Will Schryver: "No, he didn’t." 3/19/08
Still waiting for Will to back this up...
CaliforniaKid wrote:Oh, that epiphany. Well, I must admit that I stole that idea from somebody who once speculated that the "angel Moroni" that frequently appeared to Joseph Smith was in fact Sidney Rigdon masquerading as such.
Ah, but Celestial Kingdom, stealing has a venerable history in Mormonism (according to some views).
Don
Would that be the stealing of wives from one's closest associates? Perhaps we eligible bachelors ought to take a page from that book...
I was actually thinking of the Spalding theory's manuscript theft; but you're right that mere mss. theft would leave us still bachelors! What to do about that?!
Seer Stone = Loose (not even David Blaine can pull a tight translation out of a hat).
Tah-dah!
You spin me right round, baby right round like a record, baby Right round round round You spin me right round, baby Right round like a record, baby Right round round round
"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead." ~Charles Bukowski