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If the plates don't even need to be in the room to be translated, what is the point of sealing 2/3 of them?

Not only that, but since the power of God was necessary to translate anyways, what harm would come by opening up a leaf in the lower 2/3 of the plates and looking at it?

There is no logical argument for sealing the plates.

Presuming there were actual plates, and they were sealed, and God really was behidn all of this, and we never got a straight answer as to why they were sealed, no one knows. How are we to possibly know?

stemelbow wrote:Presuming there were actual plates, and they were sealed, and God really was behidn all of this, and we never got a straight answer as to why they were sealed, no one knows. How are we to possibly know?

Faith survives by hiding in improbable mystery once again.

Buffalo wrote:Faith survives by hiding in improbable mystery once again.

Well I don't see how faith could be destroyed by asking a question we don't know the answer to, but it happens, I'm sure.

stemelbow wrote:

Buffalo wrote:Faith survives by hiding in improbable mystery once again.

Well I don't see how faith could be destroyed by asking a question we don't know the answer to, but it happens, I'm sure.

Can you think of a plausible reason why the plates would need to be sealed? Or why the plates would need to even exist? Joseph Smith didn't even use them.

Buffalo wrote:Can you think of a plausible reason why the plates would need to be sealed? Or why the plates would need to even exist? Joseph Smith didn't even use them.

Probably not plausible to anyone of consequence. I can think of some possible reasons. Perhaps it was rather symbollic to send a message that there is far more truth out there? Perhaps it was necessary to seal those portions so Joseph Smith and co wouldn't go on in to them and try to translate it themselves by referring strictly to the unsealed portion and the resultant translation? Perhaps it was sealed because however the actual translation process worked, if it were not sealed it would have mixed up the medium of translation. for instance if a person or angel was involved, behind the scenes, in helping to actually translate words and ideas the person/angel preferred that portion sealed so it didn't get in his/her way.

I don't know...I guess we could sit and ponder for quite a while coming up with possibilities. But, that we don't know, doesn't mean much.

stemelbow wrote:

Buffalo wrote:Can you think of a plausible reason why the plates would need to be sealed? Or why the plates would need to even exist? Joseph Smith didn't even use them.

Probably not plausible to anyone of consequence. I can think of some possible reasons. Perhaps it was rather symbollic to send a message that there is far more truth out there? Perhaps it was necessary to seal those portions so Joseph Smith and co wouldn't go on in to them and try to translate it themselves by referring strictly to the unsealed portion and the resultant translation? Perhaps it was sealed because however the actual translation process worked, if it were not sealed it would have mixed up the medium of translation. for instance if a person or angel was involved, behind the scenes, in helping to actually translate words and ideas the person/angel preferred that portion sealed so it didn't get in his/her way.

I don't know...I guess we could sit and ponder for quite a while coming up with possibilities. But, that we don't know, doesn't mean much.

But Joseph didn't go in and try to translate from the plates. Head in the hat, remember?

Look at it from a critics perspective.

What better way to manufacture a small # of fake plates that could be inspected, yet still allow for it to look authentic?

He was setting the stage for the sequel(s).