"The Actual Manuscript Found Has Been Found!"

[_mms]

What if that were an actual headline and it ended up that it (the manuscript) was undisputedly authentic and it did, in fact, contain Nephites and Lamanites, etc.? I have often wondered what my TBM friends would do and what the apologists would do. I actually think that people would come up with some kind of argument to maintain belief. What do you think and if you think arguments would be made for belief, do you have any examples of what you think might be argued?

[_sethpayne]

Well, I consider the Spaulding theory to be very problematic. However, I'm sure an argument could be formulated that the Spaulding fiction acted as a catalyst for the theological portions of the Book of Mormon. The biggest problem would be finding an explanation for Book of Mormon historicity. Maybe something like Spaulding was moved by the Holy Ghost to write a story ....

Again, I don't put much stock in the Spaulding theory. I think Grant Palmer makes a strong case that the Book of Mormon was a product of Joseph's very gifted mind.

[_Racer]

I think something similar has happened before. Remember Hoffman's Salamander Letter? Didn't FARMS do a whole propaganda piece about how the letter changes nothing and fits right into the gospel before it was discovered to be a forgery?

Hasn't it been demonstrated that the temple ceremony is a rip off of Masonry?
Hasn't it been proven that Joseph Smith's translation of the Eypgtian scrolls have nothing to do with Abraham?
Didn't the church teach some foul things about black people that they now pretend was just "Folklore"?
Didn't Joseph Smith claim the fake Kinderhook plates were ancient records of Ham's descendents?
Didn't Joseph Smith tell 4 different versions of the first vision?
Hasn't science proven there is no Israelite DNA in Native Americans?

And so on and so on...

If the original Manuscript Found surfaces with phrasology like Nephite and Lamanites is found , I am sure the kool aid drinkers won't flinch and the mopplogists will spin it away. There is so much glaring evidence and proof out there that Mormonism is fake, and yet people still believe. I don't think a find like this would change anything.