Daniel Peterson's Article on Book of Mormon in Deseret News

[_Themis]

First we need a motive for the book.

Money, fame, religious following, etc. Lots to go on.

Then, we need to piece together when he would have time to write it. We know that during the translation process it took a certain amount of days. But the Book of Mormon is too complex to sit down and write it when a head is in a hat.

It's not that complex. He had years to get a story either in is head or written down by him or others.

Plus, the original 11 witnesses were the biggest dupes.

Just like the Strangite witnesses.

How did he do it?

Same way he and others have done with things like a rock in a hat.

For the three witnesses, he needed some plates with strange letters on them, a breastplate and an good actor to play an angel.

We already have some evidence suggesting it was through the spiritual eye. This of course was Joseph stock and trade with his treasure seeking.

When did he find the time to write a book and engrave plates and for what purpose? Then, he needed a set of good plates with strange letters on them to show the eight witnesses and have them feel them. Quite a good engraver was necessary for this feat. And emma needed to be clueless and if she was in on the fraud, she was a sociopath for sure.

Answered many times now. Emma ran off with a galls looker, and lied for him as well. No need to be a sociopath. I really wish you would back up what you say instead of just saying anything to help you believe.

Here is the deal. He probably would have made some money for this book if he did not put all the relgious fluff around its publication. Much better to write the novel, get a good editor, and publish the book. It certainly would have been successful because it played into the mindset of the inhabitants. And then go on to write other books.

He recognized that religion was an important ingredient, especially when the book is not a good read. He was interested in religion like most people back then, and even today it is a good way to make a living, and he did just that.

When the book was published it was boycotted by the inhabitants of palmyra and the surrounding areas. No one wanted to touch this book. So, he must have been kicking his butt because of the relgious fluff. The inhabitants would have purchased the book if it were advertized as a novel.

It would have been worse without the religious stuff. It is poorly written. So poorly written that members have to be constantly encouraged to read it.

[_why me]

It's worth pointing out that a number of people closest to Joseph Smith later joined the Strangite movement for a while. It must not have been that difficult to dupe people.

Actually, if one was the witness to the plates, it would make sense to follow strang. He did produce plates so it would fit in line with what Mormons would believe about additional scripture being revealed. But this has nothing to do with the experience with the Book of Mormon where witnesses saw angels and were shown the plates.

Also, where is the strang movement now? Gone with the wind. If the Mormon church were such a fraud it would also be gone with the wind decades ago along with the strang movement.

[_why me]

Money, fame, religious following, etc. Lots to go on.

.

No money, no fame and a small religious following upon his death. He failed if that were his goal. When he tried to get a publisher, he had difficulties because of the townspeople and their attitude toward Joseph Smith and his claims. Then, when the book was published no one wanted to buy it. He failed.

The church succeeded with BY and his move westward and Joseph became respected and 'famous'.

[_why me]

Answered many times now. Emma ran off with a galls looker, and lied for him as well. No need to be a sociopath. I really wish you would back up what you say instead of just saying anything to help you believe.

Emma would have been a sociopath if she knew it were a fraud. The amount of suffering experienced by the members as they were driven from New York to Utah would have melted the heart of most people. But not emma. She allowed all the suffering and death around her to protect a fraud. Thus, she was a sociopath.

Now if she were convinced that her hubby was a prophet, no sociopath tendencies existed.

[_Buffalo]

Also, where is the strang movement now? Gone with the wind. If the Mormon church were such a fraud it would also be gone with the wind decades ago along with the strang movement.

If Scientology were such a fraud it would also be gone with the wind decades ago along with the strang movement.

[_why me]

We already have some evidence suggesting it was through the spiritual eye. This of course was Joseph stock and trade with his treasure seeking.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... imony.html

I see no spiritual eyes in his last testimony above.

http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Brochures/B ... sses_3.pdf

[_why me]

Also, where is the strang movement now? Gone with the wind. If the Mormon church were such a fraud it would also be gone with the wind decades ago along with the strang movement.

If Scientology were such a fraud it would also be gone with the wind decades ago along with the strang movement.

It was only founded a few decades ago.

[_brade]

It's worth pointing out that a number of people closest to Joseph Smith later joined the Strangite movement for a while. It must not have been that difficult to dupe people.

Actually, if one was the witness to the plates, it would make sense to follow strang. He did produce plates so it would fit in line with what Mormons would believe about additional scripture being revealed. But this has nothing to do with the experience with the Book of Mormon where witnesses saw angels and were shown the plates.

Also, where is the strang movement now? Gone with the wind. If the Mormon church were such a fraud it would also be gone with the wind decades ago along with the strang movement.

P1: If the Mormon church were a fraud, then it wouldn't still exists.
P2: The Mormon church still exists.
C: Therefore, the Mormon church isn't a fraud.

Do you believe P1 and P2 are true and the logic from P1 and P2 to C is valid? In other words, do you believe this is a sound argument?

[_Buffalo]

It was only founded a few decades ago.

Half a century ago. And the Strangites are still around too. Must not have been a fraud.

[_Jaybear]

Emma would have been a sociopath if she knew it were a fraud. The amount of suffering experienced by the members as they were driven from New York to Utah would have melted the heart of most people. But not emma. She allowed all the suffering and death around her to protect a fraud. Thus, she was a sociopath.

Now if she were convinced that her hubby was a prophet, no sociopath tendencies existed.

This Emma Smith?

"To my certain knowledge, Emma Smith is one of the damnedest liars I know of on this earth; yet there is no good thing I would refuse to do for her, if she would only be a righteous woman; but she will continue in her wickedness. Not six months before the death of Joseph, he called his wife Emma into a secret council, and there he told her the truth, and called upon her to deny it if she could. He told her that the judgments of God would come upon her forthwith if she did not repent. He told her of the time she undertook to poison him, and he told her that she was a child of hell, and literally the most wicked woman on this earth, that there was not one more wicked than she. He told here where she got the poison, and how she put it in a cup of coffee; said he 'You got that poison from so and so, and I drank it, but you could not kill me.' When it entered his stomach he went to the door and threw it off. he spoke to her in that council in a very severe manner, and she never said one word in reply. I have witnesses of this scene all around, who can testify that I am now telling the truth. Twice she undertook to kill him."

If she was literally the most wicked women on earth at the time, is it that hard to believe that she was a sociopath?