Alpha & Omega: A Book of Mormon anachronistic blooper

[_Shulem]

There was no Greek or Latin upon the plates from which I, through the grace of the Lord, translated the Book of Mormon.

But, contrary to Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon does infact contain Greek which was unknown to the Nephites:

I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

Alpha = First letter of the Greek alphabet
Omega = Last letter of the Greek alphabet

So, why did Mormon Jesus speak in the unknown Greek thereafter being etched in gold when clearly Joseph Smith said there was no Greek on the plates?

[_Shulem]

Is it possible that when Mormon Jesus visited the Nephites that he forgot what continent he was on and didn't realize that Greek was unknown to the Nephites?

If only Mormon Jesus had been carrying this flashcard:

[_Shulem]

Mormon Jesus and Joe Smith forgot the alphabets but they didn't forget the money. It figures.

Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine

[_JLHPROF]

There was no Greek or Latin upon the plates from which I, through the grace of the Lord, translated the Book of Mormon.

But, contrary to Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon does infact contain Greek which was unknown to the Nephites:

I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

Alpha = First letter of the Greek alphabet
Omega = Last letter of the Greek alphabet

So, why did Mormon Jesus speak in the unknown Greek thereafter being etched in gold when clearly Joseph Smith said there was no Greek on the plates?

Alpha and Omega - as dictated by Joseph Smith.
Has no bearing on what language was written on the plates. The translation of the plates is not claimed to be a linguistic endeavor.
If you believe the Book of Mormon from God (which we know you don't) then it isn't that complicated to figure out that whatever words were used on the plates meant the same thing as Alpha and Omega.

[_Kishkumen]

Yeah, the plates probably had "I am the snake glyph and the monkey glyph" or something like that, on them. And every good Mesoamerican would have known exactly what Quetzalcoatl meant by that.

[_zerinus]

So, why did Mormon Jesus speak in the unknown Greek thereafter being etched in gold when clearly Joseph Smith said there was no Greek on the plates?

For the same reason that he spoke French in Jacob 7:27: “. . . Brethren, adieu.” That is another dumb criticism that the critics like to make of the Book of Mormon. And the answer to both is the same. The expression “alpha and omega,” like “adieu,” has entered the English language, and become part of the English vocabulary. We don’t know what the original words and phrases were on the plates which were translated into English with those words and expressions, and that is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that the translator (which was God, not Joseph Smith) considered those words and expressions in English to be the most appropriate vocabulary with which to translate them.

[_Fence Sitter]

It's a tight translation, no wait it's a loose translation, no wait, what word am I defending now?"

"Silly critics, don't they know what ever the word is we can make up inconstient crap to defend it?"

[_Shulem]

Alpha and Omega - as dictated by Joseph Smith.

No, not dictated -- rather, QUOTED. The Nephite author was supposed to be quoting Jesus's words and Joseph Smith was supposed to be translating what was quoted. Joseph Smith claimed to have "translated" the Book of Mormon, not dictate it. That's the original claim. It's not my problem that apologists can't accept that simple fact. I'm going off what Joseph Smith said, not you. You're just an apologist making excuses, I go by what Joseph Smith said. He's the authority.

Has no bearing on what language was written on the plates. The translation of the plates is not claimed to be a linguistic endeavor.

Joseph Smith the translator said there was "no Greek" language on the plates. Period. Therefore, there is no reason to be translating what's written on the plates into Greek words. The Nephites didn't know Greek and there simply is no reason to introduce it into the written record like Smith did, but he screwed up, obviously.

If you believe the Book of Mormon from God (which we know you don't) then it isn't that complicated to figure out that whatever words were used on the plates meant the same thing as Alpha and Omega.

You're right about it not being complicated. Mormon Jesus should have used the first and last letters of another alphabet other than one the Nephites had no knowledge. The Book of Mormon contains all kinds of crazy words to describe stuff. Smith could have made a couple of words up and let it fly. But as it was, the farmboy Joseph Smith and his pal Oliver Cowdery failed to connect the dots and made a mistake in trying to make the story fit historically. They caught the part about the farthing and senine but tripped on the Greek letters. It's just one of many, many, examples that prove the Book of Mormon is a work of fiction filled with anachronisms.

[_Shulem]

For the same reason that he spoke French in Jacob 7:27: “. . . Brethren, adieu.” That is another dumb criticism that the critics like to make of the Book of Mormon.

French doesn't belong in the English Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith was just being dumb in thinking he could fancy things up with a European expression for greetings.The English equivalent for adieu would have been sufficient. The translation was supposed to be reformed Egyptian into modern English -- no need to toss a French word in and introduce inconsistency. The critics are not being picky, it was Joseph Smith who took all kinds of liberties in making stuff up. Just look at the Explanations of Facsimile No. 2. That's making stuff up!

And the answer to both is the same. The expression “alpha and omega,” like “adieu,” has entered the English language, and become part of the English vocabulary. We don’t know what the original words and phrases were on the plates which were translated into English with those words and expressions, and that is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that the translator (which was God, not Joseph Smith) considered those words and expressions in English to be the most appropriate vocabulary with which to translate them.

Anachronism upon anachronism flows throughout the entire Book of Mormon. Using adieu was silly. You say you don't know what word was on the plates. How about, "FAREWELL"? Does that sound reasonable? Wouldn't that be more consistent and accurate? What's the difference between farewell and goodbye? One thing we can be sure of is that the Nephites could NOT have known a single French word and therefore Joseph Smith had no business using a French word while translating reformed Egyptian into ENGLISH. Do you suppose it would be appropriate to substitute the word adieu in the LDS French version of the Book of Mormon with the English word, "goodbye". Do you think the French saints would like that? Would that be consistent? Would it be accurate?

[_Shulem]

The expression “alpha and omega,” like “adieu,” has entered the English language, and become part of the English vocabulary.

The Greek Alpha & Omega was not in the Nephite language or in their vocabulary. Had Mormon Jesus uttered Greek words it would have sounded like gibberish. Alpha & Omega were not etched in the writing of the gold plates. Joseph Smith said there was no Greek on the plates. Smith should have appropriately translated, "I am the light and the life of the world. I am A and Z, the beginning and the end".

Bottom line, Joseph Smith didn't think to not include Greek in his novel. He may have not even known what Alpha & Omega meant when he wrote the Book of Mormon! Have you ever considered that, zerinus? It is inappropriate and inaccurate to have ANY Greek words in the English version of the Book of Mormon. But it went right over the head of Joseph Smith and Oliver failed to catch it.