Shulem wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 8:36 pm
Jeff Lindsay continues his Kinderhook apologetics with this little number:
Jeff Lindsay wrote:So he may have been fooled for a while, enough to try figuring out a character's meaning, but after that there is no evidence that he showed any interest.
May have been fooled for a while? “May have”? Do you think? Oh come on man, he *WAS* fooled for quite a while -- actually for the rest of his life as were all those who believed him. Nobody ever refuted belief in the authenticity of the plates or questioned Smith’s translation. There is no evidence of that, none, whatsoever.
Smith had every interest in translating the Kinderhook plates as well as the Book of Joseph from the papyri as previously promised. But Smith just didn’t have time! He was totally immersed and overrun with the construction of the Nauvoo House and the Nauvoo Temple. Smith’s time was totally consumed with construction projects and managing Nauvoo and he just didn’t have time to translate plates and papyri.
It had nothing to do with lack of interest! It had everything to do with time management!
shulem, i have a thought. Don argues that Smith was translating as a man with the fake kinderhook plates, by matching up the character from the GAEL. the GAEL came from the papyrus, mostly, right? and given the knowledge we have now, Smith ALSO translated the papyrus as a man, or rather, mistranslated. that's two for two, mistranslating.
now, IF the Book of Mormon plates literally existed, what are the odds that Smith didn't do the same thing there, and "translate [incorrectly] as a man"?
it's not logical to argue Smith translated the plates with help from God when every bit of evidence we actually have shows he was not capable of that.
So, the most likely scenarios are:
IF the plates existed, Smith had no divine help.
if the plates didn't exist, Smith perpetuated a fraud.
it's highly unlikely the plates existed, but even if they did, it's not logical to assume something different happened than the known times he "translated as a man."
i apologize if this has already been discussed; i'm new to this!
also, did Smith say some of the GAEL content was based on Book of Mormon plates, or reformed egyptian?