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"Idle and Slothful Strange Stories": Book of Mormon Origins and the Historical Record

Title"Idle and Slothful Strange Stories": Book of Mormon Origins and the Historical Record
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsRappleye, Neal
JournalInterpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture
Volume20
Pagination21-37
KeywordsCowdery, Oliver; Early Church History; Eight Witnesses; Gold Plates; Harris, Martin; Other Witnesses; Smith, Emma Hale; Smith, Joseph, Jr.; Three Witnesses; Translation; Whitmer, David
Abstract

From the very beginning, Joseph’s story about the origins of the Book of Mormon seemed wild and unbelievable. Today, however, Joseph’s account enjoys a high degree of corroboration from (1) eyewitness accounts confirming Joseph’s possession of actual metal plates and other artifacts, with some even corroborating the involvement of an angel in providing access to the record; (2) eyewitness reports on the process of producing the text; and (3) evidence from the original manuscript. This evidence is reviewed here, and the implications it has for the Book of Mormon’s origin are considered.

URLhttps://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/idle-and-slothful-strange-stories-book-of-mormon-origins-and-the-historical-record/