From the article: …the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS) have attempted to come to Smith's rescue. In a bulletin cover (number F-15) they provide an explanation for this anomaly. Entitled "Where the Gold Plates Gold?" it theorized that the plates were not made of pure gold at all. Rather, they theorize, that they were composed of an alloy called tumbaga. This Central American alloy, the article states, is made up of 8K gold and copper. In other words, the plates would have been primarily composed of 66% copper and only 33% gold. The article debunks the notion that the plates could have been made of pure gold since "pure gold would be too soft to make useful plates." However, this argument overlooks Mosiah 8:9 in the Book of Mormon that mentions 24 Jaredite plates that were "filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold." This argument also fails to take into account a photograph in earlier editions of the Book of Mormon that showed a "gold tablet found in Persia in 1961, dating to the time of Darius II (Fourth century B.C.), covered with cuneiform engravings." The caption went on to say, "This tablet is about the size of the gold plates of the Book of Mormon." In his book entitled An Approach to the Book of Mormon, Dr. Hugh Nibley also mentioned this parallel as evidence to the fact that Smith had plates of gold. If the plates deposited by Moroni were really an alloy made primarily of copper, why go to such lengths?
Well, this addresses a few of the arguments in a recent Mormon Times article by Michael De Groote entitled, ”How gold were the golden plates?” (July 7, 2010) From that July 7 Mormon Times:
Well this answers yet another claim from the Mormon Times: From July 7 Mormon Times: But the plates were not likely made of pure gold. The Book of Mormon merely says they were made of "ore" 1 Nephi 19:1. (See also Mormon 8:5.)… As it turns out, ancient Americans used an alloy of gold and copper — the two colored metals. The Spaniards called this metal alloy "tumbaga." Properly made, a plate of this alloy would have the right properties for engraving and would also look like ordinary gold. But it would also weigh less. Source link: How gold were the golden plates?
Well, this is easily resolved.
Let’s just have look at those plates and weigh them and....
Oh.
Never mind.
The story went that JSjr picked this thing up and ran hill and dale jumping over logs and stuff with this gold book slung over his shoulder .....
Yup
So, even the LDS Church News claimed in the link imbedded in the article -- you can also click here: article -- that these plates were “solid gold” in 1999.
Yet we still have the Mormon Times both trying to reduce the weight of these gold plates (From the July 7 Mormon Times article: That gives us about 100 pounds. Not impossible to move around, but still pretty heavy. Source link: How gold were the golden plates? )...
...as well ignore that Smith claimed he ran three miles ”at top speed” carrying them!
Indeed, how would Smith know of the mixture? He never analyzed it! In fact, he didn’t even see them! Yet the July 7 Mormon Times article still claims: William Smith said "about sixty pounds." William Smith also said the plates were "a mixture of gold and copper" — the precise alloy that Putnam found was used by ancient Americans. Source link: How gold were the golden plates?
ROFLMAO. You can’t be serious. What’s that definition of insanity that Rush always uses....?
Well, this answers yet another claim from the Mormon Times: From July 7 Mormon Times: The individual plates were not perfectly shaped. "The unevenness left by the hammering and air spaces between the separate plates would reduce the weight to probably less than 50 percent of the solid block," Putnam wrote. That gives us about 100 pounds. Not impossible to move around, but still pretty heavy. Source link: How gold were the golden plates
So, enlighten those of use unfamiliar with these plates. What happened to them? Apparently they are not available for inspection.
Maybe the plates were pure gold and Smith didn’t really run at all, but just lugged them the three miles, taking many breaks along the way and fantasizing a story of running for his life which he told when he made it home.
Whatever the truth of the matter is, Smith was surely lying about something.
It couldn’t be the plates themselves, because that would mean that 8 other people would also have had to lie about seeing them. And we all know that it’s impossible to put together a pack of 8 liars. Liars just aren’t that easy to find.
A typical car battery weighs 40 lbs.
Now imagine you live three miles from the auto parts store, so you tuck this golden-plates-sized battery under your arm and run for three miles though the woods before the store closes so you can get a replacement.
How many could make it?
Now increase the weight by triple (for golden colored plates made of copper/gold alloy). Not a man on earth would make it.
Thinking about these gold plates, I wonder why a poor uneducated budding con man didn’t just melt them down and sell the gold. Maybe that’s why they can’t be found.
Yeah, it is pretty far fetched, but if you have been taught this from childhood.......... for me it is a tough sell.
His ambushers were pretty good in knowing the exact zig zag path he would take through the woods.
With neighboring ruffians seeking the plates, thinking they were of great monetary worth...Two questions:
1. How did the neighboring ruffians come to find out about the plates?
2. The wording of this implies that the plates weren't of great monetary value. Weren't they?
Smith stated, “These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed” (History of the Church 4:537)
Well that answers a question I had last week but forgotten.
How could you get all that writing on two plates but, indeed it was a book, maybe.
But now we come to claiming the “Plates” or pages were not of pure gold but were of a Central American alloy?
One is given pause to ask “Central American alloy?”. Really?
How did an alloy get from Central America to New York and why would the book of Mormon be inscribed on it?
I doubt it would be of the exact consistency of 66% copper and 33% gold as there is no evidence of metallurgy, anywhere in the Americas, that would exist at the time of the manufacture of the Book of Mormon.
With neighboring ruffians seeking the plates, thinking they were of great monetary worth.
How did the man know exactly the route that Smith would take?
How could he possibly not know he had a dislocated thumb?
Everyone on this thread so far has ignored the obvious.
I wanna be the first to state: "God gave Joseph the strength of ten! You antis bing bang flipperdoodledoo!"
The foundation myths of all religions are ridiculous to the non-believer. This one is no stranger than the notion of virgin birth or a talking snake and a magic apple. If one doesn’t believe, it all sounds literally unbelievable; if one does believe it sounds like gospel truth, literally.
When Joseph Smith put on the magic spectacles, the plates transmographied into gold....bigger question might be...Does Glenn Beck believe this stuff?
I first heard this story over 25 years ago. Sounded far-fetched then, and still does. Too many questions.
