The Dark Side Of Good

The heathen are sunk down in the pit that 

they made: in the net which they hid is their 

own foot taken.....The wicked shall be turned 

into Sheol (hell) and all the nations 

that forget God.

Psalm 9:15;17

     I used the word "sheol" as this is the Hebrew word that is translated "hell." Sheol means the place where the dead go when people die and there is in "Sheol" no understanding that this is a place of torment or punishment, rather the resting place for the dead. (Strong's Dictionary: #7585). I begin with this clarification so that there is no misunderstanding as to what I write. If a person does not have Authentic Faith in God, not just any god, but the God of the Bible, then they face death, Sheol, and there they reside until the return of Jesus when we all face the judgments seat and give answers as to our lives and words. 

     As a 75 year old man I have the ability to take time to reflect on my life, my past and I have found in this reflection time that the world I live in is not the world in which I grew up in to become a man, an adult. This history has much which is good, or seemingly good: i.e., the phone. When I was a boy on the ranch we had a party line, that is there was at least 9-13 people who could hear what was said when I spoke or others spoke to me on the phone. Not a problem: just watch what you said. Then came the rotary phone and even this had ears that could hear what you said: the operators: so watch what you said. Now we have cell phones and we can talk to people all over the world: but there is people gathering your phone calls, even though not in the present do they do anything about those calls unless NASA, or others think that you are a threat. Nothing has changed: people can still hear what you say on the phone. But it is good for business as one can be instantly appraised of sells, and other business needs and not have to wait long for answers, etc. and yet there is a down side to all this innovation: Texting and driving and people getting killed or maimed and others using you texts to affront you in some way. So this moderation is both good and bad. 

     As a boy growing up in the 50's television had just become purchasable and the shows on TV were very moral: i.e., Ozzie & Harriet; The Lucy Show: etc. Morals were held high and important. By 1960 things began to change and this change was a change in morality. Cinemas were allowing what would previously declared as pornography to be seen on the screen. The "hippie" movement that wanted to have "free love," anywhere and in any place. Porno shops opened up on many corners of the cities, not hidden any longer in the back room. Abortion became legal: the killing of unborn human beings, marriages floundered, both in the secular world but also in Churches as the world culture began to infiltrate into the Church. Divorce skyrocketed both in the secular and in the Church. The homosexual (gay) movement began, that is the lesbian and the male homosexual, and the women's liberation movement began and was and is now, taken to the streets. Television and movie producers pushed and are pushing the envelope so that what was considered X rated in the 50's and early 60's is now considered "g' rated. Here is an example: 1965: movie of the year: The Sound of Music, the academy award winner. A few years later the academy award went to Midnight Cowboy an X rated movie, the first such movie to win such a prestigious prize. We have gone from Leave It To Beaver to Beavis And Butthead. The change in this morality has not been good as sexual transmitted diseases have risen to an all time high, especially among the 15-25 year old boys and girls. Here is the facts:

 CDC FACTSHEET:

Reported STDs in the United States

2015 National Data for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis

This fact sheet summarizes 2015 data on chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis published in CDC’s annual report,

SexuallyTransmitted Disease Surveillance, 2015

(available atwww.cdc.gov/std/stats).

The data are based on state and local STD

case reports from a variety of private and public sources. M any cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis continue to go undiagnosed and unreported, and data on several additional STDs — such as human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus  , and trichomoniasis — are not routinely reported to CDC. As a result, the annual surveillance report captures only a fraction of the true burden of STDs in America.

However, it provides important insights into the scope, distribution, and trends in STD diagnoses in the country.

 STDs are a substantial health challenge facing the United States. CDC estimates that nearly 20 million new sexually transmitted inf ections occur every year in this country, half among young people aged 15–24, and account for almost $16 billion in health care costs. Each of these infections is a potential threat to an individual’s immediate and long-term health and well-being. In addition to increasing a person’s risk for acquiring and transmitting HIV infection, STDs can lead to chronic pain and severe reproductive health complications, such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

 

Snapshot: STDs in the United States, 2015

Despite recent declines, 2015 was the second year in a row in which increases were seen in all three nationally reported STDs. The approximately 1.5 million cases of chlamydia represent the highest number of annual cases of any condition ever reported to CDC. Substantial increases were also seen among reported cases of gonorrhea and syphilis. While young people and women are most severely affected by STDs, increasing rates among men contributed to the overall increase in 2015 across all diseases. 

     Here is a list and am I attempting to scare you? YES!

 What Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)?

Depending on the disease, STDs can be spread with any type of sexual activity. STDs are most often caused by viruses and bacteria. The following is a list of the most common STDs, their causes. Additionally, there are other infections (see STDs with asterisk mark*) that may be transmitted on occasion by sexual activity, but these are typically not considered to be STDs by many investigators:

STDs caused by bacteria

Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi)

Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis)

Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhea)

Granuloma inguinale (Calymmatobacterium granulomatis)

Lymphogranuloma venereum (Chlamydia trachomatis)

Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)

STDs caused by viruses

Genital herpes (herpes simplex virus)

Genital warts (human papillomavirus virus [HPV])

Hepatitis B and D, and infrequently, A*,C*,E* (hepatitis viruses, types A-E)

HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV virus])

Molluscum contagiosum* (poxvirus)

STD caused by protozoan

Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis)

STD's* caused by fungi

Jock itch (Tenia cruris)*

Yeast infections* (Candida albicans)

STD's caused by parasites

Pubic lice or crabs (Pediculosis pubis)

Scabies* Sarcoptes scabiei

As the illustration about the telephone and that it has with all the new technology as good as it may for people in some sense has brought with it much trauma. This account about morality does not have a good side, albeit those participating in "free sex," or "free love," have a horrible side affect: some 19 million men and women in the United States are affected by some sort of STD. Some STD, as with syphilis, a disease that can remain in the brain even after treatment, and can and often does disfigure a person, causes a women to no longer bear children and can be passed on to their children.

     This world culture and cultural Christianity has allowed for this change in morality. This is and has been done by new philosophical thought and a denigrating Christian principles. Everything has become subjective, a plurality of thought whereby everyone has some sort of right, not earned, but some how imparted to them by birth, to allow all sorts of beliefs: from antinomian that teaches that Christians are even free from the moral law by grace and faith, or just to be a follower of antinomy, an opposition against rules or laws. 

     Authentic Christianity has fallen under the sway of some eloquent speakers that have conjoined world thought to Christianity making for cultural Christians. The standard that they have set, that this world has set is against the Gospel. There has and is a pawing off these non-Christian philosophies made up by men as authentic faith, when in fact it has nothing to do with Authentic Christian Faith. The world has sunk down into a pit that they have dug sucking in those unaware of the truth. 

Question For The Mormons: Where Are The Jewish Indians?

American Indians: Jewish: Yes or No?

            Genetic evidence either gives evidence that the American Indians, or those of Alaska, Mexico, Central America, and South America have Jewish genetics. Mormons claim that the ancient inhabitants of the Americas were descendants of the Jews.

"[The angel] said the Indians were the literal descendants of Abraham…" (Joseph Smith, Journal, 9 November 1835. See Scott H. Faulring, ed., An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Signature Books and Smith Research Associates, 1987), p. 51; Dean C. Jessee, ed., The Papers of Joseph Smith: Volume 2-Journal, 1832-1842 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992), p. 70; Dan Vogel, ed., Early Mormon Documents (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1996), 1:44.

            Apparently a battle between the Lamanites and the Nephites occurred and the Lamanites were the principal ancestors of the American Indians.[1] The Lamanite is supposed to be a descendant of Lehi who had left Jerusalem about 600 years before Jesus Christ. Nephi, with his family, crossed the ocean(s) and landed in America. Lehi, along with his family, became the ancestors of all the Indian and Mestizo tribes located in North and South Central America, the islands of the sea who those who had left America in ships and went to the islands of the sea. This information was lost until Joseph Smith, Jr., found the Book of Mormon. Lamanites, a people o some 60 million were in all the states of America, in the islands of the sea: Hawaii, southern New Zealand, from Tierra de Fuego to Point Barrows. This is said to been written on the gold plates found or given to, by Joseph Smith, Jr., that which contained a running history for one thousand years-six hundred years before Jesus Christ and until some 400 years after Jesus Christ a history of these people who occupied this land for a thousand years. When Columbus landed in 1492 he called them “Indians.” [2] Some apologists claim that the Nephites and the Lamanites shared their land with other inhabitants not from Jerusalem, but is this consistent with the book of Mormon:

"8. And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.

9. Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of the land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever." (2 Nephi 1:8-9)

            Science does not support this view that the Native Americans are Jewish or from Jewish stock. There should be found antigen evidence to support the Mormon view and yet there is no blood antigen evidence to support that view. What was found upon examination was that natives of North and South America, the Pacific Islanders all have genetics alleles (two or more alternative forms of a gene occupying the same position on matching chromosomes) that can be traced exclusively to Asia. Mitochondrial DNA has become a very important tool in law as well as science and Mitochondrial DNA is transmitted unilineally and cannot be watered down by intermarriage, even the mitochondrial of a single remote ancestor of a group would most likely show up at east occasionally in tests.   

As noted by geneticist Simon Southerton:

"I began searching for research papers having some connection with American Indians or Polynesians. Because I was familiar with plant genetics I became interested in recent research on the DNA of American Indians. The principles of DNA analysis are applicable to all living things so it was relatively easy to jump from the plant to the animal kingdom. I rapidly accumulated many scientific papers comparing the mitochondrial DNA of American Indians from numerous tribes with the mitochondrial DNA of other populations around the world. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to child each generation. It is essentially a female genealogical lineage, or a maiden name if you like, stored in the mitochondrial DNA sequence. This part of the total DNA genome is used for population studies in many animal species. It is very simple to study because the mitochondrial genes don't get rearranged each generation like most genes, which are inherited as a mixed bag from previous generations. I was equally interested in more recent Y-chromosome DNA studies. Male lineages, much like DNA surnames, are passed from father to son and clearly reveal male genealogical lineages. As noted by geneticist Simon Southerton:

"I began searching for research papers having some connection with American Indians or Polynesians. Because I was familiar with plant genetics I became interested in recent research on the DNA of American Indians. The principles of DNA analysis are applicable to all living things so it was relatively easy to jump from the plant to the animal kingdom. I rapidly accumulated many scientific papers comparing the mitochondrial DNA of American Indians from numerous tribes with the mitochondrial DNA of other populations around the world. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to child each generation. It is essentially a female genealogical lineage, or a maiden name if you like, stored in the mitochondrial DNA sequence. This part of the total DNA genome is used for population studies in many animal species. It is very simple to study because the mitochondrial genes don't get rearranged each generation like most genes, which are inherited as a mixed bag from previous generations. I was equally interested in more recent Y-chromosome DNA studies. Male lineages, much like DNA surnames, are passed from father to son and clearly reveal male genealogical lineages.

"In the last decade scientists from several research groups had tested the mitochondrial DNA of over 2000 American Indians from about a hundred tribes scattered over the length of the Americas. It soon became apparent to me that about 99% of their female lineages were brought into the Americas in excess of 12,000 years ago. Almost all of these lineages are most closely related to those of people in Asia, particularly in southern Siberia near Mongolia. Several tribes in Mesoamerica (which included Aztecs and Mayans) had been tested and all but a couple of individuals out of about 500 had mitochondrial DNA of Asian origin. The small fraction of Native American lineages that were not from Asia appeared to originate in Europe, most likely Spain. DNA studies also showed that the female ancestors of the Polynesians came from South East Asia and not the Americas. Y-chromosome studies, which trace male migrations, strongly support the mitochondrial work, except that the European influence is higher (about 10% in the Americas).

"For two weeks I wrestled with the research. I collected more and more research papers but failed to find anything that supported migration of Jewish people before Columbus. Enough is known about the DNA lineages of Jews to be very confident that they are clearly distinguishable from Asian lineages. They would also be easily identifiable if they were present in the Americas in significant numbers. I struggled with the complete discrepancy between the research and my understanding of the Book of Mormon and the doctrine of the Lamanites. The Book of Mormon describes the occurrence of Hebrew civilizations in the Americas numbering in the millions. It is clear that the victorious Lamanites would have numbered in the millions in about 400 AD. I could not understand how such large numbers of people could have escaped detection…

"Soon after I came to the realization that the Book of Mormon is not what it claims to be, I became deeply upset. I had firmly believed that it was true. I had not been looking for evidence to prove it wrong. I had been looking for research that could be viewed as supportive. It was a shock to have my belief shattered so quickly…

"I corresponded with this BYU professor on about four occasions until I became even more convinced of the seriousness of the situation. He was a very nice man and he was very honest with me. In the midst of his lengthy defenses of the Church he acknowledged that greater than 98% of American Indians came from Asia and that this conflicts with current thinking in the church regarding the whereabouts of the Lamanites today. Not only did he confirm my conclusions, he strengthened them even further. He confirmed that scientists at BYU had tested 3000 American Indians from Peru and they came up with the same problem of virtually all the female DNA lineages coming from Asia. Now I knew that all three major civilizations in the Americas the Aztecs, Maya and Incas were comprised of people who trace their genealogy back to Siberia. Data from Peru had been conspicuously lacking in my research."[3]

Consider also this recent conclusion (May, 2002) by Thomas Murphy that genetic research fails to show any connection between Native Americans and Israelite DNA:

"Some Latter-day Saints have expressed optimism that DNA research would lead to a vindication of the Book of Mormon as a translation of a genuine ancient document. The hope is that DNA research would link Native Americans to ancient Israelites, buttressing LDS beliefs in a way that has not been forthcoming from archaeological, linguistic, historical, or morphological research. The results, though, have been disappointing. So far, DNA research lends no support to traditional Mormon beliefs about the origins of Native Americans. Genetic data repeatedly point to migrations from Asia between 7,000 and 50,000 years ago as the primary source of Native American origins. DNA research has substantiated the archaeological, cultural, linguistic, and biological evidence that also points overwhelmingly to an Asian origin for Native Americans. While DNA evidence shows that ultimately all human populations are rather closely related, to date no intimate genetic link has been found between ancient Israelites and the indigenous peoples of the Americas-much less within the time frame suggested by the Book of Mormon. After considering recent research in molecular anthropology, summarized here, I have concluded that Latter-day Saints should not expect to find validation for the Book of Mormon in genetics. My assessment echoes that of geneticist and former LDS Bishop Simon Southerton whose survey of the literature on Native American DNA also "failed to find anything that supported migration of Jewish people before Columbus." He concluded "the truth is that there is no reliable scientific evidence supporting migrations from the Middle East to the New World."[4]

Apologist Response

Hugh Nibley argued that the Nephites and Lamanites were not the only inhabitants of ancient America:

"The book describes the doings of "a lonesome and solemn people" who do not claim for a moment to be the sole inhabitants of the hemisphere. When Brodie talks of Mound-builders and Mongolians she is not talking about the Book of Mormon at all; she is setting up a straw-man for her 'science' to 'disembowel'…The Moundbuilders actually resemble the Book of Mormon people not at all. Who said they did? The Book of Mormon tells of a people ages removed from the Moundbuilders and very far away. Yet Brodie insinuates that because the Moundbuilders (of all people) do not resemble the Nephites the Book of Mormon is a fraud." (Hugh Nibley, No Ma'am, That's Not History)

President Gordon B. Hinckley said in a January, 2002 interview that the DNA evidence is inconclusive:

"HN: Now, Mr. President, one question which is a little bit complicated for me to understand, but I heard it and one colleague asked me to ask you. What will be your position when DNA analysis shows that in history there never had been an immigration from Israel to North America? Could it be that scientists will find out?

"GBH: It hasn't happened. That hasn't been determined yet. All I can say is that's speculative. No one really knows that, the answer to that. Not at this point." (Gordon B. Hinckley Interview, ZDF German Television, Salt Lake City, Utah, January 29, 2002, Conducted by Helmut Nemetschek)

On January 29, 2003 the following explanation was offered by Michael Whiting:

"Genetic drift and the Founder's Effect, two theories that can account for the loss of genetic markers within a population, were probably at work over the last 1,600 years since Lehi and his family came to the American continent."

            Mormon apologists, try to explain the lack of DNA evidence, to support their claim, in regards to American Indians are descendants of Jewish stock. The uneducated about the Founder Effect or Genetic Drift will accept the theories of their Mormon apologists and leaders. Evolutionists use the theories of the Founder Effect, and Genetic Drift, and Bottlenecks theory to attempt to prove theories on evolution. The Founder effect is simply an extreme example of Genetic Drift that means that genes occur at certain frequencies in larger populations will occur at different frequency in smaller subset of population. An example: human diseases, genetically determined traits not seen or are uncommon in the overall gene pool might crop up with frequency in a small subset of that pool.[5] The Founder Effect occurs when a new colony is started by a few member of the original population and this small population size means that the colony may have reduced genetic variation form the original population or have a non-random sample of the genes in the original population. Genetic drift can cause big losses of genetic variation for small populations. A Bottleneck occurs n a population when that population’s size is reduced for at least one generation. A Bottleneck can reduce a population’s genetic variation by a lot. A reduced genetic variation means that the population may not be able to adapt to new selection pressures due to the selection of genetic variation that they would have acted on may have already drifted out of the population.[6] This means that the population, in this case the American Indian, a large population, in fact, some 2 million people that were related died making for a large population so that Genetic Drift, or the Founder Effect, may not have affected the American Indian. To have a Genetic Drift, or a Founder Effect does not mean that the original DNA is lost, only that other factors may contribute to the overall DNA. What were those factors? I would include anyone who not of their race to combine their DNA with the American Indian and this did not happen.

            Studies of 150 plus Indian tribes’ DNA reveals a total lack of Semitic genetic markers and an article on this subject that appeared in USA Today can be read at http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-07-26-dna-lds_x.htm. DNA testing is precise and accurate enough to stand up in any court of law. The researchers (referenced below) reporting this information have no personal agenda or anti-Mormon axe to grind when they did their work—in fact, some were LDS to start with, and some still are LDS. Testing of mitochondrial DNA (can accurately pinpoint back through hundreds of generations) of over 5500 persons from over 150 native American tribes in North, South and Central America and Greenland, has revealed a total absence of any DNA markers to tie the native Americans to Israelites; the markers instead tie these people in 99.4% of cases to North and East Asian people (Siberia, Mongolia).  The other 0.6% of markers point to European or African extraction. (Post-Columbian lineage)  The Smithsonian Institution has stated for decades, and this information confirms, that the native Americans migrated from Asia, most likely across the Bering Strait (to Alaska) to populate the Americas. This evidence is further confirmed by linguistic similarities study, dental traits study, and study of the artifacts of the cultures.  ALL the evidence agrees.  The Book of Mormon’s underlying thesis (as stated on the title page, and in the introduction’s testimony by Joseph Smith) is false in its claim to be a history of the former inhabitants of this continent (North America) who were primarily Israelites.

     The Book of Mormon that claims to be the most correct book ever about history has a problem: There cannot be found an Israelite migration. Mormons may ignore these facts but the facts remain and with no Israelite migration, all the stories found in the Book of Mormon become fiction. We must ask: Would God deceive us or change the DNA, as some Mormons have suggested: to test the faith of Mormons? This was not done in the Bible, so why would we think that He would do this in the Book of Mormon, this would make Him a deceiver?

---

[1] Introduction to the Book of Mormon, 1991 edition

[2] Spencer W. Kimball, "Of Royal Blood," Ensign, July 1971, p. 7

[3] Simon Southerton, DNA genealogies of American Indians and the Book of Mormon, March 17, 2000

[4] Thomas W. Murphy, "Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics", American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormon

[5] http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/06/3/l_063_03.html

[6] http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/bottlenecks_01

Another Mormon Dilemma: Reformed Egyptian Language

            The “gold plates” being the very foundation of the Book of Mormon and due to much controversy among Mormon apologists and the inability to account for the weight an its impossibility to be carried should cause much concern among those who call themselves Mormons. The narrative given by Joseph Smith, Jr., seem implausible as little information is given as to how a man with a lame leg could carry the gold plates, then be accosted by three men having his head hit with a gun, then to somehow fight the three men, win the fight, and then carry as fast as he could the plates for some three miles. Did Joseph Smith, Jr., drop the plates to fight and then pick them up again and what were the three men doing during this time? Joseph Smith, Jr., never mentioned that he was given some supernatural power. So we are led to surmise and this is an assumption without facts and only by faith that is also built upon nothing to believe such a story. If this is not problem enough another problem that exists in the language that the Gold Plates were said to be inscribed. The narrative as to how these gold plates were found must be addressed before we address the problem with the supposed ancient language written on the gold plates. The two problems or dilemmas are connected and the fact that the gold plates and the interpretation of the words written on the gold plates are the foundation of the Book of Mormon it is important to review the finding of the gold plates.

            Character determines a person’ actions and the fact that Joseph Smith, Jr., was a treasure hunter and used “seer” stones to aid him in his search for treasure and having the records of those who stated that he was not able to do what he said he could do in finding treasure Joseph Smith, jr., who also had a need from his formative years as a child who grew up in a family in dire straights for money, this too aided in the development of his character.

            After the trial in which Joseph Smith, Jr., was accused, fined, and released Joseph Smith, Jr., returned to his money-digging practices. Martin Harris, a prominent person of he community, a financial backer of the Book of Mormon stated:

There was a company there in that neighborhood, who were digging for money supposed to have been hidden by the ancients. Of this company were old Mr. Stowel--I think his name was Josiah--also old Mr. Beman, also Samuel Lawrence, George Proper, Joseph Smith, Jr., and his father, and his brother Hiram Smith. They dug for money in Palmyra, Manchester, also in Pennsylvania, and other places. ... It was reported by these money diggers, that they had found boxes, but before they could secure them, they would sink into the earth.⁽¹⁰⁾

Controlled experiments have proven water witching and similar methods to be no more successful than choosing a drilling location randomly. Water witching, dowsing, or divining methods can appear to be successful because statistically speaking, almost any hole drilled in New York State will probably result in the discovery of some amount of water. For more information see link in right column of this page under "Links Leaving DEC's Website".http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/36064.html

The fact that this story wasn't subsequently picked up by say the Smithsonian or National Geographic should be a tip off. Also, usually finds take time to be studied and written on - you don't just rip them out of the ground and take pictures!

            The Mormons state that the writing on the gold plates were taken to Professor Anthon and in a letter to E.D. Howe, printed in his book, and in the introduction to the New York edition of the Book of Mormon, Professor Anthon, among other statements, denies that he ever gave a certificate. The letter reads as follows:

NEW YORK, February 17, 1834.

‘DEAR SIR: I received your letter of the 9^th, and lose no time in making a reply. The whole story about my pronouncing the Mormon inscription to be reformed Egyptian hierogylphies is perfectly false. Some years ago, a plain, apparently simple-hearted farmer called on me with a note from Dr Mitchell, of our city, now dead, requesting me to decipher, if possible, the paper which the farmer would hand me. Upon examining the paper in question, I soon came to the conclusion that it was all a trick—perhaps a hoax. When I asked the person who brought it how he obtained the writing, he gave me the following account: A gold book consisting of a number of plates, fastened together by wires of the same material, had been dug up in the northern part of the state of New York, and along with it an enormous pair of spectacles. These spectacles were so large that if any person attempted to look through them, his two eyes would look through one glass only, the spectacles in question being altogether too large for the human face. “Whoever,” he said, “examined the plates through the glasses was enabled not only to read them, but fully to understand their meaning.” All this knowledge, however, was confined to a kyoung man, who had the trunk containing the book and spectacles in his sole possession. This young man was placed behind a curtain in a garret in a farm-house, and being thus concealed from view, he put on the spectacles occasionally, or rather looked through one of the glasses, deciphered the characters in the book, and having committed some of them to paper, handed copies from behind the curtain to those who stood outside. Not a word was said about their being deciphered by the gift of God. Everything in this way was effected by the large pair of spectacle. The farmer added that he had been requested to contribute a sum of money toward the publication of the golden book, the contents of which would, as he was told, produce an entire change in the world, and save it from ruin. So urgent had been these solicitations, that he intended selling his farm and giving the amount to those who wished to publish the plates. As a last precautionary step, he had resolved to come to New York, and obtain the opinion of the learned about the meaning of he paper which he brought with him, and which had been given him as part of the contents of the book, although no translation had at that been made by the young man with spectacles. On hearing this odd story, I changed my opinion about the paper, and instead of viewing it any longer as a hoax, I began to regard it as part of a scheme to cheat the farmer of his money, and I communicated my suspicions to him, warning him to beware of rogues. He requested an opinion from me in writing, which, of course, I declined to give, and he then took his leave, taking his paper with him. This paper in question was, in fact, a singular scroll. It consisted of all kings of singular characters disposed in columns, and had evidently been prepared by some person who had before him at the time a book containing alphabets, Greek and Hebrew letters, crosses and flourishes; Roman letters, inverted or placed sideways were arranged and placed in perpendicular columns, and ht whole ended in a rude delineation of a circle, divided into various compartments, arched with various strange marks, and evidently copied after the Mexican calendar given by Humboldt, but copied in such a way as not to betray the source whence it was derived. I am thus particular as to the contents of the paper, inasmuch as I have frequently conversed with friends on the subject since the Mormon excitement began, and well remember that the paper contained anything else but Egyptian hieroglyphics. Some time after, the farmer paid me a second visit. He brought with him the gold book in print, and offered it to me for sale, I declined purchasing. He then asked permission to leave the book with me for examination. I declined receiving it, although his manner was strangely urgent. I adverted once more to the roguery which, in my opinion, had been practiced upon him, and asked him what had become of the gold plates. He informed me they were in a trunk with the spectacles. I advised him to go to a magistrate and have the trunk examined. He said the curse of God would come upon him if he did. On my pressing him, however, to go to a magistrate, he told me he would open the trunk if I would take the curse of God upon myself. I replied I would do so with the greatest of willingness, and would incur every risk of that nature, provided I could only extricate him from the grasp of the rogues. He then left me. I have given you a full statement of all that I know respecting the origin of Mormonism, and must beg of you, as a person favor, to publish this immediately, should you find my name mentioned again by these wretched fanatics.

                                                    Yours respectfully,

                                                                                    ‘CHARES ANTHON.’

            A story was reported that a team of archaeologists led by Professor Abraham Jones, who is associated with Brigham Yong University as a member of archaeology while excavating at the hill of Cumorah and said that they have discovered a set of gold plates and have noted that those plates could be linked to the founder of the Mormons, Joseph Smith, Jr. and in this discovery found in a cavity then found an exiguous cavern with walls and ceiling covered with ancient traces of soot and a large flat stone resembling an altar. Also, they found what looks like a book made of metal plates.[1] The book contained, metal plates about 56 pounds in weight and contained mysterious symbols similar to the “reformed Egyptian” characters written by Joseph Smith, Jr., and a document known as the “Anthon Transcript.” Mormon scholars have attempted to justify the use of the word “reformed” by saying that the word “reformed” is not capitalized therefore it does not mean “reformed” in the sense that is currently the definition for “reformed.” Those scholars attempt to use other languages that are hieroglyphs that seem similar. What does the mainstream scholars say about “reformed Egyptian? There are no standard reference works that contain a reference to “reformed Egyptian.[2]  There not to be found a non-Mormon scholar that acknowledges the existence of either a “reformed Egyptian” language or a “reformed Egyptian” script as described in Mormon belief. John A. Wilson, professor of Egyptology at the University of Chicago, wrote in 1966: “From time to time there are allegations that picture writing has been found in America…. In no case has a professional Egyptologist been able to recognize these characters as Egyptian hieroglyphs. From our standpoint there is no such language as ‘reformed Egyptian.[3] Klaus Baer, an Egyptologist at the University of Chicago called the characters of the “Caractors” document nothing but “doodling.”[4] Michael D. Coe of Yale University, an expert in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican studies, wrote: “Of all the peoples of the pre-Columbian New World, only the ancient Maya had a complete script.[5] No archaeological, linguistic, or other evidence of the use of Egyptian writing in ancient America has been discovered.[6]

            What about the report that a similar book as the gold plates were found as reported by World News Daily?[7] The World News Daily publishes fictional and satirical news and the following disclaimer can be found on their website—“WNDR assumes however all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content. All characters appearing in the articles in this website—even those based on real people—are entirely fictional and any resemblance between them and any persons, living, dead, or undead is purely a miracle.”[8] The reports that Mormon archeologists had found plates similar to the “Gold Plates” was published in the Deseret News a newspaper published in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is owned by Deseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, a holding company owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Mormons) and co-owns The Salt Lake Tribune under a joint operation agreement. Also this newspaper publishes a weekly compact-sized insert, the Church News and the Mormon Times. The Church Almanac publishes an annual edition carrying Facts and statistics edited by the Church News Staff or the Mormon Church.[9]

            The Smithsonian Institutes’ statement quoted above is here to remind the first of eight statements: “The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as a scientific guide. Smithsonian archeologists see no direct connection between the archeology of the New World and the subject matter of the book.”  Michael Ammons, of the Mormon Church wrote to the National Geographic Society requesting information on the Book of Mormon and archaeology. The Society replied in a letter dated April 26, 1989:

"Neither the Society nor any other institution of equal prestige has ever used the Book of Mormon in locating archaeological sites. Although many Mormon sources claim that the Book of Mormon has been substantiated by archaeological findings, this claim has not been verified scientifically."

Linda Hansen in 1989 wrote to the Department of Archaeology at Boston University to request the same and the department responded:

"The Archaeological Institute of America has never used the Book of Mormon as a scientific guide in locating historic ruins on the Western Hemisphere.... Over the past 30 years The New World Archaeological Foundation, located at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, has conducted numerous scientific excavations in Mesoamerica, originally with a view to confirming the claims in the Book of Mormon. They have discovered no evidence that supports the Book of Mormon in any way. Nonetheless, they have published in full detail the results of their excavations in Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation, Volumes 1-55, 1959 and following.... They are accepted by the Archaeological Institute of America and the Society of American Archaeologists as legitimate scientific investigations and the New World Archaeological Foundation is to be commended for publishing the results of their work that essentially refutes the basic beliefs of the Mormon Church on which the Foundation is based" (endnote 24).

            These prestigious institutions having an opinion in contradiction to the Mormons and the findings, if they were presented to them, may have changed their opinions. This never happens and yet they publish as fact this finding(s) in their news media independently of verification. To verify is prove the truth and this can be done by evidence, such as presenting the Gold Plates, and the other findings, to the experts who would then act to confirm the truth. This can be done be testimony but this testimony also must be verified as truth before it can be accepted as truth. Any research to have acceptance is to have independent researchers to verify the truth or absence of truth, to ensure that the opinion is not a one-sided, self-serving opinion.

            We must form a consensus from professional archaeologist, Mormon and non-Mormon alike, that there is no specific confirmation of he Book of Mormon from archaeology, and this would include and “suppose” evidence not submitted for confirmation especially that they claim a language that has been proven to not exist, now, or ever.

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[1] http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/archaeologists-discover-golden-plates-believed-to-be-linked-to-joseph-smith-jr/

[2] Standard language references

[3] John A. Wilson, March 16, 1966, cited in Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), ch. 5. Richard A. Parker, department of Egyptology at Brown University, wrote, "No Egyptian writing has been found in this [Western] hemisphere to my knowledge". Parker to Marvin Cowan, March 22, 1966, in Jerald and Sandra Tanner The Changing World of Mormonism (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), ch. 5. In the same letter Parker said, "I do not know of any language such as Reformed Egyptian". In 1959, Mormon archaeologist Ross T. Christensen said that "'reformed' Egyptian" is a "form of writing which we have not yet identified in the archaeological material available to us". Book of Mormon Institute, December 5, 1959, BYU, 1964 ed., p. 10, cited in Jerald and Sandra Tanner The Changing World of Mormonism (Chicago: Moody Press, 1979), ch. 5.

[4] Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Changing World of Mormonism, Moody Press, 1980, p. 143.

[5] Michael D. Coe, Breaking the Maya Code, (London: Thames and Hudson, 1999, preface.

[6] Standard language references such as Peter T. Daniels and William Bright, eds., The World's Writing Systems (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996) (990 pages); David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language (Cambridge University Press, 1997); and Roger D. Woodard, ed., The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages (Cambridge University Press, 2004) (1162 pages) contain no reference to "reformed Egyptian." "Reformed Egyptian" is also ignored in Andrew Robinson, Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World's Undeciphered Scripts (New York: McGraw Hill, 2002), although it is mentioned in Stephen Williams, Fantastic Archaeology: The Wild Side of North American Prehistory (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991). On their website, Bad Archaeology, two British archaeologists, Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews and Dames Doeser, say "The only writing systems to have been recognized in the Americas are those used by the Maya and the Aztecs, neither of which resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs, although Joseph Smith produced a scrap of papyrus containing hieroglyphs he claimed to be a Reformed Egyptian text written by the Patriarch Abraham." Bad Archaeology

[7] http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/archaeologists-discover-golden-plates-believed-to-be-linked-to-joseph-smith-jr/

[8] http://holyfetch.com/gold-plates-recently-discovered/

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deseret_News