No instructions came with the Urim & Thummim??? That is so ridiculuous to think that if this story was real that sometime over the 4 years that Moroni wouldn't have told Joseph how to use the very instrument that was preserved for 2,000 years to translate the plates. Come on Brother Ash, you can come up with something better than that.
> Ash goes on: > > While this seems strange in modern times, in Joseph’s day > many intelligent, educated, and religious people believed > that such real powers existed in the forces of nature. > > No doubt. But this only goes to show how superstitious and > gullible people were at the time Joseph lived.
I disagree with Ash's assessment here and you shouldn't agree either. In general, people weren't that superstitious. In fact, there were laws against that kind of stuff (remember young Joe's conviction for glass looking).
Most people in those days, as now, thought Joe and his band of Merry Mormons were completely loopy. Very few people fell for his scam. Mormonism was, is, and ever will be a puny little cult whose adherents were, are and always will be mocked.
Of course in their minds, that means it's all twoo.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2013 09:40AM by rt.