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Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum.
The movie shows a part of the whole Martin Harris thing that I've never been told. According to the movie, Emma Smith was going into labor at the same time Martin Harris was bugging Joseph Smith for the 116 pages. In light of that, I can totally see why Joseph Smith handed it over.
And in my opinion, the most interesting non-churchy thing about the movie, was the monetary values of things back in the 1820s. Mr Hale sold Joseph Smith a house with a loft on 13 acres for $200. I'm not sure if he cut him a deal or not. And then, someone told Joseph Smith "I will pay you $50 in gold coins to see the plates." Said $50 in gold coins today would be worth at least $4500 by sheer gold bullion value, and maybe even more if one of the coins had a rare date. I read somewhere that a $5 Half-Eagle gold coin represented a week's pay for most people back then. Sad to see how far inflation's come since then.
And in my opinion, the most interesting non-churchy thing about the movie, was the monetary values of things back in the 1820s. Mr Hale sold Joseph Smith a house with a loft on 13 acres for $200. I'm not sure if he cut him a deal or not. And then, someone told Joseph Smith "I will pay you $50 in gold coins to see the plates." Said $50 in gold coins today would be worth at least $4500 by sheer gold bullion value, and maybe even more if one of the coins had a rare date. I read somewhere that a $5 Half-Eagle gold coin represented a week's pay for most people back then. Sad to see how far inflation's come since then.
This is, after all, the same guy that tried to sell the copyright to the Book of Mormon in Canada--knowing that, if successful, this would mean that whoever bought it could do whatever they wanted with this "sacred book of scripture." Alter it, suppress it, charge money for it. That action alone is not consistent with what Joe claimed the book to be.
Nothing in Joe's tall tales about the golden plates stands up to scrutiny. On one hand, he frequently talk about how the plates are closely guarded and protected by angels with supernatural powers. Then, on the other hand, he's always saying that he has to keep them hidden and out of sight to keep them from being stolen. Then, at other times, he suggests that he'd like to show them to other people, but that nobody is allowed to look at them and if they do they'll be zapped or something.
Looking at the big picture, it's such an obvious fraud that a 5 year old could figure it out. It really is amazing that the Church has gotten as much mileage out of that bullshit for so long.
Nothing in Joe's tall tales about the golden plates stands up to scrutiny. On one hand, he frequently talk about how the plates are closely guarded and protected by angels with supernatural powers. Then, on the other hand, he's always saying that he has to keep them hidden and out of sight to keep them from being stolen. Then, at other times, he suggests that he'd like to show them to other people, but that nobody is allowed to look at them and if they do they'll be zapped or something.
Looking at the big picture, it's such an obvious fraud that a 5 year old could figure it out. It really is amazing that the Church has gotten as much mileage out of that bullshit for so long.
They're handling the 250# plates like they're a loaf of bread.
The whole bunch of them must be like the pics in the Book of Mormon: ripped to the max.
The whole bunch of them must be like the pics in the Book of Mormon: ripped to the max.