BoM evidences

[Hemidakota]

I have to agree Nelson. Even if we had all the evidence that is needed to prove out the Book of Mormon, there will be skeptics who will still deny the truth. This has always been a problem since the time of Adam when arrogance began to erode civilization. If I could place into two sentences, it would read:

"I know more than you because _____________."

"I am better than you because _________________."

I also fall under the same condemnation and do need to repent.

Even Joseph Smith and Martin Harris faced the same problem with Doctor Anthon to validate the translation. You can clearly see the academia pride here. “If I didn’t translate it, then it is wrong.” Joseph wrote this in his journal;

Some time in this month of February, the afore mentioned Mr. Martin Harris came to our place, got the characters which I had drawn off the plates, and started with them to the city of New York. For what took place relative to him and the characters, I refer to his own account of the circumstances, as he related them to me after his return, which was as follows:

"I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldean, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.

"He then said to me, 'Let me see that certificate.' I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying, that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, 'I cannot read a sealed book.' I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation." D.H.C.3:20

Even Lucy Mack Smith in her own words described the same problem;

When Joseph had had a sufficient time to accomplish the journey from Palmyra to Harmony, and transcribe some of the Egyptian characters, it was agreed that Martin Harris should follow him-and that he [Martin] should take the characters to the East, and, on his way, he was to call on all the professed linguists, in order to give them an opportunity to display their talents in giving a translation of the characters.

When Mrs. Harris heard of what her husband had in contemplation, she resolved to accompany him; but he, concluding that it would be better to go without her, left quite suddenly without her knowledge, in company with my son, Hyrum. H. of P. J. 113

Today, we faced the same issues with anything that is biblical in nature when conflicts with subjective science or fallible history writers. Each of which, desires five-minutes of mortal fame. I say, “Give them their fame for now. In the end, the truth will replace subjectiveness, speculation, and fabrication.”