Of course you IGNORE the fact that Joe was a Warlock. A number of "LDS" Historians have written scholarly articles & books on this subject Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, (Signature Books, SLC, 2002, pp. 2-7,66,169). Palmer is an LDS seminary teacher and three-time director of LDS Institutes of Religion in California and Utah; D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987; revised, expanded 1998, pp. 41-ff); James E. Lancaster, "By the Gift and Power of God," Saints Herald, 109:22 (November 15, 1962) pp. 14-18, 22, 33; Edward H. Ashment, "The Book of Mormon A Literal Translation," Sunstone, 5:2 (March-April 1980), pp. 10-14; Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker in "Joseph Smith: The Gift of Seeing," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 15:2 (Summer 1982), pp. 48-68; Blake T. Ostler, "The Book of Mormon as a Modern Expansion of an Ancient Source," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 20:1 (Spring 1987), pp. 66-123; Stephen D. Ricks, "The Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon," Foundation for Ancient Research & Mormon Studies, official F.A.R.M.S. transcript of video lecture, 1994, 16 pages;
As far as the translation process, the updated story modified for consumption by modern LDS, Joe put the plates on a table. The witnesses of ALL the scribes, Unfortunately denies the modern modified story. The quotes previously provided come right from the only people who were EYEWITNESSES. It is their testimony. Your complaint is with them. You can deny it, but facts are stubborn things.
Emma Hale Smith wife of Joe & FIRST scribe TESTIFIED "with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us."
ALL THREE of the BoM Witnesses including:
David Whitmer scribe TESTIFIED"put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine." "He did not use the plates in translation"
"The manner in which he pretended to read and interpret, was the same as when he looked for the money-diggers, with a stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, while the Book of Plates were at the same time hid in the woods." Affidavit of Isaac Hale dated March 20, 1834
Here is a scan of the source documents:
http://www.irr.org/mit/Translation%20or%20Divination%20Packet.pdf
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