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Most of the eleven official witnesses to the gold plates later left the Church. Is this evidence that the Church is not true? Or do these circumstances actually help strengthen the claim that the gold plates actually existed? In this episode of Religion Today, which originally aired on KSL Radio on March 20, 2013, Martin Tanner addresses these and other questions.
This recording was used by permission of KSL Radio and does not necessarily represent the views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or of FAIR. Listeners will note that the first part of this recording is missing.
This is a powerful and creative use of critical thinking. Thank you
Similarly, the witnesses to the Voree Plates apostatized.
“You have frequently heard both myself and each of the four witnesses of that transaction detail the facts and circumstances. Allowing this testimony to be in any sense true, no one can get over the fact that I was guided and assisted therein by revelation and the power of God.” Have these men receded from their testimony? No. True, two or three of them have departed from the faith but they still give the same testimony in regard to that transaction. As men engaged in the work of God, they testified to a set of facts which you admit (if credible) proves me a prophet. As enemies of that cause and anxiously endeavoring to overthrow the same work of God, they still tell the same story of that matter. Is not the testimony Of an enemy in our favor as good as that of a friend? When the plates were obtained it was a common saving that if the witnesses had not been believers in me the world would be bound to receive their testimony. The facts in the obtaining those plates were independent substantive facts TANGIBLE TO THE NATURAL SENSES, and the witnesses have shown a certain integrity worthy of respect in giving the same testimony, both when it makes for and when it makes against themselves. If their apostacy does not strengthen, it certainly does not weaken their testimony. The conclusion from those facts that I am a seer and revelator is a mere matter of reason, not of testimony. When they depart from that, they show weakness of intellect rather titan want of integrity. A very honest man may be a bad reasoner, but you will take the facts from him, and you have drawn your conclusions by saying, “allowing this testimony to be in any sense true, no one can get over the fact that I was guided and assisted therein by revelation and the power of God.”
(ZION’S REVEILLE VOL. 2. THURSDAY, SEP. 9, 1847)