Editing Golden plates (section)

==Origin and historicity==
{{See also|Origin of the Book of Mormon|Historicity of the Book of Mormon}}

In the words of [[Historians of the Latter Day Saint movement|Mormon historian]] [[Richard Bushman]], "For most modern readers, the plates are beyond belief, a phantasm, yet the Mormon sources accept them as fact."<ref name="harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=58">{{harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=58}}.</ref> Smith said that he returned the plates to the [[angel Moroni]] after he finished translating them, and their authenticity cannot be determined by physical examination. They were reportedly shown to [[Book of Mormon witnesses|several close associates]] of Smith.<ref>Only close associates of Smith were allowed to become official witnesses to the plates; he invited no strangers to view them. The first witnesses were a group of three: [[Martin Harris (Latter Day Saints)|Martin Harris]], [[Oliver Cowdery]], and [[David Whitmer]]; then a group of eight: five members of the Whitmer family, Smith's father [[Joseph Smith Sr.]], and of his brothers [[Hyrum Smith|Hyrum]] and [[Samuel H. Smith (Latter Day Saints)|Samuel]]. They all said that they "saw and hefted" the plates. See Jan Shipps, "Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition," University of Illinois Press, p. 23.</ref> Mormon scholars have formed collaborations such as [[Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies]] to provide [[Mormon studies#Apologetics|apologetic]] answers to critical research about the golden plates and topics in the field of [[Mormon studies]]. The credibility of the plates has been a "troublesome item", according to Bushman.<ref>"The Mormon sources constantly refer to the single most troublesome item in Joseph Smith's history, the gold plates on which the Book of Mormon was said to be written." {{harvtxt|Bushman|2005|p=58}}. {{harvtxt|Ostling|Ostling|1999}} begin a chapter called "The Gold Bible" (pp. 259–277) with a question posed by liberal Mormon Brigham D. Madsen: {{"'}}Were there really gold plates and ministering angels, or was there just Joseph Smith seated at a table with his face in a hat dictating to a scribe a fictional account of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas?' Resolving that problem haunts loyal Mormons." (at p. 259).</ref>

The Book of Mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two pre-Columbian prophet-historians from around the year AD&nbsp;400: Mormon and his son Moroni.<ref>See {{Harvtxt|Metcalfe|1993}}, which outlines the main arguments for and against Book of Mormon authenticity.</ref> Mormon and Moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates. Their script, according to the book, was described as "reformed Egyptian", a language unknown to linguists or [[Egyptology|Egyptologists.]]<ref>{{Harvtxt|Smith|1830|p=538}}. Standard language treatises contain no reference to "reformed Egyptian", including {{Harvtxt|Daniels|Bright|1996}}; {{Harvtxt|Crystal|1997}}; and {{Harvtxt|Woodard|2004}}. "Reformed Egyptian" is also not discussed in {{Harvtxt|Robinson|2002}}, although it is mentioned in {{harvtxt|Williams|1991}}.</ref> Scholarly reference works on languages do not acknowledge the existence of either a "reformed Egyptian" language or "reformed Egyptian" script as it has been described in Mormon belief, and there is no archaeological, linguistic, or other evidence of the use of Egyptian writing in ancient America. Historically, Latter Day Saint movement denominations have taught that the Book of Mormon's description of the plates' origin is accurate, and that the Book of Mormon is a translation of the plates.<ref>Book of Mormon (LDS edition), Introduction expressing the LDS view that the Book of Mormon "is a record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas", and that the book is a translation of the golden plates "into the English language".</ref> The [[Community of Christ]], however, accepts the Book of Mormon as scripture but no longer takes an official position on the historicity of the golden plates.<ref name=mcmurray>W. Grant McMurray|McMurray, W. Grant, [https://archive.today/20070817021355/http://cofchrist.org/docs/NativeAmericanConference/keynote.asp "They 'Shall Blossom as the Rose': Native Americans and the Dream of Zion,"] an address delivered February 17, 2001, accessed September 1, 2006</ref> Some adherents accept the Book of Mormon as inspired scripture but do not believe that it is a literal translation of a physical historical record, even in the more theologically conservative [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church).{{sfn|Ostling|Ostling|1999|p=264}}

Non-Mormons and some liberal Mormons have advanced naturalistic explanations for the story of the plates. For example, it has been theorized that the plates were fashioned by Smith or one of his associates,<ref>{{Harvtxt|Vogel|2004|pp=98, 600 note 65}}</ref> that Smith had the ability to convince others of their existence through illusions or hypnosis,<ref>{{Harvtxt|Riley|1902|p=211}}</ref> or that witnesses were having ecstatic visions.