The Gold Plates: The Problem with Joseph Smith’s Story

Bill McKeever of Mormonism Research Ministry (MRM.org) talks about the problem with Joseph Smith’s story of the Gold Plates that contained the Book of Mormon. In many ways, the Book of Mormon is the cornerstone of the LDS Church. Joseph Smith began the Restoration with the Book of Mormon, and Moroni’s entrusting Joseph with the Gold Plates sparked the Latter-day Saint movement. But is the story of the Gold Plates even plausible?

The problem of the Gold Plates is not just a problem of misunderstanding Joseph Smith’s history. If the story is false, there are two possibilities: (1) Joseph Smith made up the story, and that’s why he had the plates covered in front of other people, or (2) Joseph Smith exaggerated the details to make the story seem more dramatic. Both of these are significant issues! If Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, the Prophet of the Restoration of Christ’s Church, then even having him blur some of the details would be a significant issue! Yet, the story (as it currently stands) seems impossible to be true.

As Christians, we don’t need to wonder if our prophet makes mistakes. Our living prophet is Jesus, the Lord and Savior of all those who believe. Joseph Smith (and the other LDS Prophets) are far more problematic. They disagree, change their minds, and teach conflicting doctrines. The story of the Gold Plates is just one additional proof—Joseph Smith was a false prophet. Jesus warned about such people. Reject Joseph Smith, and turn in faith to Jesus—the true “living prophet.”

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:7-11)