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Prior to last night, I had vaguely heard of this hypothesis (without any of the detailed evidences) and had been meaning to read up a bit on it. Finally, last night I watched a 90 minute presentation detailing the history of the hypothesis from the time it first broke light in Howe’s 1834 book Mormonism Unveiled, up until the recent 2009 computer analyses performed by research fellows at Cornell and Stanford Universities which showed exactly which books and chapters within the Book of Mormon likely came from Spaulding’s fictitious narrative Manuscript Found and which books and chapters contained Sidney Rigdon’s alleged theological additions. Furthermore, it explained the nearly complete absence of Spaulding’s work in the first portion of the Book of Mormon by appealing to Lucy Harris’ misplacing of the first 119 pages of the alleged translation of the golden plates (supposedly Rigdon and Smith had to improvise once these first 119 pages were lost, which roughly consists of the Book of Mormon content up until the Book of Mosiah). Apparently, the tiniest bit of Smith’s influence that could be found in the Book of Mormon lies in these “revised” sections (evident in the stark textual similarities between them and sections of the Doctrine & Covenants / Book of Commandments known to be at the very least dictated by Smith).
Now that I’ve heard at least a thorough synopsis of the hypothesis from proponents, I’d like to hear from the opponents. I’d prefer secular sources, but I understand that in all likelihood the vast majority of those who’d take an interest in this hypothesis at all (let alone oppose it) would be Latter-day Saints themselves. I’ve tried exercising a preliminary internet search, but most of the hits come back to armchair apologists who employ more reporting and assertion than I’d care for. I’m looking for a rebuttal that’s academic in nature. I know there are a few CAFers here who take an interest in this topic so I’m hoping you’ll know in which direction to steer me.
In the mean time, I’m going to peruse FARMS (though they tend to deal more with supposed archaeological/anthropological research rather than linguistics and textual analysis).
Thanks everyone.
Now that I’ve heard at least a thorough synopsis of the hypothesis from proponents, I’d like to hear from the opponents. I’d prefer secular sources, but I understand that in all likelihood the vast majority of those who’d take an interest in this hypothesis at all (let alone oppose it) would be Latter-day Saints themselves. I’ve tried exercising a preliminary internet search, but most of the hits come back to armchair apologists who employ more reporting and assertion than I’d care for. I’m looking for a rebuttal that’s academic in nature. I know there are a few CAFers here who take an interest in this topic so I’m hoping you’ll know in which direction to steer me.
In the mean time, I’m going to peruse FARMS (though they tend to deal more with supposed archaeological/anthropological research rather than linguistics and textual analysis).Thanks everyone.