And
we're the apostates?
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Skousen concludes that article by saying:
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"These new findings argue that Joseph Smith was not the author of the English-language translation of the Book of Mormon. Not only was the text revealed to him word for word, but the words themselves sometimes had meanings that he and his scribes would not have known, which occasionally led to misinterpretation. The Book of Mormon is not a 19th-century text, nor is it Joseph Smith's. The English-language text was revealed through him, but it was not precisely in his language or ours."
Did no-one in the audience of Skousen's talk ask the obvious question - who, then DID produce the translation that was delivered to Joseph Smith?
No one asked that question. But I have. Royal and I have also discussed this question, and I have some ideas about its possible answer: that the work of translation was very likely delegated (consistent with our understanding of the economy of God) to those who produced the original work (Mormon, Moroni, Alma, etc.). To me, this makes complete sense. As regards these angelic ministrants, we are told:
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Angels are personages who minister for the Lord in carrying out his work. Joseph Smith taught that all angels who minister to the earth are “Those who belong to it or have belonged to it.”
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