Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 13 minutes ago
This Changes Everything About the Book of Mormon Witnesses | Don Bradley E0028
Did the Book of Mormon Witnesses Really See the Gold Plates?
What if the most controversial testimonies in Latter-day Saint history weren’t just words—but undeniable evidence of something far bigger?
In this episode of Let's Get Real, historian Don Bradley—who once left his faith but later returned—tackles the hardest, most controversial questions head-on: Were the Three and Eight Witnesses deceived? Were they part of a fabrication? Or did they really see the gold plates?
Don reveals hidden details that change everything you thought you knew about their testimonies—not just as proof of an ancient record, but as witnesses of the Resurrected Christ. Because in the end, it’s not just about their testimony—it’s about ours.
You might think you know the story—but once you see this evidence, you’ll never look at their testimonies the same way again.
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Get help answering some of life's most challenging questions with Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones. This @scripturecentralofficial original series offers practical insights and ways to navigate life's challenges and heaviest questions.
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Disclaimer:
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CREATORS AND GUESTS ALONE AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF SCRIPTURE CENTRAL OR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
This Changes Everything About the Book of Mormon Witnesses | Don Bradley E0028
Did the Book of Mormon Witnesses Really See the Gold Plates?
What if the most controversial testimonies in Latter-day Saint history weren’t just words—but undeniable evidence of something far bigger?
In this episode of Let's Get Real, historian Don Bradley—who once left his faith but later returned—tackles the hardest, most controversial questions head-on: Were the Three and Eight Witnesses deceived? Were they part of a fabrication? Or did they really see the gold plates?
Don reveals hidden details that change everything you thought you knew about their testimonies—not just as proof of an ancient record, but as witnesses of the Resurrected Christ. Because in the end, it’s not just about their testimony—it’s about ours.
You might think you know the story—but once you see this evidence, you’ll never look at their testimonies the same way again.
--
Get help answering some of life's most challenging questions with Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones. This @scripturecentralofficial original series offers practical insights and ways to navigate life's challenges and heaviest questions.
--
🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications for Let's Get Real to explore life's toughest questions and strengthen your connection with God.
---
Disclaimer:
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CREATORS AND GUESTS ALONE AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF SCRIPTURE CENTRAL OR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
![The Moment I Realized I Was Wrong About Joseph Smith, the Temple & Freemasonry | Don Bradley [Clip]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ATrkQZbZCNY/mqdefault.jpg "The Moment I Realized I Was Wrong About Joseph Smith, the Temple & Freemasonry | Don Bradley [Clip]
Sometimes, we leave the camera rolling and ask one more question after an episode is done. This is the result of one of those times.
When Don Bradley left the Church and became an atheist, he was convinced Joseph Smith copied the temple endowment from Freemasonry. But when he actually dug into the timeline, things didn’t add up.
What he discovered about the parallels between masonry and the temple is one of the things that started pulling him back toward faith.
In this clip, we talk about:
- Parallels vs. borrowing
- Freemasonry’s biblical roots
- Temple patterns in the Book of Mormon and First Vision
- Why the 1820s timeline creates a real problem for the “Joseph copied Masonry” claim
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References:
Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Freemasonry and the Origins of Latter-day Saint Temple Ordinances
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/interpreter/vol15/iss1/15/")
