While Latter-day Saints are accustomed to others discussing their faith with various levels of seriousness and mockery, it came from an unexpected source Thursday—famed Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
Rowling shared the following image on her account:
Alongside the image, she added the commentary: “It’s like when Joseph Smith found the golden plates and nobody else was allowed to look at them.”
The internet quickly reacted, including a number of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
One person wrote, “Joseph Smith did show the plates to others. They signed statements attesting to what they saw, and they never recanted. Their statements appear in the front of every copy of the Book of Mormon. I’d be happy to send you a copy if you’d like to see for yourself.”
Another expressed disappointment. “I’ve always been a fan but to deflect from yourself you make a mocker of my religion?”
Those not of the faith noted that her large fan base includes many amongst the Church so her decision to mock it came as a surprise. “Big mistake for JK to roast Mormons,” one user wrote. “She’s clearly not aware that half of the Hary Potter young adults on the planet live in Utah.”
Overall, members sought to share information about the Book of Mormon and those who witnessed the plates. Rowling went on to reply to her own tweet with the following comments:
“I’m now being told that lots of people saw the golden plates. I’m genuinely fascinated: how many people?”
“I’ve just gone to look it up. Eleven people claimed to have seen the plates, some of them related to Smith, but there’s debate as to whether this was a metaphysical experience or they genuinely saw them. And one man was allowed to hold the box but not look inside it.”
You can see Rowling’s original tweet and the ensuing thread here. You can also read more about the witnesses of the Book of Mormon, their experiences, and their reliability here.
Featured Image | Samir Hussein / WireImage/Getty Images file
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
