I suggest that the physical object that Joseph had in his possession was not literally ancient gold plates, but plates of his own creation which talismanically represented the "gold plates" of his visions, aiding his mystical translation of those visions.
Is the human mind capable of comprehending any absolute? I suggest no. And yet, there is a way of "knowing" the Absolute.
For many people, religious language is failing. New words are being used to refer to similar religious ideas.
Paul writes about Love.
Experience is essential on the mystical path. Words are insufficient to know the Divine. Let's meet together to facilitate experience and support each other.
If Joseph made the plates he had in his possession, then didn't he lie in saying otherwise? Maybe there is more to it, which ties into the mystical nature of his visions.
What good is the written or spoken word for uplifting lives and awakening? Is it a means through which we can actively express Love and help bring others to Love?
How could I write something that I did not write? Great question. I'm trying to figure that out too.
Sometimes the relationships between words, and their origins, can help us understand them better.
God does not have to be at odds with what we learn from science. We need to reinterpret our ideas of God from direct mystical experience, and I think we'll find our science and spirituality are One.