T
thephilosopher6
Guest
In October 1835, Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, claimed to have translated the “Book of Abraham” from an ancient Egyptian papyrus containing hieroglyphics which he had previously purchased a few months prior. It was eventually canonized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1880 as part of the “Pearl of Great Price”, and 137 years later it continues to serve as a major source of the Mormon scriptures.
But many many many problems have been found with Joseph Smith’s supposed “translation.” During the late 1960’s, large portions of the same papyrus Joseph Smith purchased and “translated” were relocated. Upon being translated by expert Egyptologist, both Mormon and non-Mormon, they were shown to be nothing like Joseph Smith’s “Book of Abraham.” Rather, scholars found that they were simply common Egyptian funeral documents. Nothing unique about them was discovered. Joseph Smith’s “translation” proved to be profoundly flawed and nothing more than his own invention. Earlier Egyptologist had actually already noted this. In 1912, expert Egyptologist, Arthur Cruttenden Mace, had written:
“I return herewith, under separate cover, the ‘Pearl of Great Price.’ The ‘Book of Abraham,’ it is hardly necessary to say, is a pure fabrication. Cuts 1 and 3 are inaccurate copies of well known scenes on funeral papyri, and cut 2 is a copy of one of the magical discs which in the late Egyptian period were placed under the heads of mummies. There were about forty of these latter known in museums and they are all very similar in character. Joseph Smith’s interpretation of these cuts is a farrago of nonsense from beginning to end. Egyptian characters can now be read almost as easily as Greek, and five minutes’ study in an Egyptian gallery of any museum should be enough to convince any educated man of the clumsiness of the imposture.”
So, my question is, what do Mormons say to this? What amount of Mormon “apologetics” can defend this? Will Mormons admit that Joseph Smith was completely wrong here? If so, why should we accept anything else of his?
But many many many problems have been found with Joseph Smith’s supposed “translation.” During the late 1960’s, large portions of the same papyrus Joseph Smith purchased and “translated” were relocated. Upon being translated by expert Egyptologist, both Mormon and non-Mormon, they were shown to be nothing like Joseph Smith’s “Book of Abraham.” Rather, scholars found that they were simply common Egyptian funeral documents. Nothing unique about them was discovered. Joseph Smith’s “translation” proved to be profoundly flawed and nothing more than his own invention. Earlier Egyptologist had actually already noted this. In 1912, expert Egyptologist, Arthur Cruttenden Mace, had written:
“I return herewith, under separate cover, the ‘Pearl of Great Price.’ The ‘Book of Abraham,’ it is hardly necessary to say, is a pure fabrication. Cuts 1 and 3 are inaccurate copies of well known scenes on funeral papyri, and cut 2 is a copy of one of the magical discs which in the late Egyptian period were placed under the heads of mummies. There were about forty of these latter known in museums and they are all very similar in character. Joseph Smith’s interpretation of these cuts is a farrago of nonsense from beginning to end. Egyptian characters can now be read almost as easily as Greek, and five minutes’ study in an Egyptian gallery of any museum should be enough to convince any educated man of the clumsiness of the imposture.”
So, my question is, what do Mormons say to this? What amount of Mormon “apologetics” can defend this? Will Mormons admit that Joseph Smith was completely wrong here? If so, why should we accept anything else of his?
