Posted on 02/10/2012 9:34:37 AM PST by reaganaut
Chicago—In 1835 a traveling curiosity peddler of Egyptian mummies arrived in the small town of Kirtland, Ohio. He caught the attention of Joseph Smith (1805-44), the controversial founder of the Mormon religion. Smith secured a large sum of money from his followers ($2,400, or $60,000 in today’s dollars) to purchase four Egyptian mummies with scrolls of papyri. Smith announced that he could do what no one else could do: translate the ancient hieroglyphics. Smith asserted that the papyri contained the writings of the biblical prophets Abraham and Joseph. He titled his translation of the papyri the “Book of Abraham.” Smith’s translation contained several images from the papyri and in 1851 was published as part of the Mormon scripture called “The Pearl of Great Price.”
Now, for the first time, the surviving papyri have been translated into English in their entirety. In analyzing and translating the ancient texts, Robert K. Ritner, foremost American scholar of Egyptology, has determined that they were prepared for deceased men and women in Thebes during the Greco-Roman period. They have nothing to do with Abraham, Joseph, or a planet called Kolob, as Smith had claimed.
“Except for those willfully blind,” writes Professor Ritner of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, “the case is closed.” In his new book, The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition, he also accuses two scholars of Egyptology at Mormon-owned Brigham Young University of borrowing and distorting his own writings in trying to defend Smith’s interpretations as authentically translated Egyptian. Smith’s translation narrative tells of a young Abraham who is about to become a human sacrifice at the request of his father. It also tells of a human pre-mortal existence and teaches that the Egyptian pharaohs were cursed by God (leading to the Mormon priesthood restrictions on African Americans). It also established the Mormon theology for multiple gods.
The Mormon Church restricts access to the original papyri, which it owns. Ritner gained access to high resolution scans through a third party. He concluded that the papyri are ordinary Egyptian funeral texts, with possibly a few interesting side notes. For example, one of the Smith papyri is the “Document of Breathing Made by Isis” and is the oldest known datable copy (pre-150 BCE). Otherwise, Ritner states, anyone investigating claims of ancient evidence for Smith’s translation should not “waste his time,” although he does admit “that the study of the Mormon period of Egyptomania is interesting by itself.”
Concerning the charges of uncredited borrowing, Ritner draws attention to the “striking resemblance” to his own work in later publications by Michael D. Rhodes, an Associate Research Professor of Egyptology with BYU’s religion faculty. “One can legitimately raise the question of plagiarism,” says Ritner. In some cases, Rhodes “tacitly adopted my reading, but failed to remove his punctuation from an earlier attempt to translate the artifacts.”
A fragment from the original Joseph Smith papyri, now “Facsimile No. 1” in the Mormon scripture, “The Pearl of Great Price.” Because of the incomplete nature of the fragment, a contemporary of Joseph Smith filled in the missing portions. Joseph Smith’s text begins, “The Book of Abraham. Translated from the papyrus, by Joseph Smith.”Ritner is equally critical of the work of Associate Research Professor of Egyptology John Gee, of BYU’s Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, and the late Hugh Nibley, a BYU religion professor (BYU does not have a department of Egyptology).
For members of the Mormon religion, Smith’s “translation” remains a product of their faith.
The Joseph Smith Egyptian Papyri: A Complete Edition by Robert K. Ritner with contributions by Marc Coenen, H. Michael Marquardt, and Christopher Woods is published by the Smith-Pettit Foundation of Salt Lake City, and distributed by Signature Books, also of Salt Lake City. The type was set by the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago.
About the authors and their essays: Robert K. Ritner, Professor of Egyptology at the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, has published over 100 books and articles on Egyptian religion, magic, medicine, language, and literature, as well as social and political history. Christopher Woods is an Associate Professor of Sumerology, University of Chicago (“The Practice of Egyptian Religion at ‘Ur of the Chaldees’”), Marc Coenen has an Egyptian Studies PhD., University of Leuven, Belgium (“The Ownership and Dating of Certain Joseph Smith Papyri”), and H. Michael Marquardt, is author of The Revelations of Joseph Smith: Text and Commentary (“Joseph Smith’s Egyptian Papers: A History”).
Mormons are a CULT plain and Simple, no different than Scientology.
http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/s07e12-all-about-mormons
Generally it's true all religions are attacked from others as much as unbelievers and always has been so....but you are mistaken about "proof"....Christianity and Judaism have plenty of evidence supporting their authenticity....mountains of evidence.
One thing that becomes apparent very quickly to those who become Christian is they proclaim the scriptures, which were once difficult to understand, are now very clear to them. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned and only when one has Christ within can they see thru the eyes of the author.
Furthermore Christians are called to defend the faith....and to bring down strongholds that set themsleves up against Christ and his finished work...those who don't believe cannot understand this....some things are not going to be revealed as they are to unbelievers and thus they cannot understand.
Generally it's true all religions are attacked from others as much as unbelievers and always has been so....but you are mistaken about "proof"....Christianity and Judaism have plenty of evidence supporting their authenticity....mountains of evidence.
One thing that becomes apparent very quickly to those who become Christian is they proclaim the scriptures, which were once difficult to understand, are now very clear to them. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned and only when one has Christ within can they see thru the eyes of the author.
Furthermore Christians are called to defend the faith....and to bring down strongholds that set themsleves up against Christ and his finished work...those who don't believe cannot understand this....some things are not going to be revealed as they are to unbelievers and thus they cannot understand.
Spoken like a true Mormon, or an atheist... or is there a distinction? I looked at LDS carefully years ago because it was being thrust at me and they do have nice big families and seem to have found a wormhole to the 50’s. But, alas, the truth is not to be found anywhere, and even if all religion is fantasy (tis not), there are some that more easily revealed as bogus than others. The serious Mormon who has done a serious investigation of Mormonism does not exist. Therefore they all necessarily live in denial, or benign intellectual neglect. And by the way, big funny hats are cool, so walk that one back.
Spoken like a true Mormon, or an atheist... or is there a distinction? I looked at LDS carefully years ago because it was being thrust at me and they do have nice big families and seem to have found a wormhole to the 50’s. But, alas, the truth is not to be found anywhere, and even if all religion is fantasy (tis not), there are some that more easily revealed as bogus than others. The serious Mormon who has done a serious investigation of Mormonism does not exist. Therefore they all necessarily live in denial, or benign intellectual neglect. And by the way, big funny hats are cool, so walk that one back.
One more such smart-alec outburst, and you good sir, can hand in your magic underwear at the big temple in Salt Lake, capeesh?
If Joe said it's Abraham, it's Abraham. Once when the elders caught Joe smoking and drinking, he is reputed to have said, "Buzz off, I'm a prophet, not a goddamed saint." I ain't arguing with no Prophet.
Personally, I admire Mormonism because it was invented here in America and you don't have to do what some German guy in Italy says all the time. Also, if I do it right, I can become a god on another planet.
Until you can make me a better deal, I am sticking with Mitt on this.
PS. Joseph Smith also was reputed to have said, "I don't care how you brigham. Just brigham young!"
“all belief systems are based on ‘faith’ ... which means, no proof”
That’s not the whole story.
Here are at least some historical, reality based items that validate Judaism/Christianity:
(1) the existence of archeological Israel (i.e. ruins, pottery, etc)
(2) thousands of historical manuscripts verify the authenticity of the items mentioned in #1 (for example, do you “believe” in Julius Caesar, in the sense that he was a real person, etc etc? the same manuscript “proof” for Caesar is multiplied by about 100-fold for the life of Christ
(3) numerous DNA based and linguistic studies coincide with scriptural accounts
(4) Once the veracity of the NT is established, then there are numerous eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection were documented in the four gospels.
(5) Coming to the modern day, real people believing and trusting in the real Christ - have been saved from lives of ruin and disaster.
On to your last point, about your statement:
“you’re just a bigot and your type doesn’t belong on FR or in America. the founders would have found your ilk as repulsive as those they left in europe...”
The lds-org and the muslims precisely do NOT want religious freedom.
If the lds gets an upper hand, I think they will take advantage of their strategic opportunity.
Refer to my tagline. Do you understand it? The lds worldview is incapable of understanding the concept of checks and balances, limited government and separation of powers.
“The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.”
I designed that tagline a while ago, and it applies to the ideologies of:
(A) the lds-org,
(B) islam, and
(C) communism.
At their root, these ALL deny that humans are fallen, sinful creatures.
Enough for now.
Years ago a friend of mine who had worked in Salt Lake bought a copy (in plain brown wrapper, under the counter) of “No Man Knows MY History” by Fawn M. Brodie. He loaned it to me to read. Very interesting read, and I have been told by several that it is very accurate.
And after thinking about it for a few seconds, do we have a parallel between Joseph Smith and Barack H. Obama? We certainly do not know the history of Obozo.
How happy do you think the traveling curiosity peddler of Egyptian mummies was when he conned old Joe into giving him a small fortune for his crap? I bet he had a huge party to celebrate!
False prophet bookmark
E.G., becoming a higher being, eventually getting to be top dog on another planet, ranks of initiation, all powerful hierarchical grades, etc. etc.
I hope I can get clear on this.
E.G., becoming a higher being, eventually getting to be top dog on another planet, ranks of initiation, all powerful hierarchical grades, etc. etc.
I hope I can get clear on this.
I doubt that.
How many coins bearing Jesus' likeness were struck during his lifetime?
How many buildings, statues, etc. bearing inscriptions of his name were erected during his lifetime?
Almost no contemporary documentary evidence of the existence of Jesus Christ exists. Rather, most documents post-date his death, when the "legends" began being concocted.
Regards,
Josephus a historian wrote about Jesus:
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”
Josephus wrote about many other wonderous and magical happenings, charlatans, mythical beasts, etc.
Does this one citation constitute "100 times" as much evidence as for the existence of Julius Caesar?
Regards,
Mormons claim to have “restored” that which Christ said would not need to be. That where ever 2 or more gathered, He would be there.
Mormons claim all faiths/Christians are apostate.
Mormons claim title to Christianity solely because they use the name of Christ and a Bible.
Mormons engage in pagan rituals in their temples when the purpose of temples was dispensed with when Christ died on the cross.
Mormon prophets have been shown to be errant, adulterous, lecherous and heretics.
Mormons are unitarians, deny the Trinity.
Mormons believe that god is nothing more than a man who worked his to godhood and that we can all do the same.
Mormons believe that an exalted man (mormon god) is engaged in eternal, polygamous relationships in his personal “heaven”, creating spirit babies to populate his own personal planet.
These are just a few of the tenets Christians take issue with, but they are a pretty good sampling of why Christians object to mormons attempting to claim the title to Christianity.
I’ve not seen anyone attempt to deny mormons the freedom to worship how they want. But if they’re going to drag Christians, the name of God and Christ down, then they should expect resistance and rebuttal from those who disagree with their tenets.
If pointing out the fundamental differences between mormonism (claim to Christianity) and Christianity is denigration, then couldn’t the same be said of mormonism making all of its claims?
They are engaged in denigrating not only Christianity by claiming all of the above and more, but also God and Christ, in direct conflict with Biblical scripture. Do you have any words for the mormons?
If defending God’s Word against the mormon’s belief systems and doctrines is bigotry and denigration, then, by your definition, I guess I qualify as a bigot.
Disclosure: I’m an ex-mormon.
Plenty of evidence.
You need to read the “The Case for Christ.”
By Max Lucado.
Warning: Mormon-Romneybot.
I find it astounding that on FR of all places someone would have the temerity to label someone a "bigot" who "doesn't belong on FR or in America" for the "crime" of calling attention to the fabrications of one Joseph Smith.
One wonders if your response is part of a secretive campaign to suppress any criticism of Romney and Mormonism?
As for your assertions, you are profoundly mistaken as to the nature of the Judeo-Christian worldview, which in contrast to paganism is rooted in historical events.
You falsely label as "bigots" those who would dare question a sectarian religion which itself claims all other denominations are an "abomination" in God's eyes.
Furthermore, your arrogant assertion that someone who dares expose the inventions of Joseph Smith is "just a bigot and your type doesn’t belong on FR or in America" is not only breathtaking but in itself diametrically opposed to everything FR stands for.
Finally, in parroting the liberal insistence that the Christian Faith is based solely on subjective belief and without any basis in history, you have given the lie to your own FR "about page", where you claim:
i am 100% against anything and everything the left turns out
You would be well-advised to reexamine what you stand for and whether, in fact, you are the one whose beliefs are antithetical to those of FR.
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