BYU's Dr. John L. Lund Arrested.

[_jon]

Quotes from the Trib article:

"Did I break the law? Yes. Did I break the law knowingly? Absolutely not,"
Aha, the old Gordon B Hinkley defense...

'Antiquities officials discovered Lund selling artifacts at a lecture he gave in a Jerusalem hotel, Bar Tura said. They seized the items, searched him and his hotel room, where they found hundreds of artifacts, Bar Tura said.

Because all the items had been recovered and Lund was a tourist, "We thought it was appropriate to let him off with a warning," Bar Tura said. "But we kept our eyes open ... and sure enough, the guy kept on doing what he was told not to."
Hmmm, the old 'I didn't know Guv' defense appears as flawed as Hinkley's...

'he was taken to the authority’s headquarters for three hours of "intense interrogation" where he was told he could not ask any questions.'
It seems a Court of Love has already been held...

[_moksha]

It could simply be that Dr. Lund was unfamiliar with Israeli customs and laws. Being away so much he probably was also unacquainted with the smuggling and sale of ancient Anasazi artifacts that had lead to the arrest of many people in Southern Utah.

We should put Indiana Stakanovite on this case.

[_jon]

It could simply be that Dr. Lund was unfamiliar with Israeli customs and laws. Being away so much he probably was also unacquainted with the smuggling and sale of ancient Anasazi artifacts that had lead to the arrest of many people in Southern Utah.

We should put Indiana Stakanovite on this case.

I think the fact that he had previously been warned to stop kind of sinks the whole 'I didn't know' defense. He knew.

Update: The Des News has reported the story but removed any reference that John Lund is LDS or was at BYU.

[_Quasimodo]

This article contains more of Lund's side of the story. Decide for yourself.

The legality or illegality of his actions is not really the point. The reason that this has become an international story is because a "self styled Egyptologist and Historian" was involved in the acquisition and sale of illicit antiquities.

Regardless of his statements, he knew better. He was a professional in his field and
chose to buy what he must have known as looted artifacts to sell to tourists.

No true Archeologist, Anthropologist, Egyptologist or Historian would do such a thing. They would consider it immoral.

[_Buffalo]

How strange. I appear to have been banned for bringing this news to the attention of the MADites: [link]

MAD mods love to shoot the messenger.

[_Joseph]

Maybe he was getting the stuff out of the old world to give to negre Mormons so they would finally feel special, loved and wanted?

[_harmony]

No true Archeologist, Anthropologist, Egyptologist or Historian would do such a thing. They would consider it immoral.

Well... hmmm... considering his employment, how "true" does he need to be?

[_Quasimodo]

No true Archeologist, Anthropologist, Egyptologist or Historian would do such a thing. They would consider it immoral.

Well... hmmm... considering his employment, how "true" does he need to be?

I guess for some apologists, truth is subjective.

[_Joseph]

"Did I break the law? Yes. Did I break the law knowingly? Absolutely not,"
**********************************

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. For Mormons, ignorance alone is.


The guy has been caught and warned before. How damn stupid IS he?

[_Quasimodo]

"Did I break the law? Yes. Did I break the law knowingly? Absolutely not,"
**********************************

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. For Mormons, ignorance alone is.


The guy has been caught and warned before. How damn stupid IS he?

I think he was only stupid in thinking he could get away with it, unnoticed, the second time. My guess is that he was trying to recoup some of his losses from the first time when everything was confiscated.

He must have thought that the sin was in getting caught. Not in his actions.

Rationalizing to justify his own needs. I've seen this in apologists (and Prophets), before.