Approaching the Facsimiles
Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 9:06 pm
Two LDS scholars (Royal Skousen & Terryl Givens) have accepted the view that the interpretations of Smith of the facsimiles are wrong. Skousen suggests they could be dropped and the written content of the Book of Abraham be accepted as given by revelation.
So this paper is I believe a must read for anyone interested in the debate over the Book of Abraham:
https://scholarsarchive.BYU.edu/cgi/vie ... text=byusq
I almost feel sorry for the authors as they seem to be struggling with possible answers to critics.
Note some of the comments:
"Despite some important advances in scholarship, “we [still] do not [entirely] know to what we really should compare the facsimiles.” For instance, we must ask if Joseph Smith meant to give us “an interpretation [of the facsimiles] that ancient Egyptians would have held, or one that only a small group of priests interested in Abraham would have held, or one that a group of ancient Jews in Egypt would have held, or something another group altogether would have held.” Or, alternatively, “was he giving us an interpretation we needed to receive for our spiritual benefit regardless of how any ancient groups would have seen these?” The fact is that we don’t know for sure. While we “can make a pretty good case for the idea that some Egyptians could have viewed Facsimile 1 the way Joseph Smith presents it, [we are still] not sure that is the methodology we should be employing. We just don’t know enough about what Joseph Smith was doing to be sure about any possible comparisons, or lack thereof.”13"
and
"For now, then, the best approach to the facsimiles would be to remain open-minded and inquisitive and to keep asking the best questions based on the best available evidence and information."
Well at least we can see.
One point "Canopic jars were made to contain the organs that were removed from the body in the process of mummification: the lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach. Each organ was protected by one of the Four Sons of Horus: Hapy (lungs), Imsety (liver), Duamutef (stomach), and Qebehsenuef (intestines)."
Question: Why would someone being executed be embalmed?
So this paper is I believe a must read for anyone interested in the debate over the Book of Abraham:
https://scholarsarchive.BYU.edu/cgi/vie ... text=byusq
I almost feel sorry for the authors as they seem to be struggling with possible answers to critics.
Note some of the comments:
"Despite some important advances in scholarship, “we [still] do not [entirely] know to what we really should compare the facsimiles.” For instance, we must ask if Joseph Smith meant to give us “an interpretation [of the facsimiles] that ancient Egyptians would have held, or one that only a small group of priests interested in Abraham would have held, or one that a group of ancient Jews in Egypt would have held, or something another group altogether would have held.” Or, alternatively, “was he giving us an interpretation we needed to receive for our spiritual benefit regardless of how any ancient groups would have seen these?” The fact is that we don’t know for sure. While we “can make a pretty good case for the idea that some Egyptians could have viewed Facsimile 1 the way Joseph Smith presents it, [we are still] not sure that is the methodology we should be employing. We just don’t know enough about what Joseph Smith was doing to be sure about any possible comparisons, or lack thereof.”13"
and
"For now, then, the best approach to the facsimiles would be to remain open-minded and inquisitive and to keep asking the best questions based on the best available evidence and information."
Well at least we can see.
One point "Canopic jars were made to contain the organs that were removed from the body in the process of mummification: the lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach. Each organ was protected by one of the Four Sons of Horus: Hapy (lungs), Imsety (liver), Duamutef (stomach), and Qebehsenuef (intestines)."
Question: Why would someone being executed be embalmed?