Shout Out to Shulem!

[Lem]

I think Hedlow changed the sketch and added a new priest head, which matched the changes he made in the head laying down (ears similar, no neck going straight into clothing, silhouette of face drawn with similar features). Then, being an artist, he understood better where the knife would be in relation to the priest body, and put it in as it shows in the facsimile.

Hedlock managed to correctly get the head in profile position and insert it into the body. But his overall performance is a complete failure. I believe that has been pointed out quite sufficiently in my Pearl of Great Price Central Facsimile 1 as a Sacrifice Scene, see the thread noted in my signature. I've discussed the knife in quite a bit of detail and have proven my case that the original scene never had a knife. A knife is NOT used or needed by Anubis to raise Osiris from the dead! It is not an embalming scene but a resurrection scene and the only thing in Anubis's hand would be a cup.

Absolutely no disagreement! I only meant that his client Smith specified a knife in the original sketch, so Hedlock, on a next draft, may have put it in at his behest. In fact, you are making me think.... what if Hedlock fixed the head first, but left the knife off for accuracy's sake, and then that little mark coming out of the Arm was Smith sending him back to add it in. That would mean that little sketch mark could have come later.

Then, after the cuts were prepared by Hedlow, Smith saw the jackal snout in the other facsimile, realized he couldn't leave it in (for the reasons stated by Shulem), but it was too late to simply replace it, so he had the nose removed.

And that was the easiest solution. Redoing the entire plate would have been a major setback and Hedlock might not have taken kindly to the rejection of his work. Hedlock probably figured Smith had inspired reasons for changing the facial appearance of the slave and Smith easily convinced him to make what seemed like an innocent alteration in which nobody would really care or notice.

It's also possible Hedlow suggested shaving off the nose, if Smith got upset and told him he had to make another one, WITHOUT the jackal head. Hedlow was under severe time pressure, and redoing that whole lead printing plate would have really seemed impossible, given the time constraints. Hedlow knew the attributes of raised images on the templates and may have suggested that by shaving down the raised nose part he could make it look human.

This would also agree with your assertion that the jackal nose was not removed in the Ohio phase.

Anyway, just my two cents.

Getting rid of the nose was the easiest solution. It probably took Hedlock a few minutes to carefully scrape the material away and he probably figured nobody would ever know the difference. But lo and behold -- we can see it under magnification and we are sure that Anubis has a jackal nose to go with that jackal ear atop his head.

Isn't that right, John Gee? Anubis always has a jackal nose to go with his jackal ear!

I'm sure John agrees.

That makes sense, Smith may not have realized that the marks would still show, and maybe he just overlooked the ear, leaving that really weird spike that's clearly out of place.

[Shulem]

Absolutely no disagreement! I only meant that his client Smith specified a knife in the original sketch, so Headlock, on a next draft, may have put it in at his behest. In fact, you are making me think.... what if Hedlock fixed the head first, but left the knife off for accuracy's sake, and then that little mark coming out of the Arm was Smith sending him back to add it in. That would mean that little sketch mark could have come later.

I think definitely that "little mark" was something Smith was entirely responsible for. Indeed, Smith played a key role in making the facsimiles conform to his personal wishes. Yes, that "little mark" says a lot! And just think, several marvelous discoveries have taken place right here on this board! Rest assured more is to come.

I really appreciate your input, Lem. And special thanks to Doctor CamNC4Me for his help, he came to my rescue when I was frustrated. And you too, pesky penguin.

[Shulem]

Many suspect, both member and nonmember alike, that the Church will gradually distance itself from the Book of Abraham as a canonical work and lean more towards a spiritual quest to explore the knowledge of Abraham and God's covenant path with him. A clear indication of separation or a break between the literalness of the Book of Abraham and the Church might begin by removing the Facsimiles in future publication and adding a New & Improved introduction to the Book of Abraham. This would stress the idea that the work was speculative and yet inspired but not to be taken literally. In other words, the Book of Abraham was given by God to Joseph Smith in order to symbolically and figuratively understand how God relates to mankind through prophets.

I do believe change is coming. Eventually, it will come. There is no way out of it for the Church. The Book of Abraham as presently constituted in Church canon is unsustainable.

[Shulem]

Your Honor,

The Mormon leadership does not believe in the Explanations of Facsimile No. 3, yet they continue to publish those things in an effort to promote Joseph Smith's claims that he could translate Egyptian. It's a clear case of fraud and the Mormons having been cashing in on that fraud for a very long time. I trust the court knows that Facsimile No. 3, is NOT what the Mormons claim it to be. The Church must be held accountable for getting away with this deception and cashing in on it. It's impossible to calculate how many billions of dollars have been funneled into the Church in due part by the false claims of Smith translating Egyptian but something has to be done to make reparation for the loss caused by a scam that has been ongoing for over a hundred years.

I ask the court to consider the amount of 50 billion dollars which is roughly half of the investments the Church has amassed in a secret stock holders account. These funds should be seized and donated to worthy charitable organizations determined by this court and even by the Church itself in making restitution.

I also ask that Radio Free Mormon (a non profit entity) be awarded the amount of one million dollars whereby that organization can continue to act as a whistle blower and continue to serve as a reliable source of information about all things Mormon.

(RFM, I expect 10% of that as a fee for my advice, thanks)

[Shulem]

Fig. 2. King Pharaoh, whose name is given in the characters above his head.

Hmmm, a King's name in Facsimile No. 3. It must be in the chapters of the Book of Abraham. I'll find it.

Huh.



I've not been able to determine the King's name in Facsimile No. 3. It's not found in the story of the Book of Abraham and the prophet Joseph Smith didn't spell it out. But we will keep looking.

[Moksha]

Making Reformed Egyptian Bread(and you don't need to gear up like Hugh Nibley).


Tasting History with Max Miller - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biE0ifWNfU4

[Shulem]

Making Reformed Egyptian

Reformed Egyptian was a new term coined by Smith in introducing the concept of gold plates that are inscribed or etched with a new kind of Egyptian language known only to the ancient Native Americans. Characters from the golden plates are alleged to have been copied into the Anthon Transcript and also used for the Book of Mormon Broadside Advertisement, a pure work of fiction invented by Joseph Smith.

Smith invented the Reformed Egyptian characters out of thin air just as he invented the translation that there is a King's name given in the characters of Facsimile No. 3. He invented Reformed Egyptian and other characters of his Grammar & Alphabet of the Egyptian Language just as he did the name Shulem which he claimed is represented by the characters in Facsimile No. 3.

We know:

1. Smith's Reformed Egyptian characters are NONSENSE
2. Smith's Grammar & Alphabet of the Egyptian Language is NONSENSE
3. There is no King's name given in the characters of Facsimile No. 3
4. The name Shulem is not represented by the characters in Facsimile No. 3

It's an open and shut case. Isn't that right, John?

[Moksha]

It's an open and shut case.

I think that if any faithful TBMs are reading this, they would have their spouse (male or female) make them
a tasty plate of this ancient Egyptian bread (or else a chocolate-marshmallow-peanut butter with macadamia nuts shake) and learn the truth for themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biE0ifWNfU4


Just say, "Pele Ale, por favor!"

[Shulem]

I think that if any faithful TBMs are reading this, they would have their spouse (male or female) make them a tasty plate of this ancient Egyptian bread (or else a chocolate-marshmallow-peanut butter with macadamia nuts shake) and learn the truth for themselves.

Complicated apologetic offerings built upon piles of useless footnotes are given by Mormon apologists for common consumption. Just look at all those footnotes and references so neatly numbered having documented sources to back up and prove what they are saying. But nothing could be further from the truth! The apologetic Book of Abraham milkshakes are misleading, mere distractions, and hoodwinking to the extreme.

Look, I know Osiris when I see Osiris sitting upon his heavenly throne while residing over immortals who are not of this earth. I know Osiris when I see him and I don't need to have a degree in Egyptology to know that! The same goes for Isis and Maat. I know them when I see them. My eyes don't lie to me and the inscriptions in the labels above them were penned to glorify and honor them. I accept that. I believe it. I know it's true.

Now, as far as what Joseph Smith ignorantly published regarding who he said was the persons of Osirs, Isis, and Maat -- well, I reject it 100% and know with every fiber of my being that Joseph Smith was not only wrong but he was intentionally lying.

I absolutely believe that and encourage everyone to come to that same understanding.

[Shulem]

Let's make one thing perfectly clear and get it out in the open. Mormon Egyptologists John Gee and Kerry Muhlestein know full well the true identity of the persons in Facsimile No. 3. They know that Isis, Osiris, Maat, Hor, and Anubis, are represented in their iconic images and are labeled as such by name and title above their very persons. John and Kerry know this and will not deny it. They will however, use twisted apologetics and misleading concepts of Egyptology to allow and justify Smith's unconventional reading of the text and images. That much we already know. But, never, ever, will John and Kerry come straight out and say that it's NOT Osiris sitting atop his divine throne in a funerary setting as understood by modern Egyptology, let alone the ancient Egyptians.

In this same vein of thought, Gee and Muhlestein will not publicly state that the character of Anubis in Facsimile No. 3 is a correct image of what was originally on the papyrus. They know better and can't deny Anubis for who he is. Neither will these Egyptologists deny that the lead plate was altered after the fact. Oh, they may say that proof of such is inconclusive and we don't know enough based on what we can see -- BUT, they will not deny that there was a jackal nose to go along with the jackal eye and jackal ear that is atop the furry head.

Isn't that right, John & Kerry?

I think we can agree on that. That's a start. Let's be civil about it.