Book of Abraham Concerns

Question: For the week 10 blog post, read the Book of Abraham passed out in class (which you could also find online I'm sure). Then discuss how you might go about assessing a document like this. Are there any fine points in this text that lead you to think it is not from the supposed time of Abraham (2000BC?). In studying religion we have been surrounded by all kinds of claims about the world, and I am curious if there is any kind of critical approach that you can define through a discussion of this text.

Response: Out of all the texts we have read in Religious studies, this is by far the most abstract and odd one of them all. After reading this, personally I thought this text completely discredited Mormonism. The textual context that is behind the religion is somewhat obscure and extremely questionable, not to mention the base of the translation is questionable in itself. From an outsider’s perspective, it seems as if the Mormons try to find any connection they can to exemplify that the origin is actually what they say it is. Supplementing this, Joseph Smiths interpretation of the Egyptian drawings is different than what the real drawings actually mean. In my opinion, I could have looked at these drawings, made a connection to what I wanted to project, and from that created my own story containing desired facts and messages that I wanted to get across.

In many instances, it is uncanny how modern it sounds, “And where these two facts exist, there shall be another fact above them, that is, there shall be another planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still”. While, stars and planets had been discovered in 2000 B.C, something just doesn’t sound right about the way it is used.  In another instance Abraham supposedly has a conversation with the lord,” And he said unto me: My son, my son (and his hand was stretched out), behold I will show you all these. And he put his hand upon mine eyes, and I saw those things which his hands had made, which were many; and they multiplied before mine eyes, and I could not see the end thereof”. Knowing Joseph Smith and his supposed connection to the lord, this sounds like another instance where he is trying to make it seem like he has real connections and conversations to further supplement what he wants to get across. Taking a step back, Joseph Smith lived in the 19^th century not 2000 B.C.  That speaks for itself. One more disturbing instance I found was when Abraham says how old he is. “So I, Abraham, departed as the Lord had said unto me, and Lot with me; and I, Abraham, was sixty and two years old when I departed out of Haran”. Chances are, in 2000 B.C, people probably didn’t know how old they were to the exact year. This is another odd instance where the text sounds way to modern to come have come from that time period. To conclude, I did come in with a pre conceived bias as I was looking specifically for instances to point out that the writings didn’t seem as old as they are. However, even if this had not been the case, I still believe it would have been noticeable because of Joseph Smith’s history and actions over the course of his life.