Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations

FAIR Answers—back to home page

Book of Abraham plagiarism accusations

Summary: It is claimed that contemporary sources were used by Joseph Smith as sources for the Book of Abraham.

Jump to Subtopic:

• Understanding accusations of plagiarism
• Thomas Dick’s The Philosophy of a Future State
• Oliver Cowdery and Abraham 1:2
• Did Joseph Smith plagiarize Genesis?
• Thomas Taylor’s The Six Books of Proclus on the Theology of Plato
• The Book of Abraham and the New Testament

Understanding accusations of plagiarism

Jump to details:

• Question: How can one address accusations of plagiarism made about the scriptures?

FAIR Answers—back to home page

V

Articles about the CES Letter

Overview	Overview of the CES Letter Approaching history Responding to criticisms about Church history
Brief responses and additional resources, CES Letter sections	Introduction Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Translation First Vision Book of Abraham Polygamy and Polyandry Prophets Kinderhook Plates & Translator Claims Testimony and Spiritual Witness Priesthood Restoration Witnesses Temples & Freemasonry Science Other Conclusion
Detailed responses, CES Letter sections	Introduction Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Translation First Vision Book of Abraham Polygamy and Polyandry Prophets Kinderhook Plates & Translator Claims Testimony and Spiritual Witness Priesthood Restoration Witnesses Temples & Freemasonry Science Other Conclusion

Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations

The CES Letter lists several concerns about the Book of Mormon. Below are links to various FAIR resources and other resources responding to each concern.

1769 KJV Errors

• KJV translation errors in the Book of Mormon
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 2: Book of Mormon Questions (Section A)

17th Century Italics

• KJV italicized text in the Book of Mormon
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 2: Book of Mormon Questions (Section A)

Mistranslations

• Joseph Smith Translation and the Book of Mormon

DNA

• DNA and the Book of Mormon
• Identifying ancient DNA related to Book of Mormon people
• Geographical issues related to DNA and the Book of Mormon
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 3: Book of Mormon Questions (Section B)

Anachronisms

• Anachronism overview
• Horses
• Elephants
• Other animals
• Synagogues and churches
• Climate
• Metals and materials
• Metal plates in ancient Israel
• Plants
• Objects and artifacts
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 3: Book of Mormon Questions (Section B)

Archaeology

• Population and demographics
• Biblical archaeology compared to the Book of Mormon
• Thomas Stuart Ferguson and Mormon archaeology
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 4: Book of Mormon Questions (Section C)
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 5: Book of Mormon Questions (Section D)

Geography

• Church statements on Book of Mormon geography
• Evaluating Book of Mormon geography theories
• Old world geography in the Book of Mormon
• Lehi's journey in the Old World
• Possible locations for the Valley of Lemuel
• Possible locations for Shazer
• Possible locations for Nahom
• Possible locations for Nephi's Bountiful
• The Hill Cumorah
• Mesoamerican Model
• Hemispheric Geography Model
• Great Lakes Model
• Heartland Model
• Hoaxes related to Book of Mormon geography claims
• Geographical issues related to DNA and the Book of Mormon
• Population and demographics
• Theory of Book of Mormon place names from area around Joseph Smith's home
• Theory of Book of Mormon place names from Comoros Islands
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 6: Book of Mormon Questions (Section E)

View of the Hebrews

• View of the Hebrews theory of Book of Mormon authorship
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 7: Book of Mormon Questions (Section F)

The Late War

• The Late War theory of Book of Mormon authorship
• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 7: Book of Mormon Questions (Section F)

The First Book of Napoleon

• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 7: Book of Mormon Questions (Section F)

Early Godhead

• CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 6: Book of Mormon Questions (Section E)

Did Joseph have "lustful motives" for practicing polygamy?

Summary: Neutral observers have long understood that this attack is probably the weakest of them all. One might reasonably hold the opinion that Joseph was wrong, but in the face of the documentary evidence it is wrong to argue that he and his associates were insincere or that they were practicing their religion only for power and to satisfy carnal desires. Those who insist that “sex is the answer” probably reveal more about their own limited perspective than they do of the minds of the early Saints.

Jump to details:

• Question: Did Joseph Smith institute polygamy because he had a "voracious sexual appetite"?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith have a youthful struggle with unchastity?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith have a long history of "womanizing" before practicing plural marriage?
• Stephen H. Webb: "Evidence That Demands Our Amazement... Joseph Smith was a remarkable person"

FAIR Answers—back to home page

V

Articles about the CES Letter

Overview	Overview of the CES Letter Approaching history Responding to criticisms about Church history
Brief responses and additional resources, CES Letter sections	Introduction Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Translation First Vision Book of Abraham Polygamy and Polyandry Prophets Kinderhook Plates & Translator Claims Testimony and Spiritual Witness Priesthood Restoration Witnesses Temples & Freemasonry Science Other Conclusion
Detailed responses, CES Letter sections	Introduction Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Translation First Vision Book of Abraham Polygamy and Polyandry Prophets Kinderhook Plates & Translator Claims Testimony and Spiritual Witness Priesthood Restoration Witnesses Temples & Freemasonry Science Other Conclusion

Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations

The CES Letter lists several concerns about the Book of Abraham. Below are links to various FAIR resources and other resources responding to each concern.

Papyrus Found

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 10: Book of Abraham Questions, Section A"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 11: Book of Abraham Questions, Section B"

Common Pagan Funerary Text

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 12: Book of Abraham Questions, Section C"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 13: Book of Abraham Questions, Section D" (facsimile 1)
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 14: Book of Abraham Questions, Section E" (facsimile 2)
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 15: Book of Abraham Questions, Section F" (facsimile 2)
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 16: Book of Abraham Questions, Section G" (facsimile 3)

Facsimile Summary

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 17: Book of Abraham Questions, Section H"

Cosmology

King James Version Text

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 18: CES Letter Book of Abraham Questions, Section I"

Anachronisms

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 18: CES Letter Book of Abraham Questions, Section I"

Light from Kolob

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 18: CES Letter Book of Abraham Questions, Section I"

The Philosophy of a Future State

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 18: CES Letter Book of Abraham Questions, Section I"

Elder Holland BBC Interview

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 19: Book of Abraham Questions, Section J"

FAIR Answers—back to home page

V

Articles about the CES Letter

Overview	Overview of the CES Letter Approaching history Responding to criticisms about Church history
Brief responses and additional resources, CES Letter sections	Introduction Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Translation First Vision Book of Abraham Polygamy and Polyandry Prophets Kinderhook Plates & Translator Claims Testimony and Spiritual Witness Priesthood Restoration Witnesses Temples & Freemasonry Science Other Conclusion
Detailed responses, CES Letter sections	Introduction Book of Mormon Book of Mormon Translation First Vision Book of Abraham Polygamy and Polyandry Prophets Kinderhook Plates & Translator Claims Testimony and Spiritual Witness Priesthood Restoration Witnesses Temples & Freemasonry Science Other Conclusion

Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations

The CES Letter lists several concerns about Joseph Smith's practice of plural marriage.

FAIR has an extensive list of articles addressing many aspects of plural marriage. For a list of those articles, see Plural marriage.

Other resources include:

• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 20: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section A"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 21: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section B"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 22: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section C"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 23: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section D"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 24: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section E"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 25: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section F"
• "The CES Letter Rebuttal, Part 26: Polygamy & Polyandry Questions, Section G"

⍗

Source(s) of the criticism

Critical sources

Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945), 171–172. ( Index of claims ) Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002) 17–24. ( Index of claims )

Notes