Book of Abraham/Astronomy/Kolob-Sun

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FAQ: Frequently-asked questions Joseph Smith Papyri: brief long Missing papyri size "By his own hand"? Book of the Dead Kirtland Egyptian Papers The Book of Joseph Book of Abraham content: Why would Abraham lie? Astronomy in the Book of Abraham Sun borrows its light from Kolob? Star's or planet's rate of rotation Production: Influence of Thomas Dick?
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Questions

== The Book of Abraham states that “the sun [is said] to borrow its light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or, in other words, the governing power (Abraham Fac 2,Fig 5),” while astrophysics has shown that “The Sun shines ... because of thermonuclear fusion. It does not get its light from any other star.”

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here

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Answer

== Until someone can make a convincing case that their interpretation of these things is the only reasonable one, any faith-promoting proof from Abraham’s astronomy is a flimsy house of cards and any faith-destroying attack on some straw-man interpretation is laughable. Among the more speculative interpretations is the idea that Abraham taught that the photons leaving the surface of the sun originally came from Kolob. Whether any of the photons leaving the surface of the sun come from energy originally emitted from other stars is simply unknown. Such things must be viewed with extreme caution.

Detailed Analysis

There are many scriptures or statements by the prophets that seem to have scientific implications. Unfortunately, they are never couched in modern scientific terms and their meanings are often very obscure. Some faithful saints have made attempts to interpret such things in a way that tries to harmonize them with some current view of science. While some may think that is not the best thing to do, because it is very speculative, at least these faithful explanations have been made in good faith. For example, some saints have made attempts to harmonize the theory of evolution with the gospel. Another example is that some saints have tried to explain the Book of Mormon using current archaeology. It is true that these types of suggestions made by such faithful saints are not authoritative or binding on the Church. But they are genuine, apologetic attempts to come to an understanding, and to build faith. However, they must be treated with extreme caution as anything else must be on subjects that are unsettled.

However, it is definitely a foolish thing that faithless critics purposely try to interpret things that are uncertain in a way that is most at odds with current scientific thought. These explanations by critics are most often made in bad faith, to try to put the Church, its leaders and its scriptures in a bad light. The fact that critics make such interpretations is a straw man tactic, where they try to make the Book of Abraham and other scriptures to say things when there is no evidence that they actually mean such a thing.

The Book of Abraham quote cited in the criticism above has inspired both faithful attempts at explanation, as well as critical attempts, including the interpretation found on the web site where this criticism appeared. The wording of Joseph Smith’s explanation of Figure 5 in Facsimile 2 of the Book of Abraham is, in fact, very difficult to interpret. Let’s see what some of our options are.

• Energy is never destroyed. It can only change form or be stored when it is absorbed in some fashion, or be re-emitted as some sort of radiation. On a fundamental level, light that is emitted from matter in the form of photons is sometimes being reflected or refracted after being initially absorbed. Some matter gives off light when it transforms energy that was absorbed into it in some other form. Solar cells work by absorbing photons and re-emitting the energy as electricity. When something heats up when it has been exposed to light, it is because it is absorbing the light energy and storing some of it internally as heat. When heat is emitted from it, that is still light, or photon energy, but it is invisible, and is known as infra-red radiation. The only type of refraction on light that does not involve absorption is gravitational lensing, when gravity acts on photons in to distort their path. In the case of reflection, such as with a mirror, part of the light is reflected back out that hit the surface of the medium. ([1]). In the case of refraction, such as with water or with a lens of some kind, an image is distorted, or the light passing through is changed in its direction. In the case of a prism or a rain-drop, which are types of lenses, the light is split into into its spectra, because the photons are spread out in different directions at different wavelengths. In the case of regular "things" that have one "color," light from a light bulb, or from the sun, is absorbed and re-emitted at only one certain wavelength. Now, with a classic light bulb, electric energy is fed into a filament made of some kind of metal. The energy passing through the metal causes it to emit the energy as both light and heat. In the case of a magnifying glass, where the light can burn something, the refraction causes a focusing of all the photons on one point. A laser works in a similar way where a stream of photons is concentrated using lenses and mirrors. The key here in all interactions between photons and regular matter made of atoms is that the light or other energy is absorbed into the matter, and then re-emitted as light photons once again. The photons never really bounce off the matter when reflected, nor does it ever really pass through the matter when refracted. It is always absorbed and re-emitted in some form. That is the key principle to focus on here.

• In the Solar System, we observe that planets and moons that do not give off their own visible light reflect the light that they receive from the Sun. That light has been absorbed by the surface of such bodies, and re-emitted. However, we note that Jupiter itself, being very large, and having other sources of energy internally gives off more energy than it receives from the Sun in the form of heat and so forth ([2]). But this fact still does not stop it from being true that Jupiter does indeed receive visible light from the Sun. Jupiter, earth, and the other planets of the Solar System do indeed receive light from other stars, even though we receive most of our light from the Sun. Now, if we extrapolate further from these facts that we have just noted, it is also true that the Sun receives light from other stars, just like we do on earth, because they are visible to us in the night sky. But that light is miniscule compared to the light that the Sun puts out on its own power from its own internal sources (just as in the case of Jupiter). So, just because a celestial orb has its own power source internally, it still does borrow light from other celestial orbs. Or in other words, when a photon hits the surface Sun, the matter in the Sun absorbs it, just like any other matter would when hit with a photon. So, it is true that the light the Sun receives from other stars is miniscule. Yet, it is still true that it does receive and absorb such light. That energy that is absorbed and re-emitted is part of the sum of the output of the energy from the Sun. The Book of Abraham may be referring only to the light that is reflected or borrowed, and is simply not referring on the light or energy that is internally generated. So herein may be found part of the problem in interpretation. People who are aware of modern science may have been focusing so much on the fact that large celestial bodies generate their own energy, and not even thinking about the fact that small quantities of energy are still absorbed from elsewhere. They forget that revelation is given line upon line. The Lord taught Abraham about the absorption and transference of energy, but did not get so specific scientifically as to tell Abraham about nuclear fusion. He left that to be revealed in our day through science.

• It is known that Joseph Smith hid his seer-stone in a hat, and somehow he was able to view some kind of light that emitted from it. That energy that powered that photon emission from the stone came from somewhere, and the stone clearly had no internal light source. Therefore, the stone was absorbing energy from somewhere in some form and re-emitting it in the form of photons. Similarly, the Jaredite light sources were clear stones that the Lord touched that emitted light somehow, not from some internal power source. Therefore, these were gathering energy from some other source, and re-emitting it as photons. Seer stones have been referred to as a type of Urim and Thummim. The scriptures tell us that celestial planets will be great Urims and Thummims (D&C 130: 8-10). When a star explodes in a supernova, what is really happening is that the star's immense atmosphere has been shed. Sometimes the remnant left over is known as a "white dwarf." This remnant is actually the star's original solid core that used to be in the center of the star before the explosion ([3]). Recent science has demonstrated that some white dwarfs are actually composed of highly compressed carbon that amassed from fusion reactions, making it a large diamond ([4]). If it is true that a rock such as a seer-stone can receive energy and re-emit that as light somehow, and that light is discernible in a dark place like a hat, then it is no more far-fetched to suggest that a star's solid core that is a diamond can act as a Urim and Thummim to receive and re-emit light received from some other source. Our own Sun has that very type of a solid core, and therefore, if this theory hold's true, aside from the fact that the Sun has nuclear reactions in it, also, the Sun's core is a Urim and Thummim that receives energy from other energy sources and re-emits it. If we examine what is happening with the auroras on the earth, the earth's internal magnetic field from the core of the earth is deflecting the charged particles coming from the sun to the poles, and that energy is being absorbed into the atmosphere of the earth from the charged particles. And it is being re-emitted as light energy in the polar regions. Jupiter and other large planets also have large magnetic fields and aurora in the polar regions. It is not far fetched to suggest that perhaps the Sun's immense magnetic fields similarly deflect cosmic rays and other types of energy in charged particles to be absorbed inwards, and then to be re-emitted, following similar principles as how the aurora function on the planets of the solar system.

• Another suggestion is this: To “borrow” means to receive with the intention of returning, especially said of a material object or substance. It may also mean to take and adopt as one’s own, especially said of abstractions or ideas, as in “the composer borrowed his harmonic structure from Bach’s Fugue in D Major.” So what does it mean for the sun to “borrow” its light from Kolob? Is light a material or an abstraction? Does the Sun intend to repay the light it borrowed?

• What, in fact, is meant by 'light' in this context? Doctrine & Covenants 88:7–13, in wording strongly reminiscent of our Book of Abraham quote, states “7 ...this is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. 8 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; 9 As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; 10 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. 11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; 12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space — 13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things (emphasis added).” These verses are clearly NOT talking about electromagnetic radiation. Does anyone have a convincing explanation of what they ARE talking about?

• A “medium” can mean a material through which some signal propagates or a means or channel through which something is achieved. What does it mean here? Does it refer to a material or a means?

• What is Kae-e-vanrash? The Book of Abraham says that it is a “grand Key,” or “governing power.” What does that mean? Is Kae-e-vanrash a term for nuclear reactions, gravitation, cosmic rays? Or is it a more spiritual medium such as priesthood or faith, or an organizational structure, or a means used for administrative communications?

And, finally, what are we to understand about the nature of Book of Abraham astronomy? Is it a revelation from God to Abraham explaining the structure of the universe as it would be seen by the astronomers of our day? That is the position of a number of scholars such as Michael Rhodes and J. Ward Moody in the chapter entitled "Astronomy and the Creation in the Book of Abraham," Chapter 2 in the book Astronomy, Papyrus and Covenant, the third volume in the series Studies in the Book of Abraham.

Others have another theory that the Book of Abraham represents an ancient "Geocentric" cosmology. John Gee is one of these scholars. Gee, as well as William J. Hamblin and Daniel C. Peterson published their views on this as well in the same book in Chapter 1, entitled "'And I Saw The Stars', The Book of Abraham and Ancient Geocentric Astronomy." We remember that “The Lord said unto me: Abraham, I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words.” Abraham 3:15, so that, as John Gee has suggested ("The Larger Issue"), this is simply the teaching that would be easiest for the Egyptians to understand — one that would teach them that Elohim, who dwells near Kolob, rules over than the sun-god, Amen-Re?

Another author has suggested that the Book of Abraham is both a Geocentric cosmology, as well as a cosmology revealed for our day that was intended to be in harmony with modern scientific knowledge. He suggests that the Lord intended it to come forth in a day when it could be understood. He notes that most ancient cosmologies, rather than being solar centric, were actually pole-star centric. The pole star and other geocentric asterisms or constellations are just symbols of the greater reality that God was trying to teach Abraham for the Egyptians. He says that the Book of Abraham Cosmology, when understood in conjunction with what is presented in the Kirtland Egyptian Papers, shows that some central region in space is occupied by large celestial bodies that govern the Sun and other stars gravitationally. The pole-star is a geocentric omphalos, a symbol of this central region around which all else revolves. From a geocentric point of view, the central hieroglyph in the hypocephalus (Facsimile #2 of the Book of Abraham, figure #1) is the pole-star. From a real-life point of view, it is Kolob and the central region of space that it gravitationally dominates, as a grand real-life omphalos. So in that author's view, the Book of Abraham actually teaches both a Geocentric cosmology as well as an understanding that was revealed to Abraham that is compatible with modern scientific views, the one being a mere reflection of the other.

== Notes == None

Further reading and additional sources responding to these claims