FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Book of Abraham/Plagiarism accusations
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:
- Did Joseph Smith plagiarize Thomas Dick's book The Philosophy of a Future State?
- Did Joseph Smith plagiarize a patriarchal blessing compiled by Oliver Cowdery?
- Did Joseph Smith plagiarize Genesis?
Overview |
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Brief responses and additional resources, CES Letter sections |
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Detailed responses, CES Letter sections |
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
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
Early Godhead
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"