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All (39) Mike Winger (39)

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Introduction to the Book of Abraham as the key test case for Mormonism

Setting up the argument

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Pearl of Great Price

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Joseph Smith claims divine gifts as seer and translator; acquires Egyptian mummies and papyrus scrolls in Kirtland, Ohio

Historical background of the Book of Abraham

Abraham Joseph Smith 1835

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Joseph Smith purchases the mummies and scrolls for $2,400; claims one scroll was written by Abraham's own hand

The acquisition and initial claims about the papyri

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Smith's diary entries document ongoing 'translation' work on Egyptian alphabet and grammar in late 1835

Documentary evidence from Smith's own journals

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham 1835

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS Church president's diary corroborates that Smith translated Abraham's own handwriting using the Urim and Thummim

Secondary LDS historical witness to Smith's translation claims

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The LDS Church officially canonized the Book of Abraham as translated from the papyrus by Joseph Smith

The canonical status of the Book of Abraham in LDS theology

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The original papyri were thought lost in the Great Chicago Fire; facsimile copies in Smith's own hand survive

The preservation history of the papyri evidence

Joseph Smith Pearl of Great Price Egyptology

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Smith's interpretation of the facsimile images: he identifies figures as the angel of the Lord, Abraham, and names Egyptian gods

Smith's specific claims about the facsimile imagery

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham facsimiles

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Early Egyptologist critics were dismissed because the original papyri could not be examined

How the LDS Church handled early scholarly criticism

Joseph Smith LDS Church Egyptology

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS professor at BYU commented that the rediscovery of the papyri was 'a far more' significant test of LDS claims

Internal LDS academic recognition of the significance of the papyri rediscovery

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Brigham Young University

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Unlike the Book of Mormon (golden plates taken away), the Book of Abraham papyri CAN be tested — this is unique

The Book of Abraham as a uniquely testable LDS truth claim

translation comparison Joseph Smith testability of religious claims

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The papyri date to the 2nd century BC — approximately 2,000 years after Abraham's time

Core finding from the Egyptological examination of the recovered papyri

Abraham Book of Abraham Egyptology

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The papyri are pagan Egyptian funerary texts — specifically the 'Book of Breathings' — belonging to a man named Hor

What Egyptologists actually found the papyri to contain

Book of Abraham Joseph Smith Papyri Book of Breathings

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Smith misidentified Egyptian deities; the figures at the bottom are canopic jars, not gods with the names Smith assigned

Specific errors in Smith's interpretation of the facsimile

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham facsimiles funerary texts

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The Book of Abraham has no connection to Abraham in time, geography, subject matter, or religion

Summary of what the papyri actually represent

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Dr. James Henry Breasted (University of Chicago / Haskell Oriental Museum) calls Smith's interpretations wrong and shows he was unacquainted with basic Egyptian facts

Expert scholarly critique of the Book of Abraham facsimiles

James Henry Breasted Joseph Smith Pearl of Great Price Egyptology

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Dr. Arthur C. Mace (Metropolitan Museum of Art / University of Pennsylvania) says it is 'hardly necessary to say' Smith's work is 'a pure' fabrication

Expert scholarly critique from an Egyptologist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Joseph Smith Egyptology Book of Abraham facsimiles

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Rev. Prof. C.A. Briggs and a professor from University of Berlin identify the images as standard Book of the Dead scenes easily recognizable to any trained Egyptologist

Additional expert scholarly critique

Joseph Smith Egyptology Book of Abraham facsimiles

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

University of Munich Egyptologist calls Smith's work a probable forgery and says the text is not older than the Greek period

Additional expert scholarly critique from Munich

Joseph Smith Egyptology Book of Abraham facsimiles

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The LDS Church's own official article on lds.org admits the characters on the papyri do not match the Book of Abraham text

The LDS Church's own admission in its official online materials

translation comparison LDS Church Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS Church's official position: understand the Book of Abraham through 'careful study of its teachings and by the witness of the Holy Spirit'

The LDS Church's final response to the historical and Egyptological evidence

Holy Spirit apologetics LDS Church

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Dr. Stephen E. Thompson (PhD in Egyptology) confirms the papyri were not written by Abraham's own hand

Final scholarly citation on the Book of Abraham papyri

Abraham Book of Abraham Pearl of Great Price

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Central apologetic argument: if Smith lied about one thing as a prophet, he is a false prophet — and the evidence proves he lied

The logical conclusion of the Book of Abraham argument

Mormonism prophetic authority false prophet

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS apologist claim that Smith received direct revelation (not translation) is refuted by his own diary

Responding to a viewer question about the LDS apologetic counter-argument

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Joseph Smith diary

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Canonical closure argument: the New Testament closes the canon — there is no room for a new book of scripture

Theological argument against the LDS claim to new scripture

Jeremiah 31 Mormonism Islam Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

The Joseph Smith Papers project published the Egyptian Grammar and Alphabet documents, exposing them to scholarly scrutiny

Recent LDS document releases and their apologetic implications

Joseph Smith LDS Church Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS apologist argument #1: the 'Short Scroll Theory' — the recovered fragments are only part of a longer scroll

Review of LDS apologetic responses to the papyri problem

Book of Abraham Great Chicago Fire Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Refutation of Short Scroll Theory: the facsimile images themselves, which Smith specifically interpreted, ARE on the surviving fragments

Mike's counter to the Short Scroll Theory

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham facsimiles Joseph Smith Papyri

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS apologist argument #2: the 'Long Scroll Theory' — a different, longer, lost scroll within the same collection contained the real Book of Abraham source

Second main LDS apologetic response

Book of Abraham Great Chicago Fire Joseph Smith Papyri

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS apologist argument #3: Smith did not 'translate' in the conventional sense — he was receiving spiritual impressions triggered by the images

Third main LDS apologetic counter-argument

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham inspired translation

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Refutation of the 'spiritual impression' translation argument: Smith's own documents say it was written by Abraham's own hand — not a spiritual trigger

Mike's counter to the spiritual impression theory

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

LDS apologist argument #4: we don't know enough about Egyptology yet — future discoveries might vindicate Smith

Fourth main LDS apologetic response

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Egyptology

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Argument from the Mormon authority hierarchy: when the Bible, LDS standard works, and the Holy Spirit contradict each other, which do Mormons follow?

Epistemological challenge to Mormon missionaries

Holy Spirit LDS Church standard works

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-24

Book of Abraham (Pearl of Great Price), chapter 4: creation is described as 'the gods' organizing matter — explicitly polytheistic and not ex nihilo.

Mike reads from official Mormon scripture to demonstrate the polytheistic view of creation embedded in LDS canonical texts.

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Pearl of Great Price

Mike Winger idea 2018-01-24

Mormon view: matter is eternal; God only organized pre-existing matter. The Book of Abraham uses 'organized' rather than 'created.'

The Mormon doctrine of creation directly contradicts ex nihilo — in LDS theology, God is not the source of matter itself.

Book of Abraham creation by organization ex nihilo creation

Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

LDS Book of Abraham — Joseph Smith's evolving theology from monotheism toward polytheism

A viewer asks about doing a verse-by-verse study on the LDS Book of Abraham.

Mormonism Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Mike Winger idea 2021-04-30

Joseph Smith was a demonstrably false prophet; modern Mormonism is a victim of his fraud.

Question 19 from Evelyn Ellsworth (a Latter-day Saint) about the priesthood of all believers and Mike's denial of fellowship to Mormons.

1 Peter Genesis 50 priesthood of all believers Mormonism 1 Peter

Mike Winger idea 2020-03-04

Q: Is the Book of Mormon right? No. It lacks theology (just a long story), but fails on historical/archaeological claims: horses in pre-Columbian Americas, weapons and materials that didn't exist, no verifiable rivers/mountains/civilizations. Not a single Book of Mormon claim has been archaeologically confirmed, unlike the Bible.

Q&A — Book of Mormon

Mormonism Book of Mormon Mormonism

Mike Winger idea 2023-01-13

Ministering to LDS Members: I showed some LDS members your Book of Abraham video, but because they believe they heard from the Holy Spirit, biblical arguments haven’t worked. How can I show that they haven’t heard the Spirit?

Q&A question: Ministering to LDS Members

Abraham Mormonism

Introduction to the Book of Abraham as the key test case for Mormonism

Joseph Smith claims divine gifts as seer and translator; acquires Egyptian mummies and papyrus scrolls in Kirtland, Ohio

Joseph Smith purchases the mummies and scrolls for $2,400; claims one scroll was written by Abraham's own hand

Smith's diary entries document ongoing 'translation' work on Egyptian alphabet and grammar in late 1835

LDS Church president's diary corroborates that Smith translated Abraham's own handwriting using the Urim and Thummim

The LDS Church officially canonized the Book of Abraham as translated from the papyrus by Joseph Smith

The original papyri were thought lost in the Great Chicago Fire; facsimile copies in Smith's own hand survive

Smith's interpretation of the facsimile images: he identifies figures as the angel of the Lord, Abraham, and names Egyptian gods

Early Egyptologist critics were dismissed because the original papyri could not be examined

LDS professor at BYU commented that the rediscovery of the papyri was 'a far more' significant test of LDS claims

Unlike the Book of Mormon (golden plates taken away), the Book of Abraham papyri CAN be tested — this is unique

The papyri date to the 2nd century BC — approximately 2,000 years after Abraham's time

The papyri are pagan Egyptian funerary texts — specifically the 'Book of Breathings' — belonging to a man named Hor

Smith misidentified Egyptian deities; the figures at the bottom are canopic jars, not gods with the names Smith assigned

The Book of Abraham has no connection to Abraham in time, geography, subject matter, or religion

Dr. James Henry Breasted (University of Chicago / Haskell Oriental Museum) calls Smith's interpretations wrong and shows he was unacquainted with basic Egyptian facts

Dr. Arthur C. Mace (Metropolitan Museum of Art / University of Pennsylvania) says it is 'hardly necessary to say' Smith's work is 'a pure' fabrication

Rev. Prof. C.A. Briggs and a professor from University of Berlin identify the images as standard Book of the Dead scenes easily recognizable to any trained Egyptologist

University of Munich Egyptologist calls Smith's work a probable forgery and says the text is not older than the Greek period

The LDS Church's own official article on lds.org admits the characters on the papyri do not match the Book of Abraham text

LDS Church's official position: understand the Book of Abraham through 'careful study of its teachings and by the witness of the Holy Spirit'

Dr. Stephen E. Thompson (PhD in Egyptology) confirms the papyri were not written by Abraham's own hand

Central apologetic argument: if Smith lied about one thing as a prophet, he is a false prophet — and the evidence proves he lied

LDS apologist claim that Smith received direct revelation (not translation) is refuted by his own diary

Canonical closure argument: the New Testament closes the canon — there is no room for a new book of scripture

The Joseph Smith Papers project published the Egyptian Grammar and Alphabet documents, exposing them to scholarly scrutiny

LDS apologist argument #1: the 'Short Scroll Theory' — the recovered fragments are only part of a longer scroll

Refutation of Short Scroll Theory: the facsimile images themselves, which Smith specifically interpreted, ARE on the surviving fragments

LDS apologist argument #2: the 'Long Scroll Theory' — a different, longer, lost scroll within the same collection contained the real Book of Abraham source

LDS apologist argument #3: Smith did not 'translate' in the conventional sense — he was receiving spiritual impressions triggered by the images

Refutation of the 'spiritual impression' translation argument: Smith's own documents say it was written by Abraham's own hand — not a spiritual trigger

LDS apologist argument #4: we don't know enough about Egyptology yet — future discoveries might vindicate Smith

Argument from the Mormon authority hierarchy: when the Bible, LDS standard works, and the Holy Spirit contradict each other, which do Mormons follow?

Book of Abraham (Pearl of Great Price), chapter 4: creation is described as 'the gods' organizing matter — explicitly polytheistic and not ex nihilo.

Mormon view: matter is eternal; God only organized pre-existing matter. The Book of Abraham uses 'organized' rather than 'created.'

LDS Book of Abraham — Joseph Smith's evolving theology from monotheism toward polytheism

Joseph Smith was a demonstrably false prophet; modern Mormonism is a victim of his fraud.

Ministering to LDS Members: I showed some LDS members your Book of Abraham video, but because they believe they heard from the Holy Spirit, biblical arguments haven’t worked. How can I show that they haven’t heard the Spirit?

Bible Link Settings