Seriously, these new FairMormon videos...

I've watched 4 or 5 now, and my goodness... I don't know how these guys can do it.  Does someone give them a script and then they just never touch google?

Here's the latest video:

There is way too much to say here, but my eyes popped out of my head around 4:08 and shortly thereafter (here's a direct link to the 4:08 mark).

They're trying to refute the claim that Joseph's fill-in drawings for the missing parts of papyrus are nonsense.  And then the guy says, "the funerary couch scenes we do have look like this, and this, aaand this!"

All three examples have a jackal head!

Honestly, my jaw dropped.  Joseph drew in a human head.  Even if we just use the 3 examples from this video, it should have been a jackal head.

Here's what Joseph drew, and what now appears in the Book of Abraham:

Now let's be honest, it's near impossible to find an unbiased source for this stuff.  People who care enough to talk about this often either love the church or resent the church.  Fine.  It's up to you and me to find the best sources we can and recognize bias.

I've just posted a very biased video above.  Here is another video that certainly contains bias from the interviewers, but I think it's fair to say the interviewee is rather unbiased.  He loves egyptology and, I think, would gladly side with church-paid apologists and Joseph Smith if that made the most sense.

If you care enough to care enough, please make this your daily listen until you've made it through all 13 hours.  (start with part 1)  Personally, I listened on YouTube so that I could look at my phone when necessary, rather than relying on verbal descriptions.  It is very long and sometimes slow, so I would recommend 1.25 speed.  It is worth the listen.

I want to wrap up this post with a quote shared by Dallin H. Oaks at a dinner for Mormon apologists, although he is not the original source for the quote:

"Though argument does not create conviction, the lack of it destroys belief.  What seems to be proved may not be embraced, but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned.  Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish."

Here's my take on that quote:

Agreed, rational argument does not create belief in a LOT of church history and doctrine.  Rational argument absolutely destroys it, in fact.  But as long as some smart person with an impressive resume has defended it, then a lot of Mormons will tell themselves, "Hey, he's smarter than I am, so I don't have to worry about this."

That bothers me a lot.  That's how this organization retains control over people's lives, collects 10% of their income, justifies judging their worthiness, and so on.  Not because it's rational.  Not because it's defensible.  But because a team of paid apologists can make it sound believable enough that faithful members can carry on reading from church-approved sources and avoid thinking too much.

Whew... a little more rant than I intended.

Really - listen to that interview.  I know it's long.  It's worth it.