I mentioned on today’s podcast that there was a penis in Facsimile No. 2 in the Book of Abraham (I might have said No. 1, if so I apologize for my mis-speaking). I feel that this is not a claim which ought to be made and not demonstrated. In the 1851 Book of Abraham (the first printed edition) we see the following:

The Pearl of Great Price, 1851 Original Edition facsimile no 2

The upside down guy in the bottom right area is zoomed in below:

Notice the Phallic object protruding from him. Who did Joseph Smith associate this figure with? He tells us! “Fig. 7. Represents God sitting upon his throne, revealing through the heavens the grand Key-words of the Priesthood…”

The pictorial representation of God, which Joseph Smith toted before the world, was with an exposed, erect penis.

Of course the was no secret to the LDS Church. If you were polygamous then that is an important aspect of your life. But then there was a period of time when such an image of God was undesirable. Below are three different versions of Facsimile No. 2 from 1949, 1973, 1974 (the order below)

In each of these versions there is a a penis-less version of the Facsimile. While we are on the subject, if these facsimiles are part of Scripture, and they can be freely changed, what does that say about the LDS view of God’s word? If God spoke through words and facsimiles then why change them? Is what God says important? If you believe it is shouldn’t you not change what he has revealed?

Below are zoomed in images from the above books:

1949 Facsimile No. 2 with no Phallus

1973 Facsimile No. 2 with no Phallus

1974 Facsimile No. 2 with no Phallus

Something amazing must have happened between 1974 and 1981. The Mormon god became erect yet again!

1981 Facsimile No. 2

And when you zoom in to the image of the God worshiped by Mormons you see this:

1981 Facsimile No. 2 WITH Phallus

This is a visual representation of the ever-changing LDS scripture. It is also a visual reminder that Mormons believe that God has a physical body as a necessary part of his nature. The book I am reviewing says as much.