Elephants true book of mormon geography lands, western new. Book of mormon and the ruinsthe main issues hugh nibley. Latterday saints believe the bible to be the word of god as far as it is translated correctly. Elephants true book of mormon geography lands, western. He wrote that we have not been using the book of mormon as we should. Information utilized includes positions of the seas and other aquatic features, mountains, the narrow neck of land, distances, duration of time of travels and directions. Some models are more equal than others the book of mormon. A limited geography model for the book of mormon is one of several theories by latter day saint movement scholars that the books narrative was a historical record of people in a limited geographical region, rather than of the entire western hemisphere as believed by some early latter day saints these models, developed in an effort to reconcile claims in the book of. The book of mormon homosexuality and mormons showing 1. It was released by the church to help explain how the book of mormon s credibility is not harmed due to recent dna evidence which concludes that the native americans are not the descendants of the book of mormon people, and to explain why the churchs credibility is not harmed due to having such a.
The book of mormon describes a journey by a group of people led by a prophet named lehi from the old world to the new world in approximately 600 b. Official statement on book of mormon geography and its. See more ideas about book of mormon, book of mormon stories and lds art. Apr 20, 2009 unconventional book of mormon geography theories mormon heretic april 20, 2009 book of mormon, geography, historicity, lamanites, mormon 342 comments its been over a year since someone posted something on book of mormon geography, so i think its about time. The book of mormon seems specifically designed to answer the sorts of questions which red jacket raised about the relationship between the new world indians and old world christianity. A radically different book of mormon geography theory. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of. In a nutshell, the prophecy says european gentiles will come to the americas, dispossess the numerous lamanites, then drive the lamanites almost to extinction. These principal book of mormon lands are southward from the land northward mentioned in helaman 3. Some models are more equal than others the book of. Updated book of mormon map book of mormon, lds seminary, mormon. Updated book of mormon map book of mormon, lds seminary. The following essay is the official lds released essay entitled book of mormon and dna studies.
This provides possible though still uncertain evidence for actual horses used in some way by peoples in book of mormon lands during the times of the book of mormon. God chose a specific time and place for each spirit to come to earth to receive a physical body. Mesoamerican enthusiasts have argued that book of mormon people may have used cardinal directions in a different way, or with a different. Updated book of mormon map after making the antediluvian map, i decided to upgrade the book of mormon map that i posted on here before. The map spans jaredite and nephitelamanite periods during which settlements changed over time. Possible book of mormon sites in relation to each other possible relationships of sites in the book of mormon, based on internal evidence. The statement indicates that members have also attributed book of mormon lands to south america. Study two dozen detailed, fullcolor maps that follow the footsteps of mosiah, alma, ammon, limhi, and lands from nephi to zarahemla. Scholars today have varying theories about the true authorship of the book of mormon, but most conclude that smith composed the book himself, possibly with the help of oliver cowdery and sidney rigdon, drawing from information and publications available in his time, including the king james bible, the wonders of nature, and view of the hebrews. Mar 06, 2012 this was a very well done book with many sources of research. Mormon beliefs about human nature mormons view humans as ultimately spirits, who lived with god as spirits before they were born on earth.
Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. The book of mormon says that there were elephants in the land northward. We read this statement and think it means what it says. Jan 30, 2019 it cites an 1834 statement by joseph smith assigning north american lands to the book of mormon, and a later 1842 church newspaper article suggesting central american ruins were remnants of book of mormon civilizations. A summary of several theories of book of mormon lands in. It develops the history of two separate groups of jews who migrated from jerusalem to the americas, and presents the record of a much earlier race, which came to. The book of mormon itself is the best source for understanding the geographical locations contained therein. Possible book of mormon sites in relation to each other. Exploring the lands of the book of mormon by joseph l. The book of mormon has a recurring prophecy whose chronology helps establish the location of nephite and lamanite lands in the new world. Comparative summary of several book of mormon lands theories. All of those have come to past with exception to the last two. Jun 21, 2010 latterday saints believe the bible to be the word of god as far as it is translated correctly. Most of the authors and supporters of the two main competing theories would agree that the north american continent is the land to which lehi was led and where the subsequent events of their record occurred.
The book of mormon describes a journey by a group of people led by a prophet named lehi from the. Vincent coon, choice above all other lands, book of mormon covenant lands according to the best sources, printed by brit publishing, salt lake city, utah, first printing 2009. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. We invite all people everywhere to read the book of mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask god, the eternal father, in the name of christ, if the book is true. I shall write these posts, or discussion headings, under the main title, north american book of mormon geography. Book of mormon lands january 12, 2015 several times our followers have commented that they wish the church would make an official statement about where the book of mormon lands are located to remove the confusion that exists about them being located in mezoamerica. Feb 05, 2018 the methodological errors in thinking book of mormon locations ought to be identified today are thoroughly and insightfully addressed in a 1993 article by william hamblin, entitled basic methodological problems with the anti mormon approach to the geography and archaeology of the book of mormon journal of book of mormon studies 21 spring. The nehors were likely among the hopewell elite, a people the nephites had to use all their strategies to keep out of nephite territory, for all too many of their people succumbed to their decadent ways and headed south to live among the lamanitesthose likely living in ohio where the order of nehor was flourishing, an order very much like the. Although church members continue to discuss such theories today, the churchs only position is that the events the book of mormon describes took place in the ancient americas. Coon ms physics, hebrew language background is an advocate of olives work. Instead, im asking why particular different theories have been. The book of mormon also describes the journey of 2 other groups to america. For the most part she doesnt talk much about mormonismwhich i like because i am not a mormon and never will be.
This means that the issue is not whether horses became extinct in the americas, but whether some horses survived into recent historical times. The book of mormon says that there were elephants in the land northward and they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms. One group was the people of mulek supposed by bible authors to have died, who was the son of zedekiah. Fanfic mark twain may have savaged its literary ambitions, but a new novel from avi steinberg tries to rescue mormonisms holy text by. Animals in the book of mormon v 5 book of mormon lands one important topic bearing upon the issue of animals in the book of mormon is the location of the lands described in the text. The limited geography theory or lgt is a nontraditional interpretation of the text, but one that has gained wide acceptance among the book of mormon scholars and readers over the last 60 years. Precolumbian remains of horses in the americas raise the possibility that horses were present for a while in book of mormon lands during book of mormon times. He is not only a prophet, he is the prophet and seer of the latter days. The shape and size of the book of mormon lands evidence. Jul 12, 2017 was the book of mormon a great american novel. The fight over book of mormon geography deseret news. Reply to pros, cons of book of mormon geography theories book. Joseph smith told the brethren that the book of mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts than by any other book. The prophet joseph smith knew all about the ancient lands of the book of mormon and latterday saints should take the joseph smith at his word.
Book of mormon geography, the near cumorah setting there have been numerous attempts to locate the long, lost lands of the book of mormon over the years. It is based on a close reading of the text, which indicates that the lands inhabited by the lehites could be traversed on foot in only a few. You may judge every proposal for human government by this principle. The book of mormon and the constitution true book of. Let the book of mormon change your life, again, as you investigate exploring the lands of the book of. Sorenson, an ancient american setting for the book of mormon salt lake city, deseret book, 1985. There are times when there is not the opportunity to get a clear understanding of what the traveler saw and these bulletins will help with that understanding. The lost lands of the book of mormon and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. In utah, the saints saw themselves in book of mormon lands just like they had in. Jan 07, 2020 although church members continue to discuss such theories today, the churchs only position is that the events the book of mormon describes took place in the ancient americas. The book of mormon only discusses matters which occurred within the lands of direct concern to its writers, a region limited to no more than a few hundred miles.
Fanfic mark twain may have savaged its literary ambitions, but a new novel from avi steinberg tries to. The book of mormon west sea and east sea, on the other hand, are proper nouns that is, they are the actual names of bodies of water that situate on the west and on the east respectively, of the lands of zarahemla and nephi. Read this book and over 1 million others with a kindle unlimited membership. Internal book of mormon geography focuses on the relationships between lands and other geographic features, independent of. As latterday saints know, making the two meet is no easy task.
After several months of intense careful study of the text i have put together the following proposed map, showing the relative positions of book of mormon lands, cities, rivers, etc. Comparative summary of several book of mormon lands theories the contents of all bmaf publications are the sole responsibility of the individual authors and therefore do not necessarily represent the views of bmaf or the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. A summary of several theories of book of mormon lands in mesoamerica the contents of all bmaf publications are the sole responsibility of the individual authors and therefore do not necessarily represent the views of bmaf or the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. As stated in this book, this does not mean that descendants of book of mormon peoples did not eventually migrate to other parts of the hemisphere and the world during or following book of mormon times. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book. Here is more evidence showing that the lamanites of the book of mormon are in north america not mezoamerica as published in our book several years ago. Strange mormon ufo alien stories the millennial star.
This has been the almost universal conclusion of scholars who have carefully considered the matter. In addition, archaeological excavations in bible lands have been under way for decades longer and on a much larger scale than those in proposed book of mormon lands. Read with kindle unlimited see all buying options available as a kindle ebook. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. The book of mormon includes a history of an ancient people who migrated from. Its been over a year since someone posted something on book of mormon geography, so i think its about time.
See my answers to questions about the book of mormon here. In 1991, john sorenson of byu, the dean of book of mormon geography. The limited size of book of mormon lands is outlined within its text. Pros, cons of book of mormon geography theories deseret news. In our view, an ancient mesoamerican setting is best supported by the information given in the book of mormon. As each new theory surfaces, we gain fresh hope of acquiring additional insights into it ancient location, but are all too often disappointed. The redheaded hostess book of mormon scripture study ideas.
Until we have clearer knowledgeon book of mormon geography. It cites an 1834 statement by joseph smith assigning north american lands to the book of mormon, and a later 1842 church newspaper article suggesting central american ruins were remnants of book of mormon civilizations. In 1988, after becoming president of the church, benson published a book counseling members of the church to use the book of mormon to counter the theories of evolution. Limited geography and the book of mormon byu scholarsarchive. Our homes are not as strong unless we are using it to bring our children to christ. Most of you believe that the book of mormon occurred in central america, right. And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms. When i first encountered the book of mormon, i assumed it was a hoax. But supporters also see the heartland theory as an inspired movement that will transform the lds church. Any scholar should create a map before trying to locate it in the real world. Mostly this is because of the metal plates he has seen and therefore cant reject the possibility joseph smith knew what he was talking about even if not who he was talking with. Kindle ebooks can be read on any device with the free kindle app. This article discusses how geographical theories about the book of. One important topic bearing upon the issue of animals in the book of mormon is the location of the lands described in the text.
An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. No effort should be made to identify points on this map with any existing geographical location. Church members are asked not to teach theories about book of mormon geography in church settings but to. Determining the geographical location of these lands is a necessary first step before archaeology proper can be employed to evaluate the book of mormon, as mormon archaeologists acknowledge. Phyllis does a good job of putting it all together. Unconventional book of mormon geography theories mormon. Joseph smith knew all about book of mormon civilizations, their customs, and the location of their lands. The signs from heaven seem to be something that will happen right before the second coming so those will have to. The story of how it came about is rather fantastic, after all, and the simplest explanation is that the book was a deliberate deception. The land of zarahemla is at a lower elevation relative to the land of nephi.
Mar 17, 2015 mormon beliefs about human nature mormons view humans as ultimately spirits, who lived with god as spirits before they were born on earth. Both of the above papers provide detailed evidence that needs to be part of future debates on this topic. As each new theory surfaces, we gain fresh hope of acquiring additional insights into. A very plausible lost and missing novel by solomon spalding manuscript found, separate and distinct from the oberlin manuscript has not been ruled out by mormon apologists. Unconventional book of mormon geography theories mormon matters. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. Mormons originally thought that the book of mormon peoples covered the entire north and south america. Dec 28, 2018 the book of mormon has a recurring prophecy whose chronology helps establish the location of nephite and lamanite lands in the new world.
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