Book of mormon index of topics mormonism research ministry. T he book of mormon is advertized by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints as another testament of jesus christ and specifically of the account of his supposed visit to the american continent the book of mormon, 3 nephi 11. Is there archaeological evidence for the book of mormon. Third, this argument, if applied consistently, precludes central america as a possible setting because the text never once mentions volcanoes, jungles, jade, tapirs, or. Venice priddis has achieved this in a remarkable piece of detection which produces a unique geographical setting. The book of mormon begins in a wellknown location, jerusalem, in 600 b. Mormon apologists have proposed multiple theories to explain apparent inconsistencies with the archaeological, genetic, linguistic and other records. National geographic discovery of mayan ruins not proof, but very. The book of first nephi, the first book in the volume, describes the actions of lehi and his family in leaving jerusalem before its destruction, following the counsel of the lord, and wandering through the wilderness for several years before embarking on a transoceanic voyage to somewhere in or near central america. Hammond drives that point home by the use of maps, travel distances, and relationships to other areas. John lunds 2012 bmaf conference talk which goes over the evidence of what joseph smith taught concerning bom geography. Although the book of mormon is primarily a religious record of the nephites, lamanites, and jaredites, enough geographic details are embedded in the narrative to allow reconstruction of at least a rudimentary geography of book of mormon lands. In fact, several mormon organizations have been founded in order to prove these very.
The geographical setting of the book of mormon is the set of locations of the events described in the book of mormon. Book of mormon readers are well aware of a tribal group who claimed to descend from a son of king zedekiah named mulek. 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. Another group came much earlier, when god confounded the tongues at the tower of babel. Two of the most prevalent claims for the book of mormon are, there is much archaeological proof to the book of mormon, and the american indians are descendants of israelites who came to america as described in the book of mormon.
This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful, and more. Church members are asked not to teach theories about book of mormon geography in church settings but to focus instead on the book of mormon s teachings and testimony of jesus christ and his gospel. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. The book of mormon claims to have been written in reformed egyptian morm. Bill mckeever shows how science is not a friend to the book of mormon story. Most, but not all, mormons hold the books connection to ancient american history as an article of their faith. Is dna haplogroup x2a proof that the book of mormon fits best in a geography located in the great lakes region. The travels described follow normal travel patterns via rivers, valleys, passes through. I also like how nephi felt it necessary to define messiah for his people. The land of zarahemla is at a lower elevation relative to the land of nephi. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x.
Many members of the latter day saint movement claim that the book of mormon is historically accurate. The book of mormon has an internal map that matches key features in mexico, guatemala, and belize. Proof that the book of mormon is true, excerpt from. It is a book of scripture aimed at teaching people about christ and how to find happiness through the gospel.
This view finds no acceptance outside of mormonism in the broader scientific community. And to be less sardonic about the matter, this is also why direct evidence actually can sometimes di. One group of families came from jerusalem in 600 bc and afterward separated into two nations, known as the nephites and the lamanites. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. No direct geographical, archaeological or any other scientific field supports fictional narratives.
If the book of mormon is true, then joseph smith was a prophet. Many a learned person has asked the same thing about the bible or even the existence of god. There is no universal consensus among mormon scholars regarding the placement of these locations in the known world, other than somewhere in the americas. Proof that the book of mormon is true book of mormon facts. See my answers to questions about the book of mormon here. This argument discounts this vast field of study by calling scholars and investigators mere apologists. Book of mormon map and geography high def duration. The internal consistency of these descriptions is one of the striking features of the book of mormon. Book of mormon geography the encyclopedia of mormonism. Bill mckeever explains in a conference talk how the book of mormon, if made of gold plates, would have weighed around 200 pounds. However, after a fair and candid examination of the evidence, many thousands of honest mormons have discovered that this claim simply is not true. But reading in 3 nephi this morning made me change my mind.
Summary of book of mormon evidence and geography by steve. The prophet joseph smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of book of mormon civilizations in both north america and central america. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book. For one particular physical evidence, look no further than a plethora of archaeological sites. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. A popular traditional view among many latterday saint faithful covers much of north and south america. The new essay begins with this declarative statement. Non mormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence. Jan 29, 2019 the article concludes by emphasizing the churchs neutrality on book of mormon geography and quoting president russell m. In recent years, we have learned that several ancient documents were written in precisely that fashion. In the past, bmc has highlighted evidence for the book of mormon. Book of mormon geography mormonism, the mormon church.
For example, the spanish called the fruit of the prickly pear cactus a fig. Most who have studied the subject conclude that this signifies writing the hebrew language in modified egyptian characters. Like the church, book of mormon central bmc is officially geography neutral. Geographical issues related to dna and the book of mormon jump to subtopic. The church has been neutral when it comes to issues relating to book of mormon geography, as is fairmormon. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. A popular traditional view among many latterday saint faithful covers.
Response to the genetic challenge from book of mormon defenders book of mormon population models. Biblical lands and the book of mormon lands provides an important premise and solution for several geographical features and challenges noted in the book of mormon text. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. Proof of joseph smiths teachings on book of mormon geography. The book of mormon map described in alma chapter 22 has finally been deciphered.
Archaeological geographical issues mormonism research. As latterday saints know, making the two meet is no easy task. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model. Nonmormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. Home book of mormon science, ancient history, and the book of mormon national geographic society statement on the book of mormon national geographic society statement on the book of mormon language. Nov 17, 2014 the book of mormon map described in alma chapter 22 has finally been deciphered. The book of mormon is not intended to be a history book or a guide to geography, science, or any other secular topic. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, members and leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints have expressed numerous opinions about the specific locations of the events discussed in the book. The geographical setting of the book of mormon has been the subject of serious study and casual speculation since before the book was first published.
Nelson on the importance the books primary purposeto testify of jesus christ and his gospel. Book of mormondna evidencegeography issues fairmormon. The heartland is the place where it all happened, right under our very noses. This history contains information about the places they lived, including descriptions of landforms, natural features, and the distances and cardinal directions between important points. You cannot fit a continental geographical model to the text of the book of mormon. This argument discounts theories about the book of mormon civilization as models, but that is what every scientific theory, law, or conclusion is. Second, the only geographic model that fits the text of the book of mormon is a limited geographical model. Home true book of mormon geography lands western new york. Even though the mormon church formally denies endorsing any geographical theory regarding the location of book of mormon events, its many book of mormon editions, film strips, pamphlets and professors using images and references exclusively of the mesoamerican area speaks otherwise. What are the geographical assumptions upon which dnabased attacks on the book of mormon are based. First, the terms barley and wheat, as used in the book of mormon, may refer to certain other new world crop plants that were given old world designations. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. Is there any archeological evidence that the events in the. Sep 15, 2019 second, book of mormon authors rarely mentioned weather, and when mormon did alma 46.
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. Defenders of the book of mormon have made arguments that center on the idea that the book of mormon peoples from the middle east formed only a small contribution to the population of the americas, and that their genetic heritage may have been diluted beyond what can now be detected. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. Gods word is to be established by two or more witnesses 2 cor. Geographical references in the book of mormon refer to a land northward, a land southward, a narrow neck of land, a west sea, an east sea, rivers, valleys, lakes, forests, mountains, and other geographical features. Proof the book of mormon isnt true the book of mormon contradicts the bible and was actually a work of fiction written by joseph smith in the 1800s, who copied much of it from the king james version, trying to make it look like an ancient manuscript. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. It might be the funniest thing in the world to me when someone tells me with absolute certainty that the book of mormon isnt true after having admitted never actually reading the book themselves. Archaeological science versus claims of the book of mormon.
The book of mormon includes a history of an ancient people who migrated from the near east to the americas. The book of mormon purports to give an account of two civilizations formed by families who migrated to the americas. Both an approach to the book of mormon geography, february 2009 6 mediterranean california basin chile south africa australia mediterranean climates throughout the world. Speculation on the geography of the book of mormon may mislead instead of enlighten. Undeniable archaeological evidence of the book of mormon in. National geographic society statement on the book of mormon.
A book of mistakes, error, and fraud by jon gary williams introduction the mormon church promotes the book of mormon as an inspired writing. Plainly, a great deal remains to be learned about precolumbian america, and several new findings here seem relevant to the book of mormon. The final test of our views of book of mormon geography will be archaeological. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the shake. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. The articles linked below will describe the various.
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