The unidentified times and seasons editorialist seems to have favored modern central america as the setting for book of mormon events. My focus here is on realworld historicity and geography, following the evidence wherever it leads. Although evidence does not 100% validate this theory, there are many who believe it. Many latterday saints are used to thinking of the entire western hemisphere as the place where book of mormon events were played out. The fact that the mammoth elephant, horse, and ass were supposed to have been extinct in north america before book of mormon time has caused many to doubt, if not disbelieve, the books authenticity and divine origin. Although the musical satirizes organized religion and the literal credibility of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, the mormons in the book of mormon are portrayed as. During king noahs reign in the land of nephi, for instance, it mentions that he had planted vineyards round about in the land, had built winepresses, and made wine in abundance, thus he and his people became winebibbers mosiah 11. This fantastic tour includes all of the most important ruins that date back to book of mormon time. That sounds very much like the book of mormon to me. Published by page publishing, william peter midgleys engrossing book unravels the geography of the book of mormon from jerusalem to cumorah that has been hidden in plain sight since 1830. The book of mormon describes three migrations of people from the middle east to america. This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the good word. The best way to teach the book of mormon is with a fantasy map based on an interpretation that repudiates the teachings of the prophets about the new york cumorah. Evidence against the book of mormon is not just genetic.
Goodman is making hidden in the heartland, a new tv series that explores the possibility of events from the book of mormon happening in north america. See more ideas about book of mormon, mayan ruins and lds art. I have watched more than 20 hours of wayne may book of mormon lecture videos and conversed with both wayne may and rod meldrum in person. Book of mormon geography in joseph smiths day fairmormon. Readers can interpret the presence of horses in the book of mormon in a variety of different ways. Undeniable archaeological evidence of the book of mormon in north america. Many latterday saints are used to thinking of the entire western hemisphere as the place.
These covenant lands are in the borders of the prophetic. As noted, recent geographies by some church members promote this identification, but others consider upstate new york or south america the correct setting. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. Readers of the book of mormon may wonder, at times, where in the americas the events described took place. While there, we attended a small branch and became good friends with one of the members there. Mesoamericans in prespanish south america book of mormon. Author william peter midgleys book the north america model.
The fight over book of mormon geography deseret news. Critics of the book of mormon have argued that there are words and phrases in the book that are anachronistic with archaeological findings. Finally there is a way to really explore john sorensons book of mormon geography. The member invited us over for family home evening, and introduced us to the idea that the book of mormon happened in south america. Since the mayans and others of the western united states, mexico, central and south america have been found to have asian blood, this makes it unlikely that these lamanites are the original lamanites of the book of mormon. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful, and more. Although church members continue to discuss such theories today, the churchs only position is that the events the book.
Hinterlands lamanites in north, south, and central america. Apr 28, 2016 the book of mormon only mentions one beverage among the nephites and lamanites. Maps moronis america the north american setting for. For decades, i believed the book of mormon took place in central america specifically, mesoamerica. Wayne may presents the supporting evidence for the heartland model, that the book of mormon nephites and jaredites lived in north america.
The hinterlandshow can lamanites live in both north and south. Moronis america the book of mormon in north america. The lack of a population base in south america of the time of the book of mormon is also a major concern. Jan, 2016 undeniable archaeological evidence of the book of mormon in north america. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. A little more than 10 years ago, i was vacationing in hawaii with a few friends. These relate to artifacts, animal, plant, or technology that critics believe did not exist in the americas during the book of mormon time period before 2500 bc to about 400 ad.
Mar 26, 2016 the material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. Moronis america today in 1936, when lds scholars first began accepting the twocumorah theory, apostle joseph fielding smith warned the saints. Lehitours offers quality, personalized tours for cultural, religious, humanitarian, medical and recreational travel throughout the americas. A popular traditional view among many latterday saint faithful covers much of north and south america. In other words, since we believe main events of the book of mormon happened in a limited area of north america around the great lakes in the east, and ohio, indiana, iowa and missouri to the west, and south in tennessee, west virginia, georgia, and florida, all other areas will be discussed as the hinterlands. Any and all ancient or precolumbian ruins and artifacts found throughout north, central, and south america known as a hemispheric geography approach were quickly accepted as evidence of book of mormon peoples. The lord has established a free america to bless those who come unto it, but also to establish an atmosphere of freedom and protection of rights to enable the coming forth of the book of mormon and the restoration of the true gospel to the gentiles. Some believe that the history depicted in the book of mormon. A south american setting for book of mormon mormon matters. Michael coe, an archaeologist at yale university, said. Were the nephites and lamanites spread throughout both north and south america or did book of mormon events occur within a more confined area. Now with standing room only productions in london, on broadway, and across north america, the book of mormon has truly become an international sensation.
Some placed the nephite capital city zarahemla in mesoamerica, others in south america. The book of mormon is a real history, but we know nothing about where any events took place. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. Nov 22, 2007 the lack of a population base in south america of the time of the book of mormon is also a major concern. Joseph smith made several comments concerning book of mormon geography throughout his life which support both a north american setting1, and central american setting. May 26, 2018 in other words, since we believe main events of the book of mormon happened in a limited area of north america around the great lakes in the east, and ohio, indiana, iowa and missouri to the west, and south in tennessee, west virginia, georgia, and florida, all other areas will be discussed as the hinterlands. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. The legacy of the book of mormon is more intimately intertwined with the united states of america, the promised land of liberty, than originally thought. The only manner in knowing something beyond guesswork is to rely on written information of the period, cultures, and structures under investigationlike the bible for the middle east, or the book of mormon for the andean area of south america. The book of mormon only mentions one beverage among the nephites and lamanites. May 06, 2007 evidence against the book of mormon is not just genetic.
Stay in luxury as you see the most significant ruins in central america. Below is more detail about the above north american map of the book of mormon narrow pass. Because of this theory, he wrote, some members of the church have become confused and greatly disturbed in their faith in the book of mormon. Mountains in south america following their travels in the middle east.
Some believe that the history depicted in the book of mormon occurred in north america, while others believe that it occurred in central america or south america. The book of mormon is full of references to technologies and species that are known to have not existed in precolumbian america. Ferguson eeventually became convinced that the book of mormon is a work of fiction, whose contents bear no relationship to the reality of native american civilization prior to 385 ce. There is currently no evidence of a precolumbian written hieroglyphic language that existed in south america. Others argued for a setting in the american heartland. Made popular by his 1985 publication an ancient american setting for the book of mormon, sorensons geographic model for the book of mormon has withstood the test of time and remains the preeminent geographic model for book of mormon events. It is therefore vital to have a clear understanding of when these animals actually became extinct.
I do not doubt that great civilizations existed in south america, but the historical evidence of these cultures so far does not match up with the book of mormon the way the maya history does. In my opinion the events of the book of mormon began in florida area and went up into the heartland of north america. There is an inherent improbability in specific items that are mentioned in the book of mormon as having. The overall trend in the date over the past 175 years fits the expectations for the book of mormon as history rather than hoax.
For more on the relationship of dna studies and the book of mormon generally see ugo a. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. In a letter to emma while marching with zions camp in 1834. Manchester, ny a team of archaeologists excavating a drumlin known as mormon hill or the cumorah, in western new york, have discovered a set of gold plates which they believe could be linked to the founder of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, joseph smith jr.
Not only this, but he allowed several opinions of north, south, central, and hemispheric geography of the book of mormon to be published, taught, and republished without any correction. Apr 02, 2011 hardtofind mormon videos 10,297 views 23. Here i was introduced to the idea that the book of mormon is not a history of all of the people who have lived on the continents of north and south america in all ages of the earth. The book of mormon map of is supported by studies of the antiquities of mesoamerica as well as north and south america. The book of mormon does not say that the entire land northward resides in land occupied by the united states of america. The book of mormon contains many religious themes, most notably those of faith and doubt.
Apr 02, 2010 joseph smith made several comments concerning book of mormon geography throughout his life which support both a north american setting1, and central american setting. 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. It is therefore vital to have a clear understanding of when. Book of mormon archaeology in north america wayne n. Domesticated goats are known to have been introduced on the american continent by europeans in the 15th century, years after the conclusion of the book of mormon, and nearly 2000 years after goats are last mentioned in the book of mormon. Book of mormon geography the encyclopedia of mormonism. The hill cumorah in ontario county ny is the hill where joseph smith found the golden plates and is the same hill where the civilizations of the nephites cumorah and the jaredites ramah fought their last battles. The mention of horses among domesticated animals kept by book of mormon peoples has raised questions in some peoples minds, due to the prevailing view that horses were not found in the americas during precolumbian times. Jan 29, 2019 some believe that the history depicted in the book of mormon occurred in north america, while others believe that it occurred in central america or south america. The book of mormon lands will be dotted by pyramids.
Come join us for an adventure of a lifetime to explore firsthand, the beautiful world of guatemala, the land of the eternal spring, and other wonderful countries of central and south america, mexico, and the caribbean. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book. Traveling from the land of desolation in the north, to the land southward, we encounter the principal book of mormon lands of bountiful, zarahemla, and nephi. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. Although church members continue to discuss such theories today, the church takes no position on the geography of the book of mormon except that the events it describes took place. Since the days of joseph smith most saints believed that the book of mormon took place across the entire expanse of north and south america.
I think it makes a big difference where the book of mormon took place, for the reasons ive documented in all these posts. Could the book of mormon events have taken place in south. The book of mormon was translated by joseph smith the prophet from ancient records and gives an account of people who used to live in north and south america, and their wars and dealings with god. Mormon wrote of the lands of the lamanite mission in alma 22. This article uses the terms native american and american indian to refer to all the indigenous peoples of both north and south america. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. The heartland model or heartland theory of book of mormon geography states that the book of mormon events primarily occurred in the heartland of north america. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. This theoryreferred to as the hemispheric geography theory hgt posits that north america is the land northward, that south america is the land. Perego, is decrypting the genetic legacy of americas indigenous populations key to the historicity of the book of mormon.
As seen by science, the book of mormon is stronger today than it was in 1830, 1844, 1950, or even 2000, so i expect it will continue to become stronger in the future. Jun 01, 2009 a little more than 10 years ago, i was vacationing in hawaii with a few friends. The book of mormon land is in the us and not in south america theory that many support. The aggressive mountain goat is indigenous to north america. Clair river, andor land between lake st clair and lake erie detroit river, andor ew pass between lake erie and lake ontario near niagara falls, andor ew pass south of lake erie and north of the continental divide along the allegheny river near the narrow passage.
281 542 531 949 1218 855 553 1300 1573 456 1526 2 421 1289 264 1686 1487 1220 1030 647 1620 915 1637 454 1379 1468 907 1381 16 867 1160 868 944 1108 95 1355 1183 113