The Northward Course of Hagoth’s Ships

“And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceedingly curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the narrow neck which led into the land northward. And behold there were many of the Nephites who did enter therein and did sail forth with much provisions, and also many women and children; and they took their course northward” (Alma 63:5-6).

One would think that it would be impossible for anyone to read this statement in Alma and not accept the fact that the ship Hagoth built sailed NORTHWARD.

Yet, Mesoamerican Theorists, always ones to cloud the issue with unsupportable ideas, find that statement means something entirely different. The following map shows one of the interpretations of this clear and simple scripture actually having Hagoth’s ship sailing due west….that is DUE WEST. The course laid in is 500 miles due west, then 200 miles due north.
The other parts of this map show the Land of Zarahemla mostly west of the Land of Nephi, and the Land of Bountiful nowhere near the sight where Hagoth’s ships sailed. The map also shows that Hagoth’s ship sailed from a spot closer to the Land of Zarahemla than the Land of Desolation. All of this is contrary to the simple description set out in Alma 63. In addition, on his map, the Land of Desolation is due west of the Land of Bountiful, and mostly west of the Land of Zarahemla, which is contrary to Alma 22.

What is even more astounding than the Mesoamerican Theorists unsupportable model when looking at scripture, is the fact that so many Church members have bought into this Mesoamerican model. One would think that even the mot cursory reading of the Book of Mormon, especially Alma, would show the fallacy of such a map and model, and discredit the Mesoamerican area as the Land of Promise once and for all.

Once in a while, one has to wonder if these Mesoamerican Theorists have actually read the Book of Mormon.