As started in the last post, there is a list of fifty scriptural references to the geography describing the Land of Promise in the Book of Mormon. The first 2o references were stated in the last post. For any Land of Promise model to bear any credibility, ALL fifty must be answered and shown to exist in the model. Here are the next twenty:21) Building of fortresses and fortifications (Alma 49:13; 62:42; Helaman 4:7)
22) Culture and society dominated by religion
23) Two different peoples coming by sea and moving into the central lands, one group to the north and one group to the south (Nephites and Lamanites)
24) These two groups joining each other for a time, then fracturing once again (4 Nephi 1:2-3; 38-39)
25) One group in the south settled the land suddenly and were more skilled, but a second group, further south, annihilated them (Nephites in the land Southward and Lamanites further south in area of first landing)
26) A central figure, and his honored father (parents) who was the ruler of the first settlers (Nephi the central figure and his honored father, Lehi)
27) The Land Northward containing at its northern end "many waters" of lakes, rivers, and fountains (Mormon 6:4)
28) Brothers coming to the Land of Promise as the first settlers and how they interacted with one another (Nephi, Sam, Laman and Lemuel)
29) The geographical settings showing why cities and lands were so divided in the Land of Promise even though the Nephites filled up the land from sea to sea (Helaman 3:8)
30) The long, narrow plain or valley between Zarahemla and Bountiful up which Coriantumr raced in his attempt at conquest (Helaman 1:27)
31) A single language spoken by the surviving Lamanites after the destruction of the Nephite nation (Moroni the last Nephite; Mormon 8:5, 7)
32) The ability to grow seeds of every kind brought by the Jaredites in their new land—the Land Northward (Ether 2:3)
33) The groanings of the earth and vibrations that so scared the Nephites (3 Nephi 10:19)
34) A series of devastating wars around 400 A.D. in which one group was either totally or almost totally annihilated (Mormon 6:11-15; 8:2, 7)
35) The appearance of a kindly, divine being after a period of darkness and devastation, who teaches light and truth of his ways and then disappears and is never seen again (3 Nephi 8:20-23; 10:9; 11:1,8)
36) A people of the Middle East, typically white skinned, bearded, and wearing flowing robes (as Jews typically looked in 600 B.C.) arrive or appear suddenly on the scene and are considered religious and spreaders of culture, then were eventually wiped out or disappeared (Nephites arrive in Land of Promise from Jerusalem, eventually destroyed by Lamanites)
37) A land where seams and cracks in the rocks and mountains can be found significant enough to be mentioned in religious and secular history (Helaman 14:22; 3 Nephi 8:18)
38) A sailing and shipping connection between the Land of Promise and a land to the North where Hagoth's ships landed (Alma 63:10; Helaman 3:14)
39) Four seas surrounding the Land of Promise (Helaman 3:8; Alma 22:32)
40) A land to the north of the Land of Promise where Nephite culture, skills, and evidences are to be found (Alma 63:4, 6-7)
(In the next post, Part III, the final ten references will be listed, along with other points that are strictly Hebrew culture, all of which are found in the Andean area)
Del,
ReplyDeleteI came across a website that makes critiques of the various theories.
Here is what he says about yours:
The ocean Lehi, Mulek, and Jared crossed did not directly border Book of Mormon lands (see Great Sea). Sadly, his entire model is outside of the fulfilled land prophecy zone, having zero regard for official church history, church canon, and LDS prophets, apostles, and Book of Mormon witnesses who said the Hill Cumorah in Western New York was THE PLACE WHERE THE FINAL BATTLES OCCURRED.
Another retiree has wasted his time and money.
He shows a map of what the "Book of Mormon Geography" should look like. It can be found here:
http://bookofmormongeography.org/book-of-mormon-geography-map
Would you take a few minutes and maybe explain why his map is or is not correct.. and also why his statement concerning your model does not ring true.
Thanks so much.
Paul
Thank you for your question. This is the H38Virus theory. To my knowledge in studying all his posted work, I do not know his name, background, or credentials to make the statements he does. As to his theory, or map, he uses one verse in all of the scriptural record (Helaman 3:8) to claim that the Land Northward was surrounded by water, including having a South Sea. The sad thing is, he ignores ALL other scripture indicating the geography of the Book of Mormon. Helaman, in writing that verse of the expansion of the Nephites into the Land Northward, which began in Alma 63, about 10 years earlier, had climaxed with a major emigration into the Land Northward in about 46 BC found in Helaman 3:8. Mormon, 400 years later, is abridging Helaman's comments, and indicates, from a future perspective (about 380 AD or so) that the children of Lehi (with their expansion into the Land Northward mentioned in Alma and Helaman) had now spread all across the Land of Promise, from the north sea to the south sea, from the east sea to the west sea. However, this individual wants to limit the Land of Promise to the Land Northward, claiming that is the United States--more importantly, the Great Lakes and Northeast U.S. The problem with his and all such theories of that area, is that he relies on comments made by church people in the 1840s to the 1890s--when the geographical understanding of the Land of Promise was basically the Land Southward was South America, the Land Northward was North America, and the Narrow Neck of Land was Central America (remember, these people and leaders were far more interested in the doctrinal information of the BOM than the geography--using geography [that is, the ruins found in Central America] as a means of proving an advanced civilization [the Nephites] existed in that era). However, not long after this period, or toward the end of this period, you will find that Church Leaders stopped making such comments because the previous ones were merely individual guesses made by individual people who were not inspired to make them--and were no longer sustainable. But if we must insist on using early leaders, the only one that matters is what Joseph Smith said, and that is that Lehi landed at the 30º south latitude in Chile. As a sidenote, this individual used a map of mine that is not one showing the Land of Promise, which I have as surrounded by water. It was showing the island the Nephites were on (2 Nephi 10:20) was along the coast of a continent that was then (600 B.C. era) underwater except for a strip of land along the west coast, including southern Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, western Bolivia, and northern Chile. Geologists all agree that this area was once all that was above water of this continent. The person who chose to use only 1/2 of the map knew what he was doing, and did so to misrepresent my map of the "isle of the sea" Jacob spoke about and Nephi recorded. Because he did that and posted only 1/2 of my map, others, like you, are misinformed as to the original intent of my map. I call that disingenuous to a high degree. By the way, this information regarding Helaman 3:8 is on several of my earlier posts and the information about the H38 virus will be on the fourth post from the one today entitled "The So-Called H38 Virus Part I". I have four such posts upcoming about the H38 virus this person uses as his theme--my parts I through IV--an image associated with Part IV shows the two maps I used. I hope this answers your question. If not, read those 4 upcoming posts, and if you still have a question on it, write again.
ReplyDeleteDel,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your comment. I just have to say that as a beginner here.. just having started reading your books, I do not have the time invested nor the knowledge you do. I figured that rather than reading all the books first, I would just quickly ask you the question knowing that you could quickly find the answer for me.
Again.. thank you for being so prompt.
Paul
Paul. No problem. Any time.
ReplyDelete