Questions I Would Like to Ask – Part V

Using strictly the scriptures, I would like to ask the following questions of those many Theorists who claim their pet theories about the location of the Land of Promise are consistent with the scriptural record. 
    This fifth question is directed to John L. Sorenson, and all those Mesoamerican Theorists who claim the Land of Promise was located in Mesoamerica:
    5. “Using your model of the Land of Promise, what makes you think that the beleaguered Nephite Army, having retreated all across the entire Land of Promise from the Land of Zarahemla (Mormon 1:10) clear to the Land Northward before an overwhelming Lamanite army they had seldom been able to stand against in battle, would suddenly decide to stop and fight a final battle when they could have continually retreated northward into Mexico and the area of present day United States?”

If Mesoamerica was the Land of Promise, then it was foolhardy for Mormon to stand and fight a battle against overwhelming odds when he had all of Mexico and North America into which he could have kept retreating
    5a. In addition, a follow-up question would be “Why did those who escaped from this battle at Cumorah travel south (Mormon 6:15), into Lamanite-controlled land rather than flee northward into Mexico and the U.S.?”
    First, the Nephites had been retreating toward the north countries (Mormon 2:3) before the Lamanite forces for most of the time between 327 and 385 A.D.--a period of 58 years!
    Second, Even where they heavily fortified themselves in cities, the Lamanites overran them and drove them out (Mormon 2:4-5).
    Third, it became one great revolution throughout all the face of the land between the Nephites and the Lamanites and Robbers (Mormon 2:8).
    Fourth, thousands of Nephites were killed in these battles by 344 A.D. (Helaman 2:15).
    Fifth, as a result of these battles, the Lamanites continued to drive the Nephites northward (Mormon 2:20).
    Sixth, after some severe battles where the Nephites proved stalwart and held their ground, the Lamanites and Nephites divided the land between them in 349 A.D., with the Nephites getting the Land Northward and the Lamanites obtaining all the Land Southward with the narrow pass the dividing line Mormon 2:29).
    Seventh, after a ten-year hiatus, the Lamanites attacked once again. Mormon gathered all his people into the City of Desolation, near the narrow pass and defeated the Lamanites over the next two years, leading to the Nephites attacking the Lamanites and suffering a major defeat (Mormon 4:2).
    Eighth, thousands were slain on both sides during the next several battles (Mormon 4:9), and the superior-sized Lamanite forces drove the Nephites out of the City of Desolation, captured many women and children and sacrificed them to their idols (Mormon 4:15, 21).
    Ninth, the Lamanites drove the Nephites out of their cities and the Nephites retreated northward, taking all the inhabitants with them that they could gather in (Mormon 4:23).

Tenth, after a successful stand, another Lamanite attack in 379 A.D. drove the Nephites backward, and “whastsoever lands they had passed by, and the inhabitants thereof were not gathered in, were destroyed by the Lamanites and their towns and villages and cities were burned” (Mormon 5:5).
    Eleventh, by 380 A.D., so great were the numbers of the Lamanites, that the Nephites could no longer make any stand against them, and “they did tread the people of the Nephites under their feet” (Mormon 5:6).
    Twelveth, the Nephites again took flight northward “and those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites’ did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites’ were swept down and destroyed” (Mormon 5:7).
    Thirteenth, the Nephites were continually “marching forth before the Lamanites” (Mormon 6:1), and it was at this time that Mormon decided to make a stand at Cumorah (Mormon 6:4), where he hoped to gain some advantage over the Lamanites, though he knew it would be the “last struggle” of his people (Mormon 6:6).
    Fourteenth, by 384 A.D., all the Nephites were in this Land of Cumorah, which lay within the area Mormon described as a Land of Many Waters, Fountains and Rivers (Mormon 6:4).
    Fifteenth, the Lamanite army was so large, far more numerous than the Nephite army, that the Nephites experienced that “awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked” (Mormon 6:7) as the Lamanites approached.

With their backs to the wall at Cumorah, they still could have continued to retreat northward. There was clear passage along both coasts, and the central area is mostly high plateau flat land, easy to travel across
    At this point, two unbelievable things happened: 1) The Nephites stood and fought, knowing they had no chance against such superior forces, knowing they, their wives and children would be cut down and, no doubt many sacrificed to dumb idols, and 2) those few who chose to run, headed south—into heavily controlled Lamanite lands. Yet, to their backs, lay thousands of square miles of country in which to flee, in which to try and save themselves and their families.
    There is no rhyme or reason to such an act. No military leader (or any person) would voluntarily sacrifice his entire army if there was a possible means of escape.
    So we ask again, “Using your model of the Land of Promise, what makes you think that the beleaguered Nephite Army, having retreated all across the entire Land of Promise from the Land of Zarahemla (Mormon 1:10) clear to the Land Northward before an overwhelming Lamanite army they had seldom been able to stand against in battle, would suddenly decide to stop and fight a final battle when they could have continually retreated northward into Mexico and the area of present day United States?”and also, “Why did those who escaped from this battle at Cumorah travel south (Mormon 6:15), into Lamanite-controlled land rather than flee northward into Mexico and North America?"