GRAMPS,
Thanks for answering, but what is the tale? Kimball is quoted in the J. of D. V 4 PG 105 as making the statement of the vision, and as to sticking with what Joseph has said, in 1843 he was editor in chief of the church newspaper, and said that the towns described in a book of travels by John Stephens in 1841 to Central America and Mexico, that one of the cities was Zarahemla. He Also identified in the Oct 1 1842 Times and Seasons 3 927, the names of other Nephite cities such as Palenque and Quirigua. What do you have that Joseph said that is contrary to that? You suggested that we stick to what Joseph has said, and I refer you to “Teachings” pg 267, where Joseph says Lehi—landed a little south of the Isthmus of Darien”, which would put a Central American location for the Nephite colonies, and particularly the hill Cumorah. Also, two new books, one by John Lund, and the other by Sorensen, concerning the geography of the B. of M. are very convincing as to the Mexico, Guatemala location for the Book of Mormon events.
True, the church has never identified a B of M. location, and probably won’t, but the prevailing scholastic opinion is now leaning very strongly toward Central America.
In conclusion, your answers are usually quite lengthy and good, but the one on visiting the cave leaves people with the idea that the New York site once contained “wagon loads of gold plates”.
BRUCE
Dear Bruce,
“In conclusion, your answers are usually quite lengthy and good, but the one on visiting the cave leaves people with the idea that the New York site once contained “wagon loads of gold plates”.”
That is exactly the conclusion that I wanted to leave with the message. I don’t see why you people can’t get it through your heads that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that he had frequent contact with angels, and that he probably knew more than any other prophet who ever lived, AND THAT HE TOLD THE HEAVEN-INFORMED TRUTH !! –scientific theory to the contrary not withstanding !! Joseph Smith identified the hill in New York State known as Cumorah as the hill Cumorah mentioned in the Book of Mormon, and it was in that very hill where he and Oliver Cowdery were conducted into a large room where they saw “many wagon loads of plates (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 19, p.38).”
True, the prehistoric cultures in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, including Palenque and Quirigua, are vestiges of the Nephite culture, but no Hill Cumorah has been identified among them. True, that Lehi’s colony PROBABLY landed on the coast of South America, but since evidences of their culture are all over South, Central and North America it is a gross stab in the dark to assume that since the Nephites probably landed in South America that the hill Cumorah is somewhere in Central America!!
You probably have not heard of the little-known Jamacoaque culture that existed along the coast of Ecuador. It is reputed by archaeologists to have existed from 600 BC to 400 AD. If we had any confidence in their time line that would have been a significant and telling time period.
You guys believe more in man’s telestial scientific theories that you do in the word of God. I’ve spent my life in the field of science–my last assignment was as the Chief Scientist for one of the divisions of TRW, the largest spacecraft manufacturing firm in the U.S. And you would be very surprised at the limitations of the scientific method, and the gross errors that are embedded in the current scientific philosophy. I just wrote a book on “The Demise of Darwinism.” The prehistoric time line following Darwin’s theory that scientists use today is absolutely full of holes and is grossly inaccurate. Please rescue yourself from the trap of judging the prophets by the scientists rather than judging the scientists by the prophets, as it should be done.
Gramps
