Many a learned person has asked the same thing about the. Sorenson claims that there is fossil evidence that some new world horses may have survived the. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. Peterson, a noted scholar and lecturer, provides an intriguing look at the evidences that support the book of mormon as an ancient. Interesting as these matters may be, study of the book of mormon is most rewarding when one focuses on its primary purpose. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. Prophets who taught of the messiah were called from among this people for over a. Biblical archaeology can be studied because we do know where. Nonmormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence. This is explained in the opening verses of the first chapter of jacob and in the words of mormon. The book of mormon, the founding document of the latter day saint movement and one of the four books of scripture of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church, is an account of three groups of people. Yorgason begins this narrative by sharing his initial personal encounter with reading the book of mormon, as well as his own experience of reading the book, years later, on a long flight to the land where lehi and nephi begin their account. The book of mormon mentions several animals, plants, and technologies for which there is no evidence in precolumbian america.
According to the book, two of these groups originated from ancient israel. However, the book of mormon has been scientifically proven to be false which means joseph smith was a gross liar and received no revelation from god. Miraculous claims surrounding the coming forth of the book of mormon are an evidence of the prophetic calling of joseph smith. Dna evidence and the book of mormon conclusive proof. The book of mormon claims to be a volume of holy scripture comparable to the bible. Hugh nibley and book of mormon geography by kirk magleby. Peterson, mounting evidence for the book of mormon, ensign, january 2000, 19,excerpt. As always, i invite you to study the issues, evaluate what we know and what we dont know, and pray for the guidance. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. The great strength of the book is that it provides a wellargued perspective based on the geology of natural disasters that is new to the analysis of the book of mormonone that adds to the reality of book of mormon events and opens new doors for potential research and understanding of the geography of the book of mormon. Dna and the book of mormon the traditional latterday saint position t he book of mormon recounts the story of a small israelite group led by lehi and also one headed by mulek from ancient jerusalem to the american continent in approximately 600 bc.
Another way to look at this is from the burden of proof perspective. So what we have in the book of mormon is a far cry from a detailed history. Each year at its annual book of mormon lands conference, the book of mormon archaeological forum gives the father lehi award and the mother sariah award to a couple who have contributed significantly to. In this episode, dave tackles one of the most common questions people have about the book of mormon. The book of mormon for more than 170 years, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints has declared the book of mormon to be a scriptural and literal history. A discussion of the arabian, or old world, geography of the book of mormon enjoys many advantages over discussion of new world matters. A contemporary mormon view is that these civilizations rose and fell in mesoamerica. If the book is accurate, archaeologists would expect to find numerous pieces of hard evidence in central america that confirm the presence of these societies.
Hugh nibley and book of mormon geography book of mormon. The new essay begins with this declarative statement. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. Contrary to the claims of our critics, there are impressive findings that make it difficult to explain away the book of mormon as a nineteenthcentury fraud from joseph smith. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. Civilizations of their magnitude and duration would be expected to leave extensive archaeological records. Book of mormon thought false by lds memberarchaelogist. Tell us exactly what would be necessary to show that the book of mormon. Wayne mays twopart presentation at the november 20 vernal, ut book of mormon evidence conference.
A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. Today we will talk about some common criticisms of the book of mormon around archaeological evidence that some say proves or disproves the truthfulness of the book of mormon. A popular traditional view among many latterday saint faithful covers. Het eerste wat opvalt aan the book of mormon, is het waanzinnige tempo waarin wordt gespeeld en het verbluffend hoge niveau van alle. The book of mormon, combined with the spirit, is the greatest witness one has of the truthfulness of the church of jesus christ of latterday. Presumably, lds scholars and educators accept the canonized scriptures as. 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. Speaking of the book s history and geography, president russell m. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. Proof that the book of mormon is true, excerpt from. Both the bible and the book of mormon declare themselves to. Joseph smith even used what he saw as evidence of the book of mormon for both a north american setting, and a central american setting in the very same article.
However, additional evidences of the divinity of this book also exist. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. The journal of book of mormon studies is a scholarly journal devoted to the latest research on the book of mormon, including articles on the geography, names, terms, and events in the book of mormon, as well as archaeological finds in the old world and the new world. Sorenson claims that there is fossil evidence that some new world horses may have survived. Revelation or fabrication, challenges to the book of mormon a missionary tool for all. Joseph smiths statements regarding book of mormon geography. What exactly would constitute proof of absence of evidence supporting the book of mormon.
We at book of mormon christian believe that if you take the record alone without any alleged statements by joseph. Russell ballard of the quorum of the twelve apostles of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints addresses the question of. The book of mormon describes migrations of people from the middle east to central america, and further describes some features of their civilizations in the new world. Notice i wrote wrote, not authored, because joseph dictated these words. Is there any proof that the book of mormon is true.
The material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. The first of these peoples, called jaredites, are supposed to have come to. The scientific search for nephite remains mormons in. We dont have the plates with us at this time, so even they cannot substantiate the claims of the historical accuracy of the book of mormon.
Archaeological proof of the book of mormon lds blogs. Where can i find evidence of the people in the book of mormon. Book of mormon geography in joseph smiths day book of. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. This is another in my series of article on challenging questions that missionaries will likely face. Proof that the book of mormon is true book of mormon facts. In fact, several mormon organizations have been founded in order to prove these very. The book of mormon contains records directly taken from this second, smaller set of plates, as well as an abridgment of the larger record. At least they are not wed in reality since no book of mormon location is known with reference to modern topography. This page is a continuation of book of mormon evidences, part one and part two. The fact is proven with final and irrefutable evidence that joseph smith wrote the fictitious tale in the early 19th century and founded the lds church what he falsely claimed was revelation from god. Roberts on the view of the hebrews parallels with the book of mormon emphasis mine. Book of mormon evidences, part 3 presents further evidence supporting the book of mormon as an ancient document. Dna vs book of mormon incredible new evidence youtube.
That is among the most securely established facts in. Chief among these is the fact that we know we certainty where the story beginsin old world jerusalem. In 1841 joseph smith read stephens incidents of travel in central america. Although historians and archaeologists consider the book to be an anachronistic invention of joseph smith, many members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church and other denominations of the latter day saint movement believe that it.
The plates, the translation, and the witnesses for a brief period in the late 1820s, the prophet joseph smith did indeed possess the gold plates. Dna evidence of the book of mormon in north america, linking native americans to the jewish population in the middle east. The geographical setting of the book of mormon is the set of locations of the events described in the book of mormon. There is no universal consensus among mormon scholars regarding the placement of these locations in the known world, other than somewhere in the americas. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted to find archaeological evidence to support it. Book of mormon archaeology in north america book of. It is our assertion that the heartlands of the book of mormon peoplesthe nephites, the lamanites, the jaredites and the people of mulek. Dna and the book of mormon brigham young university. Archaeological science versus claims of the book of mormon. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. In 1975, he submitted a paper to a symposium about book of mormon geography outlining the failure of archaeologists to find old world plants, animals, metals, and scripts in mesoamerica. The book of mormon is true and could have only happened in north america. According to the church of jesus christ of latterday saints mormon church, the book of mormon is a divinely inspired revelation that is complimentary to the bible.
T he book of mormon is advertized by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints as another testament of jesus christ and specifically of the account of his supposed visit to the american continent the book of mormon, 3 nephi 11. Appendix from the book a promised land, the land of promise located at. Nothing can take the place of a spiritual witness that the book of mormon is true. The book of mormon is really there so one can have book of mormon studies, and archaeology is really there so one can study archaeology, but the two are not wed. And then the book of mormon, unlike anything in the five books of the torah, is told in a kind of flat first person. An approach to the book of mormon geography a land choice above all other lands lynn and david rosenvall, march 2009 the book of mormon story happened somewhere. Without finding something like a placard that reads nephi slept here. There is generally no direct support amongst mainstream historians and archaeologists for the. To be up front about the answer, there is no proof of either the nephites or the lamanites beyond the golden plates given to joseph smith to translate which gave us the book of mormon. Is there scientific proof authenticating the book of mormon.
The book of mormon is een ware verademing het parool. Subtitled another testament of jesus christ, it recounts the story story of an israelite family who immigrated to and fully populated the american continents. Since the smithsonian says there is no archaeological proof supporting the claims of the book of mormon, the papyrus used to write the book of abraham was nothing more than a funerary text having. More to the point, not only is well, absence of proof is not proof of absence flung around as a convenient dodge of the hard questions surrounding the book of mormon, let us ask this. Non mormon archaeologists speak on book of mormon evidence. 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. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. We believe all that god has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of god. In other words book of mormon peoples would have looked like, lived like, and acted like the native american cultures that inhabited book of mormon lands. Dna and the book of mormon explained fulllength video. Sadly, all other book of mormon believing denominations are following the lead of the lds church and believe in a mesoamerican model as well. First published in 1830, the book of mormon tells of the transoceanic migrations of two ancient near eastern peoples to the americas. Printed in canada first edition, isbn 9780981146720. It is altogether probable that these two bookspriests wonders of nature and providence, 1824.
In this inspiring and informative presentation, dr. For one particular physical evidence, look no further than a plethora of archaeological sites. According to joseph smith and subsequent presidents and apostles of the lds church, the geographical extent of book of mormon lands included virtually all of north and south america. Archaeological evidence of the book of mormon latterday. Employing the word cement was cited as anachronistic proof of the book of mormon s fabrication. There is the proof that you can receive from the father when we read, study, ponder, and pray about the book of mormon and ask to know if it is true in the name of jesus christ, by the power of the holy ghost. He also considered the book of mormon to be superior to the bible. Unless otherwise indicated, bible quotations are taken from the king james version. Is there archaeological evidence for the book of mormon.
Roberts wrote a letter in 1932 citing a few sources for cement work that predated the book of mormon s publication, but this information was highly obscure until the middle of the 20 th century. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints released a statement today concerning the geography of the book of mormon in the form of a new gospel topics essay titled book of mormon geography. Downloads book of mormon evidence the book of mormon. And, with more study, the books sturdiness and richness and the remarkable accomplishment of its translator, the prophet joseph smith, become more apparent.
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