Understanding The Great And Abominable Church Foretold In The Book Of Mormon; Is Islam A Part Of It?

One of the more intriguing and controversial prophecies for our day published in the Book of Mormon is the account of a great and abominable church that would encompass all the Gentile nations. While the church itself is not identified by name, its characteristics are described in 1 Nephi 13. Here's an excerpt:

4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church.

5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.

6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.

7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.

8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.

9 And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.

When I first read this passage at the age of nine, I immediately thought of the Roman Catholic Church. After all, they have a relatively bloody early history, having launched crusades and inquisitions, and sold indulgences (come unto me and for your money I will forgive you of your sins). But history also shows that the Roman Catholic Church began to clean up its act after Martin Luther launched the Reformation, and today, with the exception of the pedophile priest scandal, the Roman Catholic Church is generally a force for good.

There's also another reason why I don't believe the Roman Catholic Church qualifies as The Great And Abominable Church. Verses in 1 Nephi 14 state there will be effectively only two churches in the latter days:

9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.

10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the bother is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over ball the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.

13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.

14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.

15 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth.

In this case, "two churches" may be descriptive of two different worldwide socio-political systems preparing to clash head on. Verse 13 seems to refer to Joseph Smith's 1844 Prophecy, which implies a global invasion of the United States led by Russia and China. In addition, the "church of the Lamb of God" may not necessarily be exclusively Mormon; included in its ranks will be men and women of good will who worship differently, but they will share prevailing LDS values on marriage, sexuality, and culture.

The LDS Church takes no official position on the prospective identity of the "great and abominable church". Some early Saints such as Orson Pratt and Bruce R. McConkie opined that the Roman Catholic Church fit the description, but this reference was removed from the second edition of McConkie's Mormon Doctrine.

It appears that one component of the future "church of the devil" is manifesting itself right now. Israel has been battling this malevolent force since 1948. America was spectacularly victimized by this evil on September 11th, 2001. And right now, Nigeria is being victimized by this force. It's called Islam, and Satan is firmly in the driver's seat. Just as Communism was the great evil of the 20th century, so Islam is becoming the great evil of the 21st century. Whether it's Mali, Nigeria, Chechnya, wherever Islam goes, barbarity and death inevitably follow. Although not all Muslims are evil, Islam infrastructurally has become a cancer upon humanity. It's time to be truthful about Islam; we cannot effectively fight an enemy if we lie about it. Nigeria is the last straw.

Attacking Syria Would Be Wrong; Book Of Mormon Cautions Us Against Waging Offensive War

The proposal by Barack Obama and some European allies to bomb Syria because of reports that the Syrian government used poison gas against its citizens has foundered upon the shoals of reality. There is no firm proof that President Assad ordered the use of chemical weapons. There's even suspicion that the rebels themselves used the gas and deployed it to make it appear as if the government had launched the attack. The British Parliament refused to give Prime Minister David Cameron permission to order British forces to participate in an attack upon Syria.

But even if it is found that the Syrian government did originate the gas attack, does that make it our fight? Absolutely not -- Syria has not attacked American soil, American citizens, or American interests anywhere. Thus an American attack upon Syria would be an aggressive act of imperialism, much like our unprovoked carpet bombing of Serbia in 1999.

While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has avoided taking any official position on the propriety of America's incessant wars, the Book of Mormon cautions people against engaging in offensive war. One of the best examples occurs during the epitaph of the organized Nephite nation -- just before the Lamanites began to sweep them off the earth just as the morning dew is swept off before the sun. Around 361-362 A.D., the Nephites and the Lamanites were battling over possession of the city of Desolation, which belonged to the Nephites by treaty. Here's the account of what happened from Mormon 3:7-15:

7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.

8 And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did come down again to battle. And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea.

9 And now, because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies.

10 And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and would cut them off from the face of the land.

11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.

12 Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts.

13 And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and they have repented not of their sins.

14 And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying:

15 Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth.

As long as the Nephites were willing to fight only in the defense of their lands and families, the Lord was willing to give them just enough strength to defeat the Lamanites, notwithstanding how totally wicked and depraved the Nephites had become. But when the Nephites swore to avenge the blood of their brethren, and to invade Lamanite territory for the purpose of cutting the Lamanites off from the face of the earth (extermination), they crossed the line from defensive warfare to offensive warfare -- and sealed their doom. Just 23 years later in 385 A.D., the Lord had his "vengeance" at Cumorah, when the Lamanites killed 230,000 Nephites and destroyed them as an organized nation.

In response to a similar post on this subject by Jeff Lindsay on Mormanity, Morgan Deane opined that the Book of Mormon doesn't contain a blanket prohibition against offensive warfare. For example, beginning in Alma 50:25, Moroni sent Teancum and his forces to chase down Morianton and his people who were attempting to flee north after being stymied in their effort to attack the people of Lehi. But the reason Moroni wanted to stop Morianton is that if he and his people had successfully escaped north, the Nephites would have been surrounded by enemies. Morianton's people posed a threat to Nephite security.

In contrast, Syria poses no threat to American security. The example I cited from Mormon 3:7-15 still strongly implies that the Lord is opposed to aggressive or offensive war.

Ordinary LDS Member Presents Faith-Promoting Video Documenting 30 Things You Should Know About The Book Of Mormon

An interesting video about the Book of Mormon was linked on LDS Freedom Forum. This is not one of those sanitized "I Am A Mormon" videos that are featured on Mormon.org and are weighted towards celebrities. This video is from an ordinary, unassuming, slightly geeky Latter-day Saint man who merely wanted to share his testimony of the Book of Mormon in a logical and scholarly manner. His baby daughter is cute and it looks like she tries to share her own testimony in her own inimitable fashion at certain points on the video. Don't laugh -- babies were with our Heavenly Father much more recently than the rest of us, and the veil between them and the spirit world is still somewhat translucent. The video is entitled "30 Things You Should Know About The Book of Mormon":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHx9cs0syyQ



I watched the first 10 minutes of this nearly-20 minute video, and that was enough to impress me, although I don't intend to list all 30 things he cites. One of the strongest arguments he uses to advance the Book of Mormon is geography, which he characterizes as plausible, accurate, and consistent. Details about Arabian geography cited in the Book of Mormon, which were personally unknown to Joseph Smith at the time, have since been further validated by scientific research. In addition, geographical references are consistent throughout the entire Book of Mormon -- the narrow neck of land, the narrow pass, seas East and West. He uses language from the Book of Mormon to support his advocacy of the Mesoamerican Theory, noting that nowhere in the Book of Mormon is snow mentioned while it does document instances of extreme heat during the winter (which does not take place in more northern climes). The LDS Church takes no official theological position as to the location of the Book of Mormon lands. The videographer also inserts helpful supporting references and links throughout the video. My October 2009 post entitled "A Brief Overview Of The Primary Book Of Mormon Geography Theories: Why The Case For The Tehuantepec Mesoamerica Theory Appears Strongest" discusses this and other prevailing theories.

The videographer also addresses the video on his own personal blog, Gently Hew Stone. He also launched a discussion on the Debating Christianity & Religion forum, but it was not well-received because there is considerable anti-Mormon bias on that forum. Nevertheless, for someone who does not profess to be a professional intellectual, the videographer did a fine job of defending the Book of Mormon, effectively balancing the intellectual with the spiritual. He even mentioned that there was evidence of correspondence between the Jaredites and the Olmecs -- something I didn't know.

But I suspect the real star of the video was that cute baby girl. LOL!

Glenn Beck Cites Book Of Mormon As Evidence The World Is In The End Times During His June 14th Radio Show

During the third hour of his radio show on Friday June 14th, 2013, LDS entertainer Glenn Beck cited the Book of Mormon as evidence that the world is about to enter the end times before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He cited examples of ritualistic cannibalism as described in Moroni chapter 9 verses 8 and 10, where Lamanites and Nephites alike would eat the hearts of their vanquished enemies out of the belief that this would give them courage, and linked it to similar practices taking place during the civil war currently in Syria. Beck cited the example of a Syrian rebel soldier who was filmed ripping out the heart of a vanquished government soldier and eating it. Here's the segment where Beck cites the Book of Mormon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8jzPwlOXq4



The Money Shot: "I happen to believe in another book called 'The Book of Mormon,' and in it, in the very end is the story of the Americas. And it's only a story of 'watch for these things.' It is really a calendar, that's all it is. Watch for these things and you will know".

At times, Glenn Beck may seem like a huckster whose style of discourse puts off those who are more intellectually inclined. But his testimony of the Book of Mormon is rock solid, and if he was to discuss the secret combinations in the Book of Mormon and describe their equivalents today, he would gain more credibility with much of the LDS community. LDS Freedom Forum gives Beck a thumbs-up.

Book Of Mormon Stories: Zerahemnah A Lamanite With Integrity, Initially Refuses To Make An Oath He Knows He Will Break In The Future

This post is written more to the level of someone who has limited familiarity with the Book Of Mormon. While the primary purpose of this blog is to tell the whole story of Mormonism, albeit through the perspective of a believer, it is also my desire that people come to a knowledge and understanding of the powerful truths that are contained within the Book of Mormon. Even if you elect not to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at this time, there is no reason you cannot accept the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ.

Throughout much of the Book of Mormon, the Lamanites are the designated "bad guys" and the Nephites the designated "good guys". The Lamanites would frequently launch invasions of the Nephite homeland, usually coinciding with periods when the Nephites failed to live up to the principles of the Gospel they were given. While the Lamanites would initially prevail, the Nephites would repent of their sins, call upon the Lord for assistance, and drive the Lamanites out of their land. But the fact is, the Lamanites did exhibit some positive characteristics from time to time.

Around 74 B.C., a large Lamanite army invaded the Nephite homeland once again. While the leader of the army, Zerahemnah, was a Lamanite, he had appointed subordinate leaders from the ranks of Nephite dissenters who had joined the Lamanites because they were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites; Zerahemnah wanted his army totally stoked up with hate. Initially the Lamanites prevailed, but the Nephites had appointed a brilliant 25-year-old military strategist named Moroni to command the Nephite forces. Eventually, the Nephites prevailed. As the Nephites were mopping up on the battlefield, Moroni encountered Zerahemnah, and extended to him the customary peace offer: Give up your weapons, make an oath that you will not attack us again, and we'll permit you to depart in peace. This had always worked in the past.

But Zerahemnah reacted differently this time; he was tired of the hypocrisy of Lamanite leaders constantly making peace oaths and then turning around and breaking them. From Alma 44:

8 And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter, and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold, here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you, but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will perish or conquer.

9 Behold, we are not of your faith; we do not believe that it is God that has delivered us into your hands; but we believe that it is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords. Behold, it is your breastplates and your shields that have preserved you.

10 And now when Zerahemnah had made an end of speaking these words, Moroni returned the sword and the weapons of war, which he had received, unto Zerahemnah, saying: Behold, we will end the conflict.

Yes, Zerahemnah was a "bad guy", but he showed integrity. He obviously considered his word to be his bond, and wasn't about to throw it away disingenuously. Likewise, Moroni responded with similar integrity, giving his Lamanites back their weapons before resuming the conflict. He didn't have to do that. Finally, after Zerahemnah lost his scalp to a Nephite swordsman, he decided he was indeed licked, and made the required oath. And he apparently kept it; the Book of Mormon records nothing further of him.

This shows that while the Lamanites were indeed wicked, they sinned primarily in ignorance, driven by the traditions of their ancestors. In contrast, the Nephites, having received the fulness of the Gospel available at the time, sinned against the light when they fell into transgression. The final chapter of this distinction was played out at Cumorah in 384 A.D., when 230,000 Nephites lost their lives in a final battle against the Lamanites, resulting in the end of the organized Nephite nation. The Lord distinguishes between ignorance and malevolence.

The LDS Church has also produced a series of Book of Mormon stories in print and in audio which are geared more towards children. Nevertheless, anyone can benefit from them.

Countering Revisionist Attacks On Christopher Columbus: Did You Know That Book Of Mormon Prophecy Made Reference To Christopher Columbus?

The celebration of Columbus Day has been increasingly targeted for criticism in recent years. Much of the criticism originates from anti-white racist minorities and their self-hating progressive white allies who mistakenly believe that today's white population has to make up for the so-called "sins of the past" under the false doctrine of historical remediation. The Dayton Daily News takes a typical cheap shot at Columbus. Minimization and eradication of white symbols and cultural icons is all part of the race replacement strategy originally pursued in South Africa and now being actively implemented in other majority-white nations under the guise of mass immigration, diversity, and multiculturalism. The late, unlamented Susan Sontag once said, “The white race is the cancer of human history.”

The fact is, most Americans celebrate Columbus Day not because he was white, but because he made a voyage to the Western Hemisphere propelled and motivated mostly by faith. In fact, he did not anticipate discovering a new land, but was actually seeking a shorter route to the East Indies in Asia. But what makes Columbus' accomplishments even more special is that as the first identifiable European to visit the Western Hemisphere, his voyage led to the wholesale migration of European peoples to the Americas. Fueled by European immigration and a unique idea of a nation based upon common ideas of liberty and justice for all, the United States subsequently became a superpower.

Personal character should not enter into the equation. If it is appropriate to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his civil rights struggles even though he was a plagiarist, a womanizer, an abuser, and had Communist ties, it is just as appropriate to honor Christopher Columbus even if he did employ some harsh measures in dealing with the indigenous populations of the lands which he discovered. It is unfair to judge the actions of someone in the 15th century through the prevalent morality of the 21st century, an eternal principle which explains why those who are not offered salvation in this life get offered salvation in the spirit world.

But another solid indication of the singularity of Columbus' mission is provided by the Book of Mormon. One of the founders of the Nephite civilization, Nephi himself, had a vision of the future of the American continents, in which he also foresaw the discovery and colonizing of America. The specific verse believed to be identified with Christopher Columbus is 1 Nephi 13:12; it's presented below with surrounding verses to provide context:

10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.

11 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.

12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.

14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the bland of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.

Although there were many explorers who subsequently journeyed to the Western Hemisphere and launched more permanent colonies, Christopher Columbus was the first. And that's why we believe 1 Nephi 13:12 identifies Christopher Columbus rather than any other explorer.

According to Arnold K. Garr, several Church presidents share this point of view. In 1976, President Ezra Taft Benson stated, “God inspired ‘a man among the Gentiles’ . . . who, by the Spirit of God was led to rediscover the land of America and bring this rich new land to the attention of the people in Europe. That man, of course, was Christopher Columbus, who testified that he was inspired in what he did.” Brigham Young, Spencer W. Kimball and Joseph F. Smith also expressed similar sentiments. In 1992, Friend magazine published an article entitled "Heroes and Heroines: Christopher Columbus, Inspired Seaman", and at the same time, Ensign magazine published an article entitled "Columbus and the Hand of God".

The bottom line -- all our heroes have flaws. But it doesn't make their heroism any less heroic.

YouTube Mormon Messages: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Explains The Process Of Continuing Revelation And The LDS Open Canon

Unlike most of traditional Christianity, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims an open canon. Through the power of continuous revelation, we can continue to obtain our Heavenly Father's expressed will and guidance at any time. While the President of the LDS Church is the only one authorized to receive revelations applicable to the entire Church, individual members may receive revelation regarding their own personal lives and their families. A revelation obtained by the current President of the Church supersedes a conflicting revelation given to a previous prophet, not because God can't make up His mind, but because our needs and attitudes change. God will never lead us where we are incapable or unwilling to go.

In the video embedded below made in July 2009, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains this process further. He testifies of the truth of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and continuing revelation from God to His children.



The full address was delivered by Elder Holland during the April 2008 General Conference and the transcript is available HERE.

The Book of Mormon does NOT supersede the Bible. Instead, it takes its place alongside the Bible on the same scriptorial pedestal. The fact that we have yet to find detailed objective corroboration of the specific locations of Book of Mormon lands in no way detracts from its value. Not only is the Book of Mormon intended to be taken on faith, but God has generously reserved for us the privilege of discovering the location of Book of Mormon lands through sometimes painstaking archeological research. He knows how thrilled people become when they discover something for the first time after hard work, and He would not rob us of that pleasure.

However, it is likely that we will have to wait until after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ for all the mysteries to be made known unto us.

Mormon Messages: Jeffrey Holland Relates Joseph Smith's Testimony Of The Book Of Mormon's Truthfulness Just Before His Martyrdom

Here's an inspiring video where Elder Jeffrey Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve relates the Prophet Joseph Smith's own testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon just shortly before his martyrdom. The fact that, even as he sensed he was marching into the jaws of death awaiting him at Carthage, Joseph Smith still refused to deny the Book of Mormon constitutes a powerful testimony of its truth.



The text of the talk comes from a November 2009 Ensign article entitled "Safety for the Soul". More Mormon Messages videos can be found HERE. You'll also notice individual videos for each address given at the recent General Conference.

A Brief Overview Of The Primary Book Of Mormon Geography Theories: Why The Case For The Tehuantepec Mesoamerica Theory Appears Strongest

The advent of the Book of Mormon has provoked considerable discussion and controversy within the religious world. Despite the fact that it has been available since 1830, no other major Christian denomination has accepted it as canon.

One of the reason is that, unlike the geography of the Bible, which has been amply defined, the precise geography of the Book of Mormon has not been revealed. The leadership of the LDS Church has re-affirmed that there is no official "preferred" geographical model. Perhaps the omission was intentional, as a test of faith. Would we be willing to accept and live by what has been given us before asking for more? In addition, the spiritual message conveyed by the Book of Mormon supersedes any geographical ambiguity; since it corroborates the Bible, the Book of Mormon can be considered "America's Witness To Christ".

Nevertheless, the LDS Church does not discourage research and theorizing about the geographic location of the Book of Mormon civilizations. In part, this is because many Mormons express a healthy curiosity over the locations. In addition, many honest skeptics and even anti-Mormons use the geographical ambiguity against the Church, so research on our part will help combat misconceptions. On September 8th, 2009, the GraceForGrace blog identified five principle theories of Book of Mormon geography. These five theories, along with another, are summarized below, although I've renamed some of them.

(1). Tehuanatepec Mesoamerica Theory: This is centered around the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. As illustrated on this map, this theory is the one in which people believe the main location for the Book of Mormon is in Central America and Mexico. The theory is that the land and continent formation is the same as today for the most part and that the archeological findings in that area could be related to Book of Mormon people. It is also a limited geography model in that the geography covers just parts of the Americas rather than all of North and South America.

(2). Caribbean Mesoamerica Theory: This theory is similar to the Tehuantepec theory, except the geography covers most of North and Central America and it also includes areas of the Caribbean that have sunk into the ocean that appear to be cities and/or civilizations.

(3). Baja Peninsula Theory: This theory is a relatively new one that I found the other day which claims that Lehi and company landed on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. The theory is that this is one of the only locations in the world that supports a Mediterranean climate similar to the one Lehi and his family departed from.

(4). Great Lakes Theory: This theory is that the whole Book of Mormon took place around the Great Lakes region. Proponents of this theory cite the Niagara Peninsula and the nearby Hill of Cumorah as their strongest justifications.

(5). Malay Peninsula Theory: This one is another relatively new theory. The theory is that the archeological findings in Mesoamerica do not support Book of Mormon civilizations and also that Lehi and company couldn’t feasibly make the journey 16,000 miles to the Americas. Therefore, they landed on the Malay Penninsula , which is in the area of Singapore and Thailand.

(6). Peruvian Theory: Mormon Heretic is the latest to promote this theory. Citing a book entitled "Nephi In The Promised Land", which is authored by George Potter, who also operates The Nephi Project website, Mormon Heretic opines that the Book of Mormon homelands were centered in northern Peru, Ecuador, and southern Columbia. The existence of the Inca Empire is used to corroborate this theory, but in order to account for the limited distances possible in the Book of Mormon, it postulates that South America was once merely two large islands which were raised as much as 5,000 feet upward into a full-blown continent after the cataclysms accompanying the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, as described beginning with Third Nephi 8:5. The cataclysm is described to have even changed the whole face of part of the land.

Book Of Mormon Geography: Why Mesoamerica Is The Best Fit For The Primary Location Of Book Of Mormon Events

Time to fire up this blog once again. I was intending to focus exclusively on doctrinal issues, but I may expand it to cover Mormonism in the news as well. But I can think of no better topic to re-launch this blog with than Book of Mormon geography.

According to LightPlanet.com, the official position of the Church is that the events narrated in the Book of Mormon occurred somewhere in the Americas, but that the specific location has not been revealed. This position applies both to internal geographies and to external correlations. No internal geography has yet been proposed or approved by the Church, and none of the internal or external geographies proposed by individual members has received approval. Efforts in that direction by members are neither encouraged nor discouraged.

As a result, the geography of the Book of Mormon continues to spawn endless fascination and debate. Unlike Biblical lands, which are easily discernable, the precise location of Book of Mormon cities and lands still escapes us. If you drive down the Pan-American Highway through Mexico and Central America, you will not see a sign stating "Zarahemla: Next 15 Exits".

There are several leading theories about the location of the core lands of the Book of Mormon.

(1). Great Lakes/Western New York State. Proponents of this theory cite the proximity of the Hill Cumorah and phrases like "land of many waters" to support their contention.

(2). Isthmus of Panama. Primarily because of the "narrow neck of land"

(3). Peru. One early Church leader, Orson Pratt, opined that the initial landing of Lehi and his family was near present-day Santiago, Chile; from there, they eventually moved north.

More information on competing theories can be found at MormonStudies.com.

But the most widely held and likely theory is Mesoamerica. The latest to support this idea is Dr. Stephen L. Carr, who presented his ideas at the Book of Mormon Lands Conference held in Salt Lake City on October 17th, 2008. As reported on October 22nd in the Mormon Times, Dr. Carr cited a list of 10 items to use in judging whether the culture of a proposed area fits the Book of Mormon's described culture:

1. There should be a high state of civilization that includes city-states. "Each of the cities mentioned in the Book of Mormon is probably a small city-state," Carr said. "In fact, sometimes, the location is mentioned as 'the land of such-and-such' or 'city such-and-such.' Sometimes these seem to be superimposed. It's almost as if the Book of Mormon were like the state of Utah, where ... each county is a city-state."

2. There should be an agricultural base that could support millions of people.

3. There needs to be a society with a written language and scribes as important officers. "Mesoamerica is the only place in the Western Hemisphere where there was a written language in Book of Mormon times," Carr said.

4. There should be calendaring and dating systems.

5. There should be a merchant class that uses a system of weights and measures.

6. There should be engineering skills to build temples, towers and highways -- using cement.

7. Precious metals should be used by special artisans.

8. There should be a warrior society. "This is not just a ragtag group of people," Carr said. "They had special fortifications. They were trained."

9. There should be marriage alliances used in the culture to build political relationships.

10. There should be some traditions of a white bearded god, such as found in Mesoamerica.

While these items can be found scattered throughout the entire Western Hemisphere, only in Mesoamerica are they all found together. And Mesoamerica was an area unknown to Joseph Smith in 1829.

To aid in locating the core area, it must have both the requisite "narrow neck of land" and a major river that flows from south to north. Mesoamerica best fits this profile. But I will cite two other items which I believe further supports the Mesoamerica scenario:

(1). The geological cataclysm accompanying the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Documentation of this event begins in 3 Nephi, Chapter 8. Thunderings, lightnings, earthquakes, and the earth swallowing up cities are described. It ends with a period of thick darkness, so thick that one could not see his hand in front of his face. What could cause this? A series of volcanic eruptions. And where in the Western Hemisphere do volcanoes exist in sufficient quantity to cause such damage? Southern Mexico and Northern Central America - the area of Mesoamerica.

(2). Alma 46: 40 contains this interesting verse: "And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate". This best correlates to a subtropical or tropical environment. For example, malaria causes fever. The control for malaria is quinine, which was discovered in the tropics. Both the fevers and the curative plants exist in sufficient quantities only in Mesoamerica.

Consequently, I'm sold on the Mesoamerica scenario, although the debate about Book of Mormon geography does not, in my opinion, lessen the value of the book in any way. The Lord doesn't just love the Jews; He loves all peoples, and there is no reason to assume that only the Jews would be permitted to bring forth a Bible. Other peoples also have their "Bibles". Other peoples will be allowed to bring forth their "Bibles" in the future when the time is right. Likewise, the riddles of Book of Mormon geography will be resolved when the time is right, most likely through a combination of human research and divine revelation.

In the final analysis, Carr estimated that the entire area of the Book of Mormon, from the original Hill Cumorah in the north to the city of Nephi in the south was between 450 and 600 miles. The width at its widest would be about 150 to 250 miles. "Roughly the size of state of Utah and Idaho up to about Idaho Falls," Carr said.

Other related articles of interest from the Mormon Times:

-- Digging up the City of Nephi: Archaeological exploration of a possible site for the City of Nephi will begin next month in the highlands of Guatemala.

-- Seven wonders of the Book of Mormon: A Dead Sea Scrolls scholar explores seven "wonders" he has found in the Book of Mormon.