It is that objective that leads me not to support 10-20% of what they do because they continue to promote M2C as the only acceptable explanation for the historicity and geography of the Book of Mormon.
I think M2C is a mistake for many reasons, but I also don’t think everyone who believes the Book of Mormon has to agree about the geography and historicity issues. I’m fine with people believing whatever they want, so long as it works for them. But I’m not fine with people, especially self-appointed intellectuals, telling everyone else what they have to believe and censoring alternative ideas.
In my view, the only effective approach, given current conditions, is the one the Church has adopted: neutrality.
However, Book of Mormon Central, its management, donors, and employees, are anything but neutral about geography and historicity. I don’t have any reason to think that will change anytime soon. However, a course correction is always possible.
I understand that M2C is important to the M2C intellectuals and their followers. So I’m wondering, how can everyone work together to advance the cause of the Book of Mormon, despite differences of opinion about how to interpret and apply the text to issues of historicity and geography?
IOW, how can everyone work together?
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It seems obvious that the ideal solution would be to recognize and respect other opinions by offering comparisons and explanations so everyone can make informed decisions for themselves.
I’m not only willing to do that: I’ve provided such comparisons. I link to the explanations provided by those who promote M2C and other theories.
I think full and open disclosure is the best way to go.
But Book of Mormon Central and the rest of the M2C citation cartel disagree. They believe only they are qualified to interpret the scriptures (hence, Dan P.’s Interpreter), and they don’t even want members of the Church to know about alternatives.
If anyone has any ideas about how to get the various groups to work together, email them to me and I’ll discuss them on this blog.
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The Apostles were persecuted, and with one exception perhaps, were finally martyred. And the churches they established never came to that union which the Savior prayed for, and consequently they failed to stand the tide of opposition.
The Latter-day Saints are trying to do the work that Israel failed to do; and that the former Saints did not accomplish, and we can only do it by becoming one even as the Father and the Son are one, and this in order that the world may believe that we are sent of God. We have got to be perfect, and come to the measure of the stature of Christ Jesus, in order that the world may know that Jesus has sent and commissioned His Apostles, and restored the holy Priesthood.
If we have division in our midst; if we be divided either spiritually or temporally, we never can be the people that God designs us to become, nor can we ever become instruments in His hands of making the world believe that the holy Priesthood has been restored, and that we have the everlasting Gospel. In order for us to effect the purposes of God, we shall have to do as Jesus did—conform our individual will to the will of God, not only in one thing, but in all things, and to live so that the will of God shall be in us.
(1880s1882, LS Lord in teres ¶7 • JD 23:341)
THE LORD INTERESTED IN THE SALVATION OF THE WHOLE HUMAN FAMILY—HIS PLANS, PURPOSES AND DEALINGS ALL TO THAT END—NECESSITY OF CHARITY, LOVE, UNION, ETC., IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST—THE LOGAN TEMPLE AND A PROPHETIC GLIMPSE AT ITS FUTURE.
Discourse by Apostle Lorenzo Snow, delivered at Logan, on Saturday Afternoon, Nov. 4, 1882.
Source: About Central America
2 thoughts on “How can we work together?”
Jonathan, I really wish there was a way to unite us all and avoid the division that keeps us from being of the same mind and heart and causing people to leave the church and preventing them from joining the church. Unfortunately, it has been that way since the war in heaven and has continued down through the ages to the present day. Even if God revealed to President Nelson the exact place of Book of Mormon events, the die-hard zealots would reject the truth and continue their course. Something has to happen soon because it is tearing the church apart. I guess God allows it to try our faith.
The only thing we can do is to keep looking for more evidence. I’m working on a paper on cement. I need to polish my “many waters” discovery (the evidence is right in the Book of Mormon) and find new discoveries. I’m also working on a Benjamin Winchester paper.
Several years ago, you took a bus load of Mesoamerican theorists to the heartland and then the Mesoamerican trip (smaller group) got cancelled and then you meet near Heber City and nothing could be resolved. Both parties returned to their camps just as determined as before. Did anyone switch sides after that initiative? Maybe, it’s time for another summit.
I’m anxious to see what the 2020 Book of Mormon curriculum materials will contain. We should know in the next few weeks. I’m not holding my breath. Neutrality can’t include promoting one model over another.
It all boils down to a few critical points that absolutely proves it happened in America and didn’t happen in Mesoamerica. As you know, this is just a sampling of the mountains of evidence.
1. What have the prophets taught since Joseph Smith to the present?
a. Letter VII
b. Zelph’s mound
c. Talks and writings of First Presidency and Apostles
d. Three Witnesses and Eight witnesses
e. Oliver Cowdery speech to the Delaware Indians in 1831 in Indian Territory.
“This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario county. ” See History of the Church, Vol 1, p184, The Deseret Book Company 1973. How can anyone be confused about the location of the hill Cumorah?
2. What does the Book of Mormon teach? America is the promised land, not Mesoamerica.
a. Many waters (Irreantum) and great waters were the words used by the Nephites, Jaredites, and Mulekites (people of Zarahemla) to describe the ocean (body of water they crossed to get to the promised land) which was one body of water after the creation (never called the east and west sea). In Abraham 4:10, this single body of water is called the Great Waters. The ocean is also referred to as the deep or great deep. I have a draft paper on this.
b. I Nephi 13 mentions 5 times about the many waters and how the descendants of Lehi in the promised land are separated from the early explorers in Europe by the many waters. They were not separated by the east or west sea!
c. The narrow neck of land and the east and west sea wasn’t mentioned for over 500 years after arriving in the Promised Land. They were obviously around the Great Lakes (waters of Ripliancum–large, or to exceed all). It took the Nephites 500 years to migrate north from the gulf coast to the Great Lakes as they retreated north to escape the Lamanites.
d. The narrow neck of land was a day’s journey for a Nephite.
i. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is 136 miles across. It would take 5 hours to drive this route on the shortest road and 61 hours to walk the same road. Without a paved road, and crossing rivers, swamps, jungle, and mountains and lots of uneven terrain, it could easily take 2 or 3 weeks.
ii. The Isthmus of Niagara is about 22 miles (parallels the Niagara River) between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
iii. According to quora.com and https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Niagara, Niagara means neck of land in 2 different Indian languages
Keep doing what you are doing and don’t get discouraged. Truth will prevail!
This is a classic case of two movies on one screen. Everyone is looking at the same evidence; people simply interpret it differently to confirm their own biases. That’s why semantic debates never get anywhere. Few people change their minds just because another interpretation of the evidence is more persuasive.
People have been debating the Bible for centuries without any final resolution; even after the Restoration, most Christians did not accept the clarity provided by the Book of Mormon because it contradicted their own beliefs. Plus, it threatened the livelihood of Christian ministers.
There are facts that can change minds, though, which is why Book of Mormon Central and the rest of the M2C citation cartel continue to censor facts that contradict M2C.
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