Author: Jonathan Neville

The description of destruction in 3 Nephi (which never mentions volcanoes) matches the description of the massive earthquakes in Madrid, Missouri, in 1812-13.

A recent video describing the events is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj-cYe9yMNU

The largest recorded earthquakes in the history of the US east of the rocky mountains are still somewhat of a mystery to both scientists and historians, but the few first-hand accounts from this then sparsely populated land paint a grim picture indeed.

Source: Letter VII

It’s no secret why the M2C/SITH citation cartels* don’t want people to read, or even know about, what Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery actually taught. That’s why they react so strongly when people discover and read Letter VII in the Joseph Smith Papers, the complete Wentworth letter from the Times and Seasons, and the rest of the material in the BYU packet for the first time.

The last thing these cartels want is people making informed decisions. Instead, they filter and manipulate information so their readers and followers will arrive at the conclusions that have been approved by the M2C/SITH scholars.

For that matter, the critical cartels** do the same thing. They just censor different information so their readers and viewers can’t make informed decisions. Instead, they filter information so their readers and followers will arrive at the conclusions that have been approved by the leading critics.

That’s why on this blog we discuss everything.

We trust people to make good decisions when they make fully informed decisions. After all, “good inspiration is based upon good information.”

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Which reminds us of something else in the news…

https://babylonbee.com/news/Media-warns-that-anyone-watching-unedited-jan-6-footage-could-arrive-at-unapproved-conclusion

Democrats Warn That Anyone Watching Unedited Jan 6 Footage Could Arrive At Unapproved Conclusion

U.S.·Mar 8, 2023 · BabylonBee.com

U.S. — Democrat leaders have issued a dire warning to Americans, saying that anyone who watches unedited clips of the footage from January 6 runs the risk of arriving at a conclusion that hasn’t been approved by Democrat leaders.

“This is a very dangerous situation,” said Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer. “We work hard every day to make sure Americans all have all the correct opinions. With thousands of hours of footage being given to the American public with no filter, we’re in grave danger of some people not agreeing with us, or worse — not giving us politicians more and more unchecked power. This is an existential threat to democracy.”

Mitch McConnell, another Democrat Senator, agreed. “I’m terrified right now,” he said. “What if everyone starts thinking we’re lying frauds? I’m not saying we are, but it would be terrible if people came to such a scary — and unapproved — conclusion.”

Experts also weighed in, warning that if unapproved opinions are allowed to spread, it may lead to unapproved leaders being elected for unapproved reasons. “As experts, we wouldn’t approve of this,” said one expert.

At publishing time, Democrats released findings from the intelligence community stating the Jan 6 tapes were unapproved Russian disinformation.

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*The Interpreter, Book of Mormon Central, Meridian Magazine, BYU Studies under Jack Welch, FAIRLDS, the old FARMS.

** CES Letter, Mormon Stories, etc.

Source: About Central America

Sometimes people who question the New York Cumorah ask me about Lehi’s posterity in Latin America. We have little knowledge of events outside the narrative of the Book of Mormon (I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people -Words of Mormon 1:5), and even less knowledge of events postdating the Book of Mormon. 

But we do know that there have been migrations and intermarriages throughout the Americas. 

From the twitter thread I’ve mentioned:

https://twitter.com/DrGregLittle2/status/1633479013644619777?s=20

This artifact was found in a cave in Arkansas over 50 years ago. UCLA’s archaeology labs determined it is a genuine Maya sculpture. It is on display at the Fort Smith Museum of History.

Source: Letter VII

 From the twitter account I’ve mentioned before. Well worth following.

https://twitter.com/DrGregLittle2/status/1632884250482491395

This is a painting on the floodwall along the Ohio River in Portsmouth, OH. It shows a portion of the massive Earthworks complex that was constructed around 500 BC. From the many earthworks in the city there were miles-long walkways leading to massive sites in Kentucky, one can be seen in the distance.

Source: Letter VII

This post will be in both English and Spanish

Este post estará en inglés y español

Para obtener más información solo en español, consulte

https://lageografiadellibrodemormon.blogspot.com/

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We’ve previously discussed the way Book of Mormon Central intentionally misleads its donors, readers, and followers by claiming, in English, to follow the Church’s policy of neutrality regarding Book of Mormon geography issues, while using its Spanish website to directly and specifically promote its Mesoamerican/two-Cumorahs (M2C) ideology.

Recently Book of Mormon Central published an article titled ¿EN DÓNDE ESTÁ CUMORAH? It’s an abbreviated rehash of the M2C arguments. It follows the standard tactic of M2C advocates. They assume M2C and ignore contrary evidence to justify their rejection of the teachings of the prophets about the New York Cumorah.

https://geografia.centralldm.es/en-donde-esta-cumorah/

Anteriormente hemos discutido la forma en que Central del Libro de Mormón engaña intencionalmente a sus donantes, lectores y seguidores al afirmar, en inglés, seguir la política de neutralidad de la Iglesia con respecto a los problemas geográficos del Libro de Mormón, mientras usa su sitio web en español para promover directa y específicamente su ideología mesoamericana / dos Cumorah (M2C).

Recientemente Central del Libro de Mormón publicó un artículo titulado ¿EN DÓNDE ESTÁ CUMORAH? Es un repaso abreviado de los argumentos M2C. Sigue la táctica común de los defensores de M2C. Asumen M2C e ignoran la evidencia contraria para justificar su rechazo de las enseñanzas de los profetas sobre el Cumorah de Nueva York.

https://geografia.centralldm.es/en-donde-esta-cumorah/

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This article, published in the Spanish language section of Book of Mormon Central, is a good example of the problem faced by Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints.

They don’t have all the facts, so they cannot make informed decisions. And M2C advocates adamantly refuse to provide the facts in Spanish, just as they do in English.

The difference: English readers can access and understand the Joseph Smith Papers and other historical references, but Spanish readers cannot. This leaves Spanish readers at the mercy of the proponents of M2C and SITH for their information.

Este artículo, publicado en la sección en español de Central del Libro de Mormón, es un buen ejemplo del problema que enfrentan los Santos de los Últimos Días de habla hispana.

No tienen todos los hechos, por lo que no pueden tomar decisiones informadas. Y los defensores de M2C se niegan a proporcionar los hechos en español, tal como lo hacen en inglés.

La diferencia: los lectores en inglés pueden acceder y entender los Documentos de José Smith y otras referencias históricas, pero los lectores en español no pueden. Esto deja a los lectores españoles a merced de los defensores de M2C y SITH para su información.

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In this case, the author not only doesn’t cite Oliver Cowdery’s statements about Cumorah, he doesn’t even paraphrase (let alone quote) them and doesn’t seem to know much about them.

Whether intentionally or not, the author misleads his readers by

(i) omitting relevant, authoritative sources that contradict his theory, and

(ii) presenting so-called “must have” characteristics for Cumorah that are merely his own circular reasoning; i.e., he assumes a Mesoamerican setting, so he claims Cumorah must have Mesoamerican characteristics.

In the table below, the first column is the original message in Spanish. The second column is the English translation. My notes in both languages appear in red throughout the text.

En este caso, el autor no solo falta de citar las declaraciones de Oliver Cowdery sobre Cumorah, ni siquiera las parafrasea (y mucho menos cita) y no parece saber mucho sobre ellas.

Ya sea intencionalmente o no, el autor engaña a sus lectores al

(i) omitir fuentes relevantes y autorizadas que contradigan su teoría, y

(ii) presentar las características “imprescindibles” para Cumorah que son simplemente su propio razonamiento circular; es decir, asume un entorno mesoamericano, por lo que afirma que Cumorah debe tener características mesoamericanas.

En la siguiente tabla, la primera columna es el mensaje original en español. La segunda columna es la traducción al inglés. Mis notas en ambos idiomas aparecen en rojo en todo el texto.

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To see the original article with commentary, along with the side-by-side English translation with commentary, go to this link:

Para ver el artículo original con comentarios, junto con la traducción al inglés en paralelo con comentarios, vaya a este enlace:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tg66yEkpD4x0dzFzysL1Mom4Y8nWK4OR/view?usp=share_link

…

Source: About Central America

An excerpt from the 1806 book Beauties of the Bible by Ezra Sampson, which was sold in the Palmyra bookshop in the 1820s. This excerpt is timeless; it is as relevant today as it was when first published over 200 years ago.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015062434256&view=1up&seq=4

That a book of this kind is necessary will be generally allowed by Christians of every denomination, who have thought carefully on the subject. Time was in our country, when the Bible was almost the only school book. By frequently reading the sacred writings in schools. a large portion of the doctrine and precepts of our holy religion was imperceptibly lodged in the memory, and often continued there through life, as the seed of piety, and as a happy preventive to error and vice. 

At length, objections were started against the use of the Bible in schools. Other books were introduced, and the sacred writings for several years past, have been almost totally excluded from having any share in school instruction: and by reason of this almost total disuse of the bible in schools, thousands of children have grown, and are growing up in gross ignorance of the contents of that sacred book. 

It is an astonishing thought and should be humbling to Christians, that while we have neglected to make the knowledge of the bible any part of the school education of our children, the Mahometans have been teaching their children the Alcoran [Koran] with most diligent care. Will not Mahometans rise up in judgment against us and condemn us? 

– * While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares.” Besides innumerable other books of pernicious tendency, it has been asserted that twenty thousand copies of what some have called “Thomas Paine’s bible” were imported into this country as one time. They have been distributed over the country, and have been read with eagerness: their poison has struck deep, particularly into those minds which had not been sown with the seeds of religious instruction. 

Thus an altitudes have been desperately wounded, not indeed by the paw of the lion, but by the sting of the despicable asp.

– * As we sow we may expect to reap.” If the bible should continue to be excluded from schools, and the religious instruction of children be neglected, the bitter fruits will be experienced in the demoralized condition of all classes of people. 

To obviate, in some degree, this threatening evil, is the object of the present publication….

It is further hoped, that some who are not incompetent judges may think this to be an advantageous method of defending our holy religion, and guarding inexperienced minds against the attacks of infidelity. If one should deny that this world were made by a wise and good Being, because of the defects which appear upon it, and the confusion that seems to reign in it, there might be an impossibility of answering all his quibbling arguments. 

The shortest and surest way would be to point out a number of the most striking beauties; the marks of wisdom and design, and the displays of goodness which appear on the face of the earth; observing withal, that seeming deformities may be “beauties in disguise.” 

Or, if a man who had been long shut up in a dark room should deny that the sun is the fountain of light, and pretend that it had no better title to that distinction than his own glimmering lamp : you would not undertake to confute all his quibbles, but rather bring him out to the open day, and show him the sun in its meridian glory, and let him then compare his lamp with it. 

In like manner the most striking beauties of the bible, drawn together and presented in a single point of view, may go further to convince some people of the divine excellency of that book, than a whole volume of accurate and learned reasoning in its favour.

Source: Book of Mormon Concensus

We can gain insights about Cumorah by considering the name Ramah. 

28 ¶ And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.

 29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

(2 Kings 8:28–29)

HAZAEL hā zĭ’ əl (חֲזָאֵ֛ל, חֲזָהאֵ֗ל; Assyr. haz’ilu). One of the most powerful of the kings of Syria (Aram), ruling from c. 843 b.c. to c. 796 b.c. He reigned contemporaneously with Jehoram (the last few years), Jehu, and Jehoahaz, kings of Israel; and Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash, kings of Judah. He is first mentioned in 1 Kings 19:15-17, where Elijah at Mount Horeb was told by God that he would anoint Hazael king over Syria. At this time he was a high officer in the court of Ben-hadad II, king of Syria (2 Kings 8:7-9), for a short time later his sick sovereign sent him to inquire of the prophet Elisha, who was then in Damascus, whether or not he would recover from his illness. To this question Elisha replied that the illness of his master was not fatal, but that he would nevertheless die; and he added that Hazael himself was to become king of Syria and would be the perpetrator of monstrous cruelties against the children of Israel. The day after Hazael reported to the king the results of his interview with Elisha he killed him by smothering him with a wet cloth; and Hazael became king in his stead (8:7-15).

Soon after, Hazael fought against the combined forces of Jehoram and Ahaziah at Ramoth-gilead (8:28, 29; 9:14, 15). He frequently defeated Jehu in battle, devastating all his country E of the Jordan from the Arnon in the S to Bashan in the N (10:32, 33). During the reign of Jehoahaz, Jehu’s successor, he repeatedly encroached upon the territory of Israel, which was kept from complete destruction only by God’s mercy (13:3, 22, 23). Hazael also moved into SW Pal., taking Gath; he compelled the king of Judah to pay a heavy bribe for sparing Jerusalem (12:17, 18; 2 Chron 24:23, 24). It was not until the death of Hazael that Israel was able successfully to check the aggression of Syria under Benhadad III, the son of Hazael (2 Kings 13:24, 25).

Cuneiform inscrs. show that Hazael played a large role in some of the campaigns of Shalmaneser III. In a pavement slab from Calah, Shalmaneser records that in 842 b.c. he joined battle with Hazael. He recorded that the Syrian king was defeated, losing 6,000 warriors, 1,121 chariots, and 470 horsemen, together with his stores, and that although he did not capture Damascus, he overran the Hauran and all the territory back to the Mediterranean Sea. Among his tributary kings he mentioned the name of Jehu son of Omri.

In another inscr. Shalmaneser refers to Hazael as the “son of a nobody,” and mentions the fact that Hazael had “seized the throne.”

Among the spoils taken from Damascus by Assyria, and found by archeologists at Arslan Tash (Hadathah) were an ivory inlay from the side of a bed, with the words engraved on it, “Bar Ama to our Lord Hazael in the year….,” and another ivory tablet, possibly a part of the same bed, showing in relief a god or king in Phoenician-Aramaean style, which some scholars believe is actually a portrait of Hazael himself.

Bibliography E. Kraeling, Aram and Israel (1918); M. F. Unger, Israel and the Aramaeans of Damascus (1957), 75-82, 160-163; I. M. Price, O. R. Sellers, E. L. Carlson, The Monuments and the Old Testament (1958), 239-241, 245, 347-349; D. W. Thomas (ed.), Documents from OT Times (1958), 46-52, 242-250; M. Avi-Yonah, Views of the Biblical World, II (1960), 248, 264, 273.

Source: About Central America