I agree, it’s difficult to believe. But I’m not kidding about this. Nor am I trying to persuade. It’s just a fact.
The real question should be, where is M2C not being taught?
Below I’ll give a specific recent example of the M2C rationale, but the teaching that Joseph adopted a false tradition about Cumorah is implicit in every depiction of M2C.
It’s very simple.
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BYU’s M2C fantasy map |
If they didn’t reject the teachings of the prophets and apostles about the New York Cumorah, the scholars and their followers would agree that the Hill Cumorah is in New York and depict it that way.
Instead, in their books, articles, blogs, and images, they depict Cumorah in Mesoamerica–or in the BYU/CES fantasy world designed to resemble Mesoamerica.
Participants in the M2C citation cartel explain M2C by claiming that Joseph Smith never referred to the hill as Cumorah until “late,” meaning several years after his associates created the “false narrative” that the hill in New York is the same as the hill Cumorah of Mormon 6:6.
They claim that when Joseph did refer to Cumorah, such as in D&C 128:20, he was spreading a false tradition started by others.
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Here’s the recent example. It’s from a blog post. I don’t identify individuals on this blog because names are irrelevant and I don’t want people coming to this blog by searching for names.
None of this is a personal issue; we’re dealing with facts and reason in the context of persuasion vs. education. It doesn’t matter who wrote it except that he’s a well-known author and active member of the M2C citation cartel.
I’m going to take the time to point out the difference between persuasion and education because I think readers can use this example to analyze everything they read.
There’s a lot of detail in here, but sophistry is complex and unsuspecting readers don’t recognize the difference between persuasion and education. This is why we have so much fake news and sharp divisions among people, everywhere in the world.
I think that if people were educated about facts vs. opinions and how to recognize logical fallacies, most people would tend to agree on issues (assuming they could overcome their bias confirmation). Most people don’t want to take the time or make the effort; it’s far easier and more comfortable to continue confirming one’s biases.
Nevertheless, I think some Church members, at least, want to make informed decisions.
I re-emphasize that I don’t care what anyone believes. I’m not trying to persuade anyone of anything. I just want everyone interested to make informed decisions, and that means people need to have all the facts and learn to distinguish between persuasion and education.
This M2C author was responding to a post about Letter VII, which he rejects. Original in blue, my comments in red.
We can’t mind-read to know why he censors them, but we can see that the facts contradict they theory he is trying to persuade people to accept. That’s the typical motivation of censors.
Surely he has come up with reasons for rejecting the facts, but it’s easier to just censor them. To the extent he has reasons for rejecting the facts (he has articulated some elsewhere), the reasons are just as problematic as his characterization of Oliver Cowdery as a confused speculator who, as Assistant President of the Church, knowingly misled the Church.
(i) his own personal experiences or
(ii) what he learned from Joseph Smith–including in these eight historical essays both before and after Letter VII, including Moroni’s visit, Joseph’s first trip to the hill Cumorah, and the contents of Moroni’s stone box. Those are facts from which we can draw one of two inferences:
I hope this has been a helpful exercise to see the difference between persuasion and education. You can do the same exercise whenever you read material published by the M2C citation cartel.
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Here are more examples of M2C in print. They all teach that Cumorah cannot be in New York.
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M2C map of Mesoamerica |
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M2C book |
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M2C book |
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M2C book |
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M2C painting |
M2C book |
Source: Book of Mormon Wars