Such great civilizations living in the Americas in Pre-Columbian times would surly have left proof of their existence. We now have detailed knowledge of Meso American civilization and none of my Professors would endorse any part of the Book of Mormon. We know all about the Incas, Aztecs, Mayas, Toltecs ect. We know all about how they lived, how they died, what tools they had, what plants they farmed. Nobody ever heard of a jewish race of people living in the Americas named Nephites or Lamanites. The tools and animals they speak of were inconsistant with Pre Columbian times and no trace of them or the "Land of Zarahemla" or "City of Nephi" or anything conclusively related to the Book of Mormon has ever been found. If there was a "Great Upheaval" that erased their existence, it certainly had no effect on anything else down there. The story about the Lamanites skin color changing from white to brown because they were "evil" really ticks me off. Stop playing the race card .
2007-04-01 07:39:44 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Its too bad the angel took Joeys Golden Plates up to Heaven. Now we cant examine them to see if Joseph Smith was lying when he said an angel gave them to him to translate. It would have been the greatest Archeaological artifact ever discovered and would prove the church was true for time and eternity.
2007-04-01 07:44:58 · update #1
good question, to bad it will fall on those with belief in magic and do no good.
2007-04-03 06:24:54 · answer #1 · answered by todd e 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
First, we DON'T know "all about" the Incas, Aztecs, Mayas, Toltecs and so forth. The great decline of the Mayan civilization is one of the great mysteries of archeology.
Second, the CITY of Zarahemla was destroyed by fire at the time of the Crucifiction of Jesus Christ. And the LAND of Nephi (geez if you READ the book you might get it right!) was greatly changed during this time, due to great earthquakes.
Now, have you read the Book of Mormon in connection with the Popul Vuh? (I am, of course, assuming that you know what the Popul Vuh is...) it's sort of an interesting comparison. Further, as to the "lack of evidence" of the Book of Mormon civilizations, we might be able to thank Bartolome de las Casas for this, and the destruction of all the Mayan codices (save 4) by fire. What was written in them? Do you know? We don't know "all about" these ancient written works.
Further, the Mayan, Aztecs, et. al. were not Jewish. Today they are not Jewish...but they still burn copal outside their cathedrals and Catholic churches.
I know many Mayan people who were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They all read the Book of Mormon and THEY told me that they saw their ancestors speaking as a voice from the dust. THEY told me this. I didn't tell them. THEY told me. So go ahead and argue this with them!
And as for the "race card" the term is "white" and delightsome, also referenced as "pure"...white=pure. Not white=Caucasian. White, like clean. Get it? It really amuses me that the people who decry racial intolerance of the Mormons are not the hundreds of thousands of faithful Saints in Guatemala. What difference does it make to you anyhow? If you don't believe then don't believe. Move on. Do good.
EDIT:
If you saw the Plate that Joseph Smith (not Joey) translated would you believe then? I sincerely doubt it. How many witnessed the miracles of Jesus Christ and still chose not to believe? How many witnessed Moses part the Red Sea and still wanted a gold calf to worship? Faith precedes the mirace. What do you believe in?
2007-04-01 17:11:54 · answer #2 · answered by Fotomama 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I agree, just like if the ten commandments were true we should be able to find the stone tablets. Also, the Bible is just hearsay, people telling stories; who knows if the stories of the Bible are true, at least to the extent they are held out to be. Clearly there was no Noah, because we can't find the ark. Anyway, the Book of Mormon wasn't widely shared in the time of the Book of Mormon, but was passed on to individuals, so it makes sense there wouldn't be evidence if that was an issue. However, it's religion, and all religion is faith based and can't be proved by objective, clear evidence. It's an individual thing. I just choose to respect all people whatever they believe because it is theirs.
2007-04-03 11:36:38 · answer #3 · answered by straightup 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Perform this simple test: Turn away from god and your skin will turn dark. God said so. Be good, praise jesus (only in the weird mormon way) and your skin will miraculously turn white. God said so. I don't know how this works for african americans, Fijians or mediterraneans, but you can be sure that only white americans will make it to the celestial kingdom. God said so. Joseph said that god said so.
Oh, and god destroyed every shred of evidence that any type of advanced civilization stretched out over the americas, destroyed all the horses and other draft animals, cleaned up all the iron and steel, temple foundations, so no one could find them - but forgot about the mess he made in Israel and Egypt.
It's so you can have faith. Like the boogyman and easter bunny.
2007-04-02 15:53:54 · answer #4 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are tons and tons and tons and well you get the idea of evidence about the Book of Mormon. Look at all of the ancient ruins in Mexico and central America. Ancient inhabitants there speak of a tradition of a "white God" visiting them. While there is no road sign stating "this way to Zarahemla" there is amble evidence. Obvious evidence.
2007-04-01 14:46:16 · answer #5 · answered by Kerry 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Actually, having the plates would solve nothing. There would be every tom dick and harry saying that Joseph didn't know what he was doing. Just look at what's going on with the Papyri and the Book of Abraham.
There's tons of evidence to support the Book of Mormon, if you want to see it. But, some just don't want to see it. I will post a web site and if you want to see, it's right there.
Oh, and bigus, everyone who hefted the plates said that they weighed 40-60 pounds. They were not solid gold.
2007-04-01 21:50:18 · answer #6 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
http://www.lds.org Is the offical website of the LDS Church. You can listen to the Latter Day Saints Biannual general conferance at http://www.ksl.com at the website you can ask it to stream the content through #1RealOne Media Player, #2 Windows Media Player, or #3 mp3 file format.
2007-04-01 14:48:57 · answer #7 · answered by demonicunicorn 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Read World Religions Made Easy or Larsen's Book of Cults by B. Larsen...
2007-04-01 14:45:04 · answer #8 · answered by ShadowCat 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
I am working on a new bible now , should be done in a couple weeks , than 200 years from now it will be the number one religion
2007-04-01 14:53:51 · answer #9 · answered by DEADGONE 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Why blame the LDS members, they didnt write the book.
2007-04-01 14:43:43 · answer #10 · answered by Royal Racer Hell=Grave © 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋