M2C scholar reading Book of Mormon

While riding a tapir in the jungle of Mesoamerica during a search for Cumorah.

All because he forgot to read Letter VII first.

Jerry Grover on volcanoes

Brant Gardner is doing a series on M2C that is a lot of fun. But for other commitments, I could write numerous posts about it, as well as the comments. 

From time to time people send me examples of the irrationality and confusion that persists among the M2Cers, such as the one below.

To be sure, Jerry Grover is an awesome guy. I like him a lot, he's smart, etc. But this is an example of how the M2C mindset generates a lot of fun rationalization.

(click to enlarge)

Jerry observes that "the word volcano is not found in Biblical Hebrew or ancient Egyptian." Maybe that's because the people who lived in the Middle-East anciently did not experience volcanoes?

No, that's not it. Volcanoes are well-known in the Middle-East and around the Mediterranean. They are even found along Lehi's journey from Jerusalem.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Figure-1-Regional-map-showing-the-distribution-of-the-volcanic-fields-harrats-across_fig1_259043951

The Bible does not use the Hebrew word for volcano, but it describes volcanic activity, as explained here: https://biblehub.com/topical/naves/v/volcanoes--general_scriptures_concerning.htm

E.g., Nahum 1:5-6: "The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers. Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are shattered before Him."

If the Nephites had actually experienced volcanoes, they could have described it the way Nahum did. After all, Joseph Smith used biblical imagery and language throughout the text.

Jerry then proposes that "great storm" is equivalent to a volcano.

Here is how that phrase is used in the scriptures:

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. (Mark 4:37)

13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; (1 Nephi 18:13)

5 And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land. (3 Nephi 8:5)

Jerry wants us to believe that the third instance describes a volcano. Which also means that in the thousand-year history of the Nephites living in Mesoamerica, there was only a single volcanic eruption, that they didn't know the Hebrew word for volcano, and that they could only describe the event using the identical phrase they used for... for what we would normally call a storm.

Then look at the cascading assumptions Jerry makes to come up with a rationale. 

At least we're having fun with M2C.

John Sorenson watches witless sci-fi movie

In his book Mormon's Codex, published by FARMS and Deseret Book, John Sorenson famously wrote, 

"There remain Latter-day Saints who insist that the final destruction of the Nephites took place in New York, but any such idea is manifestly absurd. Hundreds of thousands of Nephites traipsing across the Mississippi Valley to New York, pursued (why?) by hundred of thousands of Lamanites, is a scenario worthy only of a witless sci-fi movie, not of history." 

Mormon's Codex, p. 688.

Because we're not sure what he had in mind, we offer some variations on his theme.

Of course, there are many Latter-day Saints who think M2C is a witless sci-fi narrative, but people can believe whatever they want.

searching for Cumorah in Mexico

Joseph Fielding Smith:

LOCALE OF CUMORAH, RAMAH, AND RIPLIANCUM. This modernistic theory of necessity, in order to be consistent, must place the waters of Ripliancum and the Hill Cumorah some place within the restricted territory of Central America, notwithstanding the teachings of the Church to the contrary for upwards of 100 years. Because of this theory some members of the Church have become confused and greatly disturbed in their faith in the Book of Mormon.

M2Cers:

Confused and Disturbed

Investigating M2C sites

 

Why fun with M2C

Some people have gotten a little obsessed with their respective models of Book of Mormon geography. This blog hopes to tone down the rhetoric a little and have some fun.

The elephant in the room is the hill Cumorah/Ramah.

It's either in New York or it doesn't matter where it is.

Fun with M2C - graphics

Some resources for anyone who wants to comment on M2C on social media.

This is all in fun, obviously. Don't take offense if you don't see the humor.

At the HQ of Scripture Central...
"Behold, I give unto you the real Cumorah."

Cumorah is not in Baja! It's in Southern Mexico!

You can forget about your Pilgrims, your New York, your fake Cumorah!
The Real Cumorah is in Mexico!

You're not listening to me! Cumorah is in northern Mexico!

Which of us is wearing the robes of the credentialed class!

Who cares what the prophets said? 

We might disagree about lots of things,
but at least we agree the prophets were wrong!

L.E. Hills was close...

We're all in agreement then?
Cumorah is here, and the prophets were wrong.

Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren, which was handed down to them by the childishness of their founding prophets, Joseph and Oliver, as well as their successors; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy scholars; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there shall be no Cumorah in New York.