Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. Another group came much earlier, when god confounded the tongues at the tower of babel. An anachronism is something that doesnt fit the time or place for which it is claimed. Ever since the coming forth of the book of mormon, readers have wondered about the strange reference to elephants and especially to its companions the. While the jury is still out, there are a number of north. Oct 14, 2019 the following information is from the annotated book of mormon by david hocking and rod meldrum, pages 472474. Buried nephite city and bom elephants off the shore of lake michigan book of mormon west sea grand traverse bay buried under 40 feet of water are.
Cement, alma, bountiful, barley, and elephantsfive examples of things once used to ridicule the book of mormon that have been validated by modern scholars. Phyllis does a good job of putting it all together. The curelom and the cumom are useful animals mentioned in the book of mormon. Elephants in the new world the book of mormon mentions elephants being useful to the jaredites ether 9. The mention of elephants and other extinct animals, along with the obvious fact that the book of mormon tells us the jaredites were the first inhabitants of this continent is the most striking evidence for our correlated timeline which correlates. In addition, ash believes that there is evidence to support the finding of elephants in the book of mormon. As you can see in the wikipedia entry for mammoths.
Archaeology has proved that the american indian hunted and killed elephants. Many point to the extinction of the mastodon, mammoth, and gomphothere by the end of the pleistocene, 10,000 years ago, as one of the books. However, mammoths and mastadons are thought to have gone extinct. The authors of this study use archaeological evidence to argue the animals mentioned in the book of mormon had once been present in north america, although dating to an earlier period. Apr 28, 2006 hunting for elephants in the book of mormon book of mormon anachronisms part 1. The mammoth elephant, horse, and ass are animals listed in the book of mormon that presumably became extinct in north america at the close of the. Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon meridian magazine. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad.
This is a key point, because in the future someone may make a claim that says, the book of mormon cannot be true because of such and such a thing. Authorities on ancient america claim that elephants and horses ceased to exist after the last ice age. When the book of mormon first appeared, skeptics said that references to horses, asses, elephants, and other animals such as swine and cows were out of place. Aug 07, 2005 my favorite lie in the book of mormon is nimrod and the elephants. If there is data supporting the texts, we can calculate whether the book of mormon should be considered to be based on fact or simply a good fiction story. Horses, chariots, and elephants in the book of mormon youtube. Elephants true book of mormon geography lands, western new.
Animals in the book of mormon mormon lds reformation. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where. D oxen, cows, sheep, swine, goats, asses, horses, elephants, cureloms, cumoms, and dogs. This, many claim, is proof the book of mormon is wrong. Yes, there were elephants and horses in north american a thousand. Weldon, an archaeologist of the rlds, found several controversial claims of the book of mormon. It is not necessary for our purposes here to give a detailed account of domestic animals as used by the jaredites and nephites. The mammoth elephant, horse and ass are animals listed in the book of mormon that presumably became extinct in north america at the close of the pleistocene. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. The book of mormon purports to give an account of two civilizations formed by families who migrated to the americas.
The following information is from the annotated book of mormon by david hocking and rod meldrum, pages 472474. In 1830, the book of mormon would also relate the existence of elephants in ancient america, and as late as historical precolumbian times. Both mammoths and gomphotheres are elephantlike creatures that are plausible. Mar 06, 2012 this was a very well done book with many sources of research. Mormon, book of mormon, mit romney, scripture, gary hicks, lds, bible, jesus, jesus christ. The nephite elephants were used as beasts of burden. Elephants in the new world book of mormon research. The arguments for book of mormon elephants prove all things. Already joe talor has proven the book of mormon spoke truly about elephants in america.
June 3, 2019 introduction the book of mormon records in ether 9. Archaeological and historical evidence elephants, horses. Cureloms and cumoms and they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms. Suffice it to say that the following representative domesticated animals were used by one or other of these peoples sometime during the period 2000 b. And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms. Joe talor may or may not be a book of mormon believer. The lost lands of the book of mormon phyllis carol olive on. Here is a list of mormon animals that might have existed but whose remains disappeared. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can. While the jury is still out, there are a number of north american indian traditions which recount legends of giant stifflegged beasts which would never lie down, had a big.
The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. A real elephant was the model for this ancient mayan wall painting. In our local paper, the postcrescent, an associated press article was printed on oct. The book of mormon describes elephants in the americas around 2500 b. Clark explains, the most frequently mentioned deficiencies of the book conce rn the lack of hard evidence in the new world for the right time periods of precious metals, old world animals and plants, and book of mormon place names and personal namesjohn e. The book focuses on a case for the book of mormon, brother callister writes, but in one sense the book of mormon does not need a case presented on its behalf. In time, however, scientific discoveries showed that species of horses, asses, elephants, and other animals had once been present in north america, although dating to an earlier period than that covered in the book of mormon. Johnson, men and elephants in america, the scientific monthly 75 1952, 220221. Howerver the work he is doing is paramount to proving the book of mormon an authentic history of the americas.
Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon book of mormon anachronisms part 1. Evidence of the foregoing animals has not appeared in any form ceramic representations, bones or skeletal remains, mural art, sculptured art or any other form. And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Recently, a commenter recommended that article, steel in the book of mormon by william hamblin as a good source of information about this favorite area for critics to poke at. Again we see the joseph smith was thinking about animals in his current day as he was fabricating the book of. Critics argue that the archaeological record suggests that all. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. This is suggestive of elephants in book of mormon times quito, ecuador in 1926, franz spillman, paleontologist and max uhle, archaeologist, excavated in 1926, an almost complete mastodon skeleton about 12 km. Supporters of the book of mormon claim it uses chiasmusa figure of speech utilizing inverted parallelismand claim it is evidence to support the books ancient origin. Critics argue that the archaeological record suggests that all elephant like creatures became extinct in the new world around 10,000 bc. Critics of the book of mormon, declare the book of mormon false because there are no living elephants in america. Critics argue that the archaeological record suggests that all elephantlike creatures became extinct in the new world around 10,000 bc.
Clark, archaeological trends and the book of mormon. Mammoths, however, can more accurately be called elephants and have been by modern scientists see neal rappleye, a scientist looks at book of mormon anachronisms, mormon interpreter, may 2014. August 2, 1962 by ben crowder asiatics, book of mormon, coronation, cultural patterns, dead sea scrolls, elephants, ether book of. January 2, 1977 by ben crowder abyssinia, ancient parallels. The book of mormon falls short on this major point. Shields the book of mormon the problem of the horse. Many point to the extinction of the mastodon, mammoth, and gomphothere by the end of the pleistocene, 10,000 years ago, as one of the books anachronisms. Thus any elephants existing upon the american continents need not have survived past about 2400 b. The elephant is mentioned only once in the book of mormon ether 9. Elephants in america philosophies of men mingled with. Thus any elephants existing upon the american continents need. Sep 25, 2018 cement, alma, bountiful, barley, and elephantsfive examples of things once used to ridicule the book of mormon that have been validated by modern scholars. Points out that some bottles and pottery vessels dug up on the american continent resemble elephants.
Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book history of the church, vol. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. Scientists agree that elephants mastodons and mammoths existed on the american continent anciently but are uncertain about the exact date of their extinction. Critics of the book of mormon often point out the verse, ether 9. Consequently, elephants were widely distributed all over south america, with at least one variety existing to about the time of the annihilation of the nephites, 400 a. Book of mormon claims elephants in ancient america. One group of families came from jerusalem in 600 bc and afterward separated into two nations, known as the nephites and the lamanites.
The only place that elephants are mentioned in the book of mormon is in ether 9. I think its a valuable article that helps us better understand the richness and complexity of the text, and the danger of making simple 21st century assumptions about an ancient text. These petroglyphs are most likely the remains of a nephite city caused by the calamities just before christ visit to the nephite people. For more information about elephants on this continent, see glen chapmans page on elephants in the book of mormon now including scanned images from various publications. The book of mormon says the nephites had elephants. Elephant the only place where elephants are mentioned in the book of mormon is in ether 9.
The book of mormon says that there were elephants in the land northward and they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and. The book of mormon speaks of sheep, swine, horses, and elephantseven though they werent brought to america until centuries later by europeans in postcolumbian times. This appears a problem to some, in particular, the smithsonian. Book of mormon, coronation, cultural patterns, dead sea scrolls, elephants, ether book of, gold plates. The book of mormon mentions elephants being useful to the jaredites ether 9. Also mentions that the discovery of elephant bones in. This is an abbreviated version of a fulllength video which fair. The claim that people were using steel before the discovery of steel is important because it is in the opening pages. Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon book of mormon. Howlers in the book of mormon hugh nibley collection hbll. In the book of mormon, mention of elephants occurs in a single verse, in the jaredite account there were elephants, ether 9.
I personally believe the book of mormon doesnt have enough material to be completely historical and too much to be completely fiction. While the jury is still out, there are a number of north american indian traditions which recount legends of giant stifflegged. Elephants none contemporary with the book of mormon again from tom ferguson. The book of mormon says man dwelt contemporaneously with elephants and that they were useful to them. A scientists look at book of mormon anachronisms third hour.
The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Elephants are mentioned twice in the earliest book of mormon record, the book of ether. For the most part she doesnt talk much about mormonismwhich i like because i am not a mormon and never will be. The book of mormon says that there were elephants in the land northward. The book of mormon mentions horses, elephants, cattle. Elephants true book of mormon geography lands, western. An interesting study on men and elephants in america ludwell h. However, no evidence of horses and elephants being brought to the americas have been found to support the book of mormon in the precolumbian new world before 1492. Foolishly the critics say there is no evidences for elephants in america. If a socalled holy book is not a myth, then we will find that the names of cities, people, and other unique details will be supported by archaeological evidence.
903 629 1631 1639 796 828 1045 854 295 102 368 1588 364 1658 501 1614 1391 877 167 359 1475 804 514 363 837 135 680 343 759 1497 666 754 752 1183 164 370 803