2014 Conference on the Book of Mormon Lands

19 October

The 12th Annual Conference on the Book of Mormon lands will be held this month in Salt Lake City, Utah. Topics will include “Law of Moses among the Lamanites,” “Is the Book of Mormon Historically ‘True’,” and “The White God of Ancient America.”

One thing I’ve always been fascinated and a little troubled by is the ends Mormons will go to “prove” and convince others the golden plates existed and the events in the Book of Mormon actually happened. When I first joined the Mormon Church in one of my lesson manuals I saw this picture.

possible-book-of-mormon-sites_eng

At the bottom there’s a notation (in tiny print) that reads:

“Possible relationships of the sites in the Book of Mormon based on internal evidence. No effort should be made to identify points on this map with any existing geographical location.”

If the places spoken of in the Book of Mormon existed why would they have a problem with people looking up the cities mentioned in the book? The same restriction doesn’t apply to the Bible. We can look on a map and find the places mentioned, we can even go on tours and visit those places.

One has to wonder if they’re trying to convince themselves more than others that the foundations of their religion are true.

As I look at the topics that will be covered at this Conference I have to wonder if the organizers have even read the Book of Mormon. For instance the people in the Book of Mormon didn’t practice the Law of Moses. In fact there’s no mention of the feast and festivals the Jews practiced in the Old Testament, or any indication that they follow the Law.

(See: Feasts and Festivals in the Book of Mormon )

Secondly on more than one occasion they ate raw meat while they were in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:1-2 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness. And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings. (emphasis mine)

The Jews of the Old Testament knew God forbid them to eat “unclean” meat, or raw meat with the blood of the animal still in it. So what would a Nephi allow his wife and family to disobey God?

Deuteronomy 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

Leviticus 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

Another topic of for discussion at the Conference is ““The White God of Ancient America.” Honestly I’m not sure how to respond to this, I’m guessing this is probably in reference to Quetzalcoatl. Thankfully Michelle has done some research on this topic.

(See: Mormon Dilemma 830 Quetzalcoatl is Jesus )

Mormons say the Book of Mormon holds the “fullness of the gospel”. Well if you’re not supposed to try and locate the areas spoken of in the Book of Mormon and those in the book, who claim to be Jews go against God’s spoken word it’s going to be hard to convince anyone the events in this book occurred.

In Christ,
Melissa Grimes (melissa@lifeafter.org)

Reference:

Meridian Magazine

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