Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The Disingenuous H38 Virus Website

The following is taken from the website claiming to be the “True Book of Mormon Geography” in which is stated:

4. The Land Northward was crossed by the Mulekites, they having first landed in the northern border then traveled south later to found Zarahemla. A true model must have a LAND NORTHWARD bordered by the SEA NORTH connecting to the "GREAT DEEP." (1 Nephi 17:17; Omni 1:16; Ether 6:3, 2:25, 7:27, 8:9; Helaman 12:16; 2 Nephi 4:20)

First of all, the sea connected to the Great Deep is the West Sea, which is where Lehi landed, would be the Land of First Inheritance in the Land of Nephi (Alma 22:28). Since Jacob tells us they were upon an “isle of the sea,” we can understand that the entire Land of Promise was surrounded by the Great Deep.

Secondly, contrary to the above statement, Omni 1:16 says: “Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon. And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time forth.” This obviously does NOT say the Mulekites crossed any land in the Land of Promise, nor that they landed in the northern border, or that they traveled south later to found Zarahemla. The website uses a completely disingenuous reference.

Thus, according to Amaleki in Omni, the Mulekites 1) left Jerusalem, 2) journeyed in the wilderness to the sea, 3) were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters, 4) landed in the land where Mosiah found them, and 5) had dwelt there from the time of their landing to when Mosiah found them.

It is arrogantly disingenuous to claim other than what the scriptural record states. The Mulekites were never in the Land Northward, did not land in the northern border, did not cross any land within the Land of Promise, and they did not travel south to found Zarahemla. In fact, no one in Zarahemla knew about the Land Northward other than from Limhi’s 43-man expedition, and knew nothing of the people who had inhabited that land until Mosiah translated Ether’s record.

Now, other of his references are just as bad. 1 Nephi 17:17 says: “And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: “Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters.” This has nothing to do with the Mulekites or where they landed, or about a North Sea. It only states that Nephi built a ship that crossed the many waters, which is not a contested point.

Ether 6:3 “And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.” Again, this is not a contested point, or has anything to do with the Mulekites or the Land Northward or the North Sea.

Ether 2:25, 7:27, and 8:9 are all about “crossing the great deep,” which is neither a contested point, nor has anything at all to do with the Land Northward or the North Sea.

Helaman 12:16 says, “And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep -- Be thou dried up -- it is done,” which has to do with the power of God and nothing whatever to do with either the Mulekites or the Land Northward or the North Sea.

2 Nephi 4:20, “My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep,” which is merely an acknowledgement by Nephi of the wonderful things the Lord has done for him. This, also, has nothing to do with the Mulekites or the Land Northward. And since the Lehi Colony landed along the West Sea in the Land Southward as stated in Alma, it cannot have anything to do with the North Sea.

What more can one say about someone who writes about a subject, in this case, the Mulekites landing in the Land Northward and crossing the land and going south to found Zarahemla, all points in opposition to the scriptural record, then references several scriptures that have nothing to do with the statement? Such scholarship is completely disingenuous and meant to completely mislead a reader. There is no place for such theorizing regarding the Book of Mormon or actually any other point of scholarship.

Such writing is inexcusable. The author of this should be ashamed of himself.

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