Scripture Central continues to push M2C (the Mesoamerican/two-Cumorahs theory of Book of Mormon Geography). They insist that the "real Cumorah/Ramah" is somewhere in southern Mexico, although they disagree about exactly where and their trips to "discover" Cumorah haven't exactly panned out.
The methodology works like this:
This week leading up to "Moroni Day" we'll pursue clarity, charity and understanding by clarifying the various positions people take on Cumorah/Ramah.
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This post is adapted from a section in my book The Rational Restoration.
Reframing Cumorah-Identification
|
Old narratives |
Reframe |
|
Faithful: The Hill Cumorah/Ramah is in southern Mexico or another location besides New York. Critical: The Hill Cumorah/Ramah
is an imaginary, fictional place. |
The Hill Cumorah/Ramah
is in western New York, the same hill where Joseph Smith found the plates. |
Pursuant to the FAITH model, we first distinguish facts from assumptions and inferences. The relevant facts fall within three basic categories:
(i) Historical documents.
(ii) the text itself.
(iii) extrinsic evidence.
1. Historical documents include documents created and preserved by Joseph Smith and his contemporaries, including Oliver Cowdery’s 1834-5 essays on Church history (particularly Letter VII), Lucy Mack Smith’s history, recollections of David Whitmer, Parley P. Pratt and others, articles in various Church publications, and the teachings of the apostles and prophets through the years. Many of these are compiled here: https://www.mobom.org/byu-packet. Examples:
When Moroni first visited Joseph Smith, he told him that "the record is on a side hill on the Hill of Cumorah 3 miles from this place remove the Grass and moss and you will find a large flat stone pry that up and you will find the record under it laying on 4 pillars of cement."
Moroni "then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigenes of this country... He said this history was written and deposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother’s privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain and translate the same by the means of the Urim and Thummim, which were deposited for that purpose with the record."
In 1830, during the mission to the Lamanites as directed in D&C 28, 30 and 32, Oliver Cowdery told the Indians "This Book, which contained these things, was hid in the earth by Moroni, in a hill called by him, Cumorah, which hill is now in the State of New York, near the village of Palmyra, in Ontario County."
Describing the hill with Joseph's assistance, Oliver wrote, "this is the highest hill for some distance round, and I am certain that its appearance, as it rises so suddenly from a plain on the north, must attract the notice of the traveller as he passes by. At about one mile west rises another ridge of less height, running parallel with the former, leaving a beautiful vale between. The soil is of the first quality for the country, and under a state of cultivation, which gives a prospect at once imposing, when one reflects on the fact, that here, between these hills, the entire power and national strength of both the Jaredites and Nephites were destroyed. By turning to the 529th and 530th pages of the book of Mormon (Mormon 6) you will read Mormon’s account of the last great struggle of his people, as they were encamped round this hill Cumorah.... [Mormon] abridged from those records, in his own style and language, a short account of the more important and prominent items, from the days of Lehi to his own time, after which he deposited, as he says, on the 529th page, all the records in this same hill, Cumorah and after gave his small record to his son Moroni, who, as appears from the same, finished, after witnessing the extinction of his people as a nation. …
This hill, by the Jaredites, was called Ramah: by it, or around it pitched the famous army of Coriantumr their tents.
2. The text of the Book
of Mormon describes the setting and surrounding of the land of Cumorah and the
hill Cumorah. These descriptions are vague enough to fit in many locations,
including the terrain and location of the New York Cumorah.
3. Extrinsic evidence corroborates the teachings of the prophets about Cumorah.
Numerous artifacts have been found in western New York that corroborate the scope of the final retreat and battles that Mormon describes. M2Cers have invented "requirements" for Cumorah to support their belief that the "real Cumorah" is in Mexico. For example, BYU Studies still features this table:
https://byustudies.byu.edu/further-study-chart/138-the-two-final-battles/
Although M2Cers claim 230,000 soldiers died at Cumorah, and 2 million Jaredites, that's not what the text tells us.
The largest enumerated Nephite army was only 42,000, assembled after Mormon gathered the people “together in one body” (Mormon 2:7) in 330 AD. After many years of steady retreat and "a continual scene of wickedness and abominations," by 346 AD Mormon had an army of only 30,000. (Mormon 2:25). In 350 AD Mormon made a treaty with the Lamanites, but soon the carnage and retreat resumed, to the point that by 384 AD, they had gathered in all their people to the land of Cumorah (Mormon 6:6).
In Mormon 6:6, Mormon says that, "from the top of the hill Cumorah," he and Moroni "beheld" or saw two units of ten thousand who had been "hewn down." This is obviously not a specific number, but a military unit, like a brigade or battalion.
Then Mormon uses the imperative "behold" to draw our attention to all the other military units who had fallen during the decades-long, bloody retreat from Bountiful during Mormon’s life as a military leader.
… when Coriantumr had recovered of his wounds, he began to remember the words which Ether had spoken unto him. He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly two millions of his people, and he began to sorrow in his heart; yea, there had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children. (Ether 15:1-2)
These “two millions” died long before the battle at Ramah, which commenced over four years later. Coriantumr was reflecting on Ether’s prophecy of doom, seeing its fulfillment in the long history of wars documented in the text over 33+ generations. Similarly, in modern times, we say 1,000,000 U.S. military personnel have died in battle, considering those killed during the Civil War, the World Wars, Vietnam, etc.
Two million Jaredite deaths over 33 generations is
roughly 60,000 per generation, or around 2,000 per year on average.
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