Some readers have wondered why I included Stebbins and Hills on my Memorial Day comparison chart. https://bookofmormonwars.blogspot.com/2019/05/memorial-day-2019.html
As we've discussed, M2C originated with Stebbins and Hills, two RLDS scholars. Their work was adopted by LDS intellectuals over the objection of LDS leaders.
In the late 1800s, the RLDS Committee on American Archaeology arranged for G.F. Weston to prepare six maps of Book of Mormon lands. The Committee reported that "Although the church never officially endorsed the maps, the proposed geographical locations of Book of Mormon cities and lands on the maps made a lasting impression which has been difficult to correct."
To find this quotation, go to
https://stepbystep.alancminer.com/node/2268 and search for "lasting impression."
You can see that this map Weston prepared depicts the land of Zarahemla in northern South America, basically Colombia and Ecuador, with Panama as the "narrow neck."
Later, RLDS and LDS intellectuals decided that Panama was not the "narrow neck" and moved their geography into Mesoamerica.
Now, thanks to the work of employees at BYU, CES, and COB, most members of the Church have had Mesoamerica imprinted on their minds from a young age.
For example, right on its home page, BYU Studies still links to maps that show Cumorah in Mesoamerica, along with other Book of Mormon sites.
https://byustudies.byu.edu/charts/159-plausible-locations-final-battles
This map is a specific, intentional repudiation of the teachings of the prophets about Cumorah.
Such maps have "made a lasting impression which has been difficult to correct."
As bad as the maps of Mesoamerica have been, the situation is getting worse all the time, now that CES and BYU both require students to learn the Book of Mormon using fantasy maps.
These fantasy maps portray the Book of Mormon itself as fiction. It's not surprising that half of Millennial members of the Church don't believe the Book of Mormon is an actual history.
Regarding these fantasy maps, we should reiterate what the committee said in 1898:
"Although the church never officially endorsed the maps, the proposed geographical locations of Book of Mormon cities and lands on the maps made a lasting impression which has been difficult to correct."
As we've discussed, M2C originated with Stebbins and Hills, two RLDS scholars. Their work was adopted by LDS intellectuals over the objection of LDS leaders.
 |
| Weston map |
To find this quotation, go to
https://stepbystep.alancminer.com/node/2268 and search for "lasting impression."
You can see that this map Weston prepared depicts the land of Zarahemla in northern South America, basically Colombia and Ecuador, with Panama as the "narrow neck."
Later, RLDS and LDS intellectuals decided that Panama was not the "narrow neck" and moved their geography into Mesoamerica.
Now, thanks to the work of employees at BYU, CES, and COB, most members of the Church have had Mesoamerica imprinted on their minds from a young age.
For example, right on its home page, BYU Studies still links to maps that show Cumorah in Mesoamerica, along with other Book of Mormon sites.https://byustudies.byu.edu/charts/159-plausible-locations-final-battles
This map is a specific, intentional repudiation of the teachings of the prophets about Cumorah.
Such maps have "made a lasting impression which has been difficult to correct."
 |
| BYU fantasy map |
These fantasy maps portray the Book of Mormon itself as fiction. It's not surprising that half of Millennial members of the Church don't believe the Book of Mormon is an actual history.
Regarding these fantasy maps, we should reiterate what the committee said in 1898:
"Although the church never officially endorsed the maps, the proposed geographical locations of Book of Mormon cities and lands on the maps made a lasting impression which has been difficult to correct."
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